The key to the defense that knows the blue and red inside out, and the axis of the attack that is determined to change the blue and red, met for the first time and exchanged words while facing each other's knees. Although the two have completely different characters, behaviors, and ways of speaking, they both share the same passion in their hearts and the same vision for the end of this season.
Number 3, who has yet to taste the victory of the league championship while holding everything in Tokyo, and number 39, who has come to Tokyo to achieve his third league championship, each shared their thoughts on the current Tokyo and this season in their own words.
──The combination of you two is unusual, isn't it (lol)?
Masato MORISHIGE How unusual (lol).
Teruhito NAKAGAWA Isn't this your first time?
Morishige So, it's the first time, isn't it?
──What was your impression of spending time with your teammates last season?
Mori Shige Teru has his own pace and is always on his own pace. However, his appearance is flashy like this, so I thought he would be a more lively person, but he is surprisingly laid-back and does things at his own pace. Was there a gap (laughs)? What about Teru?
Nakagawa He was just as I imagined.
Mori Shige Is that true? (lol)
Nakagawa It feels like he has a captain's mentality, looking down on the team and trying to bring it together. But when we played against him, he was a really nasty player... He was intense, and I thought he had a bad habit of using his hands (lol).
Mori Shigeru Teru is a bit of a prankster (laughs).
──Do you remember anything from the match you played?
Morishige What I clearly remember is the scene where Teru was knocked down and it became a PK and I was sent off. The game we lost 0-8 (2021 season J1 Sec. 35 @ Nissan Stadium)... (bitter laugh). At first, the referee let it go, but then VAR came in and it became a PK.
Nakagawa I remember that too. But, as I said earlier, it was really unpleasant as an opponent. He was sharp and passionate (laughs).
Morishige I get really fired up during games (lol).
Because it's Nakagawa, it was really reliable to become teammates. Not only is he passionate, but he also connects from behind, and he's there when you need him. He's also really helpful in putting the ball in a great spot with his (wedge pass).
Mori Shige I also felt reliable. He is a player who can create a difference in attack. In the past few years, there haven't been many Japanese players who can create a difference in attack, so it was impressive to have a player with experience and achievements come in and play together.
──Last season, I often saw them running together after training.
Nakagawa While jogging, we talked about "I want to do this" and "I want to do it like this" with Yuto NAGATOMO.
Morishige People who come from outside and enter Tokyo, I wonder what they think. In Tokyo, things that are normal for me have become normal for me, so there are some things that I don't understand. So I want to know if there are any uncomfortable things for players who come from outside. But it would have been difficult to ask right away (laughs).
Nakagawa There, it was a cautious approach (lol).
Sitting deeply on the sofa and sipping coffee during their first interview, they looked back on their past matches with laughter and revealed their impressions of each other in a friendly atmosphere. However, as the conversation shifted to the current season and the team, their expressions suddenly sharpened and they spoke with determination. It was a demand for the team and a declaration of their strong desire to win. In other words, it was also a cry from their hearts saying "We can't continue like this" and "We can do better".
──How do you feel about the progress and results so far as we approach the end of the camp?
MoriShige The feeling is not very good. But is that okay? I think we are in the process of that cycle now, where we have to continue training matches and work on improving. How do we solve the challenges that have come up? I think we should do more of that kind of work. It is most necessary to express what everyone is thinking, put it on the table and discuss it.
Nakagawa There are things that can be done now. It's a good time to thoroughly connect from behind, even if it fails. We are doing things that lead to success while challenging and improving. The improvement points were clearly identified at the camp, and there were also some good plays. If we continue to do that, everyone will be able to grasp a good image and a good sense of distance.
MoriShige Rather, the important thing is the premise of that, there are things that the team wants to do, but I feel that there is still a lot of room for everyone to actively challenge. By everyone starting to do things actively with confidence, I think that finally various gears will start to mesh. In this kind of soccer, there are always errors, so each person has to keep expressing what they think and feel, and while challenging, they have to repeat the process of correcting it. It's important to make a lot of mistakes and accumulate that experience as a team. It's good to have a strong expression of will like "I want to do this" or "I'll do this" in each position. I still feel like I'm playing while looking around.
──The words of Morishige player now are similar to the words I often heard from Nakagawa player last season.
Nakagawa Strong desire to change Tokyo. Of course, the goal is to win. In order to achieve that, there are times when you lose and gain, and there are times when you gain at camp, but it is a fact that there are many things that must be done more and more as a team and as an individual. New players have also joined, so I want to communicate and work together. I think this team has a lot of potential for growth, so if we can do that, I think we can become a good team.
MoriShige My play and strengths, I want to be more selfish and show them. Especially for the players in the front line, if they can play more freely and be released, it would be great if the players in the back can cover for them. Maybe it's difficult now because the players in the back are older, but I think it's best for the players in the front to play freely while the back corrects. I want everyone to play more freely.
Nakagawa There is a decided position, but in attack, individual imagination can confuse the opponent, so it's good to increase plays that can enjoy and defeat the opponent. It's definitely better to create an attacking shape, but that alone won't break the opponent. That's why I think unexpected plays and tricky plays are necessary. If the players in the front line can share their image and play while taking into account each individual's characteristics, chances and goals will increase. Also, the awareness of switching when losing or making a mistake is also important, but the front line players need to turn on the switch. We still need to change that slow part.
MoriShige As a defensive unit, we need to push forward more and take responsibility for our play in the back. By demanding more from those around us, the expectations placed on ourselves will also increase. But without fear, we want to create an atmosphere where we can be tough on ourselves and those around us, and push the team to new heights.
Click here for Part 2
Text by Daisuke Suga (El Golasso)
