NEWS
To all fans and supporters: “Looking back on the 2023 season and looking forward to the 2024 season”
Thank you very much for your continued support of Urawa Reds.
This season, we have played 60 official matches, the most in our history, from the first game of the Meiji Yasuda Seimei J1 League on February 18 against F.C.Tokyo to the FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia 2023 3rd place game against Al Ahli FC on December 22.
This long and arduous road has been unimaginably hard, and we would like to thank the players who ran, fought, and persevered until the end, the team staff and medical staff who gave their all for the team's victory, and the fans and supporters, both at home and abroad, online and offline, who have continued to inspire and encourage the team. We are keenly aware that we could not have finished the race if any one of you had not been a part of the team.
We would like to express our sincere appreciation and respect to all the Urawa Reds lovers who fought together with the players and the team.
Thank you very much.
In the 2023 season, our goals were to compete for the championship in the J1 League and to qualify for the AFC Asian Champions League (ACL) 2023/24, as well as to win the ACL 2022 final.
What we were able to do and what we were not able to do throughout the season.
We will face these facts with sincerity, and by using both proactive thinking, "This is what Urawa Reds wants and needs to become," and objective viewpoints, such as data, we will present "Looking back on the 2023 season and looking forward to the 2024 season" to the fans and supporters who are part of Urawa Reds and who are the most understanding supporters of Urawa Reds. We would like to share with you, the fans and supporters who are part of and who should have the greatest understanding of
Review of the 2023 Season
As mentioned above, our goals for the 2023 season were twofold: to compete for the championship in the J1 League and to qualify for the ACL 2023/24.
In the J1 League, although we were able to participate in the championship until the end of the season, we ended up finishing 4th (15 wins, 12 draws, and 7 losses) and did not qualify for either the AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE) or the AFC Champions League 2 (ACL2) in the 2024/25 season. The team failed to qualify for either the ACLE or ACL2. Looking at the specific breakdown of wins and losses, the number of draws, which had been an issue for the team after the end of last season, decreased slightly (15 in 2022, 12 in 2023), but remained high (tied for second in the J1 League), and the team's lack of scoring ability was a factor. We believe that this was due to a lack of scoring ability, which led to a drop-off in the number of wins.
On the other hand, in evaluating our efforts to achieve our goals, we need to look at both "what we were able to do" and "what we were not able to do," apart from whether or not we were able to achieve our goals, as we believe this will lead to continued growth.
From this perspective, we look at continuous growth through the continuation of "team building based on the team concept," which has been our strongest commitment since the establishment of the Football Headquarters in 2020, and we have achieved 4th place in the J1 League, runner-up in the YBC Lewan Cup, and the ACL2022 championship. We believe that we have achieved a certain level of success, although it is by no means sufficient. In particular, winning the ACL championship for the third time in the club's history has led to the club's qualification for ACL 2023/24 and the Club World Cup "Mundial de Clubes de la FIFA" in the new tournament format to be held in 2025, which is an important achievement that contributes to the enhancement of the club's value as well as strengthening the team. This was an important achievement that contributed not only to the strengthening of the team but also to the enhancement of the club's value.
However, looking at "what we could not do," we realized that in order to win the J1 League championship, win back-to-back ACL titles, and continue to compete on the world stage, we are still lacking in many areas. We strongly recognize once again that there are no shortcuts in our quest for further growth as a team, and that it is extremely important for us to take many small "one more step" in our quest for success.
Below is a more detailed review of the Football Headquarters concept of "team," "individual," and "attitude.
Concept-based Review
Team: Play seamlessly on offense and defense, and never let the opponent rest.
Based on the challenges of the 2022 season, our goal for this season has been to be more aggressive and play more time in space close to the opponent's goal. In order to take control of the game by maintaining a high line and increasing opportunities to press high, Maciej Skorza we have invited a coach to build the team, and while we have achieved many improvements throughout the season, there is still a gap between what we want to be and our ideal. We have also had to work on how to control the team's biorhythms (peaking) throughout the season, not just in terms of individual matches.
