Q, Please tell us your honest thoughts about becoming a professional soccer player.
A, It has been my dream since I was little, so I am genuinely happy. I am very proud to be able to start my professional soccer career at Tokyo, a club I love and have been part of since the first year of junior high school.
Q, How was the promotion to the top team communicated to you, Kobayashi?
A, I had a player interview with FC Tokyo U-18, and it was there that I was told, "Your promotion has been decided." My mother, who attended the interview with me, was very happy, and I also felt a surge of emotion. I had been participating in the top team's training since my first year of high school and had strong feelings about the promotion, so I was very happy.
Q, you have participated in the top team's camp for two consecutive seasons. How was the feeling?
A, During my first season participating as a first-year high school student, I was desperately trying to keep up with those around me and could only focus on stopping shots. This season, I had a bit more composure and was able to reflect my own thoughts in my play. It was precisely because I participated in the camp for two consecutive seasons that I was able to feel my growth. Of course, there were mistakes, but since the camp involved daily training, I focused on repeating what I couldn’t do and playing while thinking for myself.
Q, Please tell us the parts where you felt you could compete against professional players and the parts where you felt there was a gap.
A, First of all, I felt that stopping shots was an area where I could hold my own as my strength. The top team players have excellent situational judgment and the experience to respond instantly, so I want to gain more experience and grow further.
Q, was there any player who left a particularly strong impression on you?
A, it is Taishi Brandon NOZAWA. Although he is three years older and from a close generation, he showed me an overwhelming difference in physical ability and shot-stopping skills, which was very inspiring.
Q, Nozawa was also selected as a member of the Japan national team for the match held on New Year's Day.
A, I truly think he is amazing. Since Nozawa and I share some similarities in our career paths, when I heard that he made it into the Japan national team, I strongly felt that I want to catch up to that level myself.
Q: Previously, you mentioned being impressed by the "attitude" of Yuto NAGATOMO and Kuryu MATSUKI.
A, NAGATOMO always keeps an eye on the whole picture, and when the team atmosphere isn’t good, he raises his voice and lifts the overall mood to the point where each person around him adopts a positive attitude, which really surprised me. MATSUKI, even in his first year after graduating high school, interacted normally with professional players and was able to compete on the field, so he left a strong impression on me.
Q: Please tell us about your playing style and strengths.
A, I am good at dynamic play. I also excel at shot-stopping, handling high balls, and dealing with crosses, so I would like people to pay attention to those areas.
Q: Please tell us what inspired you to become a goalkeeper.
A, I was originally tall, so I played as a goalkeeper in casual soccer games. When someone took a shot and I stopped it, seeing the opponent get frustrated made me feel, "Being a keeper is fun." Later, encouraged by my coach, I started playing as a goalkeeper seriously around the time I moved from 4th to 5th grade in elementary school. I really enjoyed stopping shots. At first, it was painful and scary, but those feelings gradually disappeared, and I came to enjoy the thrill of saving shots.
Q: What kind of image did you originally have of Tokyo?
A, I have been watching Tokyo’s matches since I was in elementary school, and on my days off, I often went to Ajinomoto Stadium with my friends. Of course, at that time, I never imagined I would play for Tokyo, and I thought, "That club is far beyond my reach."
Q, Looking back now, how would you describe the three years you spent at FC Tokyo U-15 Musashi during your junior high school days?
A, I was blessed with very good teammates. This includes my peer Keisuke Nakamura (Shizuoka Gakuen High School) as well as the seniors; we all had a good rivalry. Playing together with everyone, those three years laid the foundation for me as a goalkeeper.
Q, What is the relationship with player Nakamura whose name has come up?
A, He is both a close friend and a rival. Just because we get along well doesn't mean we are complacent; when we play soccer, we compete with each other, give each other advice, and share many things including our way of thinking as goalkeepers. I believe we have pushed each other to improve through this relationship.
Q, With Nakamura choosing Verdy as his path after graduating high school, we can't help but expect a new "story" to unfold.
