Satoru ASARI, who bid farewell to his active career after the 2009 season, concluded his speech at the retirement ceremony held at Ajinomoto Stadium with these words.
"My active career will end this season, but my goal from now on is to make FC Tokyo the best club in Japan and the world. For that, I need everyone's support. Please continue to cheer for FC Tokyo. Lastly, it has truly been an honor for me to play wearing the blue and red uniform and the number 7. Thank you very much for these 13 years."
Sixteen years have passed since then, and Asari is still pursuing that dream as the Academy Director. The Tokyo Academy has produced many professional players, and currently, there are 15 players from the academy on the top team. What Asari aims for in the development of the blue and red is──
Text by Kohei Baba (Freelance Writer)
After retiring, Asari served as a scout in the public relations and strengthening departments. Since 2018, he has been involved in player development, primarily overseeing the U-15 as part of the development department, and has been appointed as the current academy director since 2022. As someone who oversees the entire academy organization, this is how Asari envisions the future.
"How many players can we produce who can help Tokyo win? That is my desire. In aiming for the J1 League championship, more than half of the players should come from the academy. I hope that more than half of the starting lineup consists of academy graduates, and that we become a club capable of earning points."
How are we currently engaging with children to make that happen? It is said to be about "nurturing the individual."
"From my position, I strongly emphasize the importance of developing individuals. It may be a selfish opinion, but if individuals grow, the team will win. It's easy to say, but I intentionally articulate it to focus on nurturing people. I have told the staff that I want this year to be one where even players who are not currently in matches can increase their maximum potential from 5 to 10 or 20. Even if they cannot be promoted from U-15 to U-18, or if they do not connect from the academy to the top team, I want them to become players who can shine strongly in the next stage. I have repeatedly said that we should not just win as a team, but focus on developing people, and all of our staff are working with that awareness.
Embracing that sentiment, Yukihiko SATO, who faces the players as the coach of FC Tokyo U-18, is one of those who played in the blue and red uniform during his active career. In his second season as the head coach, SATO is working to make each individual shine.
"Deepening the understanding of soccer, the output of talent becomes the main theme. The individual helps the team. If the growth of the individual coincides with the growth of the team, the chances of winning will also increase. I conveyed this to the players in the New Year's meeting."
Furthermore, it is said that they convey the message that they want them to become "strong men in terms of character development" as they aspire to wear the blue and red and perform in the top team.
"The definition of a professional varies from person to person; it could be making it to the national team, transferring overseas, or playing 300 matches in the J-League. I don't want anyone to become a person who has no weapons when they reach their second career after going through that journey. That is the most important message. Building a career as a professional soccer player is one aspect, and creating connections and leaving a lasting impression allows one to dive into a new world. However, no matter which path you take, someone has to help you along the way. I hope they can create those connections and thrive in their second career. Being liked by seniors and adults is important. In this talent shortage, I want them to become individuals that anyone would want to hire in any field. We engage with them with that reverse calculation in mind. It may just be a greeting, but even that one greeting can make them liked and seen as cute. I want to nurture such players."
Tomorrow, April 5th, marks the opening of the 'Kōen-kyō Cup JFA U-18 Soccer Premier League 2025', the pinnacle stage for youth development where they will compete. They will kick off their campaign with a match against Aomori Yamada High School at the Tokyo Gas Musashino-En multi-purpose ground, battling through a total of 22 matches. This season, Tokyo Verdy Youth will also participate, reviving the fierce competition in youth development. Sato welcomes this, saying, 'It's the best!'
"Club youth players will be promoted to the top team without experiencing the 50,000 at the National High School Soccer Championship. In the match against Tokyo V, they will naturally experience such emotional moments. It has become a happy situation for both them and us. Even when fighting emotionally, the players of Tokyo V will strip that away. Furthermore, if that is stripped away, we must think two or three steps ahead. If the players themselves cannot compete with their skills, a sense of further challenges will also arise. I believe that the growth speed will significantly increase in the two matches, home and away. I am looking forward to that."
The staff of the youth development team, including Sato, focuses on individual growth and will fight this season with the theme of "diligently and aggressively" on the pitch.
"Both our attack and defense, as well as our style and goals, will be calculated from that point. Regarding the Premier League, it will be about how much we can perform within that standard, rather than focusing on the opponent, over the course of 22 matches. We set that standard quite high. I want to engage with the players based on that calculation. Each player's ability is quite high, so it will come down to whether we can elevate them beyond their maximum potential. I hope you will see their earnestness and aggressiveness."
This season, talents like Divine OTANI and Maki KITAHARA, who have already made their debut with the top team, are gathered to support the future of the blue and red. Rintaro NIKAIDO leads such a team as captain.
Nikaido said, "I think this season's team is a highly communicative team that can have conversations." He wants to play a role in connecting each individual's personality while allowing them to shine.
"As a team, we are aiming for the Premier League championship and the club youth championship. Results are also expected, so we are working hard towards that goal. I want to communicate a lot regardless of grade, so that everyone can face the same direction. Each person is human and has different thoughts. If someone is facing another direction, we won't be able to win the match. I want us all to work together with our focus directed towards victory."
Furthermore, this season's Premier League will feature an epoch-making match. A match will be held at the top team's home stadium, Ajinomoto Stadium on April 19, which had not been used at the youth development level until now. Sato expressed his gratitude, saying, "I really want to thank the club and everyone involved in holding it at Ajinomoto Stadium. I will strongly convey this to the players as well," and he wants to express his feelings of gratitude on the pitch.
"The club staff have worked hard to create this situation. The players will express their gratitude by giving their best on the pitch. I believe that both the players who are promoted directly and those returning via university will never forget that feeling. There are players who have been with us until now without ever experiencing it. Since they have created a happy environment for all of us, I hope they will express it through their play."
Furthermore, Nikaido said, "I was honestly surprised," and continued.
"I have been supporting since I was little, and I went to watch the matches with my family. It is an important and exciting place for me. I feel a tension and exhilaration that I have never experienced before, and I think it will be very thrilling. I want to channel that in a positive direction and play with everyone feeling uplifted. Coach Sato also told me that it's not an easy task. I believe it has been made possible with the cooperation of many people, so I want to savor every second while playing."
The OB coach will battle with a diverse group of players who will carry the future of the blue and red at Ajinomoto Stadium. It is sure to be the best stage to make dreams bigger. The dream of Asari, which made this a reality, has not yet been fulfilled.
"I want to send players who have a strong desire to help Tokyo win to the top team. There are many fans and supporters who support the academy, and for them, I want to help individuals grow and connect them to the top. I hope such players will challenge themselves to make the top team win."
The words they utter reflect the history that Tokyo has walked through. Aiming to be a club that is strongly loved. The players who have fought earnestly and humbly under that name will nurture the next generation of blue and red.
(Honorifics omitted in the text)
◇Regarding the match held at Ajinomoto Stadiumhere
