The first half of the league was a tough struggle, but the second half saw a comeback thanks to the contributions of newly joined players. As expectations were placed on the players and their growth was encouraged, the team gradually began to feel a tangible sense of progress. Amid this, what was the coach thinking, and how did he try to move the team forward? This is about the impressions and challenges felt by head coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI in his first year, and what is necessary to aim even higher—.
Persisting Without Wavering
──We struggled in the first half of the league, but the players who joined during the special registration period in June successfully boosted the team, allowing us to accumulate points in the second half.
I think that was one factor. However, I believe they joined a team atmosphere where the players who were struggling showed great attitude and faced the challenges head-on. It wasn’t just that they were excellent players; there was also the aspect of staff who brought out their strengths. This applies to what we have continued to do and the mindset in our daily training sessions as well. Ultimately, I believe it is all about the daily accumulation. Both players and staff never gave up and persevered, which I think was the trigger that led to a positive direction, and we patiently built a good momentum.
──I think the player who became a symbol of such steady progress was Keisuke Sato.
He truly energizes the team with his voice, his play, and his character. I believe he is a player and a person with a wonderful personality. Like him, players who grasp something and try to connect it to their own results are not afraid of change. Even if what they have inside themselves does not necessarily align with the team’s ideas or roles, they seriously think about what they can do there and continue to face it head-on. At first, when receiving the ball between the lines, he often struggled to face forward and made many control mistakes. The narrower the area became, the more there were moments he couldn’t break through, but I believe he is one of the players who made what we aimed to do and my demands his own.
──I think there were many players who grew this season besides him.
For example, Yuto NAGATOMO steadily improved his condition and deepened his tactical understanding, increasing what he could do. He himself continues to seek areas where he must improve even more. In that sense, I believe he is also one of the players who grew this season. Of course, his defense was solid, but there were also several scenes where he contributed to creating scoring opportunities in attack. He has a unique switch that sets him apart from others, such as his willingness to take on challenges. He is a player with an attitude to maintain and improve his condition and performance.
──While there were veterans who continued to grow, Leon NOZAWA significantly increased his playing opportunities throughout this season.
That's right. I have the impression that we were not able to give Nozawa many opportunities to start in the lineup, but in the match against Yokohama F. Marinos (June 25, Meiji Yasuda J1 League Sec. 15 postponed match) where he started, he delivered solid results. Even in matches where he came on as a substitute, the number of situations where he got close to scoring has been increasing. There are still moments where he can't quite finish in those situations, but I believe he is a player who accepts the position he is competing in, faces what he can do at that time, works on it daily, and that has gradually started to show in actual matches.
──This season, while the team was struggling, I believe the players and staff saw Kei KOIZUMI quietly wrestling with his own worries and conflicts. How did his presence as captain appear to you?
I believe there were times when I caused him some hardship. I wasn’t able to give him many opportunities to start in the lineup, but even so, we maintained communication. While I can’t say that whether he played or not was everything after entrusting him with the captaincy, I do think there was a slight difference in the atmosphere and feel between when he was on the pitch leading and when he wasn’t. From that position, he listened to various consultations and provided great support by understanding the team’s situation through many conversations. His performance in the latter part of the season, when he secured playing opportunities, showed that he understood the challenges and was able to bring out his strengths in the matches.
──How do you want to connect this season's battles to the future?
I believe it is absolutely necessary to keep going. No matter what kind of match it is when you step onto the pitch, whether you were able to do what you have diligently prepared or not makes an enormous difference. Ideally, that should ultimately lead to the next match and the future of the team. It is unacceptable to underestimate or take lightly even a little bit of that. Those who don’t give their best today cannot talk about tomorrow. The world we live in is one where those who don’t work hard today have no tomorrow. First and foremost, I think we must stick firmly to what we envision and what we must do.
