Ryotaro Araki, now in his third season with Antlers.
What has he gained in his first two years as a professional? What are his current feelings about wearing the number 10 jersey? And what is his vision for the future?
We delve into the past, present, and future of the man who inherited Antlers' number 10 jersey.
Confidence Gained Through Match Experience
in His First Two Years
"Eh?! Seriously?"
Upon hearing that he and Antlers' past number 10s were the feature topic of this month's issue, Ryotaro Araki's eyes widened in a somewhat happy surprise.
He suddenly smiled when he was reminiscing about his "jersey number history."
"Come to think of it, all the teams I've played for since elementary school have always worn red uniforms. Personally, it's a color I quite like, so I'm secretly happy that I've always been able to play soccer in a red uniform (laughs)."
From FC Domingo Kao and Charm FC Kumamoto, where he enjoyed football in elementary school, to J2 Kumamoto's junior youth team, he wore red-based uniforms. After graduating from junior high, he advanced to Higashi Fukuoka High School, known as the "Red Comet." The midfielder, who spent three years at one of the most prestigious high school soccer schools, began wearing the Antlers Red uniform in 2020 and is now playing his third professional season this year.
Regarding his rookie year, he summarized it as "a season where I continuously challenged myself in every sense of the word." The former manager, Zago, who had just taken office, asked him to play in a style different from what he had been accustomed to.
"In my first year as a pro, I was mostly used as a side midfielder. For me, who had often played as an attacking midfielder or defensive midfielder, it was a somewhat unfamiliar position, and I was playing quite differently from my high school days. However, I strongly wanted to play in official matches right after turning pro, so I remember thinking a lot about how I should approach things to get playing time back then."
After much self-reflection, Araki decided to tackle the team's competition with a flexible mindset. Instead of stubbornly adhering to the style he had cultivated throughout his career, he decided to actively change himself to adapt to the current environment.
"I thought, 'Antlers doesn't have a player who can dribble from the wings.' So, I decided that as soon as I received the ball, I would attack vertically, and even if I made a mistake, I would keep trying to dribble through. To put it bluntly, it was 'just going for it without thinking,' but looking back now, perhaps continuously challenging myself with that mindset worked to my advantage at the time. Thanks to that, I was able to broaden my range of play and also develop the ability to respond flexibly to the manager's requests."
The playmaker, who originally excelled at building attacks primarily through passing, changed his style to that of a dribbler who breaks down the opponent's defense along the touchline. In his second year as a professional, his bold plays gained even more momentum.
"As I entered my second year, I felt the responsibility and pressure of no longer being a rookie. But for me, I was able to challenge myself even more than in my first year, and I had the sensation of being able to express what I wanted freely and boldly on the pitch. However, I could only feel that way thanks to my seniors. At the time, there were many veteran and experienced players, and they created an environment where young players could play easily, telling us, 'Don't worry about making mistakes. We'll cover for you, so relax.' Looking back now, that second season, where I could entrust responsibility to my seniors, I truly feel that playing soccer was purely enjoyable (bitter smile)."
Midway through the season, he shifted to a central position, controlling the team's attack as an attacking midfielder. As his同期, Yuta Matsumura, described Araki as the "heart of the team," his presence grew with each match.
"While I'm happy to hear that, Matsu's (Matsumura's) words are a bit exaggerated (laughs). However, it's a position I played in junior high and high school, so I thought I understood the ease of playing as an attacking midfielder and how to move, and I believed it was the position where my strengths would be best utilized. Personally, I idealize a style of play where we build up carefully, passing the ball as a team to approach the opponent's goal. In that sense, from the middle of my second year, I felt a certain sense of accomplishment in playing as an 'intermediary,' drawing passes from defenders and defensive midfielders in the narrow midfield area, and connecting them smoothly to the wings and forward line without losing possession."
In his second year in the league, he played in 36 matches and scored 10 goals. The number of matches was tied for the team lead with Shoma Doi, and his goal tally made him only the second player in J.League history to score "double-digit goals in his teens." His dynamic performance throughout the season was highly praised both within and outside the club, earning him the "Best Young Player Award" at the 2021 J.League Awards.
