SINGAPORE – A look around the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre field during training and Singapore national footballer Danelle Tan knows that she is now in an environment like never before.
To her right stands Tameka Yallop, a veteran midfielder with over 100 caps for Australia, including appearances at multiple Women’s World Cups and Olympics. To her left is Evdokiya Popadinova, a six-time Bulgarian Women’s Footballer of the Year and former forward for clubs such as Napoli and Lazio.
It is a step-up at top-tier Australian club Brisbane Roar, with whom Tan has been training since September. While the forward has been ruled out of their Nov 2 opener of the 2024-25 A-League Women season at Canberra United due to a knee issue, she remains upbeat that she will be back soon as she knows that she is in good hands.
The 20-year-old told The Straits Times that her right knee had swelled up after a recent pre-season friendly. She will see a specialist next week to determine if she needs keyhole surgery, a minimally invasive procedure, to remove the loose bodies around her knee that are the likely cause of swelling.
She said: “I’m extremely gutted to miss the first game of the season and possibly more, but I’m positive that I’ll be back on the field in no time. The medical staff here at the club have been awesome in supporting me.
“I’m not too worried because I know I’m in good hands. I’ll work hard on my rehabilitation and I’m sure I’ll be back on the field very soon.”
In August, Tan signed her first professional contract with the Roar until the end of the 2024-25 season after leaving German side Borussia Dortmund.
She had contributed 16 goals in 27 matches as BVB Frauen won the fifth-division Landesliga in 2024 to earn their third consecutive promotion in three years and also clinched the regional Kreispokal Cup.
While it has been a steep learning curve Down Under, it is one which Tan relishes.
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As BVB Frauen are not in a professional league, Tan had only three training sessions a week, with a match on weekends. With the Roar, twice-daily sessions are common and sometimes, there are three sessions a day.
Tan said: “The set-up here is really professional. We’re training day in, day out and the volume is a lot higher.
“I am in the training facility by 7am and on some days I’m only back home past 6pm.
“With the calibre and standard of players in the team, the intensity of training is really high and I’m learning so much every day.”
Another aspect of being a professional means Tan has to get used to away days in the 12-team A-League Women, with places like Perth (over 3,600km from Brisbane) and Wellington (over 2,500km) on their itinerary.
Tan said: “I made the joke to my parents the other day that back in Singapore, our farthest away game was maximum an hour’s drive. Here in Australia, our closest away games will be an hour’s flight to Sydney.
“It’s something that I definitely have to get used to. It is a new challenge, a new experience and something that is part of being a professional.”
Tan is targeting a strong debut campaign for herself and a top-six berth for the Roar, which will see them qualify for the Finals series after finishing ninth last season.
She said: “As a team, we really want to compete for that top-six spot. On a personal note, the goal is to learn as much as possible, create chances for my team, score goals and get assists. That’s what attackers are paid to do.”
Roar coach Alex Smith is hoping that Tan can add to his options soon. He said: “We have brought in a lot of new faces (10) and the squad is substantially younger than last year. I am excited to see what this team can do.”
Brisbane Roar will kick off their 24/25 Ninja A-League season on the road against Canberra United on Saturday afternoon 👊
Match Preview 📰 https://t.co/fAgklMJgZA
— Brisbane Roar FC (@brisbaneroar) November 1, 2024
Smith, who described Tan as a “fantastic finisher”, added: “Danelle has been a great addition to the squad. She is a very controlled player with great technique who I think will feature for us this season.
“She is getting used to the style of play and the intensity that is expected… She has a great attitude so expecting her to get up to speed very quickly and help us win games.”
