The time is ripe
This is my 12th year as a professional with Antlers.
I have become the longest-serving player, literally representing the team's tradition.
It is surely no coincidence that I was appointed captain this season, as I approach my 30th birthday.
The time is ripe—Shoma Doi talks about his determination and resolve.
Now, I reveal the details of my appointment as captain,
my determination, and my resolve.
──You have been appointed captain starting this season. What was the conversation like with the club regarding your appointment?
"I think it was about a week after this season started. I was approached by Yoshioka (Munehige) FD (Football Director) who said, 'I'd like to talk to you about the captaincy.' Because he said 'talk,' I thought he wanted to ask someone else to be captain. When I went to his office, he first told me that he wanted Yuma (Suzuki) and Pituca to be vice-captains this season. I thought they were suitable candidates, so I said, 'I think that's a good idea,' and then he said, 'I want Shoma to be captain.' I was surprised because I never thought I'd be nominated, but he also said that it was a unanimous decision, including the on-site staff. So, when Yoshioka FD asked me, 'Will you do it?', I immediately replied, 'Yes, I will.'"
──When you immediately replied, if there was anything that flashed through your mind, please tell us.
"Actually, for two or three years now, during the interviews held after the end of the season, I had been saying, 'Please let me be captain.' At that time, it was brushed aside with comments like, 'Each player has their own character.' But this time, Yoshioka FD said to me, 'The time is ripe.'"
──Do you have a reason why you wanted to take on the captaincy a few years ago?
"Perhaps this might sound condescending, but I felt like I had almost experienced everything as 'Shoma Doi.' In the national team category, it's true I haven't experienced World Cup qualifiers or the World Cup finals. However, at the club level, I've experienced the FIFA Club World Cup and won the AFC Champions League (ACL). Looking at it from a club perspective, I've gained a considerable amount of international experience. At that point, to grow further, I thought I needed to get even more stimulation, and that perhaps taking on the captaincy would be the way to do it. I thought it could be the trigger to update myself."
──So, to grow further for Antlers, you need to shoulder something.
"Exactly. Fortunately, I've been with Antlers for a long time and have been able to play in the J.League for a long time. Because of that, as I approach 30, there are fewer new challenges for me. What I felt when talking with Yoshioka FD was that the club also seemed to be waiting for the right timing. That's why I think this season was the right time for me to become captain."
──Looking at you as an individual, this season marks your 12th year as a professional. Did you make any resolutions before reaching the milestone of 30 years old?
"That hasn't changed particularly. Every year, the desire to win and keep winning hasn't changed at all since I was young. However, what I've realized from playing for a long time is that it's a world where no matter how much one person tries, it doesn't change anything. For example, just because one player scores 10 or 15 goals doesn't necessarily mean the team will win the championship. Of course, a top scorer can emerge from a championship team, but there are many cases where that's not true. When you think about it that way, what's truly important is 'team power.' I don't think you can win a title just by having one super player."
──The "team power" you're referring to seems to include not just the 11 players on the pitch, but the entire team.
"That's right. When I was younger, I also thought that if I just worked hard, everything would be fine. But as seasons without titles continued, and I started thinking about why, I began to feel that seasons where only one or two players stood out weren't good enough. I often talked about this with Yasu-san (Endo, now with Sendai). He said that a team where everyone is saying, 'Me, me, me' can't win. Hearing that, I thought, those are the words of someone who knows Antlers when they were strong. Not just Yasu-san, but many seniors have given me many inspiring words. Including what I've personally experienced, I hope to be able to convey those messages as captain."
I want to create a team filled with
a positive atmosphere
──What kind of images of your seniors are still etched in your mind?
"Looking back, they were all seniors who would suppress their own egos and emotions to help other players succeed. I remembered words Mitsuo (Ogasawara, Academy Technical Advisor) said to me when I was young, and I recalled that my good performance back then was thanks to my seniors. Now it's my turn to empower the young players today to play freely."
──What kind of captaincy do you want to demonstrate?
