Q, What should fans call the coach?
For the past two years, I have been called "Alberto", but the "to" is not pronounced, just "Alber". The accent is on the "be", which is the original. For some reason, in Japan, I have been registered as "Alberto" and even Wikipedia has me listed as such (laughs). But I would be happy if people could start calling me "Alber" from now on.
Q, so, Mr. Albert, this will be your first J1 and challenge with FC Tokyo, the club in the capital. How did you feel when you received the offer?
First of all, I want to say that I really enjoyed working in Niigata. The club made efforts to change its direction, and the players followed my preferred playing style. I think the fans and supporters also liked me. However, I always seek new challenges. I have spent most of my career as a coach for youth teams. After working as a coach at FC Barcelona's academy, I was able to take on the most important position in the world for youth development, which is the academy director at FC Barcelona. I was involved in various reforms within the club and then embarked on a new journey of challenges.
Q, you have served as the technical director for the Gabon national team and as a coach for New York City in Major League Soccer.
When I was appointed as the coach of Albirex Niigata, I was invited by Domenec Torrent, who had been the right-hand man of Josep Guardiola (former Barcelona coach, current Manchester City coach), to "do it together" to New York City. During the two years of supporting Torrent, I developed a desire to become a coach myself. However, it wasn't just anywhere that I wanted to go. When I was thinking about wanting to be involved in an attractive project in a country or city that I respect, I received an offer from Albirex Niigata. And after two years, I felt the desire to take on a new challenge once again.
Q, it means a challenge in J1.
A, I also want to challenge an attractive project at a top-class club in J1. I received several offers, but the most attractive one was from FC Tokyo. I was attracted to the club's reform and their challenge to a new team playing style. Moreover, it is a club located in the capital of a wonderful country, Japan. I was also interested in the fact that it has the potential to become a great club, but has not yet achieved the corresponding results. Additionally, the fact that their uniform is similar to Barça's Blaugrana (meaning "blue and scarlet" in Catalan) also caught my attention (laughs).
Q, do you feel any connection to the club where Takefusa KUBO used to play?
Barcelona acquired Takefusa KUBO when he was 10 years old, and it was me who decided to do so as the Academy Director at the time. I think it's a beautiful story that I came to the club where KUBO belonged after Barcelona. However, it's a shame that he didn't return to Barcelona (laughs).
Q, I also watched the matches during the Niigata era, but what kind of football do you aim for at FC Tokyo?
A, (Thank you for watching the game) Thank you. The Barcelona I used to work for emphasized positional play in soccer, and has always sought what to do with the ball in both attack and defense. I think the style that Barcelona has expressed matches well with the strengths and characteristics of Japanese players. Japanese players are intelligent. They have a strong understanding of why certain plays are required and why certain phenomena occur. Compared to other top countries in the world, they may lack physicality, but on the other hand, their technical level is very high. They also have speed. They also have a selfless personality, so they are good at pressing and stealing the ball.
Q, it's exactly what is required for Barca's style, isn't it?
A, I have always wondered why Japanese people do not pursue a play like Barca's. I think we were able to prove that Barca's style suits Japanese people in Niigata. Even though most of the players had never experienced it before, they were able to express it quite well in their second year. What's even more important is that the fans and supporters liked this style of play. Many spectators came to the stadium. It would be wonderful if we could express the soccer we showed in Niigata in Tokyo, the capital of Japan.
Q, Soccer in the Niigata era seemed to be designed with both attack and defense in mind. It was also characteristic that the shape changed significantly when building blocks in defense and building up in attack.
A, both in attack and defense, everyone must play as one block. In my country, we express this as "travel together with everyone". Possession of the ball is important, but what we value even more is position (the player's position). With position and possession, we can achieve better attacks. Also, in football, there are two main ways to defend. One is to defend the space, and the other is to defend by holding onto the ball. As Johan Cruyff said, as long as we have possession of the ball, the opponent cannot attack.
Q, in other words, having the ball equals good defense.
A, yes. By each individual taking good positioning, we can create better possession and more chances. If we have good positioning in attack, we can quickly regain possession when we lose the ball. That is the positioning I am looking for. And in defense, we must sweat and run for the team. I will not let players who cannot do that play. If there is a player who thinks they are so great that they don't need to run, I will give them Guardiola's phone number (laughs).
Q, I recommend going to Manchester City (laughs).
A, however, in reality, there is only one player in the world who doesn't need to run. That is Lionel Messi. In other words, in Tokyo, everyone must run. Plus, even if the opponent presses high, I want them to pass without fear. In Niigata, in the first year, they cleared the ball one after another. In the second year, they started to keep the ball and pass it to their teammates instead of clearing it. I want the Tokyo players to change in a shorter period of time.
Q, Have you watched some games in Tokyo during the 2021 season? Are there any players you are looking forward to or find interesting for the 2022 season?
