News

Yuma Suzuki returned to Antlers in the 2022 season after two and a half years.
As he continues to build a new football style with coach Daiki Iwamasa,
he passionately discusses the indispensable elements for the team in the seasons to come.

Advice from experienced former players
who supported him

── The 2022 season has concluded. How do you reflect on this past year?
"Honestly, it was a difficult season. The beginning of the season wasn't bad at all, and there were quite a few matches where we (myself and Ayase Ueda, currently with Cercle Brugge KSV) managed to push through with our own strength. In that situation, I did speculate that Ayase might transfer during the season, but after he actually went to Belgium, it's regrettable to say that we couldn't fully fill the void he left. I believe our inability to fill Ayase's shoes was one of the reasons it became a difficult season."

── The league started strong with six wins in the first seven matches. Looking back now, at what point did the rhythm change?
"The match where I personally felt things weren't going as I wanted was the first leg of the YBC Levain Cup Playoff Stage against Fukuoka. We all tried to embody the team's playing style, but perhaps due to prior scouting, Fukuoka managed to control the game well. Japanese players, in particular, tend to faithfully execute instructions from the coach and the team's tactics, so when those don't lead to results, the overall atmosphere can gradually change."

── As one of the leaders, what actions did you consider taking at the time to improve the team's atmosphere?
"I felt the difficulty in that aspect too. While having a clear team playing style, I also believed that individual players needed to make judgments on the pitch, so finding that balance was quite challenging. That's why I went to people with extensive experience as players, like Daiki-san (Coach Iwamasa), Soga-san (GK Assistant Coach Sogahata), Mitsuo-san (Ogasawara TA), and Yana-san (Yanagisawa Youth Coach), who were coaches at the time. I shared the internal situation of the team and asked, 'How did you handle situations like this?' and 'What do you think we should do?' to get their advice. The people I just mentioned have experienced many such situations during their playing careers, and they've also overcome situations that I myself haven't experienced, so I listened to those experienced individuals."

── Among the self-reflection and discussions with先輩たちの話を聞いたりしたなかで、especially impressive what did you find?
"Man-san (Suzuki Football Advisor) often said, 'A team is a living thing,' and I truly felt that to be true. If you sense the atmosphere, you immediately know whether the team is in good or bad condition. That's why, as someone who played in almost every match this past year, I strongly realized the difficulty of building a new team, fighting as a team, and achieving results."

"It's okay to lose"
has absolutely no meaning

── Coach Iwamasa took over in August. How did you, Suzuki-san, interpret the phrase "creating a new Kashima" that the coach has been saying from the beginning?
"I felt a strong enthusiasm to start building the team from scratch. However, that feeling didn't lead to results easily, so I have the sense that we were exploring and figuring things out as we went along."

── Your words and actions suggest a high level of trust in Coach Iwamasa. Please tell us about the characteristics of Coach Iwamasa as you see him.
"I feel like he is a 'leader of people.' Since it's Daiki-san's first time leading a professional team, he isn't trying to build the team as an absolute authority. Daiki-san acknowledges that he himself is still inexperienced as a coach, and on the other hand, the current Antlers, composed of us players, is also still in an immature state. So, I get the impression that Daiki-san and the staff, along with all the players, are united in their efforts to create a new Kashima. In this situation, Daiki-san thinks incredibly deeply about what kind of tactics, system, and player selection would be best for the current team, and I strongly felt that firsthand. Although we couldn't achieve the desired results, I believe that with each match, the players grasped what Daiki-san was thinking and were able to express it on the pitch little by little."

── It sounds like the coach and players are working together, building things up one by one.
"That's exactly the feeling. I believe that by sharing joys and sorrows, when we achieve something in the future, we will all experience a great sense of accomplishment. However, at this point, we need to not overthink the future and focus delicately on each task at hand. I'm sure my teammates feel the same way. We have a strong desire to create a new style with everyone's power, and although we experienced the frustration of not achieving our goals this season, we still have a sense that the path we are on is not wrong."

── One impressive remark from Coach Iwamasa was the phrase, "It's okay to take down the 'perpetual champions' signboard."
"I believe Daiki-san deliberately said that to relieve the players' burdens and pressure. So, I didn't interpret it as, 'It's really okay to take it down.' I think it was meant to encourage players to play freely and bring out their best performance, and it absolutely doesn't mean 'it's okay to lose.'"

── After winning the league match against Shimizu in the 25th round, Coach Iwamasa's first game, you commented, "It's important to maintain the intensity of this match in every game." How do you analyze the reasons why it was difficult to maintain that momentum afterward?
"Ultimately, to create a difference against the opponent, I believe individual strength is more important than tactical issues. Can we defend against a critical moment? Can we convert a single chance into a goal? Of course, it's important to fight as a team, but if each individual player can win against their opponent in each play, that becomes an advantage for the team. In that regard, I believe that our inability to create a difference in any situation, including myself, led to us not being able to maintain momentum."

