U-22 Japan National Team short-listed squad’s training camp started on 23 August.

On that day, 13 J.League players, defender MUROYA Sei (Meiji University) who was also called to the camp, and goalkeeper NAGAISHI Takumi (Fukuoka University) who is a training partner joined the camp.

Prior to the training which was held in Higashiyama High School ground, the team’s coach TEGURAMORI Makoto encouraged the 15 players. “All of you are very important players for the future of Japan’s football.”

Under the strong sunny weather, 5 players who played in J.League matches for a long time in that weekend had a recovery training that included jogging and stretching exercises. The other players had proper functional sessions according to their playing positions.

After dinner, they had a meeting and HAYAKAWA Naoki conditioning coach told them about mentality that they should keep for the final qualifying round next January and how they should spend time even off the pitch as national squad players. On the following day, 11 more players from J.League Division 2 will join the team from the evening sessions in Kyoto.

Coach and Players' Comments

TEGURAMORI Makoto, Coach
Today I told them that they are very important players for promoting Japan’s football in the future. The players who have been called up by us and even the players who haven’t have possibilities to lead it, so I want them to keep high motivation.

U-22 is a good age group where they can improve themselves once they got some good opportunities, so I want to encourage them well. While we have limited chance to have training only once a month for the final qualifying round, I want the players to be proactive and do their best in Kyoto, where there is lot of Japanese culture.

FW   KAMADA Daichi (Sagan Tosu)
Since I didn’t expect much that I could be chosen for the squad team, playing for the squad team seemed to be very far for me. When I was playing for Higashiyama High School, I couldn’t play in the national-level competition, so I always wanted to show the value of where I came from by making good results as a professional player.

It is such an honor that I could come back to this pitch of Higashiyama High School as a short-listed squad player. I want to get good result as a forward player, and keep working well even in my club team to be selected as a final squad player for the final qualifying round.

DF   MIYAHARA Kazuya (Sanfrecce Hiroshima)
The team’s atmosphere is very good. In this camp I just want to show what I can do as much as possible to move on to the Olympic Games. Since my advantage is that I can play in multiple positions, I want to keep my level in whichever position I get. When I played for U-19, I had such a bitter memory in Asia, it will be a good revenge chance to get the victory this time.

MF   MAEDA Naoki (Matsumoto Yamaga F.C.)
In the match against Costa Rica on 1 July, I could play well with confidence especially in 1-on-1 situation including dribbling, but there were some issues found such as lack of accuracy in shots and decisive passes. They are the issues I have to improve.

I have to stay in this team and it is good that I can show my advantages amongst the characteristic players here. I want to maximise this given training opportunity with a good balance of confidence and humbleness.

MF   MAEDA Ryosuke (Vissel Kobe)
I want to be a high-level versatile central midfielder who is supreme in both defense and offense; in defense giving pressure in any intensive moments to steal the ball, and in offense making a good rhythm by moving the ball around. I want to grow up more gaining confidence and mentality enough to play well as a squad player.

MF   NOTSUDA Gakuto (Sanfrecce Hiroshima)
The match against Costa Rica was a good opportunity for us to check our level since we didn’t have much chance to play with a country from outside of Asia, and that made me confident since I could score and we won the match.

Our time is limited as a squad team, in this camp we work under an aim “we are all united in both offense and defence” to improve the team’s combination. Personally I want to show my advantages well especially in offensive plays including making shots. 

DF   NARA Tatsuki (F.C. Tokyo)
There are 2 dimensions in the team I see; as a team it’s moving on for the final qualifying round of the Olympic Games, and as an individual player another new internal competition has started since there are new players in the team now. The players of the same unit have very clear characteristics in their play and I think each of them can be a force of the team.

I want to strengthen my advantages especially in 1-on-1 situation while supporting the mentioned players. I feel I am in the good sense of competition so I want to keep working hard to be a part of the team in the final qualifying round.

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