TOKYOism

Takahiro KO, a former Chinese national team defender and father of respected father, once belonged to a rival team across the Tama River and competed against the King of Tokyo. His son, Kindergarten, bid farewell to the city of Niigata where he spent three years and will now wear the blue and red sleeves from next season. The man who says "I want to win more than anyone else" holds even greater ambitions and has made a big decision. From here, he will take one or two more steps up.

Q, Please tell us your honest impression when you received an offer from Tokyo.
A, I was honestly happy. I received an offer at an early stage and directly spoke with the strengthening department, and I felt a lot of enthusiasm. I was happy because it is a club in the capital with a history and tradition.

Q, what was the deciding factor?
A, it's definitely passion. I could feel the strong desire for me to come to Tokyo. Also, I resonated with the club's goal of winning titles in the future. I also want to win titles and I believe that accepting this offer at this time will help me reach a higher level.

Q, At Albirex Niigata, you were also the vice captain and it was a team with strong emotional attachment. Did your feelings change when you made the decision to leave?
A, I played for 3 seasons in Niigata. It was a club where I felt I grew as a player and as a person, having been given the opportunity to play in many matches. It is the club that I have the most attachment to, but I also had a desire to change my environment and challenge myself in a new competition from scratch. Although I feel a bit lonely now, it was my own decision and I am determined to do my best.

Q, do you have any important feelings or plans for the future that you have taken into consideration with this decision?
A, it was a decision to take another step or two from here and become a player on a larger scale. At the timing when I came to this thought, I received an offer from Tokyo and our goals and passion aligned.

Q, please tell us your strong points.
A, I think that the ability to steal the ball is my biggest weapon. In addition, I think my predictive ability is my selling point. When asked about Takahiro KO's playing style, I believe it is important to first express my ability to steal the ball. I personally believe that my value and weapon as a player lie there. However, in today's era, a lot is expected from a defensive midfielder. A player who can steal the ball, connect passes, and also move forward. I always have the desire to become a stable and intimidating player for the opponent.

Q: What was the most significant area of growth for you during your three years in Niigata?
A, this is the attacking part. I think I have grown in terms of build-up and constantly being involved with the ball. Not only my self-evaluation, but also from third parties and those around me, I am often told that I have really grown.

Q, Gamba Osaka U-23 and Niigata have played with the captain's armband. How do you want to contribute your leadership and leadership skills?
A, Personally, I don't think I'm suited to be a captain (bitter smile). However, when I was with Gamba Osaka U-23, coach Tsune (Tsuneyasu MIYAMOTO, current executive director of the Japan Football Association) gave me the captain's armband, and when I was on loan at Renofa Yamaguchi FC and Niigata, they also gave me the opportunity to play as captain. I don't think I'm suited to be a captain and I honestly don't know if I'm a player who can lead the team. But I have a strong desire to grow and to win for the team, and I don't want to lose to the opponent. I am conscious of this in my daily practice, and I think it shows in my play.

Q, There is also an impression that you have been expected since your time at Funabashi Municipal High School and have stepped up from the J3 League to the J1 League. Looking back on your career, what do you think has been your journey?
A, there were more difficult times. Especially after graduating high school and joining G Osaka, I played for the U-23 team and struggled a lot. My classmates from Funabashi Municipal High School, Daiki Sugioka and Teruki Hara, were doing well, and Daiki Kaneko also left Kanagawa University after one year and joined Shonan Bellmare. Each of them was playing in the J1 league and also made it into the national team for their age group. While everyone was moving forward, I felt like I was being left behind and it was frustrating. I was able to play in less than 20 games in the J1 league with G Osaka, but at that time I didn't have much confidence in myself and just played.

I wanted to change myself, so I transferred to Yamaguchi on a temporary basis and sought a stage to shine in Niigata, which was in J2 league at the time. I thought "I have no choice but to keep going", so I wanted to play more games in order to become better and felt that I had to truly grow. Coming to Niigata, we won the J2 league last season and were promoted to J1 league. This season was the first time in a while in J1 league, but compared to my time at G Osaka, I truly felt confident and was able to finish the season with a sense of accomplishment. I believe that the results of my continuous efforts are showing now.

Q, please tell me what supported you during difficult times.
I have always cherished the words of Mr. Takakura Asaoka, who was the coach of Ichiritsu Funabashi High School. "Keep doing your best, because someone is always watching." I have been told this and have always thought that I had no choice but to do my best. Those words are a very important presence to me.

