Interview with Shu O Tseng

An unique and exciting striker | TWG

Shu O Tseng is not hard to miss and her flair with hair is equally matched with her flair on the pitch.

Tseng has been one of the main reasons Canberra United has turned their season around.

The diminutive striker's fast feet have caused many a defence concerns and she will be looking to do so again this weekend.

One of the two internationals in the United squad, Tseng has proved to be one of the more exciting players in the League.

How did you end up playing for Canberra United?

I was attending a coaching course in Japan early this year and met Ian Shaw, who was interested in how I played.  Ian invited me to have a try-out here and after a 2 week tryout in July, I got the opportunity to join the team.

I appreciated that.

Did you have much knowledge of Australian women’s football before you came?

I had been playing against the Australian Women’s National Team and knew that their intensity was pretty much higher than what we have.

After a couple of games, how are you finding the League?

The more games I play, the more I learn.  The first three games were especially tough, and I felt it wasn’t easy to score a goal but in the games everyone played hard and were aggressive physically.  It’s very different from back home.

Was it what you expected or prepared for?

Yes. Though it’s tough to play especially for a small forward like me but I still enjoy it. I know I’m growing these days and will have a lot of experiences.

What are your thoughts on playing for Canberra United?

The teammates are young but aggressive and everyone shows how much they love football. I love playing with them.

I try hard as possible to integrate myself into the team and help them to games.

How do you find playing under Ray Junna?

He really taught me a lot of concepts which I had never learned in my country. Some are basics but the way he explains in detail is very good especially with good demonstrations.

He always has patience when coaching and is calm to handling anything happens. He trusts his players which is very important and gives us confidence.

How is Australian football different from Taiwanese football?

There must be some reason why Taiwanese football is very far behind Australia. I think it's about the passion and attitude. Here I find the players are always passionate about their football and their aggressive attitude when training is also good.

From this point [training] you can find out how much players love this sport and how well they devote themselves. In Taiwan, many players care about repayment, they don’t work hard and sacrifice unless they have a reward.