KOBE - Soccer show "FOOTxBRAIN" features Hiroshi Mikitani, chairman of Vissel Kobe, champions of J-League last year, talking about the secrets to success, with MC Masanobu Katsumura and former Vissel Kobe player Tomoaki Makino.
The program (TV Tokyo, every Saturday from 24:25) has previously provided a compilation of broadcasts offering "hints" for success from soccer figures such as Wataru Endo and Yuto Nagatomo, and has shared the "thinking method for victory" for the Paris Olympics with 11 athletes and coaches.
Vissel Kobe, which celebrated its first-ever J1 league championship last season, had Mikitani reflect on the thrilling final home game, saying, "Until the very end, we didn't know if we could really win, but after the first goal, I thought things might go smoothly. However, the world isn't full of such sweet stories," he said with a wry smile. Recalling the moment of victory, he expressed his deep emotion, "It reminded me of everything we've been doing for about 20 years."
Vissel Kobe, once managed by the city of Kobe, faced bankruptcy at the end of 2003 with a deficit of 4.2 billion yen. Mikitani, who had already achieved success as the founder of Rakuten, rescued the club from crisis by acquiring its management rights in 2004 as a form of "payback to his hometown," and became chairman. However, despite his initial hopes for a quick championship, the club was relegated to J2 in 2005 and again in 2012.
Despite the team's struggles, Mikitani inspired players and staff with his late father's words, "Step forward when you lose," and continued to lead the team from the front. In 2022, he visited the clubhouse during the season, where he encouraged the team through tears. He shared, "I wanted them to cherish the joy of playing soccer and value every moment on the field. The top team is supported by many people, including supporters, sponsors, and the parent company. I reminded them that the profits from sales contribute to their salaries and that it's enough to work hard with that in mind."
Makino reflected, "That was a turning point for the club, as things dramatically changed after that. His timing and words resonated deeply with us players and staff." This became a pivotal moment leading to the following season's championship.
Key to unraveling Vissel Kobe's 20-year history is the signing of global star players. Starting with former German international Lukas Podolski in 2017, followed by former Spain internationals Andrés Iniesta in 2018 and David Villa in 2019, the club has brought in marquee players each season. Mikitani explained the rationale behind these major signings, "We used to balance the finances to avoid large deficits, but we changed our mindset to think of it as an investment to change the flow," revealing his winner's mindset. He also disclosed his intention to ignite the J.League as a whole.
Mikitani himself sometimes negotiated directly with star players. In Iniesta's case, he learned about the possibility of his departure from Gerard Piqué, a former Spain international and business partner, and flew to Barcelona the next day to discuss the move. "I went to his hometown La Mancha, met with his father, talked for three or four days, and then brought him back on the plane," Mikitani shared this surprising story. Katsumura expressed his delight at Iniesta's arrival in the J.League, "It's amazing how quickly it happened. There's nothing more wonderful than seeing world-class players come to Japan and play right before our eyes," he praised Mikitani's proactive approach.
With these major signings, Vissel Kobe sparked a whirlwind in the J.League, significantly increasing attendance. The club secured its first title with the Emperor's Cup in 2020 and steadily grew stronger. After 20 years of numerous reforms, including the construction of a new clubhouse, enhancement of the grounds, and youth development, Mikitani analyzed last season's J1 victory, "When I took over the management 20 years ago, I thought reinforcement would lead to victory, but that's not the case. There's the top team, and then there's the whole club, and it's difficult to win without a comprehensive system in place."
He emphasized the role of experienced Japanese players like Yuya Osako, Yoshinori Muto, Hotaru Yamaguchi, and Gotoku Sakai, "They took the lead, and it's amazing how much they ran, showing a sense of mission." Their knowledge of the world was a driving force behind the league conquest.
When asked about his goals for the new season, Mikitani expressed his aspirations, "Of course, we aim to finish at the top, but this year we can participate in the Asian Champions League from autumn. Our best performance has been reaching the semi-finals, so I hope we can achieve better results than that."
Source: modelpress
