The rustling of the grass accompanied by a crisp strike, the Taoyuan Qingpu Stadium was instantly lit up by this sudden outburst; in the blink of an eye, the soccer ball that had been rolling on the ground had already been transformed into a shimmering light on the skyline.
If you've ever seen the Taoyuan International Men's and Women's Soccer Teams (Inter Taoyuan Football Club) in training, you'll be convinced of the absurdity of the term "Taiwan's soccer desert". At a glance, you can see the team's distinctive composition, with students and professionals playing side-by-side, players of different skin colors, blonde hair and blue eyes mixing with darker skin, and if you listen carefully, you can hear chants in both Chinese and English echoing from all corners of the stadium.
The uniqueness of Taoyuan International goes far beyond that. In this interview and filming, we will dig deeper into those unique stories behind this pioneering Taiwanese soccer team.
Taoyuan International was founded on three boys' passion for soccer. in 2003, soccer in Taiwan was not yet flourishing and educational resources were scarce. This group of soccer fanatics from an American school tried to find professional coaches. With the addition of coaches, they realized that Taiwan actually harbors countless children who are passionate about soccer.
Coach Oliver Lazarus Harley from Jamaica, in order to attract more players, joined hands with three coaches from Holland and England to create the "International Football Club", the predecessor of Taoyuan International. With the educational input and efforts of the three coaches, the number of club members gradually grew to 200, and the Taoyuan International soccer team was finally established in 2019 in cooperation with Taoyuan City.
Taoyuan International head coach Oliver Lazarus Harley of Town Hall.
"There are many players who have been with the team since their U10 days and have grown all the way up to the present day. Even if they leave, they will continue to participate in college soccer teams and professional soccer leagues." Oliver, who has witnessed the team's growth, said with a satisfied look in his eyes that many of the players on the current team have grown up with Taoyuan International since their club days, and soccer has become an integral part of their lives.
The team name "Inter", which means "international" in English, is also the core keyword of the team. Players come from all over the world, from all walks of life, and from more than 20 countries, including Israel, France, Japan, etc. Players of different age groups and coaches from different countries make the team's training mode, players' thinking, and on-field strategy very different from that of traditional campus teams. "We have our own unique cooperation model called 'Inter System'. We take different perspectives and strategies from players and coaches of different countries and ages, and blend them into a common understanding of the team."
For example, Roxy, a player from Vietnam, had no formal training before joining Inter. With his love for soccer, he worked in a factory during the day and trained hard at night; after five years of hard work, he finally stepped into the senior level (Taiwan's second division soccer league) this year. "He is broad-minded and trains hard. His efforts inspire the whole team." Oliver recounts the players as if they were his own. Xu Hongjian, an international footballer who has participated in the Asian Games, often discusses tactics and exchanges tips one-on-one with the players as the experienced captain. "He has a leadership style and his match experience is top of the team."
Captain Xu Hongjian communicates with his teammates about the game.
Oliver emphasizes that a good player is not only judged by his specific skills or ability to score goals. Taoyuan International focuses on a player's personality, attitude, and even stage of life, bringing together the strengths of each into a team that is "more than the sum of its parts".
Such a diverse and open-minded philosophy is also reflected in the way Peachtree International trains. "I will make suggestions, but never teach a specific strategy. The game is as varied as life, and we need many different ideas to cope with it. I believe every player has the thinking ability to judge the situation." Peachland International eschews traditional indoctrination to develop players' ability to think independently and give them room to voice their opinions. Through each sharing session, coaches and players learn from each other's strengths, pushing individuals and teams to improve together. Although some Taiwanese players left in the early days of the program due to difficulties in adapting to independent training or integrating into the team's philosophy, up to now, Taoyuan International has gradually brought together a group of players who are compatible with each other and possess a team consensus, and their performance in the game has become increasingly outstanding.
Taoyuan International's most critical campaigns for 2020 include the 2020 Taiwan Mulan Football League, the highest hall of fame for women's soccer in the country, which kicks off in April, as well as the men's Taiwan Second Division Football League (T1). This year, the women's team has recruited three international players from the Chinese team, including captain Ding Qi, striker Chen Yanping and defender Pan Yanxin, as well as foreign aid player Puyi from the World Cup in Thailand, injecting a strong impetus into the team. In the Mulan League, the Taoyuan International Women's Team's performance on both offense and defense improved significantly, jumping to the middle of the pack for the season, a significant improvement over 2019.