Players who can't work hard
are no longer used in matches.

── As you aim for growth both as a team and as an individual, what vision do you have for the next season?
"First and foremost, it's crucial whether the players can keep up with the technical level that Daiki-san demands. If the players fundamentally lack the skills to achieve what's required by the team's tactics, then the tactics won't work. I think the key will be to focus on each and every effort during practice and enhance our fundamental abilities."

── How would you describe Coach Iwamasa's football style in your own words?
"I feel like he aims to let players play freely and fully express their individuality. It's not a style where players are forced into a mold, told to move like this and score like this. While there's a certain structure, I think Daiki-san's vision is to value the players' ideas and win while both the playing players and the watching fans feel 'enjoyment.'"

── Isn't that very rewarding for a player?
"It is rewarding. At the same time, I believe we need to delve much deeper into creating a place to return to during difficult times or when we're at a disadvantage. Even if the entire team has the same vision, it's meaningless if we can't achieve good results, and Antlers must achieve results regardless of the situation. I truly felt the difficulty of pursuing both missions – team building and achieving results – throughout this season."

── After losing in the Emperor's Cup semifinals, Coach Iwamasa outlined three essential principles for players to become winners: hard work, problem-solving, and a winner's mentality.
"It's no longer an era where you can create chances just by passing the ball elegantly. Strong teams in modern football are filled with players who possess both high skill and the ability to work hard. So, I believe all three elements Daiki-san mentioned are absolutely true. At the same time, as I mentioned earlier, the ability to break through difficult situations is crucial. For example, being able to defend in any situation, score goals, and beat opponents. Being able to show a difference from the opponent while working hard is an indispensable element of modern football, and players who can embody that are top-class players, and a collection of such players makes a top-class team."

── In the Premier League, which you watch frequently, world-class players work hard as a matter of course.
"That's just the norm now. Players who can't work hard aren't used in matches. For example, excluding players like Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, all other players are required to work hard. In modern football, what you can achieve while working hard is a significant point. So, perhaps Daiki-san was trying to instill these basic principles in the players through these three tenets."

── In the 33rd round of the league against Shimizu, you secured your first win in eight matches. Along with the result, it seemed like you were able to demonstrate a certain form in terms of content.
"Yes, that's right. With Kento (Misao) playing as a defensive midfielder and Matsu (Matsumura) staying wide on the flanks, looking at the team composition, I felt the possibility that we might be able to pursue a new vision and a certain form. As a player, I also thought, 'This is interesting,' and I'm sure the fans and supporters who watched the match also thought, 'This formation might be good too.' It was a match where what we had been cautiously exploring started to subtly take shape."

── Specifically, what aspects did you feel confident about?
"In that match, I think I passed to Matsu quite a lot. As for my playing style, I want to receive the ball at my feet, so it's very easy to play when there's a fast player on the wing who is constantly looking to get behind the opposing defenders. However, the season ended just when things were starting to take shape, so honestly, I would have liked to play a few more matches to further refine this form."

This season, there were many instances
where I felt we were too "cozy."

── After returning to Antlers after two and a half years, were there any aspects you felt hadn't changed in a good way?
"What I felt hadn't changed particularly was how deeply the staff and people involved with Antlers regretted losses. The environment where we, as players, feel compelled to say, 'We are truly sorry to everyone,' hasn't changed from before. I always feel the weight of victory and the passionate feelings of everyone involved with the club, and I truly realized that this is indeed what makes Antlers unique."

── What did you feel when you looked up at the fans and supporters filling Kashima Stadium?
"We players are painfully aware that we haven't won a title for the past few years, and this year ended without one again, making it not a good season. That's why I feel incredibly sorry to everyone. On the other hand, even looking at the progress of Yokohama F. Marinos and Kawasaki Frontale, who competed for the championship this season, there are always difficulties when a club faces a period of change and challenge. Of course, I don't mean to make excuses, but while working on building a new team, I realized that you can't just win a title immediately, and it's important to accumulate the elements that lead to victory one by one. Even in such a situation, the players strongly want to win for the fans and supporters who patiently come to the stadium, so I hope to share many victories with many people next season."

── On the other hand, did you notice any changes within the club?
"The atmosphere after a lost game. In the past, in the locker room and during practice from the next day, there was an atmosphere among the players like, 'He really messed up,' or 'His mistake was a big one.' So, players who were involved in conceding a goal, or who missed a decisive chance, would literally work their hardest during the week of practice leading up to the next game to make up for that mistake. Being in the team this season with the same feeling as back then, I often questioned, 'Is this guy really feeling the regret?' towards players who made plays that led to a loss in the recent match. I often felt, 'Are they practicing with the thought, "I absolutely never want to experience this feeling again!"?'"

