News

Ryuji Izumi enters his third season with Antlers.
Experiencing firsthand the "Kashima spirit" that the club has cultivated, he strongly pledges to reclaim the title for the next stage.

Continuing to grow while winning,
and building confidence.

──In the 2022 season, the team got off to a good start.
"This is my third year since joining Antlers, but in the past two years, both the team and I had a rough start right after the opening, and we couldn't get the game to develop as we wanted. This year, however, we won the opening match for the first time in a while and have steadily accumulated points since then. I feel that we are maintaining a good condition, and I also have a sense that we are finally showing the Antlers' style of play."

──How do you perceive the reasons for the team's good performance?
"I felt that the team atmosphere was very good in the past two years as well, but this year, with the team getting younger overall, I feel that the distance between players is neither too close nor too far, maintaining a better balance than ever before. Koki (Anzai) returned midway through last year, and Yuma (Suzuki) returned this year. Their age places them right in the middle of the team, and they are doing a great job connecting the older and younger players. Also, Kento (Misao), who is the same generation as them, is a significant presence. I think it must have been really tough for him as captain in the past two years, but this year, in a good way, he has been able to lighten his burden and is bringing out his true self both on and off the pitch, stimulating the team."

──Among them, Suzuki's presence is overwhelming.
"That's right. For me, I particularly feel his significant presence in terms of play. I had an image of Yuma as more of a 'the striker.' But playing with him, I realize he's a genius type, a player who can really do anything. As everyone knows, he can fight with his fighting spirit exposed, he can run around and defend, and he can also make clever plays. Above all, he has a high soccer IQ, including accurate positioning to sense decisive moments and dangers. The team changes quite a bit with or without Yuma."

──The new coaching staff, including the manager, also seems to be stimulating the team.
"Before manager René came to Japan, Daiki-san (Iwama, coach) was in charge, and what left an impression on me was his constant message from the start of the season: 'This year, we have the potential to become champions.' Of course, we've always aimed for victory, but this year, Daiki-san has emphasized the importance of growing through each match, along with this message. The fact that we secured victories in the early matches has given us, the players, great confidence. Also, after manager René joined, new elements were added regarding how to proceed with games and what is required, but I believe the entire team has understood and embodied them well. I see the fusion of Daiki-san's approach and manager René's style, continuing to grow while winning, and deepening our confidence, as the strength of the current Antlers."

──Specifically, what does Manager René ask of the players?
"Simply put, I feel he always asks us to 'do what the opponent dislikes' and 'play towards the goal.' To achieve that, our attacking players constantly switch positions without sticking to a rigid form, and they take risks in the opponent's half. Also, communication among players is something Manager René values greatly. In defense, when we press from the front, we go all at once, and when forming a block, we shift our positions backward. We constantly call out to each other on the pitch and communicate among ourselves. And since players recognize each other's strengths and weapons, I feel that by communicating closely, we can effectively utilize each other's good qualities."

Feeling the team's momentum towards winning titles

──How do you evaluate your own performance this season, Izumi?
"I haven't produced results like goals or assists, so personally, I'm not satisfied yet. However, the most important thing is for Antlers to win. This year, I've been playing in various positions like defensive midfield and on the wings, but no matter where I play, I'm conscious of making inconspicuous runs repeatedly and stressing the opponent by moving into the space upfront. These aren't plays that directly lead to goals, but if it helps the team, I intend to keep working hard."

──This is your third year at Antlers. Given your experiences over the past two years, isn't your resolve for this year particularly strong?
"In the past two years, I haven't been able to achieve the desired results, and there hasn't been a season where I felt confident throughout. In that regard, this year, both the team and I are spending each day with confidence. While there are certainly things to gain from losing, I've reaffirmed that there's overwhelmingly more to gain from winning, and I truly feel the importance of growing while winning. I believe that's how Antlers became strong in the past, by accumulating such experiences. From the start of the season, I could feel the team's overall atmosphere, a determination to 'absolutely win the championship this year.' For the past few years, we haven't won a title, and the last two years were tough seasons, but even amidst that, young players gained confidence and emerged, and reliable players like Yuma and Koki returned. I feel the team's momentum towards winning titles, and I'm fighting this third year with the resolve that 'this is the year.' To reiterate, by being able to grow while winning this year, I feel we are making progress in a different way compared to the first two years."

