Tang Jiali was not expected to be named to the Olympic team roster, but was the focal point of the Tottenham Hotspur team that welcomed her in on loan in July due to her outstanding performances for the team.
She has adapted amazingly well to her first experience of playing overseas. After a short period of training, she came on as a substitute in the Women's Premier League match against Reading, providing an assist to Jessica Naz to help her team win a crucial goal. Immediately after, she knocked on the winning goal against Charlton to collect her maiden goal.
"The atmosphere here is really fantastic," she said heartily of her new home. "The fans are as passionate as they come and every game is packed. I prefer to play in a stadium like this and enjoy the feeling of the fans cheering us on.
"Despite not being fully comfortable with everything here, each day is slowly settling in and I am impressed by the people around me, who are warm and friendly and give me selfless help and care."
Tottenham Hotspur's team is full of top players such as Zadorsky, Simon and Zhao Zhaoxian, and the competition for starting positions is particularly fierce. Tang is aware that it will be a valuable experience for her to play alongside these high-profile teammates in such an environment.
"They are both excellent players. Here, the game is fast-paced with frequent physical confrontations. I need to improve my sense of rhythm, watch more keenly and time my attacks accurately."
In order to accelerate her progress, Don Chiarelli spent her spare time watching the Tottenham Hotspur men's team play and drawing inspiration from them. "I watched a few men's games as a fan and the standard of play was extremely high with a great fan atmosphere. The offense and defense were quick and the physicality of the players was impressive."
As the Asian qualifiers draw closer, Tang Jiali is aware of the heavy responsibility she carries, as the Chinese women's soccer team will face Chinese Taipei on Jan. 20 and Iran three days later. In the final match of the group stage, they will face India on the road, who are trying to qualify for the FIFA Women's World Cup for the first time.
"There are no easy games in World Cup qualifying, but as long as we play at the right level, we can expect to achieve the desired result." Tang Jiali said firmly.