"Of course, I was aware of the Best Young Player Award before the season even started. Personally, I wanted to perform well enough to be worthy of that award, so I was truly happy when I heard the news of my win. It's an award that先輩s like Youth Manager Atsushi Yanagisawa and Gaku Shibasaki, who have been central players for Antlers, have also received, so I was genuinely happy to get it myself. At the same time, I feel that I must now take over what those先輩s built and left behind at Antlers, and I will work hard in training every day so that someday I can surpass them."
Looking back at his two seasons since joining Antlers, Araki lists "gaining confidence" as his biggest achievement. Of course, he realizes that personal records and good results contributed to that, but what was most important to him was match experience.
"Of course, I believe there's confidence to be gained from consistent practice. However, being on the pitch in an official match is something special. By playing in matches, I can find many good points about myself, as well as many areas for improvement. Reflecting on the challenges and regrets I feel there, I then work hard in practice from the next day to improve even a little, and prepare for the next match. Personally, I believe I gradually gained confidence through this cycle. In that regard, I'm still full of gratitude to Zago-san, who patiently gave me opportunities, especially from my first year as a pro. He let me play in many matches in both my first and second years, and by finding many challenges and areas for improvement and overcoming them one by one, I gained confidence. I feel that I grew as much as I played, and that has led to where I am today."
Two seasons playing as an Antlers player, and the confidence gained through various experiences, brought about several changes in Araki, who is now in his third year as a professional.
Wearing Antlers' Number 10 Jersey and Pledging to Reach a Higher Level
Immediately after the start of the 22nd season, Araki began to talk about the changes in his mental state, wryly smiling and saying, "Maybe I'm overthinking it a little."
"My way of thinking as a player has changed quite a bit in my third year compared to my first and second years. In my first year, I spent every day just wanting to be involved in matches, even a little, and in my second year, I was desperate to achieve individual results. Of course, I still want to achieve results, and I believe I was committed to winning in both my first and second years. But in my third season, I absolutely must win, and I absolutely must make the team win. This feeling is stronger than ever before. As I mentioned earlier, in my first and second years, even if I made a mistake, I would quickly switch gears and challenge aggressively with a 'youthful stance.' While that feeling remains in my heart, now the idea of involving others and playing for the team takes precedence, and I feel my mental state has changed quite a bit from before. Honestly, I never imagined my way of thinking would change this much."
When discussing the changes in his third year, it would be incomplete not to touch upon his jersey number.
Rewinding a bit, Araki became aware of jersey numbers during his junior high days, when he was in the junior youth team in Kumamoto.
"Back then, I liked the number 7. So, in my first year of junior high, I was planning to ask for number 7, but a teammate got it first. I had no choice but to choose another number, and for some reason, number 10 was available. The moment I found that out, I immediately switched my mind and thought, 'If that's the case, I'll take number 10.' Since then, before I knew it, I liked number 10 more than 7, and from that time, the image of 'number 10 when it comes to jersey numbers' became firmly established in my mind."
He is a man who says, "When it comes to jersey numbers, it's number 10." Naturally, he was aware that Antlers' number 10 jersey had been vacant since the summer of 2019.
"I've liked the number 10 since junior high, and I've played in the 'number 10 position' on the pitch. More than anything, when playing soccer, I want to wear the number 10 and always play as a central figure in the team. So, to be honest, I had wanted to wear Antlers' number 10 from the 2021 season, my second year as a pro. But considering my results and performance in my first year, I thought, 'It's probably impossible at this time,' so I couldn't volunteer before the start of my second year (laughs)."
His achievements in his second year as a professional were as mentioned above. With the records and memories he had carved into his heart, Araki put his name forward for Antlers' number 10 jersey.
"When I re-evaluated my performance in my second year, I thought, 'With these results, maybe I can request a change of number?' and 'Maybe they'll entrust Antlers' number 10 to me?' So, I put myself forward. You might not think it, but I'm actually quite sensitive to others' emotions and gazes, so I thought a lot before asking for the number 10 (laughs)."
While confessing his cautious nature, he continues with a smile, saying, "Perhaps it's because I've never really felt pressure when it comes to wearing the Antlers' number 10 uniform, as my confident demeanor during matches shows."
"Indeed, every time I see the Antlers fans and supporters cheering with number 10 jerseys in the stadium, I get the feeling, 'Ah, I've become number 10.' However, honestly, I don't feel the weight or pressure of wearing the number 10 in a bad way. When I saw the number printed on the chest of my training uniform change from 13 to 10, I did think, 'Oh!' (laughs)."
