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On December 28th (Thursday), SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team) began practice in Chiba City in preparation for the TOYO TIRES CUP 2024 match against Thailand, which will be held at the National Stadium in Tokyo on New Year’s Day.
Ahead of the opening of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 on January 12th, 17 out of 24 players participated in the first day’s practice in preparation for the first national team match to be held on New Year’s Day. They relaxed their bodies through running and agility training, and field players divided into groups of five to pass the ball around. Former Japan national team and role model coaches Kengo Nakamura and Atsuto Uchida also joined in to get their bodies moving. Ta.
After that, we played a 5-on-5 game in a small area with one free man and one goalkeeper at the back, and we chased the ball with an eye on switching and passing accuracy. Furthermore, they worked hard by spending time playing a game format that included a free man in a 7-on-7 game in a smaller area than the half court that used the goal. We also practiced PK.
Players such as Keito Nakamura (Stade Reims) and Akira Itakura (Borussia MG), who returned from injury, showed good health, and players such as Souta Miura (Ventforet Kofu), who was selected for the first time, also chased the ball with nimble movements. I was there.
After the general practice, each player worked on their own practice, and many players took part in shooting practice involving players from the center to the sides while role model coach Nakamura served as a pitcher, and got a feel for the play. I was making sure.
Furthermore, Hiroki Ito (VfB Stuttgart) and Takuma Asano (VfL Bochum) made adjustments on separate menus, while Kiyo Ueda (Feyenoord) was not feeling well and tried to rest at a hotel.
In addition, goalkeepers Ayane Suzuki (Sint-Truiden VV), Ryotaro Ito (Sint-Truiden VV), Shogo Taniguchi (Arrayan SC), and Hiroki Machida (Union Saint-Giroise) were not allowed on the 29th due to their teams’ schedules. We plan to meet up in sequence from (Friday) onwards.
Many fans came to watch this day’s practice, cheering for the players and cheering when they scored a goal, all watching with great enthusiasm. Children from Kanagawa Prefecture’s youth soccer club “Saginuma SC”, which produced four players to last year’s FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and received special recognition from JFA, were also present.
Prior to the start of the training camp, the jersey numbers for the Thailand national team match were also announced, with first-time player Ryotaro Ito taking number 7, Miura taking number 24, and goalkeeper Taishi Nozawa Brandon (FC Tokyo) taking number 12. Tasushi Okunuki (1.FC Nürnberg), Takumu Kawamura (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), and Yoya Fujii (Nagoya Grampus), who are aiming to make their national team debut upon their return, will wear numbers 20, 5, and 22, respectively. became. Number 10 continues to be Ritsu Doan (SC Freiburg).
The team will continue to make adjustments in Chiba City until the 30th (Saturday).
The match is scheduled to kick off at 14:00 on Monday, January 1st (holiday) at the National Stadium in Tokyo.
Player comments
GK #12 Taishi Nozawa Brandon (FC Tokyo)
Being selected this time was a surprise for me, but at the same time, I felt confident that I was being watched, and I felt grateful for that. It was my first practice, and I had a lot of time off since the final match of the J League, so it was fun to be included in a general practice for the first time in a while. It was really refreshing to be able to participate in something that I usually see on TV. I saved a couple of shots in penalty kick practice, so I think it’s better. This year has been a year of a lot of changes for me as an individual, and being included in the starting lineup in J1 was a big deal for me, but I was also selected to represent the team, and by the time this year started, I wasn’t going to be like this. I’m really happy because I hadn’t imagined it. (My selling point) is to protect the goal, and I value everything, so I’m thinking of doing that in terms of saves, crosses, build-up, and leadership. For our generation, the Olympics will be held next year, and we will first have the final qualifying rounds. As a player who has experience on the full national team, I have to give back to the team and help the Olympic generation to improve and raise their level. I hope I can express that through my play and behavior.
DF #4 Akira Itakura (Borussia MG/Germany)
The surgery exterminated the “rats” that were roaming around. Since the beginning of this season, I have been deceiving and deceiving while feeling pain. It took longer than expected to return, but I am finally feeling refreshed and in better condition. I wasn’t able to play in any matches (as a team), but I’ve been able to meet up as a team and I’m getting much better, so I’ll be able to play the match against Thailand and the Asian Cup without any problems. I think it’s a really difficult match in Asia, where you have the feeling that you absolutely have to win, but if you let your guard down, you’ll definitely lose. I think the key will be how stable the DF line is and how well they can connect to the attack, so I think the concentration of the DF line will be important. We have to keep winning no matter who we team up with, and I think we’re in a good situation as a team right now as we’ve been able to win a lot, so we really need to make sure that we can produce the same performance no matter who is playing. I don’t think so. (Role Model Coach Nakamura) I believe that Kengo-san has taught me a lot of things and that I am where I am today, so I am very happy and looking forward to meeting him on the national team. I think it’s definitely a positive thing that such an experienced former player is coming to play for the full national team, and it’s also very persuasive. I want to absorb a lot of things.
