Q. After about a two-week interval, the second half of the league will begin. Could you first look back on the first half of the league?
A, it's just one word: pathetic. Since I joined Tokyo, I haven't often experienced being in this position at the end of the first half of the league, so I have a strong sense of crisis.
Q. The last match of the first half of this season was against Kyoto Sanga F.C. The final match of the 2010 season, which was also a major turning point for Tokyo, was likewise against Kyoto. Only Morishige among the current team has the experience of rising from that frustrating match to winning the Emperor's Cup and making the first appearance in the ACL. Do you see any parallels with that time as the team aims to improve from here?
A, that experience was significant for me. Neither we nor those around us thought we were the kind of team to be relegated, and we approached the season aiming for the championship. The team included several Japan national team players, and there was an atmosphere of "Well, it should be fine," but we ended up in that situation. I believe there was some complacency and overconfidence deep down. With a strong determination to reconsider that within myself, I started fresh from the next season, but even then, at first, we struggled to win in the J2 League. We can't win if we are complacent. We should have realized that in the 2010 season, yet most players stayed in the 2011 season, we made further reinforcements, and the atmosphere became one of "This lineup should be fine."
If you have even a little of that feeling, you cannot win at soccer. I have personally felt that it is not just about technical or tactical aspects, but such things determine the outcome in soccer. That is why, before tactics or methods, I always think it is important to value the fighting spirit and the essential nature of soccer.
Q. Based on your experience at that time, how do you feel about what the team currently wants and what is expected of you?
A, from this season onward, with Rikizo MATSUHASHI as the new head coach, the focus inevitably shifted to tactics due to his past achievements, and I believe people around us expected that as well. However, tactics should be built upon our own foundation, and the essential elements forming that foundation—such as passion and a strong mentality—have not been fully demonstrated by us so far. Balancing these aspects is challenging, and with Coach MATSUHASHI's arrival, the idea of playing good football tactically is always in our minds, and of course, as a team, we want to express that well. But we all felt over the past six months that tactics alone are not enough to win. Conveying that message and expressing it on the pitch and in daily training is also my role. This is something I want to demand from both myself and the team as we approach the remaining half of the season and consider how to fight on.
Q. After the match against Kyoto, how did player Morishige feel receiving the continuous support from the stands behind the goal?
AEven in a situation where the team couldn't win and boos were inevitable, the support from behind the goal really gave us strength and courage. For me, it was my first start since returning, so I wanted to deliver a victory somehow, but it ended in such a frustrating result, and the whole team has been in a disappointing situation for a long time. Still, the fact that the fans and supporters cheered so powerfully was the only consolation, and that's how I felt inside. I deeply felt our own shortcomings, and at the same time, I strongly thought that we must stand up and fight once again for these people. It was right after the match ended, but I was able to feel that way immediately because the fans' and supporters' cheering and actions made me feel that. I felt they are an extremely reliable presence.
Q. From here on, how do you plan to approach the second half of the season?
AOf course, raising each individual’s football level is important, but even more so, how the team fights together and what they focus on. From here, how many points we can accumulate is crucial, so everyone must desperately defend, and everyone must desperately go for goals. If the people watching can feel that attitude, the results will naturally follow. First, I believe we need to thoroughly pursue the essence of football.
This applies even when considering only the second half of the league, but it is something we must not forget if Tokyo is to seriously pursue the goal of winning the championship going forward. I believe that the essence of the sport of football is something the entire company must not forget. Everyone must keep this in mind—the president, the GM, the business staff, the field staff, the players, and the fans and supporters alike—and all must be unwavering on this point.
Q. Please give a message to the fans and supporters as we head into the second half of the league.
AEven when the team can't win, everyone's support truly gives us strength, and no matter the situation the team is in, I believe Tokyo's fans and supporters are fighting alongside us. Sometimes boos might be necessary, and other times, like after the Kyoto match, there may be ways to encourage the players. The players must respond to that. As professionals, they must express themselves on the pitch and achieve results. The players carry that responsibility, and how well they can convey it and turn it into points. We want to show that to all the fans and supporters.
