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 very important that I was able to play consistently in matches last season and gain a variety of 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 fairly clear image.
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 the back and actually participating in the attack myself, I feel that compared to last season, we are advancing the attack more advantageously and that we often hold the initiative. Rather than reacting to the opponent’s movements, we have a good sense 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 share a common understanding as a team, and what we have built up since last season is starting to take shape as 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 the starting point for attacks from the sides, so the coach told me that by doing so, we could increase our goals. 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 am 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 if we play proactively and maintain control of the game, we can avoid conceding goals. To reduce goals conceded, of course, improving defensive quality is important, but I also think it is necessary to raise the quality of our attack and 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're not aiming for the league championship, but it's really important to fight each match in front of us as if it were the Final Round, and the coach tells us the same. I have been playing with that mindset since camp, so if each player can win their one-on-one battles and those crucial moments, I believe great results will naturally follow. For now, I am only thinking about 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’m not really calm. I feel a little bit of impatience, but mostly positive concerns. Since returning last season, I have been involved in matches, so in that sense, I think I am the most fulfilled.
Q, I have seen you worry deeply when troubled, so I thought the phrase "positive worries" is a really good expression.
A, rather than calling them positive worries, I have come to be able to view things more positively. Just having a mentally strong player like Yuto NAGATOMO around has made my own way of thinking more positive. Until now, I tended to focus too much on the negatives and became increasingly negative, but now I feel 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 do feel naturally 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 corona disaster, I felt the atmosphere by being on the bench in the away game against Shimizu in my first year as a professional. However, I did not play in that game, and it will be the first time in my life to play a game with the audience in the entire stadium, so I am looking forward to what will happen if I can play in the game. I am looking forward to the opening game at Ajinomoto Stadium, as I have never been on the bench before.
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 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 tend to play more up front, and I have been repeatedly trying and correcting things 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 me, and rather than trying to play according to Morishige, if I make a move, he watches me. If we create various options, he will choose the best one, 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, the style was repetitive with side backs actively joining the attack and defending, but since Albert PUIG ORTONEDA became the coach, it has changed 180 degrees. I am now playing a style of soccer that I had never done before. Side backs think and move inside, stretch wide, or swap positions with the defensive midfielders. Since I hadn’t really played with that kind of thinking before, I initially felt uncomfortable, but on the other hand, I believe that if I can absorb this style, I can greatly expand my potential. From last season, little by little, compared to before I met 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 have that much gentleness on the pitch, but I also think it would be good 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.
