On the 9th, Tokyo Verdy held an appointment press conference for new manager Soma Naoki (相馬 直樹) at the clubhouse, outlining his policy of lighting a fire in the players and bringing out their full potential.
Following Tokyo Verdy's poor start, with the team sitting 3rd from the bottom after the J1 opening match and winless in its first 8 matches, the club announced the termination of its former manager's contract. It subsequently formally announced that Soma Naoki (相馬 直樹) would become the new manager and finalized his appointment.
Representative Director and President Nakamura Takaaki (中村 考昭), Representative Director and Executive Vice President Kurita Daisuke (栗田 大輔), and Head of Team Development Ejiri Tsuyoshi (江尻 強) attended the press conference and spoke about their expectations for new manager Soma.
Soma was born in Shizuoka and, after attending Shimizu Higashi High School and Waseda University, played for Kashima Antlers. During his playing career, he also spent time at Tokyo Verdy on loan. After retiring as a player, he managed Machida Zelvia, Kawasaki Frontale, Kashima, Kagoshima United FC and other clubs.
New manager Soma said, “I will lead the team so that everyone involved with Verdy feels not ‘nice to meet you’ but ‘welcome home.’ I want to light a fire in the players’ hearts, change the momentum of the game and aim higher.”