Second half of the 2025 season
A determination to make a comeback
FC Tokyo’s 2024 financial results report was announced on April 24th. Operating sales exceeded the previous year, reaching 6.989 billion yen, a new club record high, up 17.9% from the previous year. The bottom line also reached 72 million yen, achieving a profitable profit.
While the team is steadily improving its numbers in terms of management, the team is not achieving the results they want in the first half of the 2025 season. This results in experiencing the difficulty of the sport of soccer.
In this first part of the management report, we will start by looking back on the competitive side of the 2025 season. We also spoke to President Kawagishi Shigeya about his views on team formation in the future and his efforts as a club.
Interview and composition by Sato Kei (freelance writer)
Interview date: Saturday, June 14th, 2025, before the match against Cerezo Osaka
–Last year, we were given a detailed explanation of the details just after the financial results report was issued. I hope to hear about each section again this year.
We had been thinking of letting our fans and supporters explain the financial results that were recently announced, but we finished the first half of the season with a poor performance. This time, I would like to start by talking about the team situation so far in the 2025 season.
──I understand. Now, let me start with a conversation about football for the 2025 season. (As of interview) FC Tokyo has finished 18 games so far, and despite the difference in the number of games being played, FC Tokyo is in 18th place. Please let me know what you think about this grade.
As a club, we are currently in a relegation zone, so we take it as a very strict and serious situation. From here onwards, how to make up for the second half of the season will be how to compete. We must do our best to deal with this.
–From the CEO’s perspective, his actual results were significantly different from those he had drawn before the season.
FC Tokyo has always set its goal of winning the league. I’ve fought every season with the desire to get there soon. From that point of view, there is a big gap between what I imagined in my current position. That is an undeniable fact. With the first half of the season finished, we must thoroughly examine what the challenge was. Many athletes from the academy are on the pitch and are working to lead to the future, but I believe that we must take these aspects as well, and take measures to build up solid points and compete in the second half.
──What do you think about the reason why there was a gap between what you were expecting and your grades?
There were some parts that we were able to do as well as each process. I feel that way, but while there are things that have been accumulated, there are things that each one lacks.
–I think the biggest difference between them compared to last season is that the manager has been replaced. Perhaps it was difficult as manager Matsuhashi Rikizo’s first year assigner?
I think that new managers are difficult for any team, not just us. Of course, some teams have quickly achieved results after the manager is replaced, but there are certainly some difficult aspects. Still, I entered the season with high expectations. However, he was less successful than expected. Judging from the results, the new manager’s various impressions, such as the performances of tactical players, were a little lacking in each of them. There is not just one cause, but I believe that these lacks gradually accumulate, and as a result, the results have been achieved as they are now.
–The appointment of manager Matsuhashi was announced on December 21st last year. I have heard that it was a while since President Kawagishi first spoke to the new manager. I think the inauguration was announced slower than other clubs, but was this delayed the formation of the 2025 season?
I don’t think there is a correct answer as to when it is correct to start the formation. After letting this know, it cannot be said that there is absolutely no aspect to what you have pointed out. First of all, most player contracts are multi-year contracts. In that case, there will inevitably be partially going to take over the strength and members that the previous manager wanted, and the pre-season formation will be to meet the new manager’s requests in an extra way. I don’t know if the phrase “lagging the start is correct, but in this trend, there may have been some limited things to do with formation since taking office.
However, I would like to clarify this, but I believe there are two types of managers, including those who request specific reinforcements, and those who are offered candidates by the strengthening department and those who are selected from among them. I think Coach Matsuhashi is more of the latter type, and in that sense, I think we were able to discuss and discuss various candidates as we began working on team formation in December.
──I get the impression that they acted actively during the special registration period (window) set in June. Please also tell us your goals for signing Muroya Naru, Nagakura Mikiki, Alexander Scholz and Kim Seung-gyu.
If we were to simply describe the soccer that Coach Matsuhashi is aiming for, it would be “soccer that takes the lead.” This is in line with the club’s policy, and although I think the way we take the lead differs depending on the manager, I believe there is something that has been steadily building up over the season up to this point.
For example, looking at the goal expectation values, the data used by the club shows an improvement over last season. However, the number of goals has decreased as a result, so they are able to get close to the goal and despite taking potential shots, they are not making use of their chances.
In other words, the part that created opportunities was able to express what Director Matsuhashi wanted to express. We decided to focus on this issue and solve that issue. This is something we should work on in the second half of the year, and it also serves as a guide to how we should move in the special registration window in June.
──Acquiring Nagakura is one solution, right? Is it safe to understand that the reason why we were actively moving forward in June, which was set specifically for this time, rather than on July 7th, when the regular registration windows open, is that we needed to add our strength as soon as possible?
This season we’ve had quite a lot of games in the first half, so if you wait until the window in July, you’ll end up spending a lot of games. To be honest, when they made a comeback loss in the 17th round of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League match against Urawa Reds on May 17th, they had decided to move in full force in June. We were fortunate that there was a special registration window at this time, and we hope that when we look back later, it was a good reinforcement.
–Can we consider Scholtz’s acquisition as a reinforcement to improve our defensive side? It also seems that there have been many goals conceded from set pieces this season.
As you said, there were many scenes where the ball was easily scored by a set piece or a cross. The big challenge was how to rebuild the defense, and I was thinking about looking for players who could take leadership in defense and leaders who could lead them. Morishige Masato is the type of player, but I feel that it is a huge factor that another experienced player, Scholz, has joined us. He is also a player who can pass, so I think he is suited to the soccer that Coach Matsuhashi, who is assembled from behind and takes the lead, is oriented towards.
