Stateside Lioness
On Friday (February 13), England women's side will be taking on the USA at MK Dons' stadiummk. For Three Lions forward Jodie Taylor, the fixture has huge significance given that she is currently playing her club football in the States for Portland Thorns. Andy Greeves spoke to her in the warm-up to the match.
You obviously know a lot of the USA players from playing your club football in the States. What kind of challenge can England expect on Friday?
The USA will be a major challenge for us. They are physical, athletic and their mentality is second to none. They are strong all over the pitch and have a lot of strength in depth too. There are so many names you could give in terms of key players in their team. Off the top of my head I'd say Becky Sauerbrunn and Ali Krieger at the back then Lauren Holiday and Carli Lloyd in midfield along with Christen Press and Alex Morgan upfront.
You moved from Liverpool in the UK out to the United States in 2004 to study at the University of Oregon State (2004-2007). What was the experience like?
Looking back, it was a huge moment in my life moving from Liverpool to Corvallis, which was major culture shock for me aged 18. Hands down, it was the toughest transition I've ever made since I was so young, yet it also turned out to be the best thing I've ever done.
I had the best time there. It was great being a student athlete since the whole town revolved around the university and everyone got behind the sports teams. At the time England didn't really offer full time football, as well as studying… just Loughborough FA Development course at the time. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up going to the University of Oregon State.
As well as playing regular football (for the Oregon State Beavers) I completed two Bachelor of Science degrees during my time at Oregon State University… a BSc in Psychology and BSc in sociology, with a criminal justice focus.
Your passport has certainly been used a great deal in your football career! How do you look back on your experiences in Boston (playing for Boston Renegades in 2006), Ottawa (Ottawa Fury Women, 2007-2008) and Pali (Pali Blues, 2009)?
I really enjoyed playing in the W-League during the summer break at college. It was a great way to stay fit during the summer before heading back into the college season during the fall. The majority of the players were college players in the same boat. Ottawa and Pali Blues were two top quality teams in the W-league, I especially enjoyed my time at Ottawa Fury, one of the most professionally run clubs I've been involved with.
How did the move to Melbourne come about in 2010 and how do you look back on your time in Australia?
After I graduated college and played for Pali Blues in 2009, I took a position as an assistant coach at Fresno State University in California. I missed playing too much, so I literally quit my job and left the States in May 2010. At that point I knew I wanted to keep playing and try make the national team. The plan was to come back to the English league, however that was the year the league reformed to become the FA Women's Super League (FA WSL). Due to the timing issue and the new league not starting up until March 2011, I decided to play in Australia. I had been interested in playing over there for some time and it seemed like the best time to do it while I was still waiting for the new league to start in England.
I contacted a few teams and Melbourne Victory felt like the right for me. The plan was always to head straight back to the English league once it started up. Unfortunately during my time with victory I had an Achilles injury (slight tear) and was out for the first half of the season. I returned to the UK in June having from been out with the injury for five months. I had a brief spell on loan to Lincoln for match fitness and returned to Birmingham for the last couple of games of the season. It took all year to get back to full fitness.
I returned to Melbourne Victory after the FA WLS season (their Australian season runs during their summer and the UK's winter) for their 2011/12 season and then straight to Birmingham for the WSL 2012 season. I really enjoyed the football at Birmingham. The staff are brilliant and in 2012 we had a really talented group of players and a successful season. The highlight was of course the winning the FA Cup that year.
With all the different clubs you've played for and the travelling you've done, how long ago does it seem you were starting out with Tranmere Rovers' team as a youngster?
It really does feel so long ago! I played for Tranmere from age 11 up until I left for the States when I was 18. I have great memories and lifelong friends from my Tranmere days, and I will forever be grateful for the opportunity I was given.
You experienced football in another country with your move to Gothenburg in 2013. How do you look back on your time there?
What attracted me about Gothenburg was playing full-time and the opportunity to play in the Swedish league, one of the best leagues in the world. The FA WSL was on its way to becoming full-time, however it wasn't quite there in 2012. The main reason I came back to the FA WSL was to be seen for the national team. I had a successful season with Birmingham and unfortunately it wasn't enough to get a chance with the national team under the former coach.
At that stage I decided that I wanted to play at the highest level possible. I was interested in the Swedish or German league. That's when I signed for Gothenburg in 2013. The football in Sweden was excellent and I loved the style of play. Playing in the league and for Gothenburg took my career to another level for sure.
You're now back in the States and have recently moved from Washington Spirit to Portland Thorns. How has life been back in the States and how much are you enjoying your football?
When I went to Sweden, that was purely for football reasons and I never quite found the balance off the field, especially with the language barrier and I never felt settled there. Although I played college in the States, playing professional soccer in US was always a dream of mine. When the pro-league started back up and the opportunity to join Washington Spirit, it was a no brainer for me.
I loved my time there, DC is a beautiful place, my teammates were wonderful, and so were the fans. I recently traded to Portland Thorns, which I am super stoked about. I'm looking forward to being back in Oregon! I've traveled a lot and played for many teams in different leagues. I feel like this (Portland) is the right place to settle now… I'm super pumped for 2015 and beyond with the Thorns!
You've won two caps for England to date. With the FIFA Women's World Cup coming up in Canada this summer, what would it mean to be involved in the tournament?
Making the World Cup squad would mean the world to me. I've been chasing this dream for a long, long time. I would love to make history by being part of the first-ever England women's World Cup winning side.
© Andy Greeves & Soccerphile.com
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