"I want to create an environment filled with a positive atmosphere, not a negative one. However, even with the title of captain, I am still just one player. We still have Kento (Misao), who was captain until last season, and Yuma, who is vice-captain. Personality-wise, I might leave it to them to say what needs to be said (laughs). Conversely, I plan to balance things out by supporting young players who are feeling down after being spoken to strongly by their seniors."
──As mentioned earlier, Endo-senpai has transferred, and you are now literally the longest-serving player. As one of the players who knows Antlers' tradition, what do you want to convey to the current players?
"Winning... it might be a misunderstanding to say 'no matter what it takes,' but I believe that if we win the game, anything is fine. In recent years, I've felt that the team has been lacking a bit in that commitment to winning, even by one goal. This is just an example, but we were also lacking the so-called 'Kashima style' of defending a one-goal lead. That kind of play is precisely one of the moments that shows our winning attitude. Even if people boo us, even if others say, 'That's not right, Captain!', I don't want to compromise on that commitment. But that's just an example."
──You want to fight with an even stronger commitment and tenacity to win until the very end?
"In short, it means 'doing what needs to be done to win.' To show the resolve to choose any means necessary to win. I believe that by re-examining the 'this is good enough' mentality and pushing ourselves to the point of 'let's do this much,' we can win titles."
Aggressive soccer that never lets the opponent rest, not even for a second
──Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Coach Rene Weiler was unable to enter the country, and the camp ended without him. What kind of training did you focus on during the camp?
"The coach hasn't joined us yet, so I can't say much, but we're trying out aggressive soccer. We're not giving the opponent a single moment to rest. We're working on soccer with that kind of speed."
──Is it a style of soccer where there's no break between offense and defense?
"Taiju-san (Coach Iwamasa) often tells us that. It's like basketball, where as soon as you win the ball, you quickly push it into the opponent's territory. I'm personally attracted to that kind of soccer, so I feel a great sense of fulfillment."
──During the camp, you were mainly coached by Coach Iwamasa, but he must have been a significant presence for you personally, right?
"He was a huge presence. I remembered how Taiju-san always gave me advice when I was young and wasn't getting much playing time. At that time, I wasn't thinking about the coach, but rather, I wanted to play in a way that Taiju-san, my teammate, would recognize. I worked hard in practice because I wanted Taiju-san to say, 'You've gotten better,' and that eventually led to me getting to play in games. Remembering that time felt like going back to my roots."
──What did you feel about Coach Iwamasa, who returned to Antlers as a coach?
"I feel that his choice of words and way of communicating are precise. Even if the content is the same as before, I think the way it's communicated affects the team's understanding. His instructions are specific and accurate, so even looking at the people around me, I get the impression that issues are being resolved day by day."
──Did Coach Iwamasa often say anything specific to you during the camp?
"'Watch the opponent and play soccer' is something we're often told as a team. We're not asked to play however we want, but to think, judge, and move based on observing the opponent. Soccer is a sport with an opponent, not just ourselves. Since the team started, the importance of playing by observing the opponent has been emphasized."
I want to lift the trophy for the first time as captain at the end of the season
──Please tell us about your goals for this season.
"My goal is the same every year: to win, and to win all titles. However, we haven't even been in the ACL qualification zone for the past two years, so we definitely want to aim for that. For that, I still think we need to show 'team power.'"
──I believe fans and supporters are also expecting a leap forward this season.
"Just as everyone involved with Antlers is not satisfied with recent results, I myself constantly desire victory and titles. For that, what do I need to do? As I'm newly serving as captain from this season, I want to constantly think about that and execute it. However, of course, I am also one of those who will work hard, but I believe that Antlers must become one and strive towards the goal of titles. Furthermore, that includes the fans and supporters, and I consider us to be one, so I would be happy if you could fight alongside us. Not only must the players themselves change, but I also believe this is a year when Antlers as a whole must change. If everyone doesn't face the same direction and fight believing in our own strength, I'm sure we won't reach the championship. For that, as a team, I hope we can overcome each challenge, even while struggling, and at the end of the season, I can lift the trophy for the first time as captain. I would be happy to receive even more passionate support than usual."