Leading a team is not a job for the Manager alone.The role of connecting the players and the manager, and creating strengths for the team in their respective specialties, is delegated to the coaching staff.Coaches Tomo Sugawara and Kunie Kitamoto both played for Vissel Kobe during their active career, and as long-standing members who deeply understand the team, they are supporting Manager Yoshida.As coaches, they can perceive the reasons why we were able to win the J.LEAGUE title from the struggle for survival, and the greatness of Manager Yoshida.

—Both of you are affiliated as coaches, but do you have clearly defined roles?

Coach Tomo Sugawara (hereafter, Sugawara): “The part of organizing the whole team is done by Manager Yoshida, so the coaches are divided into various fields such as positions and tactics, and will take on roles accordingly.What I mainly do is support the training that the Manager wants to implement, communication with the players, analysis of our team and the opposing team, and so on.”

Coach Kunie Kitamoto (hereafter, Kitamoto): “Like Sugawara, I provide overall support, but my main responsibility is coaching set plays such as free kicks and corner kicks. During offensive set plays, we analyze the opponent’s weaknesses and train on how to attack in a way that leads to scoring. When on defense, we practice to improve the coordination between the goalkeeper and the defenders, while communicating with our goalkeeper coach, Sidmar Antônio Martins. This prepares us to respond to the opponent’s attacks.”

Coach Tomo Sugawara

Coach Kunie Kitamoto

——What is being asked of you by Manager Yoshida?

Sugawara: “It is the job of the coaching staff to understand the type of soccer that Manager Yoshida wants to play, and to firmly instill it in the team.”For training and tactics, we frequently communicate with the manager and coaching staff, and they entrust us with each respective field.”

Kitamoto: “Although it is a team that reflects Manager Yoshida’s style, I have been entrusted with leading the practice of set plays, for example, so I believe I am able to express my own style in various places. In the field that I am entrusted with, I am always expected to produce results.”

Sugawara: “I’m constantly discussing soccer with Manager Yoshida, so I believe our relationship is quite straightforward. However, he firmly demands what is necessary to win as professionals. Since we are a team that is expected to win, being able to work as a coach amidst a good level of tension is something I’m very grateful for.”

——You can feel the high level and consciousness from the time of Vissel Kobe’s training.

Kitamoto:”Every practice feels like a session, and it’s always full-on.We are even obsessed with winning in mini-games, and it’s a gathering of fiercely competitive people who hate to lose (laughs).Of course, you wouldn’t want to lose even in practice, let alone in an actual game.”That obsession with victory has become the strength of the team.”

Sugawara: “I believe that Manager Yoshida’s high expectations for the team are the standard and the source of our strength. Furthermore, experienced players showcased their professionalism, inspiring many younger players in particular.The improvement of the team went well, leading to successful results.”The factors that enabled the team to achieve victory are as follows.”

Kitamoto: “The demand for each play is incredibly high for players who appear regularly. Just a slight misalignment in the timing or position of a pass can lead to intense discussions among the players.It was truly a training environment filled with tension, but the accuracy improved through its accumulation.As confidence gradually builds up, players who have the spirit to talk back also start to emerge.”Don’t you think it’s important to strive with the mindset of “I can’t stand to lose”, not just in soccer, but in any field? It’s really delightful to see the increase in such players.”

——What do you keep in mind during the season when interacting with the Manager and players?

Kitamoto: “I believe that throughout the season, the Manager faces worries and conflicts that we, as coaching staff, do not encounter.In the midst of being forced to make big decisions time and again, Manager Yoshida has earned the trust of his players by producing results.I believe the coaching staff is there to support the manager, including giving advice during the game and communicating with the players.”

Sugawara: “During the season, it’s not always good times.When things don’t go well, when the results don’t follow, it is precisely at those times that the attitude of the team is questioned.Always keep the vector pointed at ourselves and continue without wavering, fight each and every game with all our strength. I believe we were able to win precisely because of the collective efforts of the entire team.”

Kitamoto: “The championship race last year was drawn out until the end, and there were games where we barely won by a single point, as well as games where we managed to scrape together victories with a bit of luck. However, the reason we were able to achieve good results in such delicate areas was precisely because we were able to put in the effort to increase our chances of winning, without compromise, through our daily practice. It’s not only the players, but also the result of the Manager, coach, and all staff members, isn’t it?”

