Q: The opening is just a few days away.
A: It felt like it went by in the blink of an eye. Since the camp started, it feels like we’ve come this far in an instant. I don’t think I’ll truly feel it until the season actually begins, but right now, I’m not nervous at all and I have a strong determination to give it my all.
Q. Was it significant that you played in a number of matches last season and gained various experiences?
A. Yes, I think it was significant that I was able to consistently participate in matches last season and gain various experiences.
Q. Since you have learned a lot through experience, is it easier to visualize your play?
A: I also played in last season’s match against Urawa, so I have a certain image in mind.
Q. No matter which player you ask, they all say they feel quite confident. I hear that the main focus has been on the attacking aspect, but from a defender’s perspective, how do you feel about the current progress?
A. Watching from behind and actually participating in the attack myself, I feel that compared to last season, we are able to advance the attack more advantageously and that we often have control of the game. Rather than reacting to the opponent’s movements, we have a good feeling that we are able to play the style we aim for.
Q: Does this mean that the team’s tactics have somewhat taken hold and confidence has grown?
A. Yes, that's right. We have a shared understanding as a team, and I think what we have built up since last season is starting to take shape as the confidence that "we can do it." I feel growth both personally and as a team while playing.
Q: Your positioning during attacks is higher than last season, isn't it?
A: Last season, I rarely became a starting point for attacks from the sides, so the coach told me that by doing so, we could increase our goal scoring. I have been consciously playing with that in mind since the camp. Also, I think it is gradually taking shape. Since I am good at attacking myself, while defending is a given, I have been able to participate more in attacks than last season, and I find that very enjoyable.
Q. That said, I think we must not allow more goals. Since you are on the defensive line, it is necessary to play while considering balance, right?
A: Keeping a clean sheet is a given, but rather than being overly focused on defense and retreating, I believe that if we play proactively and take control of the game, we can avoid conceding goals. To reduce goals conceded, of course, improving the quality of our defense is necessary, but I also think it’s essential to raise the quality of our attack and our ball possession.
Q, I hear the words "league championship" from every player, but how do you feel about this season?
A: It's not that we are not aiming for the league championship, but it is truly important to fight each match right in front of us as if it were the Final Round, and the coach has also told us this. I have been playing with that mindset since camp, so if each individual can win their one-on-one battles and those critical moments, I believe great results will naturally follow. For now, I am only focused on winning the opening match and getting off to a good start.
Q. So far, do you feel the most fulfilled and calmly in a good way?
A. I don't feel very calm. I have a bit of impatience, but I have more positive worries, and since I have been involved in matches since returning last season, in that sense, I think this is the most fulfilling time for me.
Q, I have seen you worry deeply when troubled, so I thought the phrase "positive worries" is a really good expression.
A, I would say positive worries, or rather, I have come to be able to take a positive perspective. Just having a mentally strong player like Yuto NAGATOMO around me has made my own way of thinking more positive. Until now, I tended to focus too much on the negative and became increasingly negative, but now I feel that I have a very positive mindset.
Q, Rather than consulting, is it more like being naturally pulled along just by being in the same space and practicing together?
A, I naturally feel pulled along, and I truly think he is an amazing person.
Q, the opening match was the first in a while to allow 100% capacity and cheering from all seats. How do you feel about that?
A, Just before the COVID-19 pandemic, in my first professional year, I was on the bench for an away match against Shimizu and felt the atmosphere. However, I did not play in that match, and it will be the first time in my life to play in a game with the stadium fully packed with fans, so I am looking forward to seeing how it will be. I have never even been on the bench for an opening match at Ajinomoto Stadium, so I am excited.
Q, Is the opening match different when you often enter as a key player from the start of the season?
A, Until now, many of the camps have been irregular due to injuries or the Levain Cup Final Round, so this is the first time I have been fully involved in the starting lineup competition from the very beginning. In that sense, I think the camp felt like it passed in an instant. Compared to before, I feel a stronger determination toward the opening match.
Q, It feels like there are more plays where you connect and break through while interacting with the midfield players.
A, I have been playing more often in advanced positions, and I have been going through trial and error repeatedly during camp and practice. It’s not perfect yet, but I am gradually getting a feel for it.
Q. How is your relationship with Morishige?
A, I think you can tell if you watch, he is an incredibly great player. If I clearly make a move, he watches, and rather than trying to play according to Morishige, if I make a move, he watches. If we create various options, he will make the best choice, so I focus on running with trust.
Q: I think you are absorbing a lot and growing.
A, Since joining the top team, under former coach Masaru HASEGAWA's style of play, the fullbacks repeatedly participated actively in attacks and defended, but since Albert PUIG ORTONEDA became the coach, everything has changed 180 degrees, and I am now playing a style of soccer I had never done before. The fullbacks think and move inside, stretch wide to the sides, and swap positions with the defensive midfielders, but since I hadn't really played while thinking this way before, I initially felt uncomfortable. On the other hand, I believe that if I can absorb this style of play, I can greatly expand my potential. From last season, little by little, compared to myself before meeting coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA, I think the range of my play has broadened.
Q, When I interviewed Keigo HIGASHI, I asked about the characteristics of each player, and at that time, he said that although he has a gentle personality, if he could change his character when he steps onto the pitch, he might become the world's best fullback.
A. I don't feel that I am very gentle on the pitch, but I do think it would be better if I could be more aggressive, and since everyone tells me that too, I want to be conscious of breaking through that barrier this year.
Q. What are your goals for this season?
A. I have clear goals, but I will keep them to myself.
