"The customer's position is already graduated!"
Be prepared to win in the battle at Odaira MF 38 Soma ANZAI
Special content introducing the all-blue-red warriors who will challenge the 2024 season. What are the players, who are facing the opening, thinking and what kind of determination are they going to face the year with? The story of the players who have club love, thirst for titles, thoughts for success, and the roles they must fulfill──. Soma ANZAI, who had been confirmed to join the team from the 2025 season, signed a professional contract before the start of the new season. He, who was a teammate with Kuryu MATSUKI at Aomori Yamada High School, officially became a member of the blue-red army. A big decision prompted by the inspiration he received in Tokyo in the 2023 season. In addition to being used as a side half, what kind of brilliance will ANZAI, who has decided to become a professional with determination, show in the new season where he is also expected to be used as a side back?
Soma ANZAI, who was supposed to join both Waseda University Football Club and FC Tokyo as a JFA/J.League designated player for the 2024 season, officially became a member of the blue and red team earlier than planned. After much consideration on which team's growth would be greater, he chose to join FC Tokyo before the start of the new season in Kodaira.
"Even in college, it's all about soccer. But last season, I was able to play in four games in Tokyo, with fans and supporters in the stands, and there was a tense atmosphere that you can only feel in a professional stadium. Even just one game was unforgettable. I felt a lot of growth there, and my desire to stand on that stage became stronger. In order to stand there, I didn't just want to participate in training for a week, but I wanted to work hard in Koda and earn my position and the right to stand on the pitch."
Last season, we experienced the intense atmosphere of Ajinomoto Stadium twice in the YBC Levain Cup. In the final stages of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League, we also experienced "enemy territory" at Sapporo Dome and Lemon Gas Stadium Hiratsuka. Among them, the players who were used in the final league match against Shonan Bellmare showed a fighting spirit that has been inherited by the team for the 2024 season. Of course, Anzai is one of them.
"I thought I understood Peter's soccer last season, and it has been reinforced through the camp. Especially on the sides, intensity is required, but that is also my strength."
He is also a valuable talent who knows "Peter's style". However, the first year is the first year. He is strict with himself, saying "I still can't even join the team" and there is no compromise there. This season, he has found a way to grow by using his flexibility to play both as a side half and a side back, and getting involved in finishing plays while making use of his surroundings.
His opponents, who have just signed a professional contract, are fierce rivals with both achievements and skills. However, without determination and confidence, there is no way to secure a professional contract. Anzai, who has abandoned his role as a "customer", will aim for regular position and league victory with sharp eyes.
"If we can't produce results, the starting lineup (hierarchy) won't be reversed. We want to focus on scoring even in practice matches. We made this decision with great determination, so first we want to be involved in the game. As a member of the team aiming for the title, I want to contribute to victory."
Text by Wataru GOTO (Freelance Writer)
