Just after 8 AM, preparations for the photoshoot were underway on the pitch.
Manager Cerezo and interpreter Lee Kang-Haeng chatting with smiles while preparing for practice.
Sogahata and Nakamura appearing on the ground in their new uniforms.
Antlers' new number 8, Doi!
Although rain was a concern, the group photo session concluded successfully in a consistently pleasant atmosphere. We also took a photo with the sports volunteers who are supporting our training camp.
Nishi and Motoyama smiling.
The sports volunteers and the four youth players also joined the photoshoot.
After the shoot, the players changed from their uniforms into training wear and immediately began their warm-up. After stretching and running, they warmed up their bodies with juggling and passing drills in groups of three.
Ryuga Suzuki, Akasaki, and Doi performing juggling in groups of three.
After the warm-up, they practiced set pieces. Using equipment to simulate opposing players, they checked various attack patterns from both sides. Ogasawara kicked precise balls, and Toyokawa also unleashed a series of accurate kicks. Coach Oiwa praised him, saying, "Yuta! Nice ball!"
Players other than the kickers aimed for header shots in front of the goal.
Ogasawara taking a run-up. Ito and Sugimoto also took turns as kickers.
The set piece practice lasted about 45 minutes. Afterwards, the players cooled down and left the ground around 11 AM. Unlike previous days, there were no physical training or running drills. The morning practice concluded with a relatively light workload.
Players cooling down under the cold sky.
The afternoon practice started about 30 minutes later than scheduled. Arriving at the ground around 4 PM, the players stretched under cover, then warmed up with running and ladder step work. The goalkeepers practiced catching and feeding.
The afternoon practice began in unfortunate rain.
Yamamura and Sugimoto stretching under cover.
Sogahata demonstrating accurate kicks.
Afterward, they conducted offensive and defensive drills divided into three teams. Amidst the cold rain, manager Cerezo gave instructions such as "Switch quickly! Look wide on the flanks!", and the contests for the ball intensified. During corner kicks, Kubota also served as a kicker, with Nishi heading in from the near side to shake the net.
The dynamic interplay between two prominent players. Ogasawara controlled the game with his wide vision and precise passes, while Nakamura showed sharp breakthroughs.
As the rain continued and the sky grew dim, the final activity on the seventh day of training was shooting practice. They went through drills involving short passes leading to mid-range shots, and it was just before 6 PM when they finished stretching and left the ground.
At today's dining hall, beef donated by Miyazaki Governor Shunji Kono was served, which was enjoyed by all players and staff.
Akasaki: "This year, I want to play more games and score more goals. I believe that consistently performing at my best in daily practice will translate into game performance, so I want to always play with a goal in mind."
Kubota: "My goal for the team is to win a title. Personally, I want to perform well here to earn playing time."
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*Player interviews can be viewed in the Members Room on the PC site, or via SumaCon (video content viewable only on the smartphone version) on Antlers Mobile.