Despite measuring just five feet five inches, Sydney FC’s new Brazilian Juninho is looking to make a big impact in the A-League.
Juninho doesn’t do mean. Posing for the front cover of FourFourTwo, our photographer is trying to coax the Brazilian World Cup winner to snarl into the lens. But he can’t do it.
“I can’t be mean,” says the amiable midfielder. “You have to play with joy in your heart. If you are angry then you don’t play well.”
If past form is anything to go by, then Juninho must be one of the happiest players in the world. A revelation when he joined Middlesbrough in 1995, he set the Premier League alight with his dazzling array of dribbling skills and killer passes. In 1997, he led the Teesiders to two cup finals as well as coming runner-up to Gianfranco Zola for the Football Writers’ Player of the Year Award.
However the season ended in tears – quite literally – as Boro were relegated on the last day of the season.
Spells at Atletico Madrid, Vasco da Gama, Palmeiras and Celtic are all proof of his pedigree, but for those who still doubt that the little man will bring an injection of class to the A-League need only look at his trophy cabinet. It’s there you’ll find a World Cup winners medal.
“It was a great moment in my career,” Juninho recalls. “The parties when we arrived back home in Brazil were amazing. It’s something you never forget.”
Now signed up as Sydney FC’s marquee player, Juninho is hoping not only the steer his side back to the top of the table but to raise the profile of the game in Australia to even higher levels.
“I have seen a lot of people playing football since I have arrived so I know it is popular but it’s a big challenge to make football the number one sport in Australia. I hope to make my contribution.”
We caught up with the diminutive midfielder at Star City Casino to find out what he has in store for the Sydney football faithful this season and what it feels like to be a World Cup winner.
How are you enjoying Sydney so far?
Very well thank you. I’ve had the opportunity to have a look around the city in my first few weeks here – I’ve been looking for a house so I’ve been able to see a lot of the city. It is important to get settled as soon as possible when you come to a new city. And it’s also important to get to know your team-mates too, training with them and playing in games so we know how we all play the game. When you get to know the players you can be more open when you talk to them about the game.
You’re no stranger to playing a long way from home, as you left Brazil
at just 22-years-old to play for Middlesbrough. How was that experience?
I didn’t ever expect to leave Brazil at such a young age as I was already playing for a great club there, Sao Paolo. But I had the opportunity to go to England and at the time, people in Brazil were saying that the English game would not suit my style and were questioning why I left. I found it a little bit difficult settling in during the first six or seven months but then I found I adapted very well to the English game.
What persuaded you to go to Middlesbrough, which at the time wasn’t England’s most fashionable of clubs?
I was in England to play in the Umbro Cup [in 1995] and Bryan Robson, the manager of Middlesbrough, was at the games and he showed some interest in me from the start. But at the time I had not played enough games to get a work permit in England so I had to wait a while before I could move. Bryan Robson was always in contact with me and he actually came over to Brazil with the chief executive to talk to me about joining the team. Having a manager make that kind of effort helped make my mind up to come to England. There were rumours that other clubs were interested in signing me but they were just rumours. No other teams showed the kind of interest Bryan Robson had at the time and that’s why I decided to go there.
You made a big connection with the fans and they did with you while you were there. You must have fond memories of your time there?
I was there at the beginning when Middlesbrough became a better club and started contending for trophies in English football. I trusted in the club and I think that’s why I had such a good relationship with the supporters. They knew that my heart was with Middlesbrough when I joined them and that’s why they supported me so well. And that relationship has lasted until this day.
The season that stands out is the 1996-97 season when Middlesbrough made
both English cup finals but was relegated on the last day of the season after drawing with Leeds.
Even though we were relegated that year, I think if you asked the Middlesbrough supporters what was the best season we had, most of them would tell you it was that season because it was a really great season, with some great football that the supporters could enjoy. And it was hard to accept the relegation because I think we had a good enough team to stay in the Premier League, but I think we maybe concentrated a little too hard on the cup games and not enough on the league situation. And when we woke up it was too late.
But then you had a triumphant return to Middlesbrough in 2004 where you helped them lift their first ever trophy, the League Cup. Did you feel like it was mission accomplished?
I was very happy to be part of the team that won our first ever title. That’s what I went there for, and maybe I couldn’t help the team win something the first time I was there but I was able to do it the third time! It was obviously a team effort but it was like a dream come true for me to win something with Middlesbrough.
You’ve played in many leagues in the world. Which one do you think is most suited to your style of play?
