Rikizo MATSUHASHI, entering his second season as head coach. Building on last season's foundation, what style does he intend to adopt in the Meiji Yasuda J1 Century Vision League, where winning the championship is set as a clear goal? What are the important things that must be valued, and what challenges must be overcome to achieve this?
Both players, who use build-up as their weapon, talked about what is required to gain true strength.
──What kind of changes do you expect for the team in the 2026 season?
Masato MORISHIGE I think the 2025 season ultimately became a realistic way of playing. This season, with Ina (Hayato INAMURA) and Hashiken (Kento HASHIMOTO) joining, having players who can hold the ball will make the build-up smoother, and as a result, it will bring out the individual abilities of the forwards. There were some difficulties last season, but I had an overall image and I think we were able to reinforce the missing pieces. From here, Rikizo MATSUHASHI’s desired style of soccer will be refined and the team will be able to express it better.
Hayato INAMURA I often talk about the new players joining the team, and we frequently say, "This team can become even stronger." The quality of the players is incredibly high, and everyone has something wonderful to offer. However, those strengths haven't quite come together yet. This is something I've felt both from the outside and after joining the team. The defensive strength and sharp counterattacks since returning to a four-back system last season are Tokyo's great qualities, and I believe we must not break that down even after we joined. In addition to that, if we can bring out different aspects and play in a way that better utilizes the forwards, I think we will get closer to winning the championship.
──Since the start of this season, is there anything that Coach Matsuhashi has been emphasizing more?
Morishige He has been placing greater emphasis on breaking free individually as well as through passing in the build-up from the back. It's not about escaping with passes; I often hear the phrase, "After one move outside, the scenery changes."
Inamura The coach often talks about the word “connection” during practice, and as Mori-kun (Masato MORISHIGE) mentioned, he also said during his time at Albirex Niigata that “it’s not just about passing, but also about individuals breaking free and connecting with those around them.” However, I think this is still a challenge for Tokyo. It’s about the distance between players and also about building connections consciously; if that happens, the ball will circulate more smoothly. I believe it will also make better use of the high quality of the players. When we hear “connection,” we tend to focus on the passing, but Coach RIKI is a manager who thinks about how to score goals. He’s the kind of coach who is fine with scoring from a single long pass or after connecting 20 passes. In that sense, I think he emphasizes this kind of connection.
──Indeed, I think creating such connections is certainly a challenge.
Inamura Surprisingly, everyone doesn’t talk much, and I felt that more communication during practice, matches, and scrimmages would be better. It’s not about fighting; I think it’s okay to express opinions more and to make demands and accept them as well. I believe that is also a form of connection. It’s important to speak up regardless of age, and I also felt that there should be more communication between staff and players. It’s not about being close friends, but the more you talk, the deeper your understanding during play becomes. You can imagine what your teammates are thinking, and for that, everyday conversations are important. Everyone is kind, but I felt there are many players who quietly focus on their work.
Morishige Certainly, that type might still be quite rare.
Inamura I felt that younger players should speak up more. I believe that by talking more, a sense of unity will naturally develop.
──This season, the players, staff, and club have set the keyword "championship." What do you think is necessary to achieve that?
Morishige What Ina just said covers everything. To connect passes or to improve errors during the game, you have to talk and resolve things on the spot, moment by moment. You can’t know what anyone is thinking without communication. Who wants to receive the ball in what way, who is good at what kind of pass, or who will definitely pass the ball if you’re in a certain position. Once those connections become visible, the passes will naturally circulate. Then, even without constantly voicing it, if you talk regularly, you can move smoothly and develop a tacit understanding. We have to keep building those relationships. Ultimately, quality is needed in the finishing phase, but that is very important for playing this style of soccer, and to some extent, we can build up to that. Everyone has to work on that process together. We must not end up like last season, where results didn’t come and we had to make a major change in direction midway. It’s about how much we can pursue that.
Inamura I have watched TOHO S. for a long time and thought it was a team with ups and downs. When they are very strong, no matter the opponent, the game becomes TOHO S.'s and they win. On the other hand, there were many matches where you wonder what happened today. If we don’t eliminate those kinds of games, there will be more wasted matches. Last season, when Kashima Antlers felt off during a game, they had a style of decisively doing what they could and steadily accumulating wins with strong fighting spirit. That kind of approach is important, and I think it also depends on communication. Of course, there is an ideal style of soccer, and while the players pursue their ideal play, there comes a point where you have to make compromises. What matters is how you act to win and for the team, so even though I am a new player, I want to take responsibility in those areas as well.
──I think there are many fans and supporters who have high expectations for this season. Lastly, please share your enthusiasm with us.
Morishige I believe the players are all here now, so all that’s left is to deliver results that will please the spectators. I want to increase the number of matches where we win solidly and send everyone home with a smile.
Inamura I want to keep winning and look up at Ajinomoto Stadium filled with about 40,000 excited fans, the scene I saw when I was in junior high school, so I will keep winning no matter what.
(Honorifics omitted in the text)
Text by Tadashi BABA (Freelance Writer)
