Indomitable Japanese player

This player has been a big winner at GAK so far

Atsushi Zaizen was supposed to be given up - now he gets his regular minutes.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

At the beginning of the transfer window, Atsushi Zaizen did not play a role in GAK's plans, with the Japanese player set to leave if a suitable offer came along. But with a strong preparation and good performances, the Japanese player played his way back into the squad.

In mid to late July, it was not even certain which jersey number Atsushi Zaizen would wear if he stayed with the GAK. A departure seemed more than likely if a suitable offer had come in. But now, in mid-August, everything is different! The Japanese player played his way into the limelight during preparations with coach Gernot Messner. And regularly collected minutes of action.

The Japanese player never gave up and fought for his GAK shirt.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

"I thought I'd get back on the pitch after my operation and be able to perform at full capacity again straight away," says the 25-year-old, thinking back to his cruciate ligament rupture in January 2022. "That was a difficult time for me. Also because I didn't get any playing minutes because GAK won almost everything. Just sitting in the stands wasn't fun."

A change of scenery in January did a lot to help the Japanese player regain his old strength: a loan to Amstetten. "Those six months were great, I got a lot of playing time. Now I'm fit and can play like I did before. I've found my confidence again," beams Zaizen, who can be described as the big winner of this GAK season so far. "You could almost say that," Zaizen almost shyly agrees with this statement.

Half the season in Amstetten has done Zaizen (right) good.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

The attacking player celebrated his Bundesliga debut at GAK, playing 42 minutes in the three games so far. "The premiere felt very good. Now, of course, I want to score my first goal," winks Zaizen. For whom, despite the difficult phase of his career, giving up was never an option. "You always have to keep going in life, stay positive and look ahead. Even when you're sad." The phone calls with his family back home in Japan, with whom he speaks twice a week, have also helped. Visits don't happen that often. "Last winter, I was home for a month. That was really nice!"

One hour of German a day
Zaizen has been in Austria since 2018 and played for Wacker Innsbruck before moving to Graz. "It was hard at the beginning, even though I left my family for another city when I was 15." Life in Austria is very different from life in Japan. But he quickly found his feet. And has already mastered the language very well. "I learn German for at least an hour a day. I want to take the B1 or B2 level exam soon. I tested the A level online, but that was too easy for me," grins Atsu.

What he really likes in Austria: the cuisine. "Schnitzel tastes really good. But of course I also love Japanese cuisine. Ramen or sushi - I can prepare it myself, but I still prefer to eat out," laughs Zaizen, who is currently enjoying Japanese anime comic series on Netflix and YouTube. And twice a month he gets a visit from his German girlfriend from Ulm. They then keep their fingers crossed in the stands.