I think on paper you would have to say La Liga in Spain would be the league that is most suited to my style of play as it’s very technical and the play tends to build up a little slower than in England. But practically I did very well in England and played some of my best football so I would say personally that the Premier League was the best.
And of course, you are a World Cup winner, playing in the side that won in 2002. But you weren’t one of the favourites to win, were you?
It was an interesting tournament because we were not one of the favourites to win it that year. France had won the previous final and the European Championships in 2000 and Argentina had a very strong team as well. And we had a very tough qualifying series to get there – we only qualified in our last game so it was a long road to get there. There was a lot of pressure on us and many people said that we weren’t going to do well in the tournament. But we had a good manager in [Luiz Felipe] Scolari and we worked very hard to get better. I think it created a lot more excitement in the team and made us want to play better because no-one thought we would win. Not like compared to the last World Cup when Brazil went there as the favourite – 2002 was the opposite.
But the fans at home in Brazil always expect you to win…?
Yes, that’s true. There is always a lot of pressure on the Brazilian team to win every game they play. The supporters can be impatient sometimes with the team and that creates pressure on the team. But we grow up with those expectations so I think every Brazilian player knows how to cope with pressure in the game.
What’s it like on the day of a World Cup Final? Do you have time to take it all in or does it go by too quickly?
Sometimes when you are inside of a situation you don’t realise what is outside. You can be so close that you don’t realise just how big something is and that’s how the Final was for me. I had the opportunity to watch Brazil on the outside in a World Cup and also be part of one and it’s totally different. You don’t think much about what it means to the outside world – you just have to treat it as a normal game as that’s the only way you can handle it. That’s how we approached the Final. We concentrated on it very hard but we also went to the bus very happy and played samba music and singing in the changing rooms. It was a good atmosphere before the game.
You got on the pitch for the final 10 minutes of the game too.
Yes, that was fantastic. The game was incredible but the parties all over Brazil afterwards were amazing. It was very special to be able to go back to our country with the trophy and celebrate with all of our fans.
Now you’re here in Sydney. What motivated you to come to Australia to play?
I think it’s important to have a manager who wants you to be there. I had that at Middlesbrough and it was the same with Sydney. They showed a lot of interest in me and the manager was very sure he wanted me to play for him. When I was in Brazil I didn’t realise what a “marquee” player was but it was explained to me and I liked the idea of taking that position at Sydney.
And of course, having a World Cup winner playing in the A-League helps to promote the game here.
The football league is only beginning in Australia and there needs to be a lot of promotion still in the game. I am aware of that side of being a footballer in Australia and I’m happy to be a part of the A-League. Individually Australia has a lot of talented players like Harry Kewell, Mark Schwarzer, Paul Okon, but we still need to make the league better. We need to be at a point where other people say “Australia plays football too”. And that’s one of the reasons I am here.
What do you think you will bring to Sydney FC?
I’ve never changed the way I play, whether I have been in Brazil, England, Spain or Scotland. I like to play very vertical [direct] but also to be constructive in what I do with the ball. To do lots of flicks or things like that is not so constructive. I want to create goals for the team and maybe score some myself too. I have adapted my game a little because I’m not as quick as I was when I was 22 or 23 years old, but I like to play the same way. And when you are young you run a lot and make a lot of stupid runs but not get the ball. I think now I’m more mature and don’t run after everything! I know where I have to run now and maybe not take as many risks as I once did.
You’ve got a lot of experience in the game. Is teaching some of the younger players something you can do?
Well, not teaching, as I’m not here to teach. I think it’s more to show the players how I do things and maybe how to see the game before they have the ball. And I don’t think the players need teaching, everyone here knows how to play football.
So you’ve been impressed with the standard of football here?
Yes, in training the standard is very high and the side has some very good individual players. They have all the techniques and good control of the ball. And we are doing some great training sessions where we can see how we all play and come together as a team. I have always played as an attacking midfielder in my career – linking the midfield with the strikers – but where I play with Sydney that is up to Branko as he will assess the best position for me to play.
You’re one of a few Brazilians to sign for A-League clubs this season. Is it good to be part of the “samba revolution”?
Well I definitely don’t think the revolution is because of me! There have always been Brazilians in the league but it is good that there are so many coming to play here this year. And there is a history of Brazilians going to other leagues – there are many playing in England and Spain. I think if Brazilian players do well in Australia it will make it even easier for clubs to attract them to come here. Having said that, I do think it’s easier for a midfielder like myself to settle into the Australian style of football than a defender or attacker because we have a different way of playing those positions. Maybe sometimes it is harder.
