-As you take over at GAMBA OSAKA, is there anything you would like to entrust to Mizutani?

Ono: During my tenure, there is a triple mission that I have always shared with my employees. The first is to become a team that can compete for titles every year as an "ever-victorious Gamba" while making everyone excited and happy with football. The second is the growth of the business to support that. As I mentioned at the beginning, during my tenure, we were supported by many partner companies, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. We believe that we still need to expand and grow in terms of business, so we have expanded our relationships with various partner companies and expanded our collaborative efforts. As a result, sponsorship income has been steadily increasing since the COVID-19 pandemic. Because this part is essential for club management, I would like to see it continue to grow. And the third is social contribution and contribution to the community. Gamba must aim to be a club that people will say is good to have in this region, and good to have Gamba not only in Osaka but in Japan. As long as these three axes do not waver, I believe the club will continue to grow.

Mizutani: I understand that Mr. Ono's words just now contain the idea that for a club to grow, it is not enough for the business to grow or for the team to become stronger, and I think that is exactly right. I also fully understand that what the fans and supporters want is for Gamba to win, and for "titles". In fact, I also won the Levain Cup once in 2018 I was the president of Shonan, and I thought there was nothing better than that. The image of everyone involved in the club, all smiling and with happy expressions on their faces, is still burned into my mind. If I think that a "title" is what can create that kind of happiness, I would like to achieve it at Gamba as well. However, in order to do that, as Mr. Ono said, we need to improve our business side, and we need to become a Gamba that is loved and supported by the local community. I think that the title is something that comes after that.

-As you mentioned at the beginning, we have overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and the usual stadium excitement has returned to Panasonic Stadium. Next year will mark the 10th anniversary of the Panasonic Stadium Suita opening. Do you have any dreams for the Panasonic Stadium Suita?

Ono: It is definitely to hold the trophy up here and win the title. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the whole world was forced to endure various things, we also experienced various Panasonic Stadium Suita, such as the indefinite suspension of the J-League, games without spectators, and games with only silent applause. That is why I still vividly remember the excitement when the J-League resumed and when we were able to play games with spectators, and I remember being so happy that I cried. Also, through that experience, I realized once again that it is not a given that people will support us and that we will play soccer in a stadium where so many people gather. Because of that experience, the coaching staff and players have always Head Coach that "we have to repay the support with our play" and "we have to respond with results". And that feeling is one of the things I want them to cherish in the future. For better or worse, people tend to forget the past, but I want them to keep the memories of that COVID-19 pandemic firmly in their hearts in the future. It is never a given that someone will support us. I believe that keeping that gratitude in one's heart will give the players courage and strength to fight.

Mizutani: I definitely feel that there were many things we learned through that difficult time. Experiencing a situation where everything had come to a halt allowed us to rediscover the happiness of playing with support and the happiness of having a team to root for. I remember that as a result of that experience, for example, many of the players' feelings of distance from the fans changed. Each of us found ourselves in a difficult situation, but we also undoubtedly deepened our bonds through it. I want to continue to cherish that in the future.

Ono: What we are most grateful for is the presence of our fans and supporters. We received really enthusiastic support this season, and for the past six years, we have been touched by the passion that you have brought from the stands at every game, and it has also made us feel tense. In addition, 34,653 people came to Panasonic Stadium for Sanfrecce Sanfrecce Hiroshima , the last official game of the season, in the 38th Sec. of the J1 League, and we were able to break the Panasonic Stadium Suita for the highest annual attendance at a home game in a league match, which was recorded in 1994, for the first time in 30 years. We are truly grateful to everyone who created such a great enthusiasm at Panasonic Panasonic Stadium Suita. On the other hand, in terms of "results," as I mentioned earlier, in recent years we have continued to disappoint expectations, and it is regrettable that we were not able to win a "title" and deliver a trophy and a medal to you, who we consider to be the best supporters in Japan. We would like to entrust that dream to Mr. Mizutani.

