December 26, 2011 - The national soccer team beat a local second division team in Abu Dhabi yesterday with a score of 5-1, and Jian Tao, a young goalkeeper from Chengdu Rongcheng, also got a chance to play in this warm-up match. Although he conceded a goal in 45 minutes, he also showed good saving ability, successfully blocking the opponent's one-touch goal. After making his debut, Jian Tao was interviewed by Red Star News and talked about his mentor Xiang Xuchao, who trained him at the Chengdu Football Association's Derry Football Training Center.
Talking about Jian Tao, Xiang Xuchao expressed, "I really have a deep affinity with this lad. Before I started coaching him, I attended a goalkeeper coaching course in Chengdu. At that time, I invited a few players to do a demonstration, and then I saw Jiantao. At that time I thought this kid was very smart, his body line looked good and his legs were long. I told the others that this kid had the potential to develop, and it would be great if he could bring it in the future. As a result, at the end of that year, he came to my side. At that time, I brought four goalkeepers, besides Jian Tao, there was Ran Weifeng who is now playing for Chengdu Rongcheng, and the other two are now in college."
Jian Tao commented on Xiang Xuchao: "He has always been very clear about his goals and the direction of his endeavors, and has never given up on his goals. Jiantao spent a few years in France and this experience allowed him to gain something and see how European professional players demand themselves. At that time when he was in France, we always kept in communication, and there was a period of time when I advised him to come back because he was unable to participate in the game, but he always insisted that he wanted to continue his study in France."
The thing I remember most about Xiang Xuchao is that in Jian Tao's last year at Ligue 1 side Beaujolais Libertés, he was unable to secure a new contract because his participation in the Ligue 1 promotion playoffs delayed his trial with Auxerre. During this time, not only did he have nowhere to live because his rent was due to expire, but he also had no food to eat and had to work and wash dishes in local restaurants, solving his eating problem in this way. All in all, his years in France allowed him to become more independent and learn how to self-regulate through the experience of adversity.
Xiang Xuchao still vividly remembers that Jian Tao and Chengdu Rongcheng signed his first professional contract on his birthday, which was arguably the best birthday present ever given to him! Jian Tao's first game in the Chinese Super League saw three excellent goals scored by Qingdao Hainiu in the first half, but he remained consistent in the second half, thanks to his years of experience. After that, Jiantao's performance got better and better, with almost no mistakes in matches, he was the main goalkeeper of Chengdu Rongcheng, and won the goalkeeper of the month award of the China Super League, and was selected for the national team.
Chengdu player Jian Tao was honored to be selected for the national soccer team and became the first goalkeeper from Chengdu in history. The morning after the national team manager pulled Jian Tao into the national team group chat, Jian Tao immediately sent a WeChat message to Xiang Xuchao to tell him the happy news. "In fact, before the end of this year's league, I learned that the national team would be calling up Jiantao, but I never told him about it for fear of how it would affect him." Xiang Xuchao expressed his thoughts.
Xiang Xuchao was not surprised that Jiantao made his debut in the national soccer team games so soon. He said, "This kid is very dominant on the field, but off the field he is like a big kid, laughing and joking all day long. This adorable personality has endeared him to every coach who has coached him, and his hard work and self-discipline impresses every coach equally."
In fact, the rattling drums don't need to be overemphasized, and there's not much to warn him about, except that he's expected to learn more from the seniors on the team and ask for more advice.
