The Japan Hockey Association held an online press conference on Tuesday with Japan’s Women and stuff. At the beginning of it, Chairman Nakasone said that he was worried about the fact that the overseas tour had been cancelled and that he was not able to play foreign matches: “I want to pack up some remaining issues and win medals.” Next, team manager Mari Nakamura commented: “I want to support the players so that they can stand on the pitch in the best condition.”
Coach Chabi Arnau stressed the importance of the first match against the Chinese national team on July 25, saying: “I want to work on the tactical details in the training camp. I want to be prepared for the peak in the first match without forgetting to prepare for the physical part. I also want to deepen my understanding of tactics. The captain and vice-captain listened to the players’ opinions and chose them,” he said, commenting on the composition of the players: one goalkeeper, six defenders, four midfielders and five forwards. “We’ve selected players who can play in multiple positions so that players in other positions can cover those who are against them.”
Yukari Mano, who was appointed captain, said with a calm face, “I want to communicate with the coach and fight with a stronger feeling than anyone else as the captain. In order to win our first match against China, we want to connect our defence to our attack and give everything.”
Player Yuri Nagai said, “I want to do it with a strong feeling to get the best results at the Olympics and make hockey a major sport. I have the most caps in the team (179 caps) and have represented the team for about 13 years. I want to make sure that young players can show their strength. I want to be a support for our Captain and feel like I can’t win if I don’t score”, myhockey.jp reports