Mizutani: I was always amazed by the enthusiasm of the Gamba supporters when we played against each other, and since I was appointed as the president, I have been to the Panasonic Stadium Suita several times, and I felt that their cheers always created a special atmosphere at Panasonic Stadium Suita that could be called a "theatrical space". Just the other day, I went to the Japan National Stadium with my daughter to watch the EMPEROR'S CUP final, and I was amazed at how it created a homely atmosphere that I couldn't believe was being held in Tokyo. At that time, a woman about my age was sitting next to me, wearing Hummel clothing and shoes, and was watching the game alone. She was wearing a replica uniform and was all Gamba from head to toe. Moreover, she was singing all of the Gamba support songs and player chants throughout the game. Seeing her, I felt the history that Gamba has built, and at the same time, I realized that Gamba is truly supported by many people of all ages. I believe that it is our mission to seriously face the feelings of such people.

Ono: Since 2010, when the Panasonic Stadium Suita Stadium returned to normal, the excitement has returned, and we are happy to report that the number of spectators has been increasing every year. However, while Urawa Reds' average attendance this season was over 36,000, we only had about 26,000, a difference of about 10,000. Also, Sanfrecce Hiroshima, which completed their new stadium this season, has a very large number of Season Pass holders, and it seems that it is already difficult to get tickets for other than those. Hearing this, we feel that we cannot lose, and our desire to realize a "full Panasonic Stadium Suita" for every home game only grows stronger.

Mizutani: Since we're talking about our fans and supporters, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you. When I was with Shonan, I contacted Ono-san and asked for his advice during a match at Lemon Gas Stadium Hiratsuka in October 2020.

Ono: I remember. It was Hisamitsu Shigetaka, a former member of the Japanese national futsal team who was suffering from cancer.

Mizutani: That's right. While he was fighting cancer himself, he established a company called Ring Smile in 2015 and carried out various support activities for children with childhood cancer. He was a strong-willed man who always told children with the same disease, "It will definitely be cured. Let's do our best together." But his condition worsened around September 2020... The Bellmare players asked, "What can we do as fellow Shonan teammates?" and decided to wear T-shirts with a message for Hisamitsu when entering the stadium for the Gamba match. We thought it would be great if the Gamba players could cooperate, so we asked Ono, and he immediately agreed.

Ono: We all took photos on that day.

Mizutani: The referees cooperated, and the players from both teams interacted and took a photo. At that time, the Gamba supporters... although they couldn't speak out loud because of the COVID-19 pandemic, gave us a big round of applause, which made me really happy. Hisamitsu also watched the video and was very happy. When I saw that scene, I remembered that sports are an essential part of people's lives, and I realized that there are many things that can be conveyed and encouraged through sports. When I took up my new position as president, I remembered that time, and as someone who believes in the power of sports, I am reminded once again that in the future, Gamba will grow as a club and the team will grow, but we must not forget to carry the heart with us. In fact, as we mentioned a little earlier, creating a unique "theater space" at Panasonic Stadium Suita will not only convey the fun of football, but also have the power to heal the hearts of people who have been scolded by their teachers, argued with their mothers, or been scolded by their bosses. I would be happy if people could watch Gamba's soccer at Panasonic Stadium Suita, feel the atmosphere, and think, "I didn't want to go to school tomorrow, but I'll try my best," or, "Okay, I can't lose either." Gamba has the potential to create that kind of "theatrical space," so I want everyone involved with Gamba to make it a reality.

Ono: Thank you very much. Please help us build a passionate, strong, and heartfelt Gamba.

Mizutani: As I said at the beginning, everyone involved with Gamba, including Mr. Ono, is determined to carry on the history that has been passed down from generation to generation, but I think that "carrying on" also includes the connections between people. I mentioned Mr. Naganuma and Mr. Okano at the beginning, but the history of Gamba, other clubs, and the J.League continues today through the efforts and connections of many other people. That is why I would like to continue to cherish and carry on those connections between people and work sincerely in the future. In that sense, I am very grateful for what I felt, learned, and the connections I made through my work at Shonan, and I would like to continue to cherish them in the future. Of course, we will be opponents when we play games, but when we meet in other places, I would like to talk about various things as friends who love the same sport, football. I am also looking forward to meeting many people involved with Gamba in the future. Let's all work together to make a strong Gamba.


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Text by Takamura Misa