A new connection to the world, born from the partnership with Borussia Mönchengladbach (Borussia MG). The Kashima Antlers Academy channeled this opportunity into a Germany expedition for their U-15 age group. Their goal was not a special training program tailored for Japanese visitors, but rather to experience the youth development process that the local players encounter daily. Why does Kashima look to the world? We trace the background from the partnership to the realization of this expedition, and the new challenges that have begun beyond it. (Part 1 of 4)

 

 What does the partnership with Borussia Mönchengladbach mean for the Kashima Antlers Academy?

 The answer was not set in stone from the beginning.

As a new connection between the clubs emerged, they began to consider what they could do as an academy. One of the initiatives that took concrete form was the U-15 Germany expedition.

 Preparations were underway even before the partnership was officially announced.

 According to Sato, who was involved in this expedition from the business side, "There was talk around the summer of the previous year that a partnership with Borussia MG was being planned, and from the early stages, collaboration in football development and youth training was a central theme."

　By the end of the summer, the plan to take academy players to Germany the following March had taken shape. On the academy side, preparations began, centered around Shuto Suzuki.

　The academy staff did not choose the partner club themselves. However, the emergence of this new connection created the possibility of sending players into a world different from what they had known before.

　While considering the categories, Suzuki requested the U-15 age group.

"At first, there was talk of personal study abroad programs, or I was asked, 'Which category do you want to take?' I replied, 'I want to go as a U-15 expedition.' Since the youth team sometimes has a packed schedule, I thought the U-15s would be the best fit."

　It was not the first time the Kashima Antlers Academy had gone abroad. Yet, this expedition held a significance different from previous ones.

　The goal was not just to participate in a tournament or play against foreign teams. It was to step inside a club and see how they nurture players on a daily basis. The request from the Antlers' side was not for the locals to change their daily routine to accommodate the players from Japan. Instead, it was to experience the training that Borussia MG conducts in its normal course as much as possible.

"We didn't ask for Japanese food because Japanese players were coming, or for things to be made easier for them. Regarding training, we believed that by learning the methods Borussia MG uses in Germany, there was something for us to learn," (Sato)

 

 

　They did not want to see a version of Borussia MG tailored for Japan.

"I wanted to see it as it is—what the kids over there are actually doing. I had a desire to see firsthand the reality of youth development in Germany at this age level."

　They hadn't decided from the start to adopt anything specific. What is required of players their same age in an environment different from their own, and how are they being raised?

 First, they had to see it. That was the main purpose of this expedition. And Borussia MG responded to that hope.

 From the stage of creating the program, the itinerary was adjusted while confirming how the Antlers Academy conducts their current training and what they wanted to do while on-site.

　When the Antlers asked to increase training opportunities beyond the originally proposed schedule, the club accommodated them by adjusting the use of pitches and other facilities. From the preparation stage, Sato felt that "they welcomed us in a way that would be positive for both the players and the coaches."

　That impression remained unchanged once they arrived.

　When looking back on the partnership, Suzuki’s first comment was about how welcoming Borussia MG was.

"The first thing I felt about Borussia MG was how extremely welcomed we were. They managed things for us in so many areas, and both at the training camp and in practice, they ensured it was a positive experience for us."

　It wasn't just about meals or hotels. If there were any problems on or off the pitch, they responded immediately, and their daily communication provided the support the players and staff needed to concentrate on their activities.

"I've been on many overseas expeditions before, but this was my first experience entering a specific club and being welcomed in this way. In that sense, I really felt that this is a great relationship."

　Clubs partner with each other. In words, that might be all it is.

　However, because of that relationship, they were able to do more than just play matches abroad; they were given the opportunity to go inside Borussia MG as a club and experience its daily life.

 

　Upon arrival, they found that Borussia MG’s base included a stadium, multiple pitches, medical facilities, and a hotel. While faced with these extensive facilities, it wasn't just the scale that struck Suzuki.

"It was a bit rural. It was just like Kashima; there were parts that were surprisingly similar."

　In the distant land of Germany, he found a landscape that was somehow reminiscent of Kashima.

　On the other hand, what he actually saw in the youth development setting at Borussia MG was different from the image of German football he had envisioned beforehand.

"I had an image of Gegenpressing, like Red Bull or Salzburg. Like the football of Klopp (currently the manager of the German national team)—going forward and playing very aggressive football. I was imagining something like that, but honestly, it was completely different."

　What the players were consistently asked for was not just simple intensity. It was to see. To think. And to make their own decisions. An approach different from the development style the Antlers have valued until now was right in front of them.

　When you go out into the world, you find what you are lacking. But that's not all. Because you see something different, you also become aware of what you have built up yourself.

　This was the first Germany expedition born from the partnership with Borussia MG. There, the Antlers' coaches found themselves looking at the meaning of "raising players" from a perspective different from the one they had before.

　That difference became even more vivid when the players actually joined the Borussia MG training sessions.