For Araki this season, what he feels is heavier than his jersey number is the responsibility of being "Kashima."
"What I feel right now is the heavy responsibility of being an Antlers player. The desire to win as a team and to win titles is incredibly strong."
That's the determination he brought into the 22nd season. Although they convincingly defeated G Osaka away in the league's opening match, they suffered a loss to Kawasaki F at home in the second match.
"To be honest, I didn't want to lose to anyone this season. And yet, we lost so early in the second match... The atmosphere of the entire team after the match, and the expressions on the faces of the fans and supporters in the stands, made me strongly feel again that I never want to experience or see that again."
The various experiences accumulated over the past two years transform the season's frustrations into positive energy. Araki took a deep breath, reset his feelings, and then looked ahead to the upcoming battles.
"Of course, I wanted to get off to a better start. However, we can always bounce back from here, and I believe there are positives to be taken even from a defeat. If we can fix our issues even a little sooner, our current shortcomings will turn into strengths, and I think those will come alive in the final stages of the season. After all, no team can keep winning throughout an entire season, and even championship teams stumble somewhere. Every team inevitably faces periods when they can't win as they'd like, or when the team isn't in good form, and I believe that for Antlers this season, that was right after the opening. We just experienced the difficulty of winning a title early on, and I think from the mid-season to the end, we'll be able to look back and say, 'That period made us who we are.'"
With the arrival of new staff, led by manager René Weiler, this season's Antlers team is a "new system." Araki, too, understands the difficulties of playing under such circumstances from his past experiences.
"In my two seasons since turning pro, I was led by Zago and Soma, and the style of play changed almost every year. Personally, I recognize that it takes a lot of time for all players to understand and share what the manager wants. Regarding this season as well, the tactical penetration is still ongoing. Every player probably has a clear idea of what they need to do, but of course, there are opposing players on the pitch in official matches, and they don't always play as expected. At such times, how flexibly the team can respond is key. As for me, I hope to support the entire team broadly, with a focus on the attacking side. That's quite difficult, though (bitter smile)."
As a key player for Antlers, this year will be a season where Araki also pays attention to the Japan national team schedule. The World Cup will be held in Qatar from November to December 2022, and Coach Oiwa's Japan team for the 2024 Paris Olympics will also begin in earnest. He immediately replied, "I want to go to both the Qatar World Cup and the Paris Olympics," while describing his current feelings as follows:
"It's true that I'm looking towards the Japan national team. However, right now, I'm only thinking about Antlers. Especially for the World Cup, it's something that comes as a 'reward' after achieving solid results with Antlers, and even if I'm not selected, I'm prepared to accept that it's just the way it is."
On the other hand, regarding the Paris Olympics, he is eager, stating, "My generation is perfectly suited for it, so I definitely want to participate."
"Personally, I believe that the four同期 from Antlers (Araki, Someno, Matsumura, and Yamada) can become the core of this generation. Of course, we'll fight for Antlers, but I also believe that the four of us should lead the national team towards the Paris Olympics, so I definitely want to be selected for the squad."
Reflecting on Araki's vision for the future, Football Director Munehisa Yoshioka expresses his expectations for Araki as follows:
"I think Araki himself realizes this, but by wearing the number 10, he needs to play in a way that helps Antlers win even more than before. Also, he probably has various high goals for the future, and in that sense, he needs to perform at two or three levels higher in both offense and defense than he is now. I want him to approach it with that mindset, and we, too, want to push him to a higher level."
Araki himself states emphatically:
"In terms of playing style, I believe there will be great expectations for me on the offensive side. I also want to create many chances and display play that actively leads to goals. However, this season, I plan to contribute to the team not only on offense but in other aspects as well. Of course, I'll give my all defensively, but even during physically demanding periods, I want to run more than anyone and motivate the team. Ultimately, I aim to become a presence where my teammates, fans, and supporters will think, 'It was a lifesaver to have Araki' or 'It was good to have Araki.'"
In his third professional season, the 22nd season, Araki is wearing Antlers' number 10 jersey and is poised for further evolution as a professional footballer. Beyond that, the reclamation of Antlers' title undoubtedly awaits.