──This season, one of Izumi's hallmarks, his versatility, has been fully utilized. In particular, his play in defensive midfield was very fresh.
"That's because for the past two years, I was mainly used on the wings. However, I also have experience playing defensive midfield when I was at Nagoya, and I played as a forward and attacking midfielder in high school and college. So, playing in the center of the pitch doesn't stress me out at all; in fact, it's one of my favorite positions, so when it came to playing defensive midfield, my honest reaction was 'I'm happy' (laughs). However, while my position is defensive midfield, in attack, I balance with Yuta (Higuchi) to form a vertical relationship, so I often play with the image of an attacking midfielder."

──What abilities of yours do you think are being evaluated and leading to your deployment in defensive midfield?
"One is the ability to carry the ball forward. Similarly, I think the ability to repeatedly make forward runs and to get involved in play by directing my power forward might be the reason why I'm being used in the center."

──On the defensive side, you're often seen retrieving the ball in the center of the pitch.
"When Yuta and I are able to win the ball back, it's a good time for the team. The manager also asks us to communicate with those around us and to make those kinds of contributions. When I play as a defensive midfielder, I'm at the heart of the team, so I always try to be aware of the role of moving others, not just focusing on myself. Especially in defense, I'm able to communicate and play with Yuta and Kento so that individual players can link up and move together."

──And on offense, you aim for goals and assists?
"Exactly. Recently, goals from wing players like Matsu (Matsumura) and Kaiki have increased. For this year's Antlers, first of all, the two strikers are very powerful, and if, in addition to them, our wingers and defensive midfielders can also actively aim for goals and score consistently, it will become difficult for opponents to defend against us, and we will become a very formidable team, I believe. That's why I think if players in all positions are conscious of and committed to producing results like goals and assists, we can get closer to winning the championship."

The reason Antlers always stay at the top

──For Antlers, the 10th round of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League against Cerezo Osaka was a milestone match, marking 1,000 league games. The 555 victories recorded in that time are the most in the league.
"When I used to view Antlers as an opponent, even if we felt like we were playing well and controlling the game, somehow we would always lose in the end, and the image I had was always Antlers winning. Indeed, their tenacity, their never-give-up attitude until the very end, and every player running for the team's victory are factors in Antlers' strength. Becoming a part of the team, I've reaffirmed that. Players who don't embody these qualities are not tolerated, and I believe that the fact that players strictly point out any shortcomings is also a part of Antlers' character. Even as times change and players come and go, the commitment to fight to the very end for victory is deeply ingrained in the team, and I feel it is demanded of each individual player."

──That resonates with the club mission, "All for Victory."
"That's right. Also, I think the team's foundation, based on the achievement of winning 20 titles, is also a unique style of Antlers. There are times when results don't come as expected, like in recent years, and while many championships were achieved in the past, Antlers are still constantly expected to win titles. I don't think there are many teams that spend every day constantly thinking about 'championship' and 'reclaiming.' The very existence of such an environment as a daily norm, I believe, is the reason Antlers always remains at the top. We've been away from winning championships recently, but if we can win just one, I believe Antlers will step into a new era, so I want to continue fighting with that ambition this year."

──That determination is palpable from Izumi on the pitch.
"Personally, I wasn't in the starting lineup from the beginning of this season. As a professional, I believe that standing on the pitch and making the team win is the most important thing, so after Manager René joined, my gratitude for being used in games and my desire to continue playing and contribute to victories grew stronger. Personally, I intend to fight with such feelings, but to win a title, the presence of all players is still important. Each player works from practice to win games and to grow as a team, and that accumulation ultimately leads to results in matches, and the fierce competition unfolding in daily training can be said to be one of Antlers' strengths. There are many young players, and to improve the quality and intensity of practice, I believe I, as one of the senior players, along with Seima-kun (Doi), the oldest Japanese player, and Hayato-kun (Nakama), must lead the entire team."

──Please tell us about your aspirations for the battles ahead in the middle and latter half of this season.
"I joined Antlers to win titles. For the past two years, both as a team and individually, I haven't been able to produce results, and I've felt inadequate. That's why my desire to win a title this year is stronger than ever. To that end, I will give everything I have, and I will do anything to win the championship. I'm not very good at thinking too far ahead, but when I think about the future of Antlers, I believe there's a new landscape that will open up by winning the next title. To reach that point, I want to focus solely on winning the championship this season and give my all in each and every match."