Mr. Makino had predicted even before Vissel Kobe's Championship last year that "the next season (2024) will be a tough battle".As the defending champion, how do you view a team that is steadily accumulating points and ranking high, even as the countermeasures from opposing teams intensify?In pursuit of consecutive J.LEAGUE championships, we asked the evangelist of Vissel Kobe about what's expected in the second half of the season.

——How do you see Vissel Kobe’s performance this season, Mr. Makino?

Given that they were last year’s championship team, it seems like the opposing team has been thoroughly preparing their strategy.Vissel Kobe, with Yuya Osako as the key player, plays a fast-paced, vertical style of soccer. However, there are instances where opposing teams devise tactics to neutralize this strength.However, I believe that the fact that the teams with abundant resources are the ones accumulating points and staying on top is a testament to their strength.

——Taisei Miyashiro, among others, has been standing out as a new force for the team, marking the highest score.

Regarding  Miyashiro, not only in terms of scoring, but also in handling multiple positions and becoming the starting point of the attack, I have the impression that he fits well.However, when looking over the entire team, the members who experienced winning last year are at the center.In order to aim for consecutive wins from now on, it is essential that young players, including new talents, step up even more.The backbone of Vissel Kobe is the veteran players in their 30s, so we’d like to see the kind of momentum that could take positions from them.

——What is required to aim for a consecutive J.LEAGUE championship?

I believe it is necessary for young players to emerge and for tactical options to increase.When fast, vertical soccer is suppressed, it’s difficult to increase your score if you can’t prepare multiple options for how to score.Furthermore, fatigue accumulates in the latter half of the season, making conditions tougher, and with the start of the Asian Champions League (ACL), the way players are utilized also becomes crucial.In that sense, I look forward to seeing what the emerging young talents will bring.

——What is necessary for young players to rise to prominence?

While showing respect to the experienced players, they must also have the determination to seriously strive for victory against them.It’s important that we have as many young players as possible who possess the mindset of ‘I will change Vissel Kobe and lead this team to victory.’ I believe that athletes like Tetsushi Yamakawa and Daiju Sasaki were able to secure their positions in the starting lineup at a young age due to their strong mentalities.

——Both Sasaki and Yamakawa are also graduates of the Vissel Kobe Academy.What kind of environment is required for academy players to grow?

Being able to see the top team’s players up close is important.You can physically feel the difference in strength between yourselves, and it motivates you to want to reach that level quickly.Vissel Kobe conducts training for both the top team and the academy at the same practice field, so I believe it’s a wonderful environment.There is an environment where academy players can grow, so it would be nice if each player could become more ambitious.Don’t hesitate, it’s important to catch the top team’s players and ask them various questions.Since they are young, it wouldn’t hurt to be a little more aggressive, wouldn’t it? (laughs).

——Mr. Makino, you also graduated from the Sanfrecce Hiroshima Academy. What kind of power do you think young players can gain by “imagining the future”?

It becomes a driving force for our own growth. Imagining what you want to become is important, but for instance, if there is someone who wants to become a professional, they might be able to become one. However, I don’t think they can become a representative of Japan or an ultra-top player.Many of the young players today aim to represent their country or play overseas, but when I was in my teens, many people aimed to “become a professional.”I believe that aiming for a higher world allows me to grow.

——Mr. Makino, you have been serving as the Manager at Shinagawa CC since last year. As a leader, what do you focus on in your communication with the players?

Instead of imposing my own thoughts, I am conscious to communicate in a way that draws out what the players themselves are thinking.For instance, when discussing tactics, “This is my perspective, but what do you think?”In the way that ends the conversation with “?I make sure to encourage the athletes themselves to think by adding a question mark.Also, the experience from my time at Vissel Kobe is proving to be very useful.When I was a member, we unfortunately got embroiled in a struggle for survival, but at that time, I learned that no matter how many good players we had, we couldn’t win unless we came together as a team.I learned that a single statement or action can potentially change the team for better or worse. Despite the tough season, it was a great learning experience for me.

——This time, the Rakuten SUPER MATCH is an event that can raise awareness of environmental issues and such, in line with the soccer match.How do you feel about the hosting of such matches?

For instance, I believe that sorting garbage has become something “natural” in our daily lives.It’s great that it has become a habit, but it’s also important to take these events as an opportunity to reconsider “why is it necessary”.

——What do you think Vissel Kobe and Rakuten Group can do specifically to strive for a better future in sports?

I believe that “Sports = The Ultimate Entertainment”.Indeed, I want Rakuten to do things that other teams are not doing, and I think we can create a trend like “If Rakuten is doing it, why don’t we try it too?”For instance, if there’s a major event combining “music and sports,” people who are interested in each can have the opportunity to experience a different culture, right?I hope they continue to implement strategies that will interest both sports enthusiasts and those who are not.

The tough summer battle of the J.LEAGUE is about to begin. Mr. Makino speaks about the importance of not only the performance of new recruits, but also the rise of young players, in the pursuit of consecutive season victories.In a team based on veteran players, will there emerge a new force that acts like a catalyst?As we soon approach the climax of the second half of the season, let’s cheer a lot hoping for Vissel Kobe’s Championships!

TEXT: Kodai Wada
PHOTO: Suguru Tanaka
EDIT: Yohsuke Watanabe, Shiori Saeki (IN FOCUS)