Our plan for the year was to start the preseason and early season with an eye on the ACL 2022 finals, and to use the ACL championship as a driving force to win the J1 League championship. The foundation of the team is a strong and organized defense in its own half and an attack through build-up from its own half. The team would take maximum advantage of these strengths to challenge and win against Al Hilal, one of the strongest teams in Asia. From there, it was a challenge to see how much we could update the team while winning numerous games and overseas trips in order to win the J1 League championship, but as it turned out, we failed to win any of the games that would determine the league championship in the second half of the season, lost in the ACL 2022/23 group stage, mainly away games, and lost in the 10-0 loss to Al Hilal. As a result, we missed out on the YBC Lewan Cup title, the J1 League title, and a spot in the ACL 2024/25 due to a lack of points in games that determined the league championship in the second half of the season, losses away from home, and an inability to bring the team to peak performance in important games in the final stages of the season from October on. This challenge was undertaken by the entire club, but we faced many challenges and lacked the ability to take the actions necessary to overcome them.
To cite just one example, we need to improve on our team composition. We recognize that the acquisition of players is the most important task in building an ideal team, and that further improvement is needed in the process of analyzing the current state of the team, identifying issues, and determining candidate positions and profiles for acquisition, followed by the acquisition process. 2023 One of our focus points for the season, "Continuous and further enhancement of our competitive strength," is literally a never-ending challenge. The environment for acquiring new players is becoming increasingly competitive in all aspects, including the acquisition of new graduates and transfers from domestic and foreign clubs. In such an environment, in addition to selecting the right candidates while taking economic efficiency into consideration, quick decision-making and high negotiation skills are required. We recognize that we have room to grow in these areas and that we need to be more flexible and courageous than ever before in order to respond quickly to a rapidly changing environment.
Individuals: Maximizing individual abilities
While maximizing the individual abilities of everyone involved in the team, not just the players, the unity of purpose as "one team" is an essential element for victory. In this respect, under the leadership and team management of the Maciej Skorza director, each individual fulfilled his or her role as a professional player or a professional staff member, and the entire team was able to fight to the end, facing in one direction.
One of the most notable achievements of the team was the contribution of the medical team. In the rehabilitation process and conditioning of injured players, close communication between the technical staff and the coach, and a systematic approach to rehabilitation and conditioning using a scientific approach have made significant progress compared to the past. As a result, we have been able to shorten the rehabilitation period and maintain conditioning under an overcrowded schedule at the highest conceivable level. We will continue to demand from both players and staff the ability, behavior, and vision befitting a club that constantly aims for the top in Asia and continues to compete on the world stage.
[Attitude: Positive, aggressive, passionate play].
This concept was a major challenge in the 2022 season, but we are pleased to see that it has been greatly improved this term. The number of come-from-behind victories (0 in 2022 season, 7 in 2023 season) is a testament to the "run, fight, and carry on to the end" attitude of the players as individuals as well as the team in many games. Even when we were eliminated from the title race in the final stages of the J1 League, we never lost heart, and all players and staff, not just those on the pitch, gave their all until the last minute of the FIFA Club World Cup Third-Place Playoff. We believe that these events are proof that we have achieved a certain level of implementation of our key concept of "an organization of true professionals," or in other words, "the responsibility to carry Urawa on one's shoulders. Although there was a decline in performance toward the end of the season due to the accumulation of fatigue, we highly evaluate the "attitude" of the individual and the team. We believe that this significant improvement is due not only to the true professional efforts of the individual players, but also to the management by the Maciej Skorza director and other team staff members.
Toward the 2024 season
As for team building, the most urgent and top priority is to strengthen the attacking team. Specifically, we aim to acquire a striker who can become the top scorer in the J1 League and a second-line player who can score 10 or more goals in a year.
In addition, we will have a new coach for the second season in a row. Per-Mathias Hoegmo Under the new coach, we have already begun preparations to create an attacking team with a more forward-oriented focus.
Our concept of building on our past team-building efforts and further improving in the same direction will never change, even if the players, coaches, team staff, etc. change in the future, and we will continue to move forward as a club.
I would like to reiterate that the club will continue to take the initiative in nurturing and strengthening the team in line with the concept.
Finally, I would like to
Urawa Reds In the 2024 season, the "K" team will not be able to participate in the Emperor's Cup, which is one of the three most important titles in the country. We strongly recognize that this fact and the circumstances that led to it must not be allowed to fade away as long as the Urawa Reds club exists, and that it is an issue that must be faced on an ongoing basis.
We will not forget that society is asking us how we, Urawa Reds, should deal with this issue and in what direction we should go, as well as how to prevent its recurrence, and we will operate the club with integrity.
Based on this attitude, the players and staff will continue to pursue victory in order to bring joy and excitement to our fans and supporters.
Thank you very much for your enthusiastic support to the end of this season.
