Tang Jiaoli, despite unexpectedly failing to make the Olympic team, was picked up by Tottenham Hotspur for her outstanding performances for the team and joined them on loan in July.
Even though it was her first time to play overseas, Tang Jia Li adapted amazingly fast. After a short period of adjustment, she came on as a substitute in the Women's Premier League match at Reading and scored the only goal of the match with a clever assist to Jessica Naz. She followed that up with her first goal for Tottenham against Charlton.
"The atmosphere here is fantastic," she commented about her new home. "The fans are there for every game and I enjoy showing my strength even more in a stadium full of stands. I'm incredibly proud to play to the enthusiastic cheering of the fans.
"Although still adjusting, I have gradually settled into my new environment and am getting better every day. I am impressed by the warmth of the people around me, who give me selfless help and care."
The competition for the starting spot is fierce as the Tottenham Hotspur team is packed with powerhouse players such as Canadian international Zadorsky, Australian striker Simon and South Korean captain Cho Cho Cho Hyun. Tang Jiaoli knows she can learn a lot from these highly regarded teammates.
"They are both excellent players. In England, the game is fast-paced and particularly physical. I need to pick up the pace, watch more carefully and judge exactly when to launch an attack."
In order to progress more quickly, Don Chiarelli has made a point of watching the Tottenham Hotspur men's team play to draw inspiration from them. "I watched a few of the men's games as a fan and the standard was breathtaking. The atmosphere for the fans was electric, the matches were quick to transition between offense and defense, and the physicality of the players was impressive."
As the Asian qualifiers approach, Tang Jiali is aware of the heavy responsibility she will have to bear, as the Chinese women's soccer team will face Chinese Taipei on January 20, and then Iran three days later. In the final match of the group stage, they will face an ambitious Indian team on the road, who are trying to qualify for the FIFA Women's World Cup for the first time.
"There are no easy matches in the Women's World Cup qualifiers. But as long as we play at our normal level, we can win the desired result." Tang Jiali said firmly.