What are you looking forward to most about being in Sydney?
Everyone I’ve met has said great things about Australia and from what I’ve seen so far they are right. And I wanted to give my family a nice style of life and the way that people live here is a similar way to how we live in Brazil. The weather is nearly the same, we like to spend time outdoors with our families, so I think my family and I will adapt very quickly.
“I can’t be mean,” says the amiable midfielder. “You have to play with joy in your heart. If you are angry then you don’t play well.”
If past form is anything to go by, then Juninho must be one of the happiest players in the world. A revelation when he joined Middlesbrough in 1995, he set the Premier League alight with his dazzling array of dribbling skills and killer passes. In 1997, he led the Teesiders to two cup finals as well as coming runner-up to Gianfranco Zola for the Football Writers’ Player of the Year Award.
However the season ended in tears – quite literally – as Boro were relegated on the last day of the season.
Spells at Atletico Madrid, Vasco da Gama, Palmeiras and Celtic are all proof of his pedigree, but for those who still doubt that the little man will bring an injection of class to the A-League need only look at his trophy cabinet. It’s there you’ll find a World Cup winners medal.
“It was a great moment in my career,” Juninho recalls. “The parties when we arrived back home in Brazil were amazing. It’s something you never forget.”
Now signed up as Sydney FC’s marquee player, Juninho is hoping not only the steer his side back to the top of the table but to raise the profile of the game in Australia to even higher levels.
“I have seen a lot of people playing football since I have arrived so I know it is popular but it’s a big challenge to make football the number one sport in Australia. I hope to make my contribution.”
We caught up with the diminutive midfielder at Star City Casino to find out what he has in store for the Sydney football faithful this season and what it feels like to be a World Cup winner.
How are you enjoying Sydney so far?
Very well thank you. I’ve had the opportunity to have a look around the city in my first few weeks here – I’ve been looking for a house so I’ve been able to see a lot of the city. It is important to get settled as soon as possible when you come to a new city. And it’s also important to get to know your team-mates too, training with them and playing in games so we know how we all play the game. When you get to know the players you can be more open when you talk to them about the game.
You’re no stranger to playing a long way from home, as you left Brazil
at just 22-years-old to play for Middlesbrough. How was that experience?
I didn’t ever expect to leave Brazil at such a young age as I was already playing for a great club there, Sao Paolo. But I had the opportunity to go to England and at the time, people in Brazil were saying that the English game would not suit my style and were questioning why I left. I found it a little bit difficult settling in during the first six or seven months but then I found I adapted very well to the English game.
What persuaded you to go to Middlesbrough, which at the time wasn’t England’s most fashionable of clubs?
I was in England to play in the Umbro Cup [in 1995] and Bryan Robson, the manager of Middlesbrough, was at the games and he showed some interest in me from the start. But at the time I had not played enough games to get a work permit in England so I had to wait a while before I could move. Bryan Robson was always in contact with me and he actually came over to Brazil with the chief executive to talk to me about joining the team. Having a manager make that kind of effort helped make my mind up to come to England. There were rumours that other clubs were interested in signing me but they were just rumours. No other teams showed the kind of interest Bryan Robson had at the time and that’s why I decided to go there.
You made a big connection with the fans and they did with you while you were there. You must have fond memories of your time there?
I was there at the beginning when Middlesbrough became a better club and started contending for trophies in English football. I trusted in the club and I think that’s why I had such a good relationship with the supporters. They knew that my heart was with Middlesbrough when I joined them and that’s why they supported me so well. And that relationship has lasted until this day.
The season that stands out is the 1996-97 season when Middlesbrough made
both English cup finals but was relegated on the last day of the season after drawing with Leeds.
Even though we were relegated that year, I think if you asked the Middlesbrough supporters what was the best season we had, most of them would tell you it was that season because it was a really great season, with some great football that the supporters could enjoy. And it was hard to accept the relegation because I think we had a good enough team to stay in the Premier League, but I think we maybe concentrated a little too hard on the cup games and not enough on the league situation. And when we woke up it was too late.
 |
| Third time lucky: winning silverware at Boro |
I was very happy to be part of the team that won our first ever title. That’s what I went there for, and maybe I couldn’t help the team win something the first time I was there but I was able to do it the third time! It was obviously a team effort but it was like a dream come true for me to win something with Middlesbrough.
You’ve played in many leagues in the world. Which one do you think is most suited to your style of play?
