If I’m Taking Part, I’m Going for the Win
Riko Tsutsui Cerezo Osaka Yanmar Ladies
By Speaking Up
I Can Improve My Focus
The third season of the WE League, Japan’s first professional women’s football league, begins this November.
What kind of performance should we expect from the Cerezo Osaka Yanmar Ladies, who have achieved their debut in the WE League?
For the second installment in our series of interviews with players shouldering grand expectations, we are joined by the fierce defense pivot, Riko Tsutsui.
- You normally play as center back, but please tell us about your playstyle and defining characteristics.
- When it comes to play, my defining strengths are my long kicks and headers. My goal for the current season is to be a center back who can score goals. I focus on my long feeds, and I want to provide feeds that lead directly to goals.
- You are one of the older members of the team. Please tell us about your nature or character.
- The team tends to think of me as the goofy one. I personally also enjoy playing that role, so I’m always making jokes. (Laughs) Of course, that’s restricted to off the pitch.
- In other words, it sounds like you are the one who is responsible for enlivening the atmosphere. Do you feel like you want to lift the mood of the team?
- Lifting the mood is one aspect, another is that I want to focus on improving communication. When I play that role, I am always probing to find out “how is she doing today?” I do my best to make sure everyone can smile in the locker room. (Laughs)
- There are many players on the team still in their teens. Is there anything you are doing to team up with the players so they can participate freely without deflating?
- I pay attention to being easy to understand when speaking to younger players. Like, “if you do this in this situation, you can make it easier for yourself.” I wouldn’t say it’s pressuring, but rather I focus on reaching out with “it’s better to do it this way” using specific examples, and speaking up so that younger players can benefit and perform freely.
- During matches, you have a lot of chances to play with the younger members on the back line. Are there any ways you focus on consolidating defense or taking leadership?
- Regarding taking leadership, I play with the mindset of consolidating the team during matches. Not just the defense line, whenever there is an action, I try to follow it with a reaction. I try to contribute a positive shout out, such as “nice!” or “keep it up!” By shouting out to teammates, I can improve my own focus, so I pay attention to that and try to take leadership.
- In terms of that “leadership”, when did that sense of responsibility for leadership start to bloom?
- I started to think about leadership from the 2021 season. When I was made captain after around ten players left the team, I thought “we can’t continue like this.” I tried to pay more attention to those around me and tried to shout out more. After being given the title of captain for two years, I believe I am still benefiting from that experience.
- In what ways do you hope to affect the team while playing in the WE League?
- Mostly I want to make the team feel at ease by my presence. I want the supporters to think “it’ll be fine as long as Tsutsui is there,” and be trusted by my teammates.
I want to play enjoyable football.
- In the WE League Cup, which opened in August, the team finished second in the group with three wins, one draw and one loss. As a team and as a player, what lessons and tasks did you take away from this tournament?
- My honest feeling was that “we did better than I expected.” There are still many tasks ahead of us… As expected, those tasks are in technique. There were many times when we lost the ball, and that’s something we need to work on. But, on the other hand, we were able to run really well. Even during difficult times, we were able to run because we had integrated long runs into our practice. But our biggest success was being able to score when we got the right chances.
- What kind of play do you want the Cerezo Osaka Yanmar Ladies to show?
- Constantly moving without stopping, and offense built on aggressive defense. Also, our positions where we cannot lose the ball. I want to show football where we use one- and two-touch plays to unbalance our opponents.
- The WE League is fast approaching. Is there anything the team has worked on, or anything that you’re hoping to improve before the opening?
- Sharing our visualizations. For sharing visualizations, individual skill is especially important. To reinforce it, we have to always match our visualizations, and work on increasing communication through training.
- You have been playing with Cerezo for a long time, but what do the Cerezo Osaka Yanmar Ladies mean to you?
- I love Cerezo so so much, I cannot imagine being without them. It’s a place I feel comfortable and that I love. Even if I someday end up moving to a different club, I will always want to come back here.
- Tell us about your plans from here on.
- I want to try playing abroad. And I am always aiming for Nadeshiko Japan. I believe I can keep growing. First, I plan to continue working toward my target, Nadeshiko Japan, after which I can participate on the world stage.
- Cerezo Osaka Yanmar Ladies started their first season as a professional team. What expectations do you have for the future of the team?
- Firstly, I want the name Cerezo Osaka Yanmar Ladies to be etched alongside the powerhouses Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Urawa Reds Ladies, INAC Kobe Leonessa, Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza, and others. Going further, I would love it to be a name that resounds around the world like FC Barcelona or Real Madrid.
- Please give us your final words and a message to fans regarding the upcoming WE League.
- I can feel the high expectations from our supporters as we go into our first WE League. Of course, we hope to match these expectations. Our team’s goal is to get into the top 5. But, of course, if we are going to participate, I want to aim for the championship. By playing football that all spectators and supporters will feel they were glad they came see and will make them want to come again, and, of course, football that we ourselves enjoy, will lead to us getting more supporters, so I will pursue a fun game, focusing on both results and substance.