Sugawara: “Indeed, I believe Vissel Kobe is a team where the distance between the players, the Manager, and the coaching staff is really good.Neither overly friendly, nor difficult to approach.The Manager kept in close communication with the players during the season, and he also listened carefully to the opinions of our staff. Of course, there was mutual respect between us as professionals, and I believe that by building a relationship of trust, we were able to incorporate the soccer we aimed for into the team.”

——By the way, what kind of conversations do you two usually have?

Sugawara: “It was about the training of the day, or about the other teams.There is indeed a lot of talk about soccer, isn’t there?In private matters, the topic of “recommended restaurants” might come up quite often(laughs).

Kitamoto: “We do talk about food a lot(laughs). Including my active years, I have been in Kobe for over 20 years, so I guess I’m quite familiar with it.”

——Are there moments when you feel glad to be a coach?

Kitamoto: “First and foremost, as a professional, winning directly leads to joy.Furthermore, the real pleasure lies in being able to support the growth of the athletes.For instance, last year, Daiju Sasaki’s increased involvement in scoring was undoubtedly influenced by Suga’s training. Seeing the players grow visibly like that brings me unparalleled joy.”

Sugawara: “My stance has not changed since my days as a player, it’s all about the team’s victory.I am currently in a position to support the team, and it’s gratifying to see that leading to results. When we won the championship, I was on top of the world.One of the rewarding aspects is seeing players who had been struggling to improve, flourish after training with various methods.”The growth of players and teams is also a moment where I can grow as a coach, so the joy is immense.”

——Having seen many J.Leaguers, what do you think are the necessary qualities to become a professional soccer player?

Sugawara: “Firstly, whether you like soccer or not. It is often said, ‘What one likes, one will do well,’ but if it’s something you truly love, you’ll strive to overcome any obstacles you encounter, and you’ll gradually be able to grow. Therefore, I hope you won’t forget the love for soccer.”

Kitamoto: “That’s right. If you don’t like it, you can’t continue.”

Sugawara: “Again, speaking realistically, height, physique, speed of your feet, and so on – inborn physical talents are also an important factor.I believe it is important to cherish your own personality and talents, while continuing to hold onto your love for soccer.How is Kitamoto?”

Kitamoto: “I believe it’s important to have ambition.When looking at representative classes or overseas players, even those athletes with outstanding skills are practicing tremendously.So, when asked what an average player needs to do to win, the answer is that they can only practice with the mindset of wanting to become better than the player in question.Effort is what can beat talent. I hope that you will continue to polish your ambition and keep striving.

——What is needed now to create a better future for Vissel Kobe?

Sugawara: “Looking back, the fight for survival in 2022 was really tough.From there, we all worked hard and clawed our way up to 2023.I believe it was the feelings of regret and a sense of crisis towards the team that led to our hard work last year.This year, we will become the defending champions, but we must not forget the hardships of the year before last. I expect the opposing team to come well-prepared, so even our key players need to maintain their ambition to improve and grow. For those players who have not yet secured their regular positions, I want them to approach the game with the mindset that ‘this time, it’s my turn’.”

Kitamoto: “Even if you win, it’s important to aim higher.”

Sugawara: “I can clearly feel the tension from the camp and training.There are also new players joining the team, so I want to support them to fit in as quickly as possible. I believe that if the new players can integrate well, the team’s strength will increase again.”

Kitamoto: “When you think about 5 years later, 10 years later, I think most of the key players now will not be there.When that happens, whether Vissel Kobe can remain a strong club as it is now, is entrusted to the young and academy players.The current strength and high level of consciousness must be firmly passed on to the future.Having experienced winning the championship last year, everyone now understands what it takes to be at the “level of a winning team”, and we want to maintain that standard.”

There is a kind of pressure that only a Manager can understand.And the coaches are given the mission to support the commander behind the scenes and increase the chances of victory.”The strength of Vissel Kobe lies in the high standards set by Manager Yoshida,” say coaches Sugawara and Kitamoto. However, the team would not have been able to make such strides without their support.The thoughts and aspirations of both coaches will likely be passed on to the future Vissel Kobe.

INTERVIEW: Yohsuke Watanabe (IN FOCUS)
Kodai Wada