'Artist' Nagasato ready to weave magic on Westfield W-League stage

She may be listed as a striker but Japanese international and Brisbane Roar recruit Yuki Nagasato sees her role on the pitch in a slightly different light.

Japanese star Nagasato is in line to make her Westfield W-League debut when the Roar take on Adelaide United at Lions Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

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When asked what type of player she was, Nagasato delivered a beaming if unconventional response.

“I am an artist!” she said.

“I am not a striker, I’m not a midfielder, I just create an idea on the field and I try to decide always what is the best choice, to score or to break the line…I try to maintain that on the field for 90 minutes.”



The 31-year old has enjoyed a long and wide-reaching career, having racked up stints in her homeland Japan, England, Germany and the United States.

While admitting to not following the Westfield W-League closely she said she has been impressed with the competition's standard, as well as the growth of the Westfield Matildas.

“I didn’t know what the level was like here so I watched some videos and I think the W-League has been getting so much better,” she said.

“The Australian national team is getting better and the league I think is so competitive and there are so many international players coming to play here.”



The veteran has already had an effect on her teammates with defender Jenna McCormick praising her influence on the side since she arrived in the Sunshine State.

“It’s great having Yuki here,” McCormick said.

“She’s a world-class footballer and just lifts the training environment and she’s certainly going to bring a lot to the team.

“It’s great having people pushing for positions as well, it keeps the environment challenging and just competitive so that everyone is held accountable and can perform at their best.”

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McCormick is also a new addition to the Roar, having played for both Adelaide and Canberra United in recent seasons.

The 24-year old said she couldn’t wait to face her former side come Sunday.

“It’s going to be really good, we’ve had a good week on the training track and it’s always going to be exciting playing a former club,” she said.

“Adelaide is pretty close to my heart, obviously spent a bit of time there so it will be good, looking forward to it.

“Lions [the stadium] is beautiful, it’s a really nice deck, you can’t ask for anything better really, they’ve done a great job and we’re really excited to play there on the weekend.”