I started lovable life when I was
twelve years of age . I played for
Kingsley in Brazil for nine years . Then
I joined St. Joseph club in Brazil in
1999. . Then I went to Tel Bates another
club in Brazil .After ending my chapter
in Brazil I went to Indonesia and joined
a first division club –Doetras in
Indonesia.
. Tell us something about your
motherland Brazil ?
Ah! Brazil is a very nice country
.Brazil is number one .Yeah. I used to
live in Sao Paulo. My family is there. I
have my father my mother two brothers
and one sister .
.What was the change that you felt
when you came from Brazil to Indonesia ?
There are many changes. I think in
Brazil the climate is very nice There
are too many players in Brazil.Here I
can take my professional carrier step by
step.So it is easy .
. Tell us something about your club
in Indonesia ?
It is very very nice. It is it is like
here . Doetras is a first division club
in Indonesia , it finished 7th in the
points table . I played as a sweeper
over there. If my team wins a match in
Indonesia ,then each player gets $150.00
so this is different from India. Not a
problem for me I just want to my salary
every month .
.Then in 2003 you came to India and
joined HAL . So what was the main
difference that you felt when you came
from Indonesia to India ?
Here everything is different because
football is different . In Indonesia the
football it is too much fast . Every day
there is two times practice boats
morning and evening . But here players
think more than in Indonesia.
. What is your general conception
about HAL.?
I am very happy because I’ve played
in hal I have many many friends over
there the coach is very nice. I remember
Goutam Ghose . That guy speaks a little
Portuguese . he is a very nice guy .
. So now your saga at Mohun Bagan has
begun .So tell us about how you came to
Mohun Bagan ?
My friend Douglas , who is an East
Bengal player brought me to Mohun Bagan
.
. What was the main difference that
you felt when you came from Bangalore to
Calcutta ?
The main difference is that there is
too much traffic jam . Here when I take
a car from my home to practice at Mohun
Bagan ground , get stuck on the road and
it takes 40 mins to go to practice
.(Laughs Aloud)
.About Mohun Bagan : How is your
feeling about the National Club of India
?
I am very happy in Bagan now . In
Bangalore , there was only cricket over
there . HAL did not have good supporters
. But here , there are so many
supporters , media . Bangalore did not
have all these . Here so many people
love my football , I am very happy . I
get my salary every month and enjoy my
life here .
. What do you have to say about your
other team mates ?
Basu (Basudeb Mondal ) is a great
footballer . He gives so many great
passes . Dulal is very good . Noel ,
Tomba , Dharamjit also gives good passes
. Mehraj and Palash gives me good
support at the back . I feel Sunil
Chettri should be in the National team .
I don’t know why the coach Stephen did
not take him in . I really donot
understand him .
.Do you face any problems while
playing in this slushy ground conditions
?
Ya . I faced some problems early on
, but now it is ok .
.The coach – Subrata Bhattacharya
uses you in a dual role , both as a
defender and as a striker . Do you have
any problems with that ?
No , not at all . I love my job . I
am a professional footballer , I will do
anything for the good of my team . The
coach is also very good . He is good to
me , he is good to all footballers .
. Coming to the great derby, what do
you have to say about the Mohun Bagan
and East Bengal rivalry ?
Oh . This is great you know. When I
entered the stadium on the match day , I
saw so many supporters . I became amazed
and thought what was going on .My heart
was thumping loudly .This type of
matches brings the best out of a
footballer . It motivates you to give
more than hundred percent . In Brazil ,
there are also such matches , but there
are 7 or 8 such teams . Here it is only
two teams.
. How would you compare the football
infrastructure in India and Indonesia ?
Well , Indonesia is much more
organized than in here . There are a
specific policies for each football
match . India should then step by step
and should go for more international
matches in this way India can improve
their Fifa rankings .
. So how is your life in Calcutta ?
Life is good . I like the people ,
the place , the food . I like Paratha
very much . But I don’t like spicy foods
, because it is harmful for my stomach
.I like the Barista in Park Street very
much . I also see the Tantra and other
discos, but I donot go there , because I
love my girlfriend - Grasiela ,
who is now far away in Brazil . I plan
to bring her over here in December .
Here , I know the Inox cinema , but I
don’t see Indian movies , I see only
English movies . Tom Cruise and Jennifer
Lopez are my best bets.
. So ,is there any special memory
that you want to remember for long .
Ya there is . It was in Indonesia .
I socred two goals in a tough match .
since I am a defender , I get no chance
to score goals , so I am very happy to
score two goals in that match .I also
have another memory when I was in
Kinglsey in Brazil . I scored two behind
myself (winks and laughs again) .
.What is the message for the numerous
fans spread all over the globe ?
My club is like my life for me . I
am very happy now , because my
performance is coming now and supporters
like my football now. I know Barreto is
like a God in India . I also want to be
like him . I thank the supporters for
staying beside me .
.Tell
us about how you started your football
life in Brazil ?