Q, What should fans call the coach?
A, I have been called Albert for the past two years, but the 'to' is not pronounced, so it’s Albert. The original pronunciation places the accent on 'ber'. For some reason, I was registered as Alberto in Japan, and even Wikipedia lists me as Alberto (laughs), but I would be happy if you could call me Albert from now on.
Q, so, Mr. Albert, this will be your first J1 and challenge with FC Tokyo, the club in the capital. How did you feel when you received the offer?
A, first of all, I want to say that I was truly able to work comfortably in Niigata. The club made efforts to change its direction, and the players followed the playing style I aimed for. I believe the fans and supporters also liked it. However, I am always seeking new challenges. I have spent most of my career as a coach for youth development. After coaching at the Barça (FC Barcelona) Academy, I was able to take on the role of Barça Academy Director, which is the most important position in youth development worldwide. I was involved in various reforms within the club, and after that, I embarked on a new journey of 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.
A, When Domenec Torrent, who served as the right-hand man to Josep Guardiola (former Barcelona coach and current Manchester City coach), was appointed as the head coach of New York City, he invited me, saying, "Why don't you join me?" During the two years supporting Torrent, I developed a desire to become a head coach myself. However, it wasn't just anywhere that would do. When I was thinking about being involved in an attractive project in a country or city I respect, an offer came from Albirex Niigata. After two years, I felt the desire to take on a new challenge again.
Q, it means a challenge in J1.
A, I wanted to take on a challenge with a top-class J1 club and an attractive project. I received several offers, but the most appealing one was from FC Tokyo. I was drawn to the fact that the club was embarking on reforms and was willing to take on the challenge of a new team playing style. Moreover, it is a club located in the capital of a wonderful country like Japan. I was also interested in the fact that, despite having the potential to become a great club, they have not yet achieved results that match that potential. Additionally, the fact that their uniform resembles Barça’s blaugrana (meaning 'blue and garnet' in Catalan) was another factor that caught my attention (laughs).
Q, do you feel any connection to the club where Takefusa KUBO used to play?
A, Barcelona signed 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 have now come to the club where KUBO played after Barcelona. However, it is unfortunate that he did not return to Barcelona (laughs).
Q, I also watched the matches during the Niigata era, but what kind of football do you aim for at FC Tokyo?
A, (Thank you for watching the matches.) The Barca I once worked for emphasized positional play, a style of football that constantly demands what to do with the ball in both attack and defense. I believe the style Barca has expressed matches the strengths and characteristics of Japanese players. Many Japanese players are intelligent. They have the impression of playing with a solid understanding of why a certain play is required and why a certain phenomenon occurs. Compared to the world’s top football nations, they may be physically inferior, but on the other hand, their technical level is very high. They also have speed. Additionally, they possess a dedicated character, so they are good at pressing and winning the ball back.
Q, it's exactly what is required for Barca's style, isn't it?
A, I have always wondered why Japanese players do not pursue the style of play like Barca. I believe we were able to prove in Niigata that Barca’s style suits Japanese players. Although most players had never experienced it before, by the second year, they were able to express it quite well. Even more importantly, the fans and supporters liked that style of play. Many spectators came to the stadium. If we can express the football we showed in Niigata in Tokyo, the capital of Japan, it would be truly wonderful.
Q, Soccer in the Niigata era seemed to be designed with both attack and defense in mind. It was also characteristic that the shape changed significantly when building blocks in defense and building up in attack.
A, both in attack and defense, everyone must play as a single block. In my country, we express this as 'everyone traveling together.' Possession (keeping the ball) is important, but even more emphasized is position (the players' positioning). With these two—position and possession—we can achieve better attacks. Also, in soccer, there are broadly two ways to defend: defending by protecting space and defending by maintaining possession of the ball. As Johan Cruyff said, as long as we keep possession of the ball, the opponent cannot attack.
Q, in other words, having the ball equals good defense.
A, that's right. If each player takes good positions and achieves better possession, they can create more chances. If good positioning is maintained in attack, when the ball is lost, the team can recover it in a good shape. That is the positioning I seek. And in defense, players must sweat and run for the team. Those who cannot do that will not be allowed to play. If there is a player who thinks they are so great that they don't need to run, I would like to give that player Guardiola's phone number (laughs).
Q, I recommend going to Manchester City (laughs).
A, However, in reality, if you look around the world, there is only one player who doesn’t need to run. That is Lionel Messi. In other words, in Tokyo, everyone must run. On top of that, even if the opponent applies a high press, I want the players to connect passes firmly without fear. In Niigata, during the first year, they kept clearing the ball one after another. But in the second year, they started to keep possession without clearing and began passing to their teammates. I want the Tokyo players to change in a shorter period of time.