We look forward to your continued enthusiastic support in the 2024 season.
Urawa Red Diamonds
This season, we have played 60 official matches, the most in our history, from the first game of the Meiji Yasuda Seimei J1 League on February 18 against F.C.Tokyo to the FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia 2023 3rd place game against Al Ahli FC on December 22.
This long and arduous road has been unimaginably hard, and we would like to thank the players who ran, fought, and persevered until the end, the team staff and medical staff who gave their all for the team's victory, and the fans and supporters, both at home and abroad, online and offline, who have continued to inspire and encourage the team. We are keenly aware that we could not have finished the race if any one of you had not been a part of the team.
We would like to express our sincere appreciation and respect to all the Urawa Reds lovers who fought together with the players and the team.
Thank you very much.
In the 2023 season, our goals were to compete for the championship in the J1 League and to qualify for the AFC Asian Champions League (ACL) 2023/24, as well as to win the ACL 2022 final.
What we were able to do and what we were not able to do throughout the season.
We will face these facts with sincerity, and by using both proactive thinking, "This is what Urawa Reds wants and needs to become," and objective viewpoints, such as data, we will present "Looking back on the 2023 season and looking forward to the 2024 season" to the fans and supporters who are part of Urawa Reds and who are the most understanding supporters of Urawa Reds. We would like to share with you, the fans and supporters who are part of and who should have the greatest understanding of
Review of the 2023 Season
As mentioned above, our goals for the 2023 season were twofold: to compete for the championship in the J1 League and to qualify for the ACL 2023/24.
In the J1 League, although we were able to participate in the championship until the end of the season, we ended up finishing 4th (15 wins, 12 draws, and 7 losses) and did not qualify for either the AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE) or the AFC Champions League 2 (ACL2) in the 2024/25 season. The team failed to qualify for either the ACLE or ACL2. Looking at the specific breakdown of wins and losses, the number of draws, which had been an issue for the team after the end of last season, decreased slightly (15 in 2022, 12 in 2023), but remained high (tied for second in the J1 League), and the team's lack of scoring ability was a factor. We believe that this was due to a lack of scoring ability, which led to a drop-off in the number of wins.
On the other hand, in evaluating our efforts to achieve our goals, we need to look at both "what we were able to do" and "what we were not able to do," apart from whether or not we were able to achieve our goals, as we believe this will lead to continued growth.
From this perspective, we look at continuous growth through the continuation of "team building based on the team concept," which has been our strongest commitment since the establishment of the Football Headquarters in 2020, and we have achieved 4th place in the J1 League, runner-up in the YBC Lewan Cup, and the ACL2022 championship. We believe that we have achieved a certain level of success, although it is by no means sufficient. In particular, winning the ACL championship for the third time in the club's history has led to the club's qualification for ACL 2023/24 and the Club World Cup "Mundial de Clubes de la FIFA" in the new tournament format to be held in 2025, which is an important achievement that contributes to the enhancement of the club's value as well as strengthening the team. This was an important achievement that contributed not only to the strengthening of the team but also to the enhancement of the club's value.
However, looking at "what we could not do," we realized that in order to win the J1 League championship, win back-to-back ACL titles, and continue to compete on the world stage, we are still lacking in many areas. We strongly recognize once again that there are no shortcuts in our quest for further growth as a team, and that it is extremely important for us to take many small "one more step" in our quest for success.
Below is a more detailed review of the Football Headquarters concept of "team," "individual," and "attitude.
Concept-based Review
Team: Play seamlessly on offense and defense, and never let the opponent rest.
Based on the challenges of the 2022 season, our goal for this season has been to be more aggressive and play more time in space close to the opponent's goal. In order to take control of the game by maintaining a high line and increasing opportunities to press high, Maciej Skorza we have invited a coach to build the team, and while we have achieved many improvements throughout the season, there is still a gap between what we want to be and our ideal. We have also had to work on how to control the team's biorhythms (peaking) throughout the season, not just in terms of individual matches.
