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Shunsuke Nakamura's Q&A session. 2/03/2010
Here's the English translation of the questions and answers that were asked during the official press conference for the welcoming of Shunsuke Nakamura at Nissan Stadium on Sunday afternoon....
Question:
"After an 8 year absence from the J-League, what made you decide to come back and why did you choose Yokohama F.Marinos as your destination?"
Nakamura:
"I had been thinking about returning to Japan for about a year and a half now and also, should I ever have gone through with the decision to return, F.Marinos would be the only club that I would want to play for.
On the flight back from Spain, I was thinking of both how happy I was to be able to return to this club and also of how regrettable it felt for me to leave my Spanish club without making the impact I had hoped for. Of course, harboring such feelings of regret are meaningless unless you use them as fuel to take on your next challenge which is why I want to give it my all in taking on this new challenge before me."
Question:
"What was the main reason behind your decision to leave Spain and return to the J-League?"
Nakamura:
"Firstly, the timing of this transfer made it a somewhat difficult procedure for everyone that was involved but... One of the reasons behind my decision was of course the fact that there is a World Cup fast approaching and it's important to me that I am in an environment where I can play my football. Another reason was that I have long desired to return to Yokohama F.Marinos and play for them again. There were also a great many more reasons that influenced my decision."
Question:
"What are your thoughts on your tenure in Spain?"
Nakamura:
"At the time when I was preparing to join the club in Spain, I went knowing that there was a possibility that I wouldn't get to play in every game. However, I'm the kind of person that feels that they can't grow and improve unless they aim for the top, regardless of how high the barriers may be.
Though I have come back to Japan, I have no regrets whatsoever regarding any of the decisions I made. I was able to see a high level of football there too and as long as I make use of the experience I earned there, there is still plenty of potential for me to grow as a player here in Japan.
It was the same for the 2002 World Cup when I wasn't selected for the national team and, also, when I was at Reggina where I knew I might not play every game but that didn't stop me from using both of those negative situations as a springboard to continue improving my game.
I certainly don't view my time in Spain as being a mistake. Not at all."
Question:
"What kind of experiences from your time in Spain are you hoping to implement in your game from here on?
Nakamura:
"Of course things like the level of play and physicality of the Spanish league is something I hope to impart with to my new team mates but, it's also things like my experiences with my previous team mates and the whole process in general before and after each game. At Espanyol, there were many Argentinians in the squad and the bus to each game was always like a party. It was always very lively. The bus back from any game that we lost though, would often see heated arguments between the players... There are really just so many things that I want to tell the team about."
Question:
"There have been many cases of Japanese players returning to Japan after spells in the European leagues, and not being as productive as they were before leaving. From this point on, what do you think is of most importance when balancing your duties between your club and country, to ensure that you remain on top of your game?"
Nakamura:
"Having a strong mental resolve is what's most important. About half a year ago when talk of me returning started to surface, I began to seriously think hard about all the various pros and cons in great depth. It's always been harder for me to return to Japan from overseas than when It was whenever I traveled overseas from Japan.
Another thing is that people overseas are often quite surprised by the potential of the Japanese players that are playing over there whereas here of course, it's totally normal and not even thought about. I want to somehow overcome the inevitable pressure that I will face upon my return. Of course, that's something that I can only do by myself but I hope to cope with that pressure by receiving encouragement from my teammates whilst giving as much guidance and encouragement as I can in return.
This is something that I have been thinking about a lot...."
Question:
"What do you hope to achieve here at Yokohama F.Marinos?"
Nakamura:
"It's a little too soon for me to think that far ahead. What's on my mind most right now is how I can quickly become part of the team that's already in place and how I can adapt my playing style to benefit the team and my teammates. I have always followed the J-League and have watched all of the DVDs so I am familiar with many of the traits displayed by the players in the league.
The J-League is a very fast paced league so it's going to be very important for me to adapt to the speed of the game as quickly as possible. On top of that, there is not much time left before the World Cup so I will be hoping to make a positive impact as soon as I can. I can't get picked for the National Team unless I'm playing well, after all.
It's gonna be a tough challenge but I'm determined to do my very best."
Question:
"Have you spoken with Coach Kimura yet? What were your impressions of him?"
Nakamura:
"I spoke with him briefly in the Locker room. I asked him about the team's condition.
As with Zico, Strachan, and Ardilles, when you have the chance to play under somebody who was once a great player themselves, you don't want to miss out on any guidance they may have. He is sure to have a strong idea of what he wants from us and I'm very much looking forward to playing under him."
Question:
"Now you've played in Spain, what's your next dream?"
Nakamura:
"I want to win with the F.Marinos. I want to make them strong"
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