On the 6th, manager Maciej Skorza held an online press conference where he spoke about his enthusiasm for the Meiji Yasuda J1 League Round 20 match against FC Tokyo [MATCH PARTNER Mitsubishi Motors] to be held at Saitama Stadium on the 8th.

(Last week's press conference was attended by coach Rafas Janas, which is apparently a common occurrence in Poland, but why was it held at that time? Was Maciej busy? Or was Rafa wanting to create an opportunity to speak out?)
"I wish I had said that at the previous press conference. The coaching staff is made up of many busy people who are very professional, but only the manager makes an appearance there. I have taken this format because I want to introduce the coaching staff, who are doing a great job, to the media, as well as the fans and supporters. At my previous club, the final press conferences of the summer and winter seasons were held with all the staff. There are many coaching staff who do many different jobs. For example, there is a coach in charge of analysis, a physical coach, a coach in charge of set pieces, and coaches in charge of attack and defense. Many people do many different jobs, so I did that by introducing them to everyone.

So I asked the PR department if we could do this for the Reds, and first Rafa (Rafas Janas), who is in charge of the attack, appeared at the press conference. I hope that other coaches will be able to appear at press conferences in the future. Press conferences are a great time for me, so it's not that I don't want to meet you all or that I can't because I'm too busy. That was the case the last time Rafa appeared."

(At that time, Coach Rafa spoke of his ideals, such as "I want to play offensive and beautiful football" and "Positional football is beautiful." I think Coach Maciej has similar points, but I think the current Reds are earning points by fighting flexibly and sometimes making compromises. Is there anything you would like to improve in order to balance these ideals and reality, or to get closer to Coach Maciej 's ideals? Or is it ideal to use different tactics?)
"That's right. I also think that this season the Reds need to be flexible and adapt to the situation. Ideally we should control the game with around 70 percent ball possession from start to finish and apply high pressure. That's not something we can do at the moment. We're in the process of moving towards that goal. In the previous match against Sagan Tosu we had only two days between Trial, so we wanted to play offensively, but the situation meant we had to stay in the mid or low zone and score goals on the counter. That doesn't mean that we're a team that looks to counter, but rather we adapted to the situation in that Trial."

(Since the new manager, FC Tokyo has had two consecutive wins and the team's condition has improved. What is your impression of them? What do you think has changed since before?)
"With the arrival of a new manager, I believe FC Tokyo has entered a new chapter. And we have made a fruitful start. Two consecutive wins without conceding a goal is a good result. Watching the video, I think the team is more aggressive than before. They are trying to apply aggressive high pressure. I also think they are making good use of Diego Oliveira. I think we will have a difficult task ahead of us, but I still remember that Trial, which was my first J.League Trial. We lost 0-2, so this will be an opportunity for me to get revenge."

(It has been about half a year since you took over as Maciej. You have played against all the teams in the J1 League and seen many Japanese players. What is your impression of the J League and Japanese people?)
"Overall, I have a very good impression of the J.League. I am in a great environment where I can work, grow and enjoy my job. I feel very fortunate to be able to work at a big club like the Reds. I have a lot of respect for the J.League. The level is very high, the organisation is solid, and I think the fans, supporters and media are wonderful.

Regarding Japanese players, I feel that they are well-educated. They are very intelligent. And when you have players like that, your work style will change. There are many different personalities, but overall I think Japanese people are good at hard work. I think they also have the skills. I am honored to work with such players. I think the future of Japanese soccer is bright."

(It is generally said that Japanese players listen too much to their coaches' instructions, but have you ever felt that in the last six months, this has led to a lack of aggressiveness in shooting, for example, when building an attack?)
"When we talk about tactical rules, I've said from the beginning that 'ultimately, decisions have to be made on the pitch.' The team has rules and patterns, but decisions have to be made according to the situation. For example, before today's training I gave the players feedback on the Tosu match, and introduced one build-up while showing them video. In the Tosu match, we played according to our pattern, which was to make a diagonal pass into the half-space and then pass it further into the space behind the opponent, just as we had practiced, but I told them that if they had made a different choice for the final pass instead of the usual pattern, it might have been a better play."

(The summer transfer window is fast approaching. Is Maciej the type to strongly recommend players to clubs, or does he leave it to the clubs?)
"First of all, when it comes to transfers and the like, I think the club and the manager need to work together. I often talk with the sports director (Hisashi Tsuchida) and the coaching staff about the club's future, so it's not like I'm pushing for anything too hard as the manager. We communicate on a daily basis. I think it's all part of the process, so it's not like we're suddenly in a situation where we need a player in this position now, but we've always been talking about what we need as a team. I think every team in the J.League needs new players, and the Reds do too. And there are a lot of people working hard to find the best solution for the club."

(How are the Japanese players responding to what Coach Maciej is asking of them? For example, how does he ask Yoshio Koizumi to balance her own strengths with the changes she needs to make in response to Coach Maciej 's requests?)
"I think many of the Japanese players have adapted well to my philosophy, so I am satisfied with the way they responded to my requests. As for Kaho, I think she has changed her style a little. I think he has been in good form since the start of the year. He was in very good form up until the ACL (AFC Champions League) final. After that, he was out of Trial for about a month due to poor health, and after that there was a period when he was unable to return to his original level. However, he is a very important player, and I think it is only a matter of time before he returns to the starting lineup."