They say, "Keep going without wavering," but those of us inside this world fully understand just how difficult that is. That is precisely why I have often said that the important mindset is to "keep the philosophy unchanged, but be flexible in the methods." It’s not about comparing with others; this applies not only to soccer but also to one’s life and way of living. It may sound like I’m speaking arrogantly, but I believe the reason I am who I am today is because I have kept going without wavering. That is why I am currently entrusted with the role of Tokyo’s manager, and why I am able to thrive in this soccer world. I have kept believing and persevering, and because this is a competitive world, there have been times when I have pushed others aside to keep going. If I consider that as my strength, I believe the same applies to the team as well.
──The Emperor's Cup, with the pinnacle in sight, ended in a loss in the Semifinal Round. How does that frustration remain with you?
I believe there were plenty of opportunities, and the players delivered what they had thoroughly prepared. However, I am thinking about whether we can fight even more offensively from that match onward. If I consider whether it was an enjoyable match for everyone watching throughout the entire game, it certainly was not. After all, the soccer we aim for should include such elements. We need to express that aspect more. As a reflection on myself, I should have thought more offensively. Naturally, since it is soccer, the importance of defense was always in my mind, but by showing a slightly more offensive color, I have in my mind the possibility that we might have changed the tone of the game. Of course, there is frustration from losing in the Semifinal Round, but we must accept that this is our current level of ability.
──Looking back at the content of the matches and the data, I think we gradually became able to play while observing how the opponents would respond in the second half of the season.
Tactics, stats, and data are of course important, and how we utilize them could serve as an indicator for the advancement of the soccer world. However, I personally believe that if everything is seen that way, it becomes a conservative perspective. My view of soccer is not something that can be entirely expressed through numbers; it lies in the players’ momentary ideas, imagination, creativity, and the element of surprise. Such tactics certainly exist. I think the true enjoyment of soccer comes from discovering various things on your own while playing. Of course, I understand the importance of rational thinking and tactical considerations. We also firmly implement those aspects, but I feel that without some final margin or space for creativity, it might not be interesting for the spectators.
──There was also talk about "being more offensive," but if we can play soccer that surpasses high-intensity opponents like Sanfrecce Hiroshima and FC Machida Zelvia, whom we faced in the final stages, it should become the most enjoyable soccer time.
That is absolutely possible. I have experienced that myself, and in the end, it comes down to which way it will swing. Of course, I have respect for the style of soccer that other teams consistently pursue. The soccer we aim to play is not about overturning such opponents, but rather being tactical and creative against any opponent. I believe I can achieve that kind of soccer with this team, and I work on it every day.
──To realize that, it might connect to the message the coach conveyed to the players before the season started: "Go beyond my imagination." I believe we need to see more players breaking out of their own limits rather than staying within their comfort zones.
I truly believe that, and I want them to challenge themselves to improve and raise their quality as players. Of course, there may be things that can be calculated. But I want them to be more creative in many ways. I think that creativity exists along a line built on various accumulated foundations. It’s not simply a matter of "just do whatever you want," but something that exists within a certain flow. That’s why daily accumulation is so important. Take Sato, whose name was mentioned earlier, for example: he had a base of daily effort and accumulation, which led to moments of creativity during the game. For those watching, it looked like his range of play was expanding, his performance was steadily improving, and he was even able to score goals. There was a moment when he grasped a key technique. Isn’t that how players grow? It’s not just about putting in effort repeatedly, but about firmly working on the basics and then grasping the key. That key can then be applied not only to one play but to various things. Even if it doesn’t go well at first, as the base gradually improves and they get used to it, they begin to grasp the key. Once they can do that, it seems to branch out into many different things all at once. It’s not just him; there are defensive players who have also given me that impression.
──The phrase "Go beyond my imagination," which I heard before the start of this season, might have been a motto that the players gradually came to truly understand throughout the year.
I believe that what you convey or demand doesn’t need two or three lines. One phrase or a single line is enough. Even if I think something is incredibly simple, if I haven’t fully conveyed it, that is due to my own lack of ability. How to convince others and how to make them understand are the same challenge. Even within myself, there are still many areas that are insufficient. I myself have improved by grasping certain triggers or tips. I have come this far with the help of the players and the support of the surrounding staff, so from now on, I believe I must strengthen my own communication even more.
Text by Tadashi BABA (Freelance Writer)
