In modern football, goalkeepers are also required to have strong footwork.

　However, for Tetsu Sugiyama, the top priority remains "protecting the goal."

　"You have to become a goalkeeper who can save clear-cut chances."

　Behind these words lies the influence of Hitoshi Sogahata, who guarded the goal for Kashima Antlers for many years.

 

——As a youth goalkeeper coach, what was the first thing you communicated to the players?

"First, I talked about learning how to protect the goal. People say goalkeepers need footwork now, right? Of course, that is necessary, too. It’s not that footwork skills aren't needed at all. But ultimately, can a goalkeeper protect the goal? Can they stop clear-cut chances? Can they help the team win the match? I believe that is what is important."

 

——Looking at the current team, do you feel that part is important?

I do. The current team has attacking power and can score goals. But in football, over 90 minutes, one or two precarious situations will always arise. Is it a goalkeeper who can prevent a clear-cut chance at those moments? I believe that is what decides the win or loss.

 

——Prioritizing defending over footwork?

I talk about what happens in matches, of course. But at this stage, rather than focusing on the finer details there, I prioritize improving their ability to protect the goal first. That is what I value most.

 

——Does that way of thinking also come from the influence of top team goalkeeper coach Hitoshi Sogahata?

*Sogahata and Sugiyama played together at Antlers from 2004 to the 2011 season.

It does, immensely. Soga-san (GK Coach Sogahata) really values the fundamentals. Not flashy practice, but stance, footwork, catching—truly the basics. But ultimately, without those, you can't compete at the higher levels. Watching Soga-san, I felt that once again.

 

——Building up the foundations.

It might look like a detour, but I believe it’s the shortest path. In fact, when Soga-san became the youth GK coach, he told the academy GK coaching staff, "First, we will do the fundamentals thoroughly." That way of thinking hasn't changed today.

 

——On the other hand, are you changing how you approach each individual player?

While there is a unified intention for everyone, some players are playing in matches and others aren't. So, I sometimes think about what each player needs at that moment before talking to them.

 

——The foundation as a person.

It’s things like a sense of responsibility and autonomy. To keep going is truly difficult. It’s hard to play in matches as a pro, but it’s even harder to keep playing. If you go pro, you will definitely hit a wall. You won't play in matches. You won't be evaluated. You will get injured. Can you overcome those times? That’s why I’m looking not just at football ability, but at the foundation as a person, too.

——That is something you have experienced yourself, isn't it?

Yes. I know the pain of not being able to play, and I know the pressure of playing in matches. So now, I want to pass on both of those experiences.

 

——How do you view the players?

Daily effort definitely shows up somewhere. What they do after the team practice ends. The attitude with which they approach every day. As time passes, that will certainly create a difference. That’s why I want to give opportunities to the players who are working hard.

 

——Lastly, what is the one thing you want to value most in the current youth generation?

Autonomy. The youth team is already the gateway to becoming a professional. So, players who only move when they are told to "do it" won't make it. Morning practice is a good example. It’s not about going because you were told to "go." It’s meaningless unless you go because you yourself think it’s necessary. Ultimately, if a player doesn't realize things on their own and try to change themselves, they won't reach the top. That is something I want to keep telling them.