(It will be a series of games in the heat, but how do you plan to play smartly against FC Tokyo?)
"FC Tokyo is a team that is good at switching from defense to offense, so we need to be careful about that. I am clear that I want to play differently in our next home game than we did in our last match against Tosu. I want to play aggressively, apply as much high pressure as possible, and create as many chances as possible. I have also heard that nearly 50,000 tickets had been sold before this press conference, so I want to give our fans and supporters a good Trial. The most important thing for us is to get the three points."

(How does Shinzo Koroki feel about reaching 500 Trial in the J1 League with just one Trial to go?)
"His 500th Trial, huh? Well, I have to put him in the starting line-up then (laughs). I don't think we would have been successful over the past six months without Shinzo. I said before that 'Shinzo is like the general of the Reds', and I truly mean it. As a manager, a person like this is like a treasure. He's a really good character and has a big influence in the locker room. I think everyone around him realizes how important he is to the Reds. And now he's the team's top scorer. We are very fortunate that Shinzo has returned to the club. I hope he will work hard and reach another 500 Trial from here (laughs)."

(What do you think about Koroki 's playing style?)
"I think he is a player who is extremely good at reading the game and the situation. His timing is also good. I think he is a player who is extremely skilled at knowing when to drop into the space in front of the opponent to receive the ball at his feet, and when to get behind the defense. The other players are also eager to pass the ball to Shinzo, because they know that this will lead to good attacks. In addition, his coordination with the attacking midfielder and wingers is also improving as the other players have become more familiar with his movements."

(I hope that Koroki himself will score a goal in the match against FC Tokyo to celebrate his Trial appearance in the J1 League, so please send him onto the pitch.)
"Okay then. Let's put him in the starting lineup then (laughs)."

(Looking at the goal scored in the match against Tosu, I think Jose Kante is in good form, and the fact that he, not just Koroki, is able to play to his full potential gives us a lot of flexibility in how we play.)
"I think Jose is on a good path. I think he's starting to show his potential. He played well against Tosu and scored an important goal, which I think was good for him as a striker. He's shown he can bring quality to the team, so we now have more players available to start."

(I think the atmosphere in the team is good, and the staff is creating that atmosphere. Sending the coach to a Maciej conference means that he may say something different from what the manager thinks, but isn't the fact that he can do that proof that he trusts his staff?)
"Rafa has also given many press conferences in Poland and I have confidence in every single member of the coaching staff."

(In Japan, they often don't want to send other staff.)
"I understand that some managers have taken the stance that there is only one voice from the team, the manager, and the rest of the team are not allowed to speak to the media. In our culture, we reward them for their hard work by giving them the opportunity to answer questions from the media. It's one way of showing my respect for them."

(I look forward to further staff press conferences and would also like to speak to coach Wojciech Makowski.)
"Next will be Mako (laughs)."

(I have known Coach Maciej for about six months, and I feel that there is no room for excuses when he speaks. For example, after Trial, many coaches make excuses such as "The referee...", "If only the shot had been two centimeters off...", or "It's raining today...", but Coach Maciej almost never uses such words. I think this is due to the skill of Hanyu's interpreter, but is he intentionally taking that approach?)
"First of all, I have a wonderful interpreter, Hanyu, who translates what I say. Maybe that's why he makes my words flow more smoothly. I think first about what mistake I made and whether I did anything wrong. I'm human too, so sometimes I feel angry at the referee, and sometimes I think I was unlucky. Maybe after a nervous game I don't give the answer people expect. Maybe my worst side comes out after a press conference (laughs). Trial I was most nervous about this season was the match against Sagan Tosu, three days after the ACL final. We lost Trial. The reason I was nervous wasn't because of my own mistake or bad luck, but because of the schedule. So I'm not perfect either (laughs)."

(Managers who have been successful in Japan, such as Arsene Wenger in the past and Ange Postecoglou in recent years, have stepped up to Europe. I know a manager who doesn't lose often. I think that's the manager you know best, and if this performance continues, I think that manager will receive an offer. It's difficult to measure the level of J-League managers, but I think there are great managers such as Masatada Ishii and Tatsuya Oniki, who are successful in Thailand. What do you think about that possibility? If an attractive offer arrives for a manager who will be in charge in Japan, what action do you think should be taken?)
"That's a very difficult question. I think the answer will vary depending on the goals of the manager. If you want to grow as a manager, you should think carefully when you receive an offer. I think the J.League is a strong league. I would consider an offer from a top six or top eight league in Europe. When thinking about growth, I think you should go to a league with a higher level than the J.League, but if the offer is good and you go for the money, I don't mind going to another league. I have been working in Japan for six months, and I think the level of Japanese coaches is very high. That's why I'm surprised that there are no Japanese coaches in what are considered the top leagues in Europe."

[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]