Q, What was your impression of Tokyo?
In my first professional season, I was also coached by Kenta HASEGAWA (current Nagoya Grampus coach) at G Osaka. The image since Kenta-san became the coach in Tokyo is still strong, so I have the impression of a fighting group. In recent years, there has been a slight change in soccer, but there are many wonderful players who represent Japan, and I think it is a big club.

Q: What was your impression after playing two matches this season?
A, there is a strong player for each position and there is a strong impression. The play intensity was also high, and this season, Niigata had a result of 1 draw and 1 loss against Tokyo, and the impression was that they couldn't win.

Q: Tokyo is also a club that has embarked on a major transformation in the past two seasons. Are you looking forward to experiencing that change?
A, it is a challenge and a fun part. I also think that the style and policy are currently changing. At this stage, I imagine playing while utilizing my strengths and experiences. I want to adjust my strengths to Tokyo's team tactics.

Q: Are there any players that left an impression on you or that you would like to talk to after playing against them?
A, Teruhito NAKAGAWA has scored goals in the first half of the league this season. He has won MVP and titles at Yokohama F.Marinos and is a fantastic player who has also been selected for the Japan national team. NAKAGAWA is also a graduate of Kawasaki Frontale's academy, and we have a common point of both playing until junior youth, so I would like to talk to him.

Q: How do you feel about Tokyo's football style?
A, we also played against each other in the J1 League this season, but when you were in charge at Montedio Yamagata, I have the image that it was really difficult to play against. They switch quickly and I think their style is more about holding onto the ball rather than being a solid defense and quick counterattack. However, when we played against Tokyo this season, I could see that they were challenging that style, but I also felt that they were a bit congested. When we talked about the offer, you also said that you want to continue playing that kind of soccer in the future, and I want to move the ball while showing my strengths there.

Q: Are there any players currently playing for Tokyo who have a close relationship with each other?
A: No, he's really not here (bitter smile). I played with Keita YAMASHITA for half a season in Yamaguchi. I know people from other teams, but when Tokyo came to Big Swan, I didn't know anyone, so I didn't talk to anyone (laughs).

Q, Please tell us about Mr. Takahashi's father. What was the reason for starting soccer and who did he mention as someone he respects? What kind of person is he and how did he learn soccer?
A, he is the one who taught me soccer and gave me soccer. If you look it up, you will understand, but he was a professional soccer player and also played for the Chinese national team. When I talk to people who knew him at that time, they say he was a really amazing player. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see him play live, but when we kicked the ball together in the park when I was in elementary and middle school, his skills were really high. He played as a center back and defensive midfielder, and he was tall and physically strong. His skills were also high, and when I ask coaches who knew my father in the past, they say he was a really great player, so I respect him.

Q: Have you discussed the transfer to Tokyo?
A, of course I did. He said "good for you". I heard that he played against Tokyo Gas, the predecessor of Tokyo, during his time at Fujitsu. He also mentioned that he had his nose broken by a foreign player at that time (laughs). I can't remember his name though...

Q, is it Amaral, by any chance?
A, yes, that player. He was talking about how his nose was broken.

Q: What is it like to wear the uniform of a club across the Tama River, rather than in Kawasaki like your father?
From the time I was in the Kawasaki Junior Youth team, I used to go to Todoroki Stadium to watch the Tama River Clasico. It was a game with a lot of spectators, and since I was supporting Kawasaki at the time, I'm sure I was booing (laughs). However, it's been many years since I left Kawasaki, and now as a Tokyo player, I want to stand on that stage and fight.

Q: This season, it will be a new challenge for Takahashi as he returns to the J1 League, and I believe it will be the start of a new chapter in his soccer career. What are your goals for the 2024 season?
In Tokyo, which will be a new world, the environment will change and the competition will start from scratch. I want to express myself from the start and take over the position. I want to play in many games as the center and make an impact on both offense and defense as an individual. I want to be known as Takahiro KO, the midfielder of Tokyo, by the fans, supporters, and opponents in the J-League. If that happens, I have a strong desire to challenge for the team's goal of winning the title.

Q: Please tell us your impression of Ajinomoto Stadium and Tokyo fans/supporters.
A, even when playing, I felt that the fans and supporters were really into it, and it was a wonderful atmosphere. It was the impression that the passion of the people in Tokyo was conveyed.

Q, please give a message to the fans and supporters in Tokyo.
I am really looking forward to playing at Ajinomoto Stadium wearing the Tokyo uniform from the 2024 season. As a player, I am very hungry for victory and I want to express that through my play. Please give us your passionate support. Let's fight together!

Text by Tadashi BABA (Freelance Writer)