WSW: Jill, so what's happened since we last spoke to you (WSW Sept./Oct.
1998 magazine interview)?
Jill Rutten: Well, after my stint with the U.S. National Team, I returned
totally to play for Pisa. Unfortunately, I had several problems getting the
correct documents in order so I missed half the season. That's when I took
part in some charity games with Athletico Van Goof, a men's team
organized by the host of an Italian t.v. program that covers the men's Serie
A games.
I did this in order to keep myself in game-shape until I was free to play. I
then signed a new contract with Pisa C.F. for the 1999-2000 season.
WSW: We wound down to yet another Serie A championship. Not a bad
season for Pisa?
JR: The club is quite happy with the results because they had a small
budget this year and so we played the whole season with a very short
bench. We were much stronger offensively than last year but our defense
was quite unbalanced. Our statistics show little difference between goals
scored and goals allowed.
WSW: The aftermath of USA'99. What has been the impact of that event on
Italy vis-a-vis the women's game even though it didn't qualify for Sydney
2000?
JR: To be honest, whether the women's national side does well or not
doesn't seem to change much of the attitude within the federation. I was
here after Italy made it to the European final against Germany in1997 and
nothing changed in terms of support for the women's league. The
aftermath of the WC only changed the make-up of the national team itself
by cutting many of the veterans and changing the head coach for the
umpteenth time (n.b. 4 different head coaches in 4 years). The league will
always suffer in the shadows of the men's Serie A.
WSW: Excited about the WUSA?
JR: I really can't find a word that describes how I feel. I've waited 9
years for a serious league to start in the U.S. and it's finally coming
true. I've never understood, as many other countries, why the world's
powerhouse in women's soccer never had a year-round league for those
after college. Many of my friends retired at 21 and 22 after college to
start working and have a family because at that time there wasn't
anything well-organized. We're a big country and produce a lot of talent
and so it's a pity that so many retired before they may have even peaked
performance-wise. Many players in Europe are considered young at age 21
and have years to go to reach their full potential as a player. In America,
you're considered over the hill.
WSW: The WUSA's new acting commissioner Tony DiCicco recently said
that "It'll be the best women's pro league in the world" Think that they'll
pull it off like they did with the extraordinary success of the World Cup?
JR: Tony's absolutely right. It's not that we're being biased because it's
going to happen in the U.S. but the fact that there will be the best players
from all over the world along with the mass talent in the U.S. There will
be sponsors, television and a professional atmosphere. If I could take all
the positives of all the leagues I've played in, it would equal what the
U.S. has in store- the professionalism in Japan, the long season in Italy,
and the organization of both Sweden and Germany. And naturally, we take
pride in doing things right whether we are "aficionados" of the sport or
not. I studied organization of events at college which I found doesn't
exist anywhere else.
WSW: Any cities in which you'd really like to play?
JR: It would be nice to play in D.C., my hometown, so my family could see
me play live. I also liked San Diego where I stayed for 2 months with my
friends during my break between seasons in Japan. But I'm just excited to
be able to play on home turf after so many years of playing abroad.
WSW: You're a home-grown American so you certainly won't have any
problems fitting in culturally. Do you think you'll still suffer some
reverse culture shock, after all, you've been in Italy for several years
now?
JR: Naturally I'll miss the my friends, the food and the men. But after
playing 4 seasons here, I've learned how to live life without extremes. In
America, we tend to overwork ourselves and don't take the time or don't
have the time to enjoy our leisure time. In Europe, they have a more
vacation time so that allows them to be fresh at work and at the same
time spend adequate time with family and friends. There's a happy medium
between work and pleasure- there's no over doing it. Like the saying goes,
'Work to live not live to work'. I always experience reverse culture shock
while I'm home. I remember during the Nike Cup, Coach DiCicco explained
in perfect English the rules of the exercise. By the time I understood the
exercise, it was over. It's hard to explain but if you've lived overseas,
you'll know exactly what I mean. Some common problems: Japan- looking
right-left-right when crossing the street; Germany- no speed limits exist
on the autobahn so everyone drives like Schumacher; Italy- stores close
from 1:00-3:00; and Sweden- alcohol isn't sold on the weekends so every
Friday the population of Sweden is storing up as if they were preparing for
a snowstorm. So imagine this scenario: It's Friday and I need to buy some
wine for my dinner party on Sunday (Sweden). So I wait until 3:00 to go to
the store (Italy). I jump in the car and check the speedometer every 2
seconds to control my speed (Germany). When I arrive, I get out of the car
and look right-left-right to cross the street (Japan) to get to the store. I
arrive at the counter when the cashier asks for my ID Huh? Oh yea, that
thing. I forgot about the system here. I show him my ID and bow to thank
him for his work (Japan) and I leave with a cheerful 'Ciao'(Italy)!
WSW: What will come after the WUSA? Some coaching? A return to Italy
perhaps?
JR: I try not to plan to far in advance because life has its turns. I would
like to go into coaching after I finish playing or use my languages to work
within an international sports environment. Whether it's in the U.S. or
Italy or Europe in general, I'm quite flexible.
WSW: You've been playing abroad for several years now. Might this give
you a certain advantage over those players who have never played outside
of the U.S.?
JR: I would say learning many different styles of play and being able to
adapt to them. It's important that you're able to adapt to whatever style of
play so you compliment the team and fit in personality wise as well. It's
like being a chameleon. You see it often in men's soccer- a player who
played great in one country but didn't rise to the same level of play in
another. Or even from one team to the next in the same country.
(ie-Davids-Ajax-Milan-Juve). It's not easy and sometimes you just have to
do your best although it may not be your style or role. When you play for a<
weak team, you're forced to think differently which helped me grow as a
player. So no matter what the playing environment, you must know what
you have to do to play at your best even if it means doing extra training on
the side to do so.
WSW:
Finally, you won a championship in Italy along with Carolina Morace,
Manuela Tesse and Patrizia Panico. Ideally, who would you like to play
with in the WUSA?
JR: When you've played alongside national talent you can't be picky.
Everyone at this level is talented so if I were to list those I favor it
would take up the entire article. I'm a central midfielder- play-maker or
jolly, so it's important that you have another central midfielder to
compliment you. Having someone so dominating in the midfield like
Michelle Akers who sweeps the midfield and organizes the team allows
others to be more dynamic. Strikers who can defend creating counter
attacks, midfielders with creativity and lungs the size of Texas, and
defenders who can distribute intelligently saves the team a lot of
unnecessary work. But having a keeper who makes jaw-dropping saves can
change the momentum of the game. Some teams may be stacked with
talent yet they don't mesh on the field- you can have 11 great players but
the only player they see on the field is themselves. So the most important
thing is that the team gets along well together on and off the field
because talent only goes so far.
Jill, at this point we can only wish you the best of luck as you
"re-discover" America!
