On the 15th, after the first match of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League Vissel Kobe, captain Takahiro Sekine Sekine shared his thoughts on the first match and his enthusiasm for the next match and beyond.

"I was very conscious of how I could get the team into a good mental state and how we could play with high intensity from the start. We didn't start off very well in the preseason, but I felt like everyone was highly motivated in today's game.

However, it was a game where all of us felt we could have won. We want to win one more game and get that momentum going."

(I think you didn't become passive in the first half and instead stuck to an attacking style.)
"Everyone was highly motivated without being told, but I think it was my job to pull everyone in the same direction, so in that sense, I think by encouraging each other, and especially by talking with (Watanabe) Ryoma, we were able to keep the group moving in the same direction and not become disjointed."

(How do you rate yourself as a right back?)
"My overall impression was that the first half wasn't bad, but in the second half we played more long balls and had less time to effectively build up, so how much time we could use in the final third is important at times like that. I think we were able to get into the final third, but if we had been able to keep the ball there, rather than taking shots just because it was a chance, or forcing ourselves into bad positions, I think the overall impression of the second half would have been different. We were able to keep the ball a little more connected with a sense of unity as a team, so I would like to incorporate that into our performance."

(How did you feel when you were playing? Did you want to defend the one point or go for the three points?)
"I think the coach was patient in this regard, including the timing of the substitutions. I think there was a conflict between wanting to go for the three points without losing balance too much, and the players playing in the middle also felt that, so we especially stayed strong at the back and placed emphasis on risk management, being careful not to put too much balance forward. We didn't lose our composure even when VAR was deciding whether or not it would be a goal, and we were able to play without losing motivation, and we got together on the field once to talk, and everyone was able to keep their awareness high, so I think that was the reason we were able to stay united throughout the 90 minutes of today's game."

(The opponent replaced their side players, so wasn't that difficult?)
"I think we replaced about three players. Then Sasaki Daiki came in and Osako (Yuya) came in and made a one-on-two for me. I had a plan for that situation, both personally and as a team, so Ryoma and (Kaneko) Takuro worked hard from the beginning and it was very easy for me to play."

(I think the captain and the players each have their own roles.)
"That's something I have to do, and I believe I can do it now, so I'd like to do both with confidence."

(How do you feel as captain and tactical leader?)
"On the contrary, being in that position has made it easier for me to work, and I can say things like, "this is not like that," and listen to their opinions, so it's become a lot easier to work with. By communicating with Marius (Høibraten) and Ryoma during the match, I think it's easier to convey information to the front line if the back line is facing in the same direction, so we've been able to work with a sense of unity in that regard."

(What is your defensive awareness when attacking?)
"During the preseason, I generally played higher on the left, so I was trying to keep a good balance. However, I knew that the left winger wouldn't return very often, so I managed the risks there, went where I needed to, and maintained good fluidity in creating 2-on-1 and 3-on-1 situations, especially in the first half.

Thiago (Santana) and (Matsumoto) Yasushi kept putting pressure on us to not let them kick long balls, and they did that for the whole 90 minutes, so it was a big help for the players in the back. The defensive midfielders Ryoma and (Yasui) Kaito were picking up all the second balls, so I think it was clear to us what we had to do as a team.”

(How did you work as a team in terms of winning second balls?)
"First of all, I was very conscious of lowering the quality of long balls before the second ball and reducing the number of diagonal kicks. I think Yamakawa (Tetsushi) was sending long balls up and down, which makes it easier to pick up. On the other hand, if it was kicked diagonally, I would be competing with the forward and it would create a one-on-two situation with the left winger, so reducing that was the biggest thing. Also, we had agreed that if that happened, the defensive midfielders and wingers would press back, so I think we did a good job there. It was easier for everyone to read the next ball because there was pressure from up front, so Thiago and Yasushi in front did a great job, and the left fullback was a little low, so I think Takuro did a good job putting pressure on him."

(It's a tough schedule with three consecutive away games from the start of the season, the first against Vissel Kobe.)
"It's a schedule that makes you wonder if it's even possible. Kobe, Kyoto (Sanga FC), and Shonan (Bellmare) are all physical teams, and we're playing away games, but I think the rewards will be great if we can overcome this, so we want to prepare well for the next match and get the three points."

(What do we need to do to avoid ending it with a nice game?)
"It was the opening game, and we didn't want to concede goals by being too balanced forward, so I'm not satisfied with the result, but I think we did the bare minimum, including the content. There will be games where we have to win, so if we can understand the manager's tactics and the personalities of the players who come on in the middle of the game and make use of them as a team, I think we can play a game that leads to victory."

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