DF #16 Seiya Maikuma (Cerezo Osaka)
I think this is my last chance to showcase myself as an individual in preparation for the Asia Cup. I have trained my body with that mindset, so I want to do my best to show off at the end and be selected for this important tournament. A lot of things changed for me this past year by joining the Japan national team, but I felt more strongly that I had to do more throughout the year, especially with the way the season ended. It wasn’t something I was satisfied with, either individually or as a team. Because of that issue, I am thinking of using this training camp to improve again for next year. I would like to do my best to turn this issue into a positive one. I think (role model coach) Atsuto Uchida is the best right-back player of all time, and I don’t think there are many opportunities like this, so I didn’t know what he thought about positioning and standing position. I would like to try it. I think the biggest thing that Coach Moriyasu wants me to do is attack, and I think that’s my characteristic, so I think I need to improve my quality in that area.
DF #24 Sota Miura (Ventforet Kofu)
It wasn’t until I participated in practice on the first day that I really felt it. To be honest, I was really surprised at first when I was selected, but since I don’t really care about J2 or J1, I was able to change my mind as soon as I got in. I showed my strengths at ACL, and I think that was seen, so I want to continue to show off those strengths, and I think what’s important from here on out is. I never thought I’d be able to experience ACL in my first year of college, so I’m very grateful to Kofu, and I think it will be a great help in my future soccer career. The representative is very fast in terms of judgment and speed. But I think I was able to bring out some of my best qualities. It was an emergency to convert to left-back, and there was no particular reason (other than that) because there was no one else in the team, but now it’s my favorite position and I want to compete here. I think I can break through vertically, have a sense of speed, and be strong on the ball, and my strength is propulsion, so I think my strengths as a left-back are the ability to use team members to hit the ball and run long distances. I think it will come out. (Watching the national team matches I’ve seen so far), I don’t see many full-backs attacking individually, so I wanted to use that as my weapon when I play in a match. I would like to go to the Asia Cup if it is possible.
MF/FW #8 Takumi Minamino (AS Monaco/France)
It’s finally the final preparations for the Asian Cup, and the match against Thailand is an important match leading up to the Asian Cup, so I hope we can prepare well. I remember very well from last time that the Asian Cup is a meaningless tournament unless you win it, and after losing in the final, I felt strongly that what Japan was expected to do in the Asian Cup was to win. At this stage, I think I’m just trying to survive in order to make it into the Asian Cup squad, so I want to make sure to convey to the coach that I’m in good shape right now. I think I can fit in more smoothly under the top, and I’m also preparing for the No. 8 position, so I feel comfortable playing even if I have to play, so I hope I can highlight that aspect. I am thinking. There were times when I felt that it was difficult to play against a team that was trying to protect and do its best, and there were scenes where I thought, “If we can break this down, things will be easier,” so we have new members, so we’re adjusting well in those areas. I think it would be fine.
MF/FW #13 Keito Nakamura (Stade Reims/France)
If you have a foot injury, you can play without any problems. I’m glad I was able to heal properly. I was determined to do my best every day until I could get back on the pitch. Once again, soccer is really fun and I’m really happy to be able to kick the ball. I was always thinking about the national team, so I was glad that I was able to play in the last two games in the starting lineup and score points. The match against Thailand will be played on New Year’s Day, and I think everyone will be paying close attention to it before the Asian Cup, so I’m looking forward to it. If we are selected as a member of the Asian Cup, there is no doubt that we want to win the title as a team, and this is my first official match with the national team, so I am excited in that sense. My characteristics are that I can make crosses, work together, and come up with ideas near the penalty area in front of the goal, but the most important thing is to do the tasks assigned to me as a team, and then to work on my own. I think it would be good if we could use our weapons.
January 1, 2024 (Monday/Holiday) 14:00 Kickoff (scheduled) vs Thailand National Team
Venue: Tokyo/National Stadium
Click here for tournament information
2023-12-29 03:16:37
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