“It has been a positive transition” | Endacott on settling in at Under-21s level
Sat 15 February 2025, 08:00|
Tottenham Hotspur
Women’s Under-21s player Mia Endacott has enjoyed the transition of moving to Academy football and is relishing the test of facing senior opposition once again on Sunday in the quarter-final of the Capital Cup.
While the creative forward is still very much in the early days of her Academy journey at the Club, she boasts plenty of experience at playing at senior level already.
Before joining the Under-21s set-up in the summer, Mia made 15 appearances for Plymouth Argyle’s first team last term, scoring three goals, and went on to win their Player of the Season and Young Player of the Season.
Thriving in her new environment at Hotspur Way, Mia is hoping to use her past experience at senior level to help overcome FA Women's National League side, Ashford Town, in the quarter-final in the Capital Cup this weekend (2.30pm UK).
I think the whole journey in the competition has been really positive so far, we’re all going into this weekend’s game with a positive mindset and looking to progress further in the cup.
“Having the opportunity to play against senior opposition has been really good for the team, we have gelled really well playing against more experienced players, it’s obviously a more physical challenge to what we play in the Professional Game Academy League.
“I think having the experience of already playing at this level is good, it’s a more physical demand and when you go into a game knowing that, like me giving the advice and highlighting the fact it will be more physical, what to expect and not what to expect, I think that definitely helps as a team.”
“We have a few in the squad that are currently playing senior football this season, so having a few of us with that experience is really beneficial, but everyone has done so well in the competition so far and matched every team we have faced.”
Reflecting more on our journey so far, she added: “Our last game against QPR was tough, we won on penalties to give us a good outcome, but I think the whole journey in the competition so far has been really strong, we’re all going into this weekend’s game with a positive mindset and looking to progress further in the cup.”
With now over eight months of playing in Lilywhite at Under-21s level, the former Pilgrim star has certainly started to settle into life in our colours, netting her fourth goal of the campaign in Wednesday’s clash with Brighton.
Competing at Professional Game Academy League level for the first time in her career, Mia has felt it has only developed her as a footballer.
“I did struggle at first as I never played Academy football before, it’s completely different style to what I used to play but, as a whole, it was a positive transition,” Mia said, talking about moving across to Academy football.
“As I mentioned previously, the senior game is more physical whereas academy is more tactical because, being part of the Club’s set-up, you’re learning how Tottenham play, and I feel my tactical knowledge has got a lot better.
“I have definitely settled in now in the past couple of months, I feel the beginning was quite rocky, trying to find my feet and settling into the team, but I think I’m really close to all the girls and that definitely helps as positive mind, positive play for me, now that I have settled in really well with team and learnt how we played.”
