Q: What should fans and supporters call the coach?
A: For the past two years, I have been called Albert, but the correct pronunciation is Albert. The accent is on the 'be'. For some reason, in Japan, I have been registered as Albert, and even Wikipedia lists me as Albert (laughs), but I would be happy if people could start calling me Albert.

Q: So, Albert PUIG ORTONEDA, this is your first challenge in J1 and with FC Tokyo, a club in the capital. How did you feel when you received the offer?
A: First of all, I want to express that I was really comfortable working in Niigata. The club made efforts to change its direction, and the players followed the playing style I aspire to. I believe the fans and supporters liked it as well. However, I am always seeking new challenges. I have spent most of my career as a youth coach. After serving as a coach at the Barça (FC Barcelona) academy, I was able to take on the most important position in the world for youth development as the academy director at Barça. I was involved in various reforms within the club, and then I set out on a journey for new challenges.

Q: You have served as the technical director for the Gabon national team and as a coach for New York City in Major League Soccer, right?
A: When Domenec Torrent, who had been the right-hand man to Josep Guardiola (former Barcelona coach, current Manchester City coach), was appointed as the coach of New York City, he invited me to join him. During the two years supporting Torrent, I developed a desire to become a coach myself. However, it wasn't just anywhere that I wanted to go. I wanted to be involved in an attractive project in a country or city that I respect, and then I received an offer from Albirex Niigata. After two years, I felt the desire to take on a new challenge again.

Q: So it's a challenge in J1.
A: Yes, I want to take on the challenge with a top-class club in J1 if it's an attractive project. I received several offers, but the most appealing one was from FC Tokyo. I was drawn to the idea that the club is embarking on reforms and is challenging a new team playing style. Moreover, it's a club located in the capital of a wonderful country, Japan. I was also interested in the fact that it has the potential to become a great club, yet hasn't achieved results that match that potential. Additionally, the uniform being similar to Barcelona's Blaugrana (meaning 'navy and maroon' in Catalan) was another factor that caught my interest (laughs).

Q: This is a club where Takefusa KUBO once played. Do you feel any connection to him?
A: Barcelona acquired Takefusa KUBO when he was 10 years old, and I was the one who made that decision as the academy director at the time. I think it's a beautiful story that I came to the club he joined after Barcelona. However, it's unfortunate that he didn't return to Barcelona (laughs).

Q, I have been watching the matches during your time in Niigata, but once again, what kind of football do you aim to play at FC Tokyo?
A, Thank you for watching the matches. The Barcelona team I once worked with emphasized positional play, continuously seeking how to handle the ball in both attack and defense. I believe the style that Barcelona has expressed matches the strengths and characteristics of Japanese players. There are many intelligent players among the Japanese. I have the impression that there are many players who understand well why that play is required and why that phenomenon occurs. Compared to the world's strong nations, they may be physically inferior, but on the other hand, their level of technique is very high. Additionally, they possess speed. With their dedicated nature, they are also good at pressing and winning the ball back.

Q: These are exactly the things required for the Barcelona style.
A: I have always wondered why Japanese people do not pursue a style of play like Barcelona. I believe it was proven in Niigata that the Barcelona style suits the Japanese. Despite most players having never experienced it before, by the second year, they were able to express it quite well. More importantly, the fans and supporters liked that style of play. Many spectators came to the stadium. It would be wonderful if we could express the soccer we showcased in Niigata in Tokyo, the capital of Japan.

Q, during your time in Niigata, it seemed that both offense and defense were designed simultaneously. Additionally, it was characteristic that the shape changed significantly when forming blocks in defense and when building up in attack.
A, in both offense and defense, everyone must play as one block. In my country, we express this as 'everyone travels together.' Possession is important, but what I emphasized even more was position. Position and possession, these two elements enable better attacks. Furthermore, in soccer, there are generally two ways to defend: by guarding space and by defending through ball possession. As Johan Cruyff said, as long as we maintain possession of the ball, the opponent cannot attack.

Q: So having the ball is equivalent to good defense, right?
A: That's correct. If each individual takes good positions, we can achieve better possession and create more chances. If we have good positioning in attack, we can recover the ball effectively when we lose it. That is the positioning I seek. And in defense, players must work hard and run for the team. I won't let players who can't do that play. If there are players who think they are so great that they don't need to run, I might just give them Guardiola's phone number (laughs).

Q, I recommend going to Manchester City (laughs).
A, however, in reality, there is only one player in the world who doesn't have to run. That is Lionel Messi. In other words, everyone in Tokyo must run. Additionally, even when the opponent applies high pressure, I hope they can connect passes without fear. In Niigata, during the first year, we were clearing the ball one after another. By the second year, we started to keep the ball and connect passes to teammates instead of clearing it. I hope the players in Tokyo can change in a shorter period of time.