The team’s competitiveness will also be improved by being able to strengthen the four players who can compete for regular roles, including Muroya and Kim Seung-gyu. All we needed was to get a better fit and fight for the second half. To do this, knowing about the J League was also a condition for reinforcement. There’s no time left to get people to adapt to Japan from scratch. There was also the issue of budgeting, but while consulting with MIXI, we were able to broaden the budget range and acquire four people. Although he has a very strong sense of crisis, considering the number of games in the second half, he is still able to keep up with the top spot. I want to get out quickly and improve my rankings.
–Muroya has returned from Germany, but in June, other players who used to play for FC Tokyo, such as Ogawa Ryoya (Sint-Troyden VV → Kashima Antlers) and Abe Shuto (RWD Morenbeek → Gamba Osaka), returned to the J-League from overseas clubs. Was there any idea of winning them?
I mentioned earlier that many FC Tokyo athletes are from the academy, but I think we will continue to experience many cases of players who have been working together for a long time going abroad. And I think the timing will be one key point for them to play again in Tokyo when they return to Japan. For example, this year, we have prepared for Hashimoto Kento and Muroya while checking when they will return. On the other hand, Ogawa and Abe both returned earlier than expected. I had communicated with them, but I knew there were still options to play overseas, so to be honest, I wasn’t ready for this. Among them, they received a very good offer. Since it’s the players’ own lives, I want to respect their choices this time, and I think they have no choice but to accept that situation. I am prepared to see more cases like this happen in the future.
In all cases, it is difficult to make the club, fans and supporters return in the way they want, and I believe we have no choice but to accept it. However, I want to do everything I can. The story of him leaving FC Tokyo and returning home after becoming active overseas is wonderful, and I also want to have those experiences returned to the team and the club. I personally think that as many stories as there are, it’s good to have.
──Please tell us a little more about the football side. In addition to Nagatomo Yuto, the Japanese national team’s activities in June,Tawara Shimonota Kota is selected for the first timeIt was done. What does it mean for the club?
First of all, I am personally very happy about it, and I think it would be a great thing for the club as well. The academy’s presence is a traditional strength, but its characteristics are clearly reflected in the members of the top team this season. He was a former academy and many players have become professionals, and Tawara Shibuta was also selected for the national team. As with Kobayashi Masaten and Kitahara Maki, who have been selected for representatives by age group, the presence of such players also stimulates the academy players. As a club, the more topics such as this will become more widely known, and it is something that should be welcomed. Thanks to you, I’ve been doing it four times so farJ League Best Development Club AwardWe have received this opportunity, but we would like to continue to strive to enhance the academy so that this trend does not stop.
–Tawara Shimonoda suddenly made his starting debut in the match against Australia. What are your thoughts on watching the national team match?
I was happy, but I was nervous. Personally, I was strictly watching it, saying, “I could do more!” I wanted him to show off his full potential, and I believe Tawara Shibuta is a player with that much power, so I hope he will continue to make efforts to ensure that he will not be able to end this time, but will continue to be called up. I think that being able to perform well in the club will also be a condition for calling.
— Sato Ryunosuke, who is currently on a developmental transfer to Fagiano Okayama with a period of development, has been selected for the Japanese national team for the same time as Tawara Shimono. We talked about transfers on loan earlier, but can this be considered a success story?
He is currently working for Okayama on a limited time limit, but since we are a player we are signed, I am naturally happy about his performance, and I am truly pleased that he was selected for Okayama and has been selected for the national team after being used for Okayama and has achieved results. I would like to see him return to Tokyo in the future and become active.
–The club will start in the 2026 season.Participation in the U-21 Leaguehas been decided. Please tell me about this as well.
As I’ve mentioned this much, I believe that one of the club’s features and features is the enrichment of the academy. Among these, how to create pathways after the academy has always been a challenge for the club. I think that was also a challenge for the J.League as a whole. Some players continue to move straight into the top team from the academy, while others return to the professional world through university. In some cases, players who have been promoted to the top teams can perform well from their first year, like Tawara Shimonoda, but in some cases they have difficulty getting opportunities to play and are unable to provide enough opportunities to grow in actual games. Even if you submit it for a training transfer with a temporary period, there are cases where it is difficult to use it. Of course, when you decide to transfer on a temporary basis, you will consider how much you will be spending in games, but in some cases, things don’t go as you would expect. Amidst these challenges, I thought that the U-21 League, which was proposed by the J League, would be a solution. So there was no choice not to participate.
──To participate in a new league, you will also need a reasonable budget.
I’m sure you’re feeling this, but most of the players want to play overseas. Soccer is a global sport, so that’s only natural, and the J-League transition will also have the effect of revitalizing the market by adjusting to the European season. This trend cannot be stopped, but if you transfer, you will have to consider having the money left to the club. That’s very important. With this aspect in mind, this U-21 league can also be seen as an initiative to increase the speed of players’ growth and increase value. Of course, there will be costs involved in operation, but I believe that this will be sufficiently covered by strengthening the team and future transfer fee revenue. It is an investment for the club, and we would like to continue doing it with the intention of achieving solid returns. Matsuki Kuo, who transferred last summer, did not come from the academy, but he left a solid amount of money to the club and transferred.
Tokyo once had an U-23 team and has played in the J3 League. There, we saw Kubo Takefusa, as well as Bangunagande Yoshifumi, Kimura Seiji, and Oka Teppei have had the opportunity to play and have grown significantly. Based on this experience, I believe this league will be very meaningful.
♢ Previous management reports are here
Summary of the 2024 Season Business and Football (Part 1)
Summary of the 2024 Season Business and Football (Part 2)
2023 financial results report and club current location (Part 1)
2023 financial results report and club current location (Part 2)