A, That's right. With Verdy having returned to J1, I want to show everyone soon the sight of Nakamura and me competing on the J1 stage, and I want to work hard to grow so that I can reach that level quickly.
Q, What was your time like at FC Tokyo U-18, where you spent three years during high school, for you, Kobayashi?
A, The level of goalkeepers in the U-18 team was also very high. There were players one year older like Sota Nishiyama and Nanase Noro, two years older like Yu Kajima, and one year younger like Wataru GOTO. I was especially conscious of my peer Asahi SAITO. In the first half of my third year, I was given playing time ahead of SAITO and GOTO, so I felt a great sense of responsibility. SAITO is also a very good goalkeeper and the player I respect the most. GOTO excels in shot-stopping ability and kicking power, so just like in U-15 Musashi, I believe I was able to improve my skills and abilities as a goalkeeper in an environment with excellent human relationships.
Q, This season, with the long-term absence of captain Okazaki Daichi, you had many opportunities to wear the captain's armband. What kind of role did you have in mind?
A, When Okazaki had a long-term absence, I decided to bring the team together and lead it until Okazaki returned. It was my first time taking on the role of captain, and there were times when I didn’t know what to do, but since I’m not bad at communicating, I tried to talk both on and off the pitch to guide the team in a positive direction.
Q, During this year's summer club youth championship, the team achieved second place in the nation. However, I believe that player Kobayashi did not have many opportunities to play. What was your experience like in that tournament?
A, It was the first national tournament for my generation, and while it was very enjoyable, it was also the most frustrating tournament at the same time. Of course, I wanted to play in the matches and lead the team to victory, but under the judgment of coach Takashi OKUHARA, I was on the bench and thought about "doing everything I can even as a bench starter to help guide the team in a positive direction" and "how to help the team win." Especially regarding encouraging teammates and the roles I fulfilled on the bench, I can say I did everything I could in this tournament, so I have no regrets. As a player, I wasn’t able to play in the matches, so while I’m happy that we won, my desire to "play in the matches" was very strong.
Q, how do you think the experience of being the only goalkeeper on the pitch will affect you this season?
A, I don’t see not being able to play in the U-18 matches as a negative thing at all; rather, I think it’s a positive experience. I felt that not playing in matches doesn’t mean I’m not growing. Although I might not get many opportunities to be involved in matches with the top team at first, I want to first get used to the professional pace and gain experience, while always maintaining the mindset to aim for a starting position and keep working hard every day.
Q, What are your goals for your first professional season?
A, The level of goalkeepers in Tokyo is high, so I am thinking about how I can express myself, absorb the good qualities of my seniors, and get involved in matches. I want to steadily break into the competition for the position starting from my first season.
Q, What is the place you want to reach as a soccer player, and how far can you imagine it?
A, Recently, Nozawa was selected for the Japan national team, and seeing that has strengthened my desire to join the Japan national team as well. I also understand that I need to perform well at Tokyo to achieve that. I want to give my all to make an impression starting from the training camp.
Q, What kind of play do you imagine yourself playing at Ajinomoto Stadium with fans and supporters?
A, I dream of saving the team with my specialty in shot-stopping and making a guts pose.
Q, Many fans and supporters come to FC Tokyo U-18 matches, and there is always a strong impression of passionate support.
A, Although we had been supported throughout the Premier League, I felt responsible for not being able to win often. While we also wanted to somehow meet the expectations of the fans and supporters, the source of our strength to strive for victory was everyone’s cheers. Especially in the summer national tournament, it was precisely because the fans and supporters were cheering for us that we were able to achieve those results, so I am very grateful.
Q, Finally, please give a message to the fans and supporters of Tokyo.
A, Not only to the fans and supporters who have been cheering for me until now, but also to everyone who will support me as I join the top team, I will do my best to showcase my specialty in shot-stopping during official top team matches and demonstrate that I can help the team win. Please, cheer for me.
Text by Takashi Tsuchiya (Football Writer)
