If Kerstin Casprarij stopped playing today, she would already have recorded her best ever season in the Women’s Super League. With six goal contributions so far, her Manchester City side sit top of the table – three points clear of Chelsea – having just beaten Manchester United 3-0 at the Etihad. That success has taught her one thing.
“I’ve come to realise in this past year that I’ve actually got quite a big voice,” Casparij tells The i Paper. “I really wanted to advocate for things we feel very strongly about and for people I want to show solidarity to, to make sure they feel seen and they feel heard.”
On the pitch, the Netherlands international has been involved in twice as many goals as any other defender in the WSL this season. Little wonder, then, that City are flying, when they ought to be in a state of flux. The squad had a summer spruce-up. Gareth Taylor was sacked in March after five years; Nick Cushing replaced him as interim manager, before Andree Jeglertz was appointed mid- Euro 2025.
Instead, Jeglertz’s City – and Casparij, in particular – are playing with flair and freedom. “I mean, give me a finger, I’ll take the hand!” she says of her runs down the flanks that have characterised City’s build-up play. ” I feel a lot of confidence, a lot of trust that I know when to join the attack, when to be offensive and when I need to sit back a little more.
“I think he gives us a bit more freedom. Not necessarily just in our style of playing, but also freedom to make decisions and freedom to change things where we find that it needs to change – we get a lot of freedom and responsibility to change things within the game, change our press, change the way we build up.”
What hasn’t changed is Casparij’s work outside of football. As one of the game’s most high-profile LGBT+ advocates, the 25 year-old celebrated scoring against Everton last season by kissing a blue, pink and white wristband, the symbol of the transgender community.
From 1 June, trans women have been banned from competing in women’s football by the FA. The International Olympic Committee is also edging towards a blanket ban on trans people at future Games.
In that climate, Casparij’s message has fresh relevance. “The way I’ve grown up, and if I were ever blessed enough to have kids, I would make sure they are raised in the way that you treat everyone with kindness and with an open mind and an open heart.
“That is something that sometimes, I’d want to encourage people to do a bit more. I think the world is a scary place at times, but [my message is] to not get too closed off and to make sure there is space for everybody and to give everybody equal treatment.
“I think we as a women’s football community do quite well. We’re very good at speaking up for other people, showing solidarity for other people. I think I’m quite happy with the way, for example, the Manchester City fan base does. I hope a lot of people feel very safe and confident coming to our games.”
Casparij is just as vocal during matches. Recently made captain in the absence of Lionesses star Alex Greenwood, she has only just turned 25 – which she jokes gives her a foot in both camps when City play “old vs young” in training.
“I’m quite extroverted,” she says of her captaincy. “I’m good with anyone, I know how to chat with anyone. I try to get the best out of every single player around me.”
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Sometimes, that is “an arm around the shoulder”. It is also about “leading by example – being the first one in, last one out.”
After Jill Roord’s exit, the Dutch contingent in that dressing room is now down to two – the other is Vivianne Miedema. But the disappointment of a group-stage exit at the summer’s Euros is already behind them, with the Netherlands under a new regime too, led by Sarina Wiegman’s former Lionesses assistant Arjan Veurink.
“He’s lovely – I’ll say that about any Dutchie!” Casparij says. “He’s trying to implement some important things, he’s tactically very switched on but also just a really nice guy.”
from Football - The i Paper https://ift.tt/qlCc0BT
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