U-22 Japan National Team short-listed squad started their training camp on Monday 23 November at Hiratsuka, Kanagawa.

This day had 14 players who mostly belong to J1 clubs. Coach TEGURAMORI Makoto said enthusiastically at the beginning of the workout, "we want you to know and be ready for working with our U-22 Japan National Team without any time off until the end of next January when we finish the final qualifiers."

In the misty rain with the chilly temperature of 13.8 degrees Celsius, the four players who played for a longer stretch in their respective match on the previous day went through recovery regimen such as jogging and stretching while the rest of the 10 players worked out more actively for 90 minutes by taking on drills on passing and controlling, possessions and battling in front of goal. 

In the evening, eight more players joined the camp including first-time invitee forward ITO Junya (Ventforet Kofu). The team also welcome three more in the next morning including Jubilo Iwata players, who just clinched their promotion to J1 League. The practice session on Tuesday 24 will have all of 25 players on the pitch.

Coach and Players' Comments

TEGURAMORI Makoto, Coach
We still have J.League Championship and playoff matches to go, so this is invitations with some conditions. But we see this camp as an opportunity to train many players for the final qualifiers. While we don’t know who will make the roster, it is important to make sure to develop players with potential. 

We wanted to cut down the squad for the final qualifiers to around 23 by this time of the year, but actually the situation doesn’t allow us to do it. I think this is meaningful for us somehow. I take it positively because it allows us to train a larger number of players who will lead the next generation of Japanese football. 

In this camp, players have a variety of emotions with them depending on where their own club stands at the moment. But the players still started off the practice nicely as national team players. The camp continues to have some conditions, but I feel that it is turning out to be good that we have widely trained this generation of players. Until the last minute, all we can do is to raise the overall level of this generation. I said to the players "I want all of you to be ready for going to Qatar next January." 

DF  MATSUBARA Ken (Albirex Niigata)
This is the first national team activity for me since the Olympics first qualifiers in March, but it felt good to work out with the guys that I know very well. I feel very happy to be invited here after spending most of the time this season for rehab. I have to admit that I am rushing a little to catch up, but I want to effectively showcase my strengths which are rich amount of runs and cross balls. I think consistency is one of the keys to be selected for the final squad, so I want to do well in that regard as well.

I have had less chances to show my plays than other players, so I want to make sure to show myself in this camp in order to make the team. The level of football in Asia has gotten dramatically better in the last several years. Every team has players who can run up very fast or who have better dribbling. Meanwhile Japan’s strength is great teamwork that allows us to defend and attack collectively. If we can show that in the final qualifiers, I think we will get the ticket to the Olympics for sure.

DF  TAKAHASHI Yuji (Kamatamare Sanuki)
To be honest with you, I was surprised to be called up again after March last year, but it made me happy as well when I thought I was called because I consistently kept making appearances in matches for my club. To compete at the deep centre-back position, I will try to understand what coach expects us to do, stay calm and outplay other guys as a challenger. If I do well, I think that will make Kamatamare supporters happy. So I want to work hard on behalf of them as well.

FW  ITO Junya (Ventforet Kofu)
I got selected for the first time in my career, and I was so happy that I finally got an opportunity. I always had the U-22 national team on my mind, and I wanted this opportunity all the time. In this camp, I want to make sure to show my quickness, dribble, and dashing behind defenders which are all my strengths. It’s still the shortlisted squad, but as a representative of the nation, I want to hold myself accountable and carry the pride. I got selected for this team later than other guys did, and I have had less opportunities. So in this camp I will showcase myself and work hard to be selected for the next Qatar trip and eventually for the final qualifiers squad.

Schedule