SPECIAL INTERVIEW
Prince League East Division Champions & Premier League Promotion!
Kashima Antlers Youth Captain Kosei Ogura
Kashima Antlers Youth won the Prince League East Division and secured promotion to the Premier League.
Captain Kosei Ogura reflects on their journey to glory, which was far from smooth sailing.
We realized we still had a long way to go
―First of all, congratulations on winning the Prince League East Division and earning promotion to the Premier League.
“Thank you. First of all, winning the Prince League East Division was a huge achievement. It also set us up well for the playoffs. The playoffs really tested our strength as a team. I remembered the top team’s captain, Yuma Suzuki, saying that unity is important, and with the confidence that we had also valued unity for a year, we focused on playing as one team. I believe our promotion to the Premier League was earned by the entire team, not just those who played in the matches.”
―When your generation first formed the team, did you feel you had a chance at promotion to the Premier League?
“Honestly, I wasn’t that confident. We didn’t win very often in practice matches at first. There was a fair amount of anxiety about what would happen next. I believe we were able to fight through the Prince League East Division and achieve so many victories because the entire team changed their mindset, and everyone, myself included, was able to grow.”
―Wasn’t the responsibility of being captain also a big factor?
“When I was a second-year student, I was in a position where I could play to my heart’s content because of my seniors. But when I became a third-year student and captain, I started to realize that I had to think not only about myself but also about the team. I had to set an example both on and off the pitch. By becoming aware of this in my new role, I can truly feel that I’ve grown as a person.”
―Looking back on the Prince League East Division league matches, which game was the turning point?
“Probably the match against Urawa Reds Youth in the first half of the league season (Round 2, ●2-5). That heavy defeat was a wake-up call. Reds is a great team, and I think it’s one of the stronger teams among the J clubs, but we couldn’t do anything against them and conceded so many goals, which made us realize we still had a long way to go. It was an important match in terms of tightening our resolve.”
―After that match against Urawa Reds Youth, you had a long talk on the pitch with Academy Technical Advisor Mitsuo Okusawara.
“As someone who plays the same defensive midfield position, Mitsuo-san is like a role model with so many different perspectives. I thought that listening to him first would help me grow, so I went to ask him right after we lost that match. We talked about defense and the team as a whole, and I feel that both the team and I were able to make corrections. In order to move further up in the future, I need to develop my tactical understanding and improve my thinking. I already felt that I needed to hone my own thinking skills, so I was very grateful to be taught so many things.”
―After that, in the summer, you made the best eight in the Japan Club Youth Soccer Championship (U-18).
“I really feel that it wasn’t an easy tournament. The temperatures in Ibaraki and Gunma were completely different, and in our first match against Fagiano Okayama U-18 (●1-2), everyone’s legs wouldn’t move, and there were times when we were beaten because of that. I now realize again that it was a tournament with a lack of concentration at times and a series of difficult matches.”
―Even so, you won the Round 3 group stage match against Kyoto Sanga F.C. U-18 (○1-0) and secured advancement to the knockout stage by coming from behind.
“That match was dramatic. We were in a position where we would advance to the knockout stage if we won, but we also had the pressure of feeling that we had no choice but to win. Because everyone did their best to take the team to the next level and to win, I feel that it finally paid off in the end.”
―While aiming for the top, you suffered a heavy 2-7 defeat against Shimizu S-Pulse Youth in the quarterfinals and ended the tournament.
“There was also the fatigue of playing so many matches in a row. That’s why it was also a match where I learned how to play through a series of matches. In addition to the fact that we lost, the way we lost—conceding seven goals—and the fact that it was the end of our last national tournament, it was a conclusion that left us with a lot of regret.”
Thinking of everyone back in Kashima
―Without having time to dwell on the regret of losing, you left for an overseas trip to Indonesia (INTERNATIONAL YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP 2023) after the tournament.
“After losing in the Club Youth Championship, it was a ‘start’ for the second half of the season, like a fresh start toward winning the Prince League and earning promotion to the Premier League. It was a great experience. For me, being able to see the world was also a big deal. We had the opportunity to play against Spanish giants Real Madrid (●3-5) and Barcelona (△1-1), and I went into the matches with the thought, ‘If I can’t do anything here, I won’t be able to compete in the world.’”
