On July 2nd, new member Rio Nita was interviewed and answered questions from the media.

(What made you decide to join Urawa Reds?)
"It's a big club both in Japan and in Asia, and it's a name that everyone in Japan has heard of, so I was really happy to be able to join them. I also felt that I had to play with a greater sense of responsibility."

(Was there no option to continue playing in Europe?)
"Of course, there were some considerations, but I also thought about the situation of the team over there and wanted to play at a high level both in training and in matches, so I joined Urawa Reds."

(What is your selling point?)
"I want to play with the awareness of scoring, working hard and getting behind the defense, and fighting harder than anyone else."

(Which is the easiest formation to play in with the Reds' current lineup?)
"I'm a forward and want to aim for the goal from the position closest to the goal."

(You've trained with the Reds and seen them play, what are your impressions?)
"The atmosphere on the team is really bright and cheerful, and we are working in a fun atmosphere, which I feel is similar to what I experienced overseas. Everyone, including the coaches and staff, is bright and positive, and we are able to train in a really fun atmosphere. I was also able to watch a game at the stadium, and I was impressed by how passionate the fans and supporters were, and it made me want to play at Saitama Stadium soon."

(What were your honest thoughts when you received the offer from the Reds?)
"It's a big club, a name I'd heard about since I was in elementary and middle school, and they're the team that won the (AFC) Asian Champions League, so I was really happy."

(Masaki Morass, with whom you had a connection in Austria, was also a coach for the Reds. Did you talk to him or get advice from him?)
"Of course, I talked to Moras about a lot of things, and my decision to move to the Reds was also made because I thought it was a good team after listening to his advice and talking to him."

(What did you hear as far as you could tell?)
"It's been quite a while since Moras was there, so the staff and other things have changed since then, so I don't know much about the situation, but he said that the fans and supporters are very enthusiastic, and it's a fun place with an atmosphere that feels different from Japan. I thought it would be fun to play in a place like that."

(You were promoted to the top team at Sagan Tosu and then transferred overseas, but what were your thoughts in going overseas as a teenager?)
"At first, I was playing with the desire to be promoted to the first team, but I still had many areas where I was lacking, and I was wondering whether I would be able to make it to the first team. However, they saw my strengths and thought I could start out in the third division in Austria, so when I was approached by Moras and my agent, I thought that I had been given a chance, and immediately said that I wanted to go."

(What do you feel you have gained from your experience abroad?)
"I think I've become better at soccer and as a person, too, and able to do things on my own. For example, I've started cooking for myself, and I've basically spent a lot of time alone facing myself, so I think that's made me stronger."

(I think you've always been good at physical battles since you were in the under-class, but I think you've gotten even bigger and your post play has gotten stronger. What are your thoughts on that?)
"If I had stayed in Japan, I would have had less time to face myself than if I had gone overseas. But by going overseas, I had a lot more time to face myself, and by being conscious of what I ate and thinking about what I lacked, I became more sensitive to my own body. I trained, listened to what kind of training was good, and imitated the athletes over there, and I felt my body getting bigger little by little. At first, I overdid it and gained weight all at once, and felt heavy, but by thinking about what the cause was, I was able to create a good body, and little by little my condition improved, and I felt my performance improving. It was difficult to do everything by myself, including that, but it was a great experience."

(Ayumu Ohata said that Nita was "serious", and I think that he has always faced himself with that seriousness, but how was his communication with those around him?)
"I think that sometimes Japanese people become shy when they go overseas, and Moras told me about the good and bad points of Japanese people, so I tried to start a conversation as much as possible. There were times when we couldn't communicate with each other, but as long as I kept up a cheerful attitude and interacted with people, they were kind to me, so I was able to go out to eat with my teammates and enjoy every day, both at football and in my private life."

(Do you think you can actively communicate with players such as Samuel Gustafson and Marius Hoibraten?)
"Going abroad made me realize how important language is. I want to take on the world, and in Japan I have time to study English. There are many foreign staff members here, so I want to study English and communicate with them."