I have watched a lot of games in Tokyo, but until I actually see the players with my own eyes, I won't understand. First of all, I want to see the players with a blank slate. I want to have a meeting and have clear communication with the players. I prefer to talk to each player individually. If there is something you don't understand, I want you to come and ask me, and I also want to give advice. I am the type of person who speaks straight without beating around the bush, so sometimes it may be painful to hear. Regardless of whether they are young or veteran, I want to communicate my thoughts to the players.
Q, In the 2021 season, Niigata played fantastic soccer, but they stumbled a bit towards the end. Where do you think the cause lies? Tokyo also had a great season in 2019 but stumbled and missed the title. Are there any lessons that can be applied in Tokyo as well?
A, I cannot explain what happened in Tokyo, but I can explain what happened in Niigata. In more than 90% of the 2021 season games, we had more chances and shots than our opponents, but our lack of finishing ability was the main reason for our decline. Niigata was clearly more attacking than any other team, but it is difficult to explain why such a team had so many draws. There were even games where we had 20 shots compared to our opponent's 3, yet the score was still 1-1.
Q, when looking at rival teams, players like Peter UTAKA (Kyoto Sanga F.C.) and Lukian (Júbilo Iwata) showed their scoring abilities.
A, I think they brought points to the team. If we can take the lead, the opponent will have to score points, making it easier for us to add points. For example, in the game where we beat Tokyo Verdy 7-0 at home, that was the case. However, perhaps due to the impact of that game, many teams have started to tighten their defense afterwards.
Q, there are wonderful strikers in Tokyo.
A, they must prove once again that they have high decision-making skills. This is because in the 2022 season, it will be necessary to demonstrate decision-making skills in a narrow space. Counterattacks are opportunities to shoot when there is space, but in the 2022 season, there will be more games where the opponent is pushed back. In that case, the space in front of the opponent's goal will become narrower. Can they still make it? Of course, I have high expectations for them. I also have high expectations for young players. Japanese players tend to worry about their age, but I do not hesitate to use young players. I respect veterans, but what is important on the pitch is not age but performance. It doesn't matter if you are 35 or 15 years old.
Q, Takefusa KUBO also stood on the J1 pitch at the age of 16.
A, there are many talented young players in Japan, so I also want to pay attention to academy players. If there are good players, I want to challenge them in the top team. On the other hand, foreign players must bring something to the team that Japanese players cannot provide. That applies to me as well. If I can only offer what a Japanese coach can offer, then there is no need for me to lead the team. Also, I believe that the coach who will succeed me must be a Japanese coach.
Q, that means building a solid foundation, right?
A, sooner or later, I will leave this club, this city, and this country. My mission is to nurture FC Tokyo, a club for the people of Tokyo. I was surprised that everyone in Japan says "we aim to win". I do not say such things. I hate losing more than anyone else, and I am someone who is obsessed with winning, but what I can promise is to instill a clear playing style, equip the team with the strength to always be in the race for the championship, and grow the club. We will prioritize players from our academy, reinforce with high-quality foreign players, and continuously grow while reinforcing players who fit my playing style. FC Tokyo is not yet at the top level in terms of management size in J1. In the current professional soccer world, it is not an easy world where clubs that cannot compete at the top level in terms of management size can always aim for the championship. However, if the team and the club continue to grow, we can also promote the growth of our management size.
Q, In addition to developing the current players, if the club's financial strength improves, we can gain even more solid power.
A, it is a time-consuming process and we must proceed patiently. I hope that the fans and supporters will support us with a long-term perspective. Please watch closely what kind of play the team is aiming for and expressing. If we continue to express plays that make you feel proud, the number of fans and supporters in the stadium will increase. I believe that the more fans and supporters we have, the more sponsors we can attract.
Q, with more sponsors, income will increase, making it possible to reinforce the team with higher quality players.
A, For example, Kawasaki Frontale, because it has a clear playing style, is always involved in the championship race. I also want to build the foundation of this club over the course of 2-3 years. Based on that foundation, I want to grow the club into one that can compete for titles every year. For that, not only the players and the team, but also every aspect of the club needs to become professional. I believe it is also my role to encourage that. It's not just about the playing style expressed on the pitch, the entire club must grow. Being a wonderful person, being a professional, and being a wonderful worker are all required.
Q, finally, please give a message to the fans and supporters in Tokyo.
A, I believe that Japanese people have a national character of respecting each other. I am also a person who values respect. Let's work together and fight. If I make a mistake, I will apologize, but even if we lose the game, I will not apologize. Even if we give our all, there are times when we cannot win the game. That is not a failure. Success in any project requires time and patience. In the midst of that, I want to continue fighting so that everyone can unite. I look forward to the day when I can meet you all!
text by Atsushi Iio
