On the 17th, after the Meiji Yasuda J1 League Round 4 Trial against Shonan Bellmare, Shinzo Koroki, who became the first player in history to score in the J1 League for 18 consecutive years, spoke about his goals and records.

How do you feel about your goal?
"It's not that my goal was amazing, but rather that I was really pleased that I was able to score from the momentum I had up until then, when we hadn't been able to score from the momentum I had. Today's result was a 4-4 draw, but for me it's a huge thing. It's not that it's big because we tied the game, but it proved that we really have the ability to score four goals. We've been building up since last year and our challenge as a team was to score more goals, so I'm really disappointed (that we didn't win), but in that sense I feel a bit relieved as well."

(For about 20 minutes in the first half, I thought we were doing what we wanted to do, and the rhythm of our attacking set-up was going very well.)
"That's right. We were in complete control for those 20 minutes, and there were times when it seemed like we could have scored any number of goals. If I could have wished, I would have liked to have dominated for a longer period of time than just 20 minutes, but if you can't score two or three goals there, the other team will take advantage of a chance and then take control of the game. Scoring goals is difficult, but if you don't keep at it, it becomes a difficult Trial like this."

What is the reason behind the emergence of linkages?
"We were quick to switch gears after we lost the ball, and we managed to win it back in a high position, which I think was a big factor. We didn't just slowly retreat, but instead kept pressing forward, which made it very difficult for our opponents. After we conceded the goal, we made a lot of simple mistakes, myself included, so the opponents were really strong, and because of that, I thought they were using a lot of effort in the first half, so I thought the second half would be a very open Trial. I think the fact that we were able to score three goals in that open environment is a big plus for the team."

(He set a new J1 record by scoring for 18 consecutive years)
"I think the reason I've been able to achieve such records is because I've been able to play in Trial consistently, and because I don't get injured very often, I'm grateful to my parents for giving me such a strong body."

(Although he surpassed the record set by Mitsuo Ogasawara)
"I may have surpassed it in terms of records, but I can't surpass it in everyone's memories, so I'd be really happy if I could come even a little closer."

(In the goal scene, when the ball was passed to Naoki Maeda, had he already found that space?)
"(Maeda) Naoki and I were always talking about crosses, and we had conversations about this and that even during practice, so we had an agreement about where he would be positioned to cross, and where I would be when he did. I feel like what we were always talking about came out in Trial."

(I was able to score in my second Trial as a starter and my fourth Trial of the season, which is earlier than last year, but what about that?)
"Right now, it doesn't matter who plays. Everyone is in really good condition, and we played really well in the second half as a team, so it's a big plus for the team when players who come on in the middle of the game do well. That kind of internal competition is necessary to energize the team, so I think today was a really good Trial."

(It was a long-awaited moment for the offensive team to score a point, but will this give the team momentum?)
"That's right. When we were told that we couldn't score goals in the right flow of the game, the players in front of us felt uncomfortable, so we talked about how we wanted to somehow score goals in the right flow of the game, and in that sense, it was great that we were able to score in this way."

(You mentioned earlier that you still can't catch up with Ogasawara. What do you think about that?)
"Everything. Speed is all it takes to win."

(Last year, when you tied the streak of 17 consecutive years, you talked about your hunger for goals, but as a forward, does your attitude towards scoring goals remain the same no matter how many years pass?)
"Personally, I'm not that greedy for goals, so I just feel like it would be nice if I could score, and I've been lucky enough to get the chance when I play like this, so I've been able to score. There are other strikers like (Okubo) Yoshito and (Sato) Hisato, but I think I'm not that type of player."

(He scored a goal today, but in the recent match against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, he looked really good and I think he must be in really good condition.)
"But I feel like I can't keep the ball in places where I used to be able to. I need to think about it while I play, and I wonder if there are different ways of doing things. I used to dribble a lot, but as I get older I can't dribble as much. In that sense, I want to perfect my post play, and I've been changing my playing style as I get older, but I think it's about time I made another change."

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