Q: It seems you watched several games in Tokyo during the 2021 season. Are there any players you are looking forward to or find interesting for the 2022 season?
A: I watched many games in Tokyo, but I won't know until I see the players in person. First, I want to see the players with a blank slate. I want to hold meetings and have clear communication with the players. I prefer to talk to players individually. If there’s something they don’t understand, I want them to come and ask, and I also want to offer advice. I tend to express myself straightforwardly, so sometimes it might be hard to hear. Regardless of whether they are young or veteran players, I want to convey my thoughts to them.

Q: In the 2021 season, Niigata was playing wonderful football, but they somewhat lost momentum towards the end. What do you think was the cause of that? Tokyo also lost momentum in 2019 despite having a great season; are there any lessons from that experience that can be applied to Tokyo?
A: I can't speak for what happened in Tokyo, but I can explain what happened in Niigata. I believe the main reason for the loss of momentum was that in over 90% of the matches in the 2021 season, they outperformed their opponents in terms of chances and shots, yet continued to drop points due to a lack of finishing ability. Niigata was clearly more aggressive than any other team, but it is difficult to explain why such a team had so many draws. There were matches where the shot count was 20 to 3, yet the score ended up being 1-1.

Q: Looking at rival teams, Peter UTAKA (Kyoto SANGA F.C.) and Lukian (Júbilo Iwata) showed their scoring ability.
A: I believe they brought points to their teams. If we can take the lead, the opponent has to score, making it easier for us to add more goals. For example, the match where we defeated Verdy 7-0 at home was such a scenario. However, perhaps due to the impact of that match, many teams have since tightened their defenses.

Q: Tokyo has some amazing strikers.
A: They need to prove their finishing ability once again. This is because the 2022 season will require them to show their finishing skills in tight spaces. Counterattacks usually have space when taking shots, but in the 2022 season, there will likely be more games where we push the opponent back. In that case, the space in front of the opponent's goal will become narrower. The question is whether they can still score. Of course, I have high expectations for them. I also have high hopes for the younger players. Japanese players tend to be concerned about age, but I do not hesitate to use younger players. I respect veterans, but what matters on the pitch is performance, not age. It doesn't matter if you are 35 or 15 years old.

Q, Takefusa KUBO also stepped onto the J1 pitch at the age of 16.
A, There are many talented young players in Japan, so I want to pay attention to academy players as well. If there are good players, I want to challenge them in the top team. On the other hand, foreign players must bring something to the team that Japanese players cannot provide. That applies to me as well. If I can only offer what a Japanese coach can provide, then there is no need for me to lead the team. Furthermore, I believe that the coach who follows me must be a Japanese coach.

Q: So, you are saying that you will build a solid foundation.
A: Sooner or later, I will leave this club, this city, and this country. My mission is to nurture FC Tokyo, a club for the people of Tokyo. I was surprised that everyone in Japan says, 'We aim for the championship.' I do not say such things. I hate losing more than anyone and am obsessed with winning, but what I can promise is to instill a clear playing style, equip the team with the strength to always compete for the championship, and help the club grow. I will focus on players from the academy, reinforce with high-quality foreign players, and continuously grow while bringing in players suitable for my playing style. FC Tokyo is still not at the top level in terms of management scale in J1. The current professional football world is not an easy one where clubs that cannot compete at the top level in management scale can easily aim for the championship. However, if the team and the entire club continue to grow, it can also promote growth in management scale.

Q: In addition to developing the current players, if the club gains economic strength, it will be able to establish a more solid foundation.
A: That is a time-consuming process, and we must proceed with patience. I hope that fans and supporters will support us with a long-term perspective. I want you to closely observe what kind of play the team is aiming for and how it is being expressed. If we continue to express play that makes you feel proud, the number of fans and supporters in the stadium should increase. The more fans and supporters we have, the more we can attract sponsors.

Q: If the number of sponsors increases, revenue will increase, making it possible to strengthen the team with higher quality players.
A: For example, Kawasaki Frontale has a clear playing style, which allows them to always be in the title race. I also want to build the foundation of this club over the next 2 to 3 years. Based on that foundation, I want to grow the club into one that can compete for titles every year. This requires not only the players and the team but also every area of the club to become professional. I believe it is also my role to encourage that. It is not just about the playing style expressed on the pitch; the entire club must grow. Being a wonderful person and an excellent professional is essential.

Q: Finally, please give a message to the fans and supporters in Tokyo.
A: I believe that Japanese people have a national character of mutual respect. I also value respect highly. Let's work together and fight on. If I make a mistake, I will apologize, but I will not apologize for losing a match. There are times when, despite giving our all, we cannot win a match. That is not a failure. Any project requires time and patience for success. In that process, I want to continue fighting so that everyone can unite. I look forward to the day I can meet all of you!

text by Atsushi Iio