―How was it when you actually played against them?
“Honestly, I was a little surprised. Real Madrid and Barcelona, which can be called some of the best clubs in the world, were amazing. After the matches, I heard that all the opposing players were only one or two years younger than us, and I was like, ‘Are you serious?’ (laughs). It was a match that made me realize that my own abilities were still not enough.”
―What kind of difference did you feel?
“Of course, it was the technical side, but also the speed of play, how quickly each player made decisions, how well they kept the ball, how quickly they switched play… it felt like everything was superior. In the match against Barcelona, I don’t even remember winning the ball during the game. The team was also perfectly formed. Being able to play against such a team was a really good experience.”
―After returning from Indonesia, you entered the second half of the Prince League East Division.
“During the summer break, I was allowed to participate in the top team’s training, so I felt like I had more room to play. I also felt that the team’s level had gone up one or two steps, and I wanted to pay back Verde and Reds, whom we had lost to in the first half of the league season.”
―The late-season matches against Urawa Reds Youth (Round 11, △2-2) and Tokyo Verdy Youth (Round 15, △2-2) both ended in draws.
“I felt that we were superior to the opponents in both matches, but I regret conceding goals in situations that we could have prevented. That’s why they ended in draws. After all, they were matches we had to win. I was confident that we were mentally superior, and I also had a strong feeling that we had definitely grown, so I wanted to show it in the results.”
―Even so, you finished ahead of those two teams in the standings and brilliantly won the Prince League East Division.
“As I said at the beginning, we went from not being able to win very often after the new team was formed to being able to win like this, and I believe we were able to win the Prince League East Division through everyone’s efforts. I think that everyone being aware of coming together as one team and fighting for the team was a major factor in our victory.”
―And then, with promotion to the Premier League on the line, you faced Setouchi High School in the playoffs (Round 1, ○5-1).
“The opponent was a team from the Hiroshima Prefectural Football Association, which is local to the match venue. For me, it was difficult to get into the match, and I made a lot of mistakes, and I was the cause of conceding goals. There were also quite a few dangerous situations, and it was such a difficult match that I was like, ‘What should I do?’”
―What was the factor that led to the comeback from there?
“I thought of everyone back in Kashima once, and I focused on not looking down, not worrying about mistakes, and switching to the next play, and I was able to correct myself. In the midst of that, I’m really glad we were able to take the lead in the first half. In the second half, we were able to show what we had been doing for a year, and we scored three goals. We were running more than the opponent, and we were fighting better. I think it led to victory because we were able to surpass the opponent in those kinds of basic things.”
―How about the match against Vegalta Sendai Youth (Round 2, ○7-0), which secured promotion to the Premier League?
“That match was amazing. I was like, ‘Can it really go that well?’ (laughs)”
―It became the culmination of the year.
“I feel that we had repeated really tough training, overcame difficult times together, and both the team and I became stronger. I think that being able to come together as one team again in the end led to promotion to the Premier League.”
―Please give a message to those who supported you.
“Thanks to the people who always support us and those who actually come to watch our matches, we were able to achieve our goal. Your support was a huge source of strength for us. Thank you. We will be playing in the Premier League next year, so I would be very grateful if you could come to watch a lot of our juniors’ matches. Thank you.”
―Finally, please tell us your thoughts about the coaching staff who led the team, including Kosei Ogura.
“Well… this year, when I found out that I wouldn’t be promoted to the top team, I was so frustrated that the goal I had been aiming for for three years would not come true, and there were times when I couldn’t focus on soccer. So I went to talk to them, and I received so many encouraging words, and I was able to develop a strong desire to come back here through university. That’s why I am incredibly grateful to Manager Yanagisawa and all the coaches. I was scolded a lot by Mitsuo-san since my first year (laughs), and while I’m happy that I was able to show my growth by earning promotion to the Premier League in my third year, I really want to show the sight of me becoming a professional and playing. I think that showing a more grown-up version of myself to the coaching staff who treated me sincerely is my own way of expressing my gratitude. So, although it might be a little late, I will definitely come back to Antlers to show that kind of growth to the coaching staff.”