── So you clearly felt a difference in mentality.
"For example, Naomichi (Ueda), when he made a mistake that led to a goal, he would desperately practice every day for the whole week after that game, trying to make up for that mistake in the next match. Of course, I was the same; after a game that didn't go well, I would approach daily training with a strong will, saying, 'I never want to experience something like this again!' I have the impression that this kind of awareness was not very present in the team this season."

── So, the Antlers of that time had an atmosphere that spurred on regret.
"It's not that Mitsuo-san, Daigo (Nishi, now Sapporo), and Yassan (Endo, now Sendai) would say something to players who made mistakes or intentionally create that kind of atmosphere. But, for example, if I missed a crucial chance and we lost a game, even if nothing was said, there was a tense atmosphere that made me think, 'I absolutely have to score in the next game.' At the same time, my teammates, who saw players desperately training for a week to make up for their mistakes, would wholeheartedly and warmly tease them (laughs) when that player scored a goal or showed a good performance in the next game."

── So, sharing that kind of atmosphere is what the current Antlers need.
"To put it bluntly, this season there were many instances where I felt we were too 'cozy.' Everyone is kind, and if someone makes a mistake, they encourage each other, saying, 'It's okay, it's okay,' or 'Let's move on.' When I think back to the past, no one ever used the word 'move on.' To put it extremely, it was more like, 'You better dwell on that mistake for a week!' (bitter smile). It was normal for Antlers players to desperately struggle and practice hard to make up for their own mistakes. I feel that the current players are quick to switch gears, for better or worse."

── In the process of building a new team, such aspects are also essential, aren't they?
"I personally don't like relationships where you can be tough on one player but find it hard to say things to another. I feel that we need to foster an atmosphere where compromise is not allowed. In this regard, I don't think it's right for the coach, Daiki-san, to say, 'Be more aggressive and tougher!' so I believe the players themselves need to push each other."

We want to thoroughly pursue
meticulous work.

── Compared to the old Antlers, the lineup of teammates must have changed quite a bit, right?
"That's right. When I first returned, I wanted to quickly understand how each player thought and played. However, in reality, it took longer than I expected to grasp everyone's characteristics. When I was in Belgium and had teammates of various nationalities, I could somewhat understand their playing style and movement characteristics after seeing them play a few times. But in Japan, there are relatively many players with similar styles. So, I would watch each player's movements during practice to check their habits, their intentions behind choosing certain plays, and what kind of plays they preferred."

── If you had to pick a player who particularly caught your eye while playing with them this season?
"It would be Tsune (Tsunemoto) this season. I constantly tell him, 'You should be the defensive leader, and you need to be able to take on that role quickly.'"

── Specifically, what aspects do you have high expectations for?
"He has strong attacking abilities, and his defensive range is incredibly wide. Among Japanese right-backs, I don't think there are many players who can cover such a wide area. Since he has such high abilities, I believe he should take the initiative to lead not only the defensive line but the entire team. By doing so, I believe Tsune himself can grow even more."

── Having played on the J.League pitch again after a long time, were there any teams that left a strong impression on you?
"Hiroshima, led by Coach Michael Skibbe. I got the impression of a very well-organized team, managed by a German who seems to be meticulous in everything. I felt that the coach's vision was very carefully instilled in the team."

── Speaking of other teams, Juanma Delgado of Fukuoka spoke highly of you, Suzuki-san.
"Juanma kept asking me for my jersey, so I sent it to him the other day (laughs). I had never met him before, but he suddenly approached me before a match and asked, 'Suzuki, can I have your jersey?' And during the home match against Fukuoka, Lulian asked me during the game, 'Give me your jersey later.' For some reason, foreign players in Fukuoka seem to rate me very highly (laughs)."

── If you had to pick an opponent player who left a strong impression on you?
"Yamagishi (Yuya) of Fukuoka. I thought he was a truly good player. Antlers also suffered at his hands this season. He can do anything, and above all, he has absolutely no tension when he has the ball. Even when he shoots, he's very relaxed in a good way. I even thought I'd like to play with the same relaxed power as Yamagishi, while maintaining my own intensity. In my case, when I play in the Antlers uniform, I sometimes try too hard and it backfires (laughs)."

── Fans and supporters are looking forward to your passionate play next season as well.
"Playing at Kashima Stadium, I truly felt that there are so many people cheering for Antlers, and seeing everyone made me genuinely happy. One of Antlers' strengths is the 'atmosphere where being trophyless is unacceptable,' which everyone involved with the club exudes. Feeling that atmosphere, players must not just say, 'We will definitely win,' or 'We will win a title,' but must build up the necessary elements to win. I believe that the continuous, meticulous work is the most important thing. Of course, we also work hard every day with a strong desire to win titles immediately, but I realized again that demonstrating what we have built up in matches, achieving victories that lead to the next step, and identifying challenges will ultimately lead to winning the championship. Going forward, I want to thoroughly pursue this meticulous work for next season."