Q, Oita Trinita and Nara Club have both won titles in Oita and Tokyo respectively, but do you feel any impact for yourself or the club from winning titles?
A, for the team and for those involved with the team, experiencing what it means to win allows for the accumulation of successful experiences. Even if it is a cup competition, it is still a valuable experience. In the 2008 Nabisco Cup when I was with Oita Trinita, the team was in good form and we won against Shimizu S-Pulse in the final, which allowed both the team and myself to win our first title. It is a memory that remains vividly in my mind, but in the following season, Oita did not perform well, so I was able to gain experience including such situations. After achieving something, it is an experience that the next battle will be even tougher.
Q, based on that experience, did you have the feeling of winning the Levain Cup in the 2020 season and tightening your focus for the following season?
A, in the 2020 season, our performance in the league was not very good, but we were able to win the Levain Cup. However, instead of overestimating that achievement, we understood that we did not achieve results in the league and approached the 2021 season.
Q: The Levain Cup, which Morishige won the title in, is a tournament where young players have the opportunity to play this season. Do you have any image of young players in Tokyo?
A, I think it would be great if I could think more about what I need to do to show my strengths, as there are many skilled players. Everyone is much better than when we were young. I think they also have ideas. However, I understand that it is not enough to just have that in the professional world. With that understanding, if I can think more about what I need, what is expected of me by the coach, what I need to do to survive in this environment, I think I can make better use of my strengths and abilities.
Q, is it expected of young players to approach not only matches but also daily practices with an awareness of their own situation and what is required of them?
A, it is about thinking about what is necessary for oneself to take the position from the player in the higher position in the sequence of one's own position. It can also be said to be an attitude and way of thinking towards soccer, and a way to take the position. I think that it is the most important thing for me to play in the game and to perform well in the game, and I think it is important to think about what I need to do to reach that point.
Q, is it also something you want experienced players to feel?
A, it's not just about self-awareness, but also about various advice from people around you, events that happen, good encounters, there is always a trigger. Instead of waiting for that trigger, you have to go and grab it yourself. If you take such action, I believe that the path will naturally open up. Even if you practice without thinking and wait for a seat to become available, it won't become available, that's what it means.