Q, Have you watched some 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 have watched many Tokyo games, but you really can’t understand until you see the players with your own eyes. First, I want to observe the players with a blank slate. I plan to hold meetings and communicate clearly with the players. I am the type who prefers to talk to players individually. If there is something they don’t understand, I want them to come ask me, and I also want to offer advice. I tend to express myself straightforwardly without sugarcoating, so sometimes it might be hard to hear. Regardless of whether they are young or veteran players, I want to convey my honest thoughts to them.
Q, In the 2021 season, Niigata played fantastic soccer, but they stumbled a bit towards the end. Where do you think the cause lies? Tokyo also had a great season in 2019 but stumbled and missed the title. Are there any lessons that can be applied in Tokyo as well?
A, I don’t know what happened in Tokyo, but I can explain what happened in Niigata. In over 90% of the matches in the 2021 season, despite outnumbering the opponents in chances and shots, the main reason for the slowdown was the continuous loss of points due to a lack of finishing ability. Niigata was clearly more offensive than any other team, but it is difficult to explain why such a team had so many draws. There were even matches where the number of shots was 20 to 3, yet the score was 1-1.
Q, when looking at rival teams, players like Peter UTAKA (Kyoto Sanga F.C.) and Lukian (Júbilo Iwata) showed their scoring abilities.
A, I believe they brought points to their teams. If we can score the opening goal, the opponent will have to come forward to score, making it easier for us to add more goals. For example, the match where we defeated Tokyo Verdy 7-0 at home was such a scenario. However, perhaps due to the impact of that game, many teams have since started to strengthen their defenses.
Q, there are wonderful strikers in Tokyo.
A, they need to once again prove their high scoring ability. This is because, in the 2022 season, it will be required to demonstrate finishing skills in tight spaces. Counterattacks usually provide space when taking shots, but in the 2022 season, there will be more games where we press the opponent. As a result, the space in front of the opponent’s goal will become narrower. The question is whether they can still score under those conditions. Of course, I have great expectations for them. I also have high hopes for the younger players. Japanese people tend to be concerned about age, but I do not hesitate to use young players. While I respect veterans, what matters on the pitch is not age but performance. It doesn’t matter whether a player is 35 or 15 years old.
Q, Takefusa KUBO also stood on the J1 pitch at the age of 16.
A, Japan has many talented young players, so I want to pay attention to the academy players as well. If there are good players, I want to give them a chance to challenge themselves 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 a Japanese coach can only offer what is already available, then there is no need for me to lead the team. Also, I believe that the coach who succeeds me should be a Japanese coach.
Q, that means building a solid foundation, right?
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 to win 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 grow the club. We will prioritize players from the academy, reinforce the team with high-quality foreign players, and continuously grow by adding players suited to my playing style. FC Tokyo is still not at the top level in terms of management scale in J1. The current professional soccer world is not an easy place where clubs that cannot compete at the top in management scale can always aim for the championship. However, if the team and the entire club continue to grow, it will also promote growth in management scale.
Q, In addition to developing the current players, if the club's financial strength improves, we can gain even more solid power.
A, it is a time-consuming process and must be carried out patiently. I hope the fans and supporters will support us with a long-term perspective. I want you to carefully watch what kind of play the team aims for and what kind of play it expresses. If we continue to express play that makes everyone feel proud, the number of fans and supporters at the stadium should increase. I believe that the more fans and supporters increase, the more it will lead to acquiring many sponsors.
Q, with more sponsors, income will increase, making it possible to reinforce the team with higher quality players.
A, for example, Kawasaki Frontale is always able to compete for the championship precisely because they have a clear playing style. I also want to spend two to three years building the foundation of this club. Based on that foundation, I want to develop the club into one that can compete for titles every year. To achieve that, not only the players and the team but every area of the club must become professional. I believe it is also my role to promote that. This is not just about the playing style expressed on the pitch; the entire club must grow. It requires being a wonderful person, a professional, and an excellent worker.
Q, finally, please give a message to the fans and supporters in Tokyo.
A, I believe that Japanese people have a national character of respecting one another. I am also a person who values respect. Let’s work together and fight as one. If I make a mistake, I will apologize, but I will not apologize for losing a match. There are times when you give your all but still cannot win. That is not a failure. Any project requires time and patience to succeed. Within that process, I want to keep fighting so that everyone can unite. I look forward to the day I can meet all of you!
text by Atsushi Iio