Our plan for the year was to start the preseason and early season with an eye on the ACL 2022 finals, and to use the ACL championship as a driving force to win the J1 League championship. The foundation of the team is a strong and organized defense in its own half and an attack through build-up from its own half. The team would take maximum advantage of these strengths to challenge and win against Al Hilal, one of the strongest teams in Asia. From there, it was a challenge to see how much we could update the team while winning numerous games and overseas trips in order to win the J1 League championship, but as it turned out, we failed to win any of the games that would determine the league championship in the second half of the season, lost in the ACL 2022/23 group stage, mainly away games, and lost in the 10-0 loss to Al Hilal. As a result, we missed out on the YBC Lewan Cup title, the J1 League title, and a spot in the ACL 2024/25 due to a lack of points in games that determined the league championship in the second half of the season, losses away from home, and an inability to bring the team to peak performance in important games in the final stages of the season from October on. This challenge was undertaken by the entire club, but we faced many challenges and lacked the ability to take the actions necessary to overcome them.
To cite just one example, we need to improve on our team composition. We recognize that the acquisition of players is the most important task in building an ideal team, and that further improvement is needed in the process of analyzing the current state of the team, identifying issues, and determining candidate positions and profiles for acquisition, followed by the acquisition process. 2023 One of our focus points for the season, "Continuous and further enhancement of our competitive strength," is literally a never-ending challenge. The environment for acquiring new players is becoming increasingly competitive in all aspects, including the acquisition of new graduates and transfers from domestic and foreign clubs. In such an environment, in addition to selecting the right candidates while taking economic efficiency into consideration, quick decision-making and high negotiation skills are required. We recognize that we have room to grow in these areas and that we need to be more flexible and courageous than ever before in order to respond quickly to a rapidly changing environment.
Individuals: Maximizing individual abilities
While maximizing the individual abilities of everyone involved in the team, not just the players, the unity of purpose as "one team" is an essential element for victory. In this respect, under the leadership and team management of the Maciej Skorza director, each individual fulfilled his or her role as a professional player or a professional staff member, and the entire team was able to fight to the end, facing in one direction.
One of the most notable achievements of the team was the contribution of the medical team. In the rehabilitation process and conditioning of injured players, close communication between the technical staff and the coach, and a systematic approach to rehabilitation and conditioning using a scientific approach have made significant progress compared to the past. As a result, we have been able to shorten the rehabilitation period and maintain conditioning under an overcrowded schedule at the highest conceivable level. We will continue to demand from both players and staff the ability, behavior, and vision befitting a club that constantly aims for the top in Asia and continues to compete on the world stage.
[Attitude: Positive, aggressive, passionate play].
This concept was a major challenge in the 2022 season, but we are pleased to see that it has been greatly improved this term. The number of come-from-behind victories (0 in 2022 season, 7 in 2023 season) is a testament to the "run, fight, and carry on to the end" attitude of the players as individuals as well as the team in many games. Even when we were eliminated from the title race in the final stages of the J1 League, we never lost heart, and all players and staff, not just those on the pitch, gave their all until the last minute of the FIFA Club World Cup Third-Place Playoff. We believe that these events are proof that we have achieved a certain level of implementation of our key concept of "an organization of true professionals," or in other words, "the responsibility to carry Urawa on one's shoulders. Although there was a decline in performance toward the end of the season due to the accumulation of fatigue, we highly evaluate the "attitude" of the individual and the team. We believe that this significant improvement is due not only to the true professional efforts of the individual players, but also to the management by the Maciej Skorza director and other team staff members.
Toward the 2024 season
As for team building, the most urgent and top priority is to strengthen the attacking team. Specifically, we aim to acquire a striker who can become the top scorer in the J1 League and a second-line player who can score 10 or more goals in a year.
In addition, we will have a new coach for the second season in a row. Per-Mathias Hoegmo Under the new coach, we have already begun preparations to create an attacking team with a more forward-oriented focus.
Our concept of building on our past team-building efforts and further improving in the same direction will never change, even if the players, coaches, team staff, etc. change in the future, and we will continue to move forward as a club.
I would like to reiterate that the club will continue to take the initiative in nurturing and strengthening the team in line with the concept.
Finally, I would like to
Urawa Reds In the 2024 season, the "K" team will not be able to participate in the Emperor's Cup, which is one of the three most important titles in the country. We strongly recognize that this fact and the circumstances that led to it must not be allowed to fade away as long as the Urawa Reds club exists, and that it is an issue that must be faced on an ongoing basis.
We will not forget that society is asking us how we, Urawa Reds, should deal with this issue and in what direction we should go, as well as how to prevent its recurrence, and we will operate the club with integrity.
Based on this attitude, the players and staff will continue to pursue victory in order to bring joy and excitement to our fans and supporters.
Thank you very much for your enthusiastic support to the end of this season.
We look forward to your continued enthusiastic support in the 2024 season.
Urawa Red Diamonds
