Q, What should fans and supporters call the coach?
A, For the past two years, I have been called Albert, but the 'to' is not pronounced, it's Albert. The accent is on the 'be', that's the original. For some reason, in Japan, I was registered as Alberto, and even Wikipedia has it as Alberto (laughs), but I would be happy if you could call me Albert from now on.
Q, So, Albert, this will be your first J1 and a challenge at a club in the capital, FC Tokyo. How did you feel when you received the offer?
A, 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 in youth development. After working as a coach at Barcelona's academy, I was able to take on the most important position in youth development in the world as the academy director. I was involved in various reforms within the club and then embarked on a new journey of challenges.
Q, you have held positions such as Technical Director of the Gabon national team and coach of New York City in Major League Soccer, right?
A, I was invited to join New York City by Domènec Torrent, who had been Pep Guardiola's (former Barcelona coach, current Manchester City coach) right-hand man for a long time, when he became the head coach. 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 challenging in J1, right?
A, Yes, I wanted to challenge in a top-class club in J1 with an attractive project. I received several offers, but the most attractive one was from FC Tokyo. I was attracted to the club's commitment to reform and their willingness to challenge the playing style of a new team. Moreover, it is a club located in the capital of Japan, a wonderful country. I was also interested in the fact that they have the potential to become a great club but have not yet achieved the corresponding results. Additionally, the fact that their uniform is similar to Barça's Blaugrana (meaning "blue and deep red" in Catalan) was also one of the factors that caught my interest (laughs).
Q, Do you feel any connection to Nara Club, where Takefusa KUBO used to play?
A, Barcelona acquired Takefusa KUBO when he was 10 years old, and I was the Academy Director at that time who made that decision. It is a beautiful story that I came to the club where KUBO played after Barcelona. However, it is unfortunate that he did not return to Barcelona (laughs).
Q, I also watched the matches during your time in Niigata, but once again, what kind of soccer do you intend to aim for at FC Tokyo?
A, (Thank you for watching the matches) Thank you. The Barcelona team I used to work for emphasized positional play 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. Many players understand why that play is demanded and why that phenomenon occurs. Compared to the strong countries in the world, they may be inferior in 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 taking the ball away.
Q, it's exactly what is required for the style of Barça, isn't it?
A, I have always thought, why don't Japanese people pursue a play style like Barça's? I think we were able to prove that Barça's style suits Japanese people in Niigata. Even though most players had never experienced it before, they were able to express it quite well in the second year. What's even more important is that the fans and supporters liked this playing style. Many spectators came to the stadium. There is nothing more wonderful than being able to express the soccer we expressed 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, In both 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 emphasized even more was the position of the players. By combining position and possession, we can achieve better attacks. In soccer, there are two main ways to defend. One is to defend the space, and the other is to defend by holding 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, right?
A, that's right. By each individual taking good positioning, we can create better possession and create more chances. In attack, if we can take good positions, we can recover the ball in a good way when it's taken away. That's the positioning I seek. And in defense, we must sweat and run for the team. I won't let players who can't do that play. If there's a player who thinks they're such a wonderful player that they don't need to run, I'll give that player 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, Lionel Messi. In other words, in Tokyo, everyone must run. Plus, even if the opponent presses high, I want them to pass the ball firmly without fear. In Niigata, in the first year, I cleared the ball one after another. In the second year, I started to keep the ball instead of clearing it and connect passes to my teammates. I hope the Tokyo players can change in a shorter period of time.
Q, Did you watch some of Tokyo's games in the 2021 season? Are there any players you are looking forward to or find interesting for the 2022 season?
A, I watched many of Tokyo's games, but unless I see the players with my own eyes, I won't know. First, I want to see the players with a blank slate. I want to have meetings and clear communication with the players. I prefer to talk to players individually. If there is something they don't understand, I want them to come and ask, and I also want to give advice. I am the type to express things directly without beating around the bush, so sometimes it may be harsh to hear. Regardless of whether they are young or veterans, I want to convey what I think to the players.
Q, Niigata had a great season in 2021, but they stumbled a bit towards the end. What do you think was the cause of that? 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 don't know what happened in Tokyo, but I can explain what happened in Niigata. In over 90% of the matches in the 2021 season, we had more chances and shots than our opponents, but the lack of finishing ability caused us to drop points continuously, which I believe was the main cause of our stumble. Niigata was clearly more attacking than any other team, but it's difficult to explain why a team like that had so many draws. There were even games where the shot count was 20 to 3, yet the score was 1-1.
Q, When you look at rival teams, players like Peter UTAKA (Kyoto Sanga F.C.) and Lukian (Júbilo Iwata) have shown their scoring ability, haven't they?
A, I think they have brought points to their teams. If we can score the first goal, the opponent also has to score, and it becomes easier for us to score additional goals. For example, in the game where we beat Tokyo Verdy 7-0 at home, that was the case. However, perhaps influenced by the impact of that game, many teams have started to tighten their defense afterwards.
Q, Tokyo has a great lineup of strikers.
A, They need to prove once again that they have high scoring ability. This is because the 2022 season will require them to demonstrate their scoring ability in tight spaces. Counterattacks usually have space to shoot, but in the 2022 season, there will be more games where we push the opponent. In that case, the space in front of the opponent's goal will become narrower. Can they still score? Of course, I have high expectations for them. I also have expectations for young players. Japanese players tend to be concerned about age, but I don't 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 they are 35 years old or 15 years old.
Q, Takefusa KUBO also played 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. That applies to me as well. If I can only provide what Japanese coaches can provide, then I don't need to lead the team. Also, I think the coach who succeeds me should be a Japanese coach.
Q, It means to build 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 don't say such things. I hate losing more than anyone else and I am a person 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 contention for the championship, and grow the club. We will prioritize academy players, reinforce with high-quality foreign players, and continue to grow while reinforcing players who are suitable for my playing style. FC Tokyo is not yet at the top level in terms of management scale in J1. The current professional soccer world is not an easy world where clubs that cannot compete at the top level in terms of management scale can always aim for the championship. However, if the team and the entire club continue to grow, it can also promote the growth of the management scale.
Q, In addition to developing the current players, if the club's financial strength improves, it can gain even more solid power.
A, That is a time-consuming process and requires patience. I hope that the fans and supporters will support us with a long-term perspective. I want them to 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 should increase. I believe that an increase in fans and supporters will lead to acquiring more sponsors.
Q, if the number of sponsors increases, the income will increase, and it will be possible to reinforce the team with higher quality players.
A, for example, Kawasaki Frontale is always involved in the championship race because they have a clear playing style. I also want to build the foundation of this club over the next 2-3 years. Based on that foundation, I want to grow the club into one that can compete for the title every year. For that, not only the players and the team, but also every aspect of the club needs to become professional. I think it is also my role to promote that. It's not just about the playing style expressed on the pitch, the entire club needs to grow. Being a wonderful person and being a wonderful professional are 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 cooperate and fight together. If I make a mistake, I will apologize, but I will not apologize for losing a game. Even if I give my all, there are times when I can't win a game. That is not a failure. Success in any project requires time and patience. In that process, I want to continue fighting so that everyone can unite. I look forward to the day when I can meet all of you!
text by Atsushi Iio
