Q, please reflect on the camp so far.
A, young players and new signings have joined, making the competition more intense. Compared to the same period last season, we have been able to steadily continue what we have worked on throughout the year, so I think we are in a very good atmosphere.
Q: Do you feel any improvement from last season?
A, over the course of last season, our path forward became clear. Within that, to increase precision and achieve better results, I believe we need to expand the variety of our attacks, so we are focusing on that aspect during the camp.
Q, I think the competition for the center back position is intense. Please tell us about your thoughts and aspirations for this season.
A, I believe the number of appearances last season doesn't matter. Since I joined the professional ranks, I have approached each year as a challenge, and I want to make a strong impression during this camp throughout this season as well. This season, especially, we have many high-level players, so I want to prepare so that anyone who plays can perform well, and I hope to create such intense competition that the coach will have a good dilemma about who to use.
Q: Do you feel the intensity of the position battle?
A: The players around me are also playing really well, so I feel that I cannot afford to lose.
Q: Please tell us your personal goals and team goals for this season.
A: My goal is to be involved in every match throughout the year without injury. As a team, of course, we aim to win the league, but as the coach says, we want to win each match one by one, focusing on the game in front of us.
Q: There was talk about increasing the variety of attacks, but as a defender, is there anything necessary?
A: I want to supply passes that not only create chances with a single pass from our side but also can peel off the opponent's pressure without losing the ball at the back. I believe we need to be even more conscious than last season about properly circulating the ball and providing good passes to the midfield and forward players.
Q: Is there anything that Kimoto player is conscious of in terms of livening up the atmosphere of practice?
A: I'm not consciously doing it, but since I am one of the older players in terms of age, I think I need to raise my voice more to liven up the atmosphere.
＜Ryoma WATANABE＞
Q: I see many scenes of you running with player Morishige after practice this year. What are you talking about?
A: The topics we talk about are mainly private matters, and we don't talk much about soccer.
Q: Do you talk about tactics or other football-related topics with players who have been with the team since last season, outside of meetings?
A: The members are not fixed even in practice matches, so we have not had tactical conversations yet.
Q: The players are not fixed for the matches, but we often see scenes where every team enters dangerous areas. Are you focusing on scoring goals?
A: I believe that aspects directly linked to scoring, such as how to deliver crosses and how to break behind the defense, will become important.
Q, As a player who has been appearing in matches since last season, do you pass on techniques such as how to switch with the opposing DF to other players?
A: I don't see myself as someone who teaches, and the way to score goals is the same—I believe everyone has their own method. However, with young players who are recent high school or university graduates, I sometimes talk to them about positioning and mindset rather than how to score goals.
Q. What are you personally focusing on right now?
A. I want to play more and more up front, making plays that directly lead to goals. I believe my strength lies in being able to use those around me, but to become a feared player, I want to be conscious of aspects that directly lead to scoring, such as expanding my shooting range and always aiming for the final pass.
Q. Tomorrow, you will be playing against FC Ryukyu, which belongs to the J.League for the first time this season. Will you be focusing on aspects like that?
A. That's right. However, having few mistakes is also my greatest strength, so if I lose that quality, it becomes a matter before even attempting a challenge. I think it's difficult to adjust, but I want to continue while preserving my strengths.
Q. You mentioned that you are focusing on plays that directly lead to goals. Is that something the coach also expects from you?
A. It’s not that the coach specifically demands it. Looking back at my individual results from last season, I felt that unless I scored more goals, we wouldn’t be able to aim for the league championship or higher goals. Soccer is a sport where scoring goals is essential, so no matter how much you keep possession, you can’t win without goals. This is why I personally decided that I need to score more.
Q. Looking back over the off-season, did you feel that plays directly leading to goals were necessary?
A. This is something I have thought about for a long time. This season, I have been given the opportunity to play in a forward position from the start, so I believe this is the perfect timing. When I seriously want to achieve results, I think this season will be the most important year.
Q. Please tell us the team’s goals and your personal goals.
A. As a team, we aim to win the league. Personally, I want to score 10 goals.
Q. What changes have there been between the 2022 and 2023 seasons as a team?
A. Of course, last season’s foundation remains, but I believe all the players have heightened their awareness of plays directly leading to goals and the goal itself. While valuing possession of the ball is a given, it’s not just about passing the ball around; it’s also about not overlooking teammates who move to score and prioritizing decisions such as passing the ball forward when possible.
Q. Kimoto mentioned that he has become able to skillfully circulate the ball up to the penalty area, but breaking down the defense beyond that is important. Watanabe, do you have any personal keywords regarding creativity and attack?
A. I think that in order to score more goals than last season, it is important for individuals to be in sync with each other. It may be obvious, but not only the person passing the ball, the person receiving the pass also needs to watch the opponent and start moving accordingly. Synchronizing with each other is essential.
