On November 1, reporter Ma Dexing conducted an interview with Tao Qianglong to explore the differences between his training in Croatia with the national youth team and playing in Japan.
-How do you feel about this Croatia pullout?
To say the least, it was quite a surprise to come to Croatia this time, as I was not on the original list. When I was in Japan, Mr. Sung (Sung Yiu Tung) contacted me out of the blue. Being in Japan, I was unprepared, so I returned home with the selection team, rested for two days in isolation and then immediately went to Croatia. Here, I played about 10 matches, mostly against second division teams. We counted our own points and compared them with our opponents, and we had detailed data after each game, which was very helpful for us to understand our own situation. I think that this training has helped to improve in terms of confrontation and tempo, which is a clear improvement compared to the domestic league.
-With such a long stay in Croatia, what are your feelings and impressions of the soccer atmosphere here?
I remember chatting with Director Wang (Eddie Wang), he mentioned that Croatia has a large registered population and a wide range of league levels. I once played against a fourth division team and felt the strong local soccer atmosphere, the players' hard work and passion for soccer, all of which are worth learning from. In contrast, the atmosphere and awareness of soccer in China is obviously not comparable.
--If you had to choose, would you stay in Tri-Town or play with the National Juniors?
My choice is simple, go wherever there is a game because I would prefer to play more. Being a domestic substitute doesn't make much sense to be honest.
--You played in Japan, how do you think the atmosphere is different from Japan?
Playing in Japan seems to be a much more profound feeling.
--Where specifically?
I'm in a prefecture in Japan that is part of a small town that is part of a large city, and there are about a dozen teams. With so many teams in such a small town, I think the number of people playing soccer in Japan is probably even higher.
-So what about the style of play?
The style of play is naturally different. Japanese teams and players are superior to Croatia in terms of technique and passing. The intensity of the game in Croatia, especially the intensity of confrontation, is quite high. Their players handle the ball decisively and never drag their feet. Japan, on the other hand, emphasizes more on passing and control, and has higher requirements for the whole, including running position, passing timing and weight, etc. These requirements impressed me a lot.
-Three Town are in a good position to compete for the title in the Premier League this season, what are your plans when you return home?
Winning the title is naturally the best, and as a player, of course I will fight for it. With the team and club goals as the main focus, it's all about striving for first place now. This year's Super League is very competitive and there are some injuries in the team, so if I can play, I will keep my form and help the team to achieve its goal.