When you say you felt something similar to what you experienced overseas at the Reds, does that simply mean the atmosphere? Or does it also include the intensity of the training?
"Both are there, as well as the atmosphere. In Japan, I get the impression that coaches and managers are very respectful, but they also respect the players, and I think the players also respect the trainers, coaches and staff, so they create an atmosphere where we can have fun with a good sense of distance. I also enjoy training. The content of the training is the kind of football we want to play as a team, and I go there and put what I learned to good use, so I think it's the kind of football they are trying to play, and I only just joined during the off-season so my condition is not yet at its best, but I would like to join soon and get used to it."

(Why did you choose number 41 as your uniform number?)
"I wanted to wear the number 14, which I wore when I was at (SKN) Sankt Pölten, but it was already taken, so I decided to go the other way and wear number 41. Also, I was born on April 10th, so after talking with my family, I decided to go with number 41."

Are you also considering taking on the challenge abroad?
"I'm not the type to set goals for the future, and I believe that in the end you can't move up unless you achieve the goals in front of you, so first I'll work hard to win the league this year, and next year there's the (FIFA) Club World Cup, and then depending on my results I'd like to go overseas."

(I think the wall to overcome is high, especially with players like Thiago Santana and Shinzo Koroki. What is your goal?)
"My goal is, of course, to take my place in the starting lineup."

(How many goals do you want to score?)
"I'm used to Austrian football so there will be some differences, but I want to reach double digits. If I set high goals and don't achieve the results, that's because of my own ability, so I need to constantly face myself, find my weaknesses, and improve little by little."

(Do you have a favorite goal pattern?)
"I think the ideal thing is to get behind the opponent. Since I was in middle school, I've always been able to go after loose balls. I think the forward closest to the goal can aim for the loose ball, and the goals I like the most are those where you can score or not. I think there are beautiful goals, but with a loose ball you have to show the attitude and instinct to go for the goal, and I think it makes all the difference whether you can score a goal by sharpening your skills and aiming for a loose ball in front of the goal."

(Is there a FW that you use as reference?)
"When I was in high school, I used to watch Koroki play all the time. We weren't exactly the same style, but I thought he was very good at breaking through to the goal and tactics, so I studied him. I even got my coach to make a compilation of his plays so I could watch them. I'm really happy to be able to play alongside a player like him."

(Have you spoken to Koroki?)
"I haven't had a chance to speak to him properly yet. I don't know what the atmosphere is like yet, and I'm not sure if it's ok to just show up suddenly, so I want to work things out gradually. During warm-ups, he asks me, 'What are you called?' and has been communicating with me, so I'd like to get to know him a little better. I've been talking to various other players, and they've all been kind to me, so I think I'm able to communicate well."

(Apart from Ohata, were there any other Reds players or staff members with whom you had a relationship from the beginning?)
"I don't have any, but Shusaku Nishikawa is from the same prefecture, Oita, so he spoke to me at the Oita training center, and when I first said hello to him, he said, 'Oh,' and 'So you can talk about Oita,' so he's a really nice guy, and I'd like to learn more and steal everything I can from him."

(The Reds have a saying, "The responsibility to carry Urawa on your shoulders," and they have passionate fans and supporters, and are strict about results, but in what ways do you want to fulfill your "responsibility to carry Urawa on your shoulders?")
"We need to be thankful that we have so many fans and supporters who support us, and when we think that so many people are watching our actions and how we play, we can't be complacent in training and we need to work harder. I think that the whole team is aware of this, so I will quickly get used to this environment, and with the support of the fans and supporters who support me, as well as the club staff, I would like to fight together with my teammates, get results, and enjoy as many victories as possible together."

(After his success with the Reds, does he have his sights set on playing for the Japanese national team?)
"As I said before, I'm the type of person who takes things one step at a time towards the goal in front of me, so first I need to do well here and get results here, otherwise I won't be able to make the Japanese national team. First I want to get results here, and then I want to be involved in the future."

(Please give a message to your fans and supporters)
"Every time we play against Jubilo Iwata, I hear the enthusiastic support of the fans and supporters and it makes me want to get on the pitch and play. I hope I can make all the fans and supporters smile with my goals, so please support me."

[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]