On the 29th, manager Tatsuya Tanaka held an online press conference where he spoke about his aspirations for the first leg of MEIJI YASUDA J1 100 YEAR VISION LEAGUE Round against Fagiano Okayama, which will be held on Sunday, the 31st, at JFE Hare no Kuni Stadium.

(The opponent for MEIJI YASUDA J1 100 YEAR VISION LEAGUE Playoff Round has been decided as Okayama, and I think one of the key points of these two Trial will be that they will be playing against an opponent that primarily uses a three-man defense. Since Tatsuya Tanaka took over as manager, you have played against opponents that use a three-man defense several Trial, so considering that, what have you focused on improving this week, and what points would you like to emphasize?)
"We've played against teams with a five-man defense several times, and of course there were times when they had possession of the ball. I think the biggest area we need to improve is the fact that we often concede counter-attacks after pressing forward. We felt that we needed to improve on the fact that we weren't able to finish our plays, that we lost the ball before we could complete our plays, and that we were immediately conceding counter-attacks, so we focused on improving our attack in training this week."

(This will be the team's first long-distance away trip of the season. Are there any important things or things the team should be mindful of in this regard?)
"Our away games have always been close by, so we need to pay close attention to the players' condition in that area. The forecast for the day is over 30 degrees Celsius, so we're also keeping that in mind."

(It might feel a bit strange to hear that this playoff is a battle for 11th place, but this two-Trial format might be a first for you as a manager. Do you have any thoughts on the playoffs themselves, or on how to approach them?)
"Of course, the result of both matches is important, but right now we're only thinking about the first away match. After that, our plans will change depending on the result."

(What are your honest impressions of Okayama, and what are the key points for them to win?)
"First of all, Okayama 's attacking line. They have strong, big, and fast players, so that's something we need to be careful about. As I mentioned earlier, it's important not to end up with half-hearted attacks. I think it's important to make plays that force the opponent to turn their backs to the ball with shots or final passes, so that the ball doesn't get into good positions for their powerful forwards."

(What are your thoughts on risk management in terms of defense?)
"It might come across as individual tactics, but the key is to simply not switch positions. Rather than winning the ball individually, we're currently working as a team to decide who will be where to win the ball back as a group."

(The 100-Year Vision League is divided into East and West, and this will be the first time we've played against a team from the West. We may not have had time to observe the West in detail, but have you noticed any differences in tendencies or skill levels between the East and West teams so far?)
"Honestly, I can't compare them. Right now I'm only watching Okayama 's Trial, so I don't know anything about other teams."

(Since Coach Tanaka took over, the players have regained some of their energy, and some have even performed well for the first time. On the other hand, it seems that Renji Hidano hasn't been performing as well as he should. Coach Tanaka, what do you think are the areas Hidano needs to improve?)
"I'm always in communication with Renji. I believe his strengths are his speed and forward power, so I convey that to him during training. What Maciej (Skolja) and I are trying to do is slightly different in some ways, but fundamentally I want him to bring out his strengths, so if the ball holder is facing forward and free, I always tell him, 'Renji's strength is running forward.'"

(It seems that Hidano himself is feeling confused, but does he feel like he's gradually getting better?)
"He always puts it in during practice, so it's not like Renji is at fault or anything like that."

(It's not so much that Hidano is at fault, but for example, when he makes diagonal runs from the outside, the ball isn't being passed to the players ahead of him, not just Hidano. Coach Tanaka was also a forward, so I think he probably feels like, "When I run, pass the ball to me," but what are his thoughts on that?)
"You're absolutely right. That's something we've been working on in training, and it's the first hurdle in our ball-possession style of play. We're so focused on possession that we end up prioritizing not losing the ball over challenging for possession. This week, I mentioned during the inter-squad match that we need to make sure we don't miss any opportunities to run, so I think you might have been watching the inter-squad match."

(To give an example from Mito Hollyhock match, the forward player raised his hand again and again, but the ball kept coming back to him. Even so, he kept raising his hand, and when the ball finally came out, it led to a goal. Is that the kind of thing you're trying to convey?)
"Yes, I've told them."

(Could you please explain in more detail?)
"As I just said, if you miss a player taking action, their feet will stop moving, and they'll stop running, so the player making the pass should try to take on the challenge. Of course, there are many situations where you have to control the game, such as the flow of the game or fatigue, but don't miss that running. Also, I tell the players who are running, 'Don't just raise your hands, actually take a step,' which is more about technique, but call them in with your own actions. Of course, calling them in with gestures is also fine, but actually move. Instead of just making a vertical movement, try drawing a U shape, for example, and I personally talk to them about various things like that."

(Coach Tanaka himself has two Trial remaining. What are the things that need to be done in those two Trial?)
"What we need to do is win Trial. Rather than focusing on two Trial, as I mentioned earlier, I'm currently preparing to win the first match, the away game against Okayama, and I believe we must do so."

(Conversely, what are some things you think you should avoid mentioning?)
"Rather than saying we won't touch the ball, I want the players to play dynamically, especially in front of the opponent's goal. We've done some preparation this week regarding positioning and things like that. But I don't want to restrict their play. That's probably where the 'no touching' aspect comes in."

(Although there are still playoffs to come, I think the whole of Japan is already focused on the FIFA World Cup. While there are no Urawa Reds players in this tournament, there are players who have connections to Urawa Reds, so considering that, what are Coach Tanaka's views on the World Cup?)
"I think it's one of the tournaments that soccer players aim for. I've never played in it myself, so I can't say much, and I think there are many players who are aiming to go overseas, but I think the World Cup is a must-do stepping stone on that path. As a soccer fan, I'm really looking forward to it."

(How likely is the Japanese national team to win?)
"I'm not sure (laughs). Rather than focusing on winning each and every match, I'm more interested in seeing where Japan stands right now as a football fan."

[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]