Goalscorer Asano after Radnik win

Partizan won Radnik Surdulica away with a second half goals from Asano (`60) and Sadiq (`90). We spoke to 25-year old Japanese winger after the game.

Jaguar is out there again?

-You refer to my trademark goal celebration, of course. It was really hard, such a thunderstorm in the first half and it was impossible to play. We were poor in the first half but we managed to produce our trademark playing style after the break.

Media pundits say that Partizan second half subs were crucial this time around?

-We are all starters and we are all bench, it`s one team constantly together. It just depends on how ready we are individually, how we start the game and how the opposition sets out. It`s not a video game. Even you play a video game, it`s not easy to win, not to mention actual people in front of you on the field and you never know how it`s going to look like out there. But, I`m so glad Stojkovic came on and send a cross for me to score a goal. He`s a good player and he will help us a lot if he keeps training as he does. As for the goal itself, I made a quick decision to chest the ball in and it proved right. At the end of the day, It`s important Partizan wins.

How did you deal with everything that happened around Partizan in the past 10 days or so?

-For me, coming from a totally different culture, some things and reactions in Serbian football shock me. I try to understand it but I don`t get it why everyone on the dugout is mad and angry if we don`t score early? Such tension and anger transfers into the half-time dressing room and the pressure is enormous. I think to myself “come on guys, we have second half, we`ll do it, we`ll fix it, just be calm and positive”. Everyone tries to explain that you are temperamental people, it`s simple as that, therefore tension has to be there…We joke around how we should try certain Japanese technics, like martial arts…It`s important we transfer positive thoughts and energy to each other, that`s nature`s call.

You`ve been long enough in Serbia now, different culture, different away pitch surfaces…

-I like Belgrade and I`m used to it now. I had no much time to get around as I needed to get ready for the new season. I think Partizan has potential to fight for the title and it`s important we left all the bad things behind us. We are getting ready for upcoming games, we are not allowed to lose and that`s one neverending struggle.

You are away from your family for quite some time now?

-That`s right and I really miss them. I hope I`ll see them when we have international break or any other break of sorts. I work hard, have enough time for recovery and this is simply one sportsman life I`m having here.