INTERVIEW
Outlook for the Takamori Cup Premier League
Kashima Antlers Youth Manager Atsushi Yanagisawa
In the 2023 season, Kashima Antlers Youth won the Takamori Cup Prince League Kanto and advanced through the Prince League playoffs. In the 2024 season, they will compete in the Takamori Cup Premier League EAST, the highest stage for high school-age players since the 2019 season. With third-year high school students graduating and the team taking on a new challenge, what is Youth Manager Yanagisawa’s outlook for the new season? (Interview conducted before the start of the league season.)
Training with a high level of competition as the norm
Tokyo International University, Toyo University, Waseda University, Tsukuba University...
The team has been playing numerous practice matches ahead of the new season, and the list of universities is impressive. By repeatedly facing opponents from the category above, the team is training to make a high level of competition the norm.
“As a coach, I experienced the Takamori Cup Premier League firsthand over two years. It is certainly a league where the overall level, including physicality, is demanding. Given that we will be competing there, we need to have the strength to confidently face university players. The goal is to help them grow by exposing them to a high level of competition on a daily basis.”
Of course, there are times when things do not go well during matches. At this time of year, when players are moving into dormitories at different times, it can also be difficult to have everyone together. In recent years, while it is gratifying that more players are being selected for age-group national teams, the team is also facing the difficulty of building a cohesive squad. Every year, facing the unique challenges of starting with a new team as an academy, Manager Yanagisawa is continuing to build a team suited to the current situation.
“The approach we have taken so far is to build good attacks from solid defense. The moment we win the ball, we want to exploit the opponent’s lack of balance and finish the chance. We want to continue expressing that this year as well. Compared to last year’s team, there are still areas where we are lacking, so we need to raise that foundation and continue to grow through matches.”
This year, the squad may not be able to remain fixed throughout the season.
“This year, Takuma Tokuda and Haruto Matsumoto have been registered with the top team (Type 2). Basically, even during matches, we do not know for sure whether (the two of them) will be available. In that sense, when considering how to build the squad with the current members, I think it will involve making the most of each individual’s strengths.”
Youth Manager Yanagisawa discussing with GK Coach Sokegan
“I’m not satisfied with that.” A proposal from the players to the manager in the summer of 2023
Last year, the team had a successful experience that gave them a positive sense of accomplishment in building a cohesive squad.
“Last year, we were able to experience an overseas tour for the first time in a long while. We went to Australia for a school trip and to Indonesia for a tournament, and that deepened the understanding within the team. Not only did we gain experience playing against foreign players, but I also felt that being in a different environment was extremely important.”
This happened during the overseas tour to Indonesia in August, where they also played against Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. Sensing a lack of focus off the pitch, Manager Yanagisawa gathered the players and spoke to them. However, the players were not satisfied with what they had been told. After the meeting, the third-year students gathered on their own, organized their opinions, and went back to speak with Manager Yanagisawa again.
“Because we were overseas, I was also more nervous than usual, thinking that something bad might happen, and I spoke to the team about things happening off the pitch. At that time, they had their own reasons, and they clearly stated their opinions and came back to speak with me again. I listened to them calmly and was able to build on that. It was a very important tour in terms of what happened off the pitch as well.”
The events that occurred remain unchanged. What matters is how to make the most of them next time. Rather than seeing their refusal to simply accept what they were told as defiance, Manager Yanagisawa viewed it positively as “an expression of their initiative.”
“I really felt that having conversations with the third-year students leads to a greater sense of unity within the team. By putting their thoughts into words and communicating them to others, they have to take responsibility for what they say. Of course, it would be best to resolve things right then and there. Even so, I think it was very good that everyone came together to express their opinions. I think they themselves were able to grow a little more mature from that experience, and I could see changes in their actions afterward.”
As of this summer, the season is still not halfway through. The team of 40 emotionally sensitive high school-age players has faced many different events since then. Through communication, he has seen changes in the players and observed how those changes can turn out well or poorly. Even so, Manager Yanagisawa maintained a firm core as he continued to communicate with the players.
“How can they approach their training with self-awareness? You will never play well if you play soccer while shrinking back. In that sense, I think the time when you change with self-awareness is when you can grow the most. I think (the players) have changed in a good way.”
He continues speaking.
“Also, the fact that the other staff members handled things well had an influence. If it had just been me, I probably wouldn’t have been able to make it go that well. By talking with many people, I think we were all able to grow together.”
The team has become cohesive, and that is reflected in the results. Each small step has led to promotion to the Takamori Cup Premier League.
The team gained experience playing against Real Madrid and FC Barcelona during the Indonesia tour
Top-level players across the country unite as one
The new second- and third-year high school players who will be at the center of the 2024 season won the Prince League last year and advanced to the Takamori Cup Premier League, propelling them to the national level. The new first-year high school students joining them are also top-level players of their age group.
Seven players from the Kashima Junior Youth team, which won the Takamori Cup U-15 last year, have been promoted: Captain MF Daigo Hirashima, DF Takane Yonekawa, DF Kanta Hayashi, DF Ryui Okuma, MF Genma Oeda, MF Ritsuki Miyoshi, and FW Tatsumasa Fukuda.
Furthermore, FW Jigen Monoi, who was promoted from the Norte Junior Youth team, attracted attention with a goal during last year’s Japan-Korea Friendship Cup, where he outmaneuvered his opponent to score a mid-range shot. Even Coach Zico, who saw it firsthand, recommended him, saying, “He is the tournament MVP.”
In addition, the players joining from outside include those who have been selected for the Japan national age-group teams, along with Kashima JY’s MF Hirashima: FW Minato Yoshida (FC Tama Junior Youth), DF Ryuku Oshima (VIVAIO Funabashi SC), and DF Ansho Motosuna Udenba (FC Fresca Kobe).
*DF Oshima participated in a study abroad program in Spain at Real Sociedad for about two weeks (from March 17 to April 2) as part of a project with the JFA (Japan Football Association).
“Becoming a new team means that every year it is almost a completely different team. In that environment, we have new first-year high school students join us who are truly reliable and excellent players with national-level ability. I really want to help them develop into the best they can be. But of course, there is still a considerable difference in experience, and they need time to adjust, not to mention the physical side of things. We still need to continue strengthening the team as a whole, and everyone needs to understand how the team operates. We have only had everyone together once or twice. Things are still a bit hectic.”
Everyone is expected to be together just before the season begins. Even without everyone present, we will do what we can now. What we value remains unchanged.
“Above all, we must continue to train every day without cutting corners. We cannot just go through the motions or do it out of habit. Daily growth is what matters. The opponents we will face in the Takamori Cup Premier League are, after all, highly skilled individuals. I think the physical strength of the teams from the All Japan High School Football Championship will also increase, so we want to be able to compete with them. Thanks to the hard work of last year’s players, we have been able to stand on this new stage. We want to achieve good results at the top level of high school football again and develop attractive players along the way. We will continue to work hard as a united team, so please support us.”