I think on paper you would have to say La Liga in Spain would be the league that is most suited to my style of play as it’s very technical and the play tends to build up a little slower than in England. But practically I did very well in England and played some of my best football so I would say personally that the Premier League was the best.
And of course, you are a World Cup winner, playing in the side that won in 2002. But you weren’t one of the favourites to win, were you?
It was an interesting tournament because we were not one of the favourites to win it that year. France had won the previous final and the European Championships in 2000 and Argentina had a very strong team as well. And we had a very tough qualifying series to get there – we only qualified in our last game so it was a long road to get there. There was a lot of pressure on us and many people said that we weren’t going to do well in the tournament. But we had a good manager in [Luiz Felipe] Scolari and we worked very hard to get better. I think it created a lot more excitement in the team and made us want to play better because no-one thought we would win. Not like compared to the last World Cup when Brazil went there as the favourite – 2002 was the opposite.
But the fans at home in Brazil always expect you to win…?
Yes, that’s true. There is always a lot of pressure on the Brazilian team to win every game they play. The supporters can be impatient sometimes with the team and that creates pressure on the team. But we grow up with those expectations so I think every Brazilian player knows how to cope with pressure in the game.
What’s it like on the day of a World Cup Final? Do you have time to take it all in or does it go by too quickly?
Sometimes when you are inside of a situation you don’t realise what is outside. You can be so close that you don’t realise just how big something is and that’s how the Final was for me. I had the opportunity to watch Brazil on the outside in a World Cup and also be part of one and it’s totally different. You don’t think much about what it means to the outside world – you just have to treat it as a normal game as that’s the only way you can handle it. That’s how we approached the Final. We concentrated on it very hard but we also went to the bus very happy and played samba music and singing in the changing rooms. It was a good atmosphere before the game.
You got on the pitch for the final 10 minutes of the game too.
Yes, that was fantastic. The game was incredible but the parties all over Brazil afterwards were amazing. It was very special to be able to go back to our country with the trophy and celebrate with all of our fans.
Now you’re here in Sydney. What motivated you to come to Australia to play?
I think it’s important to have a manager who wants you to be there. I had that at Middlesbrough and it was the same with Sydney. They showed a lot of interest in me and the manager was very sure he wanted me to play for him. When I was in Brazil I didn’t realise what a “marquee” player was but it was explained to me and I liked the idea of taking that position at Sydney.
And of course, having a World Cup winner playing in the A-League helps to promote the game here.
The football league is only beginning in Australia and there needs to be a lot of promotion still in the game. I am aware of that side of being a footballer in Australia and I’m happy to be a part of the A-League. Individually Australia has a lot of talented players like Harry Kewell, Mark Schwarzer, Paul Okon, but we still need to make the league better. We need to be at a point where other people say “Australia plays football too”. And that’s one of the reasons I am here.
What do you think you will bring to Sydney FC?
I’ve never changed the way I play, whether I have been in Brazil, England, Spain or Scotland. I like to play very vertical [direct] but also to be constructive in what I do with the ball. To do lots of flicks or things like that is not so constructive. I want to create goals for the team and maybe score some myself too. I have adapted my game a little because I’m not as quick as I was when I was 22 or 23 years old, but I like to play the same way. And when you are young you run a lot and make a lot of stupid runs but not get the ball. I think now I’m more mature and don’t run after everything! I know where I have to run now and maybe not take as many risks as I once did.
You’ve got a lot of experience in the game. Is teaching some of the younger players something you can do?
Well, not teaching, as I’m not here to teach. I think it’s more to show the players how I do things and maybe how to see the game before they have the ball. And I don’t think the players need teaching, everyone here knows how to play football.
So you’ve been impressed with the standard of football here?
Yes, in training the standard is very high and the side has some very good individual players. They have all the techniques and good control of the ball. And we are doing some great training sessions where we can see how we all play and come together as a team. I have always played as an attacking midfielder in my career – linking the midfield with the strikers – but where I play with Sydney that is up to Branko as he will assess the best position for me to play.
You’re one of a few Brazilians to sign for A-League clubs this season. Is it good to be part of the “samba revolution”?
Well I definitely don’t think the revolution is because of me! There have always been Brazilians in the league but it is good that there are so many coming to play here this year. And there is a history of Brazilians going to other leagues – there are many playing in England and Spain. I think if Brazilian players do well in Australia it will make it even easier for clubs to attract them to come here. Having said that, I do think it’s easier for a midfielder like myself to settle into the Australian style of football than a defender or attacker because we have a different way of playing those positions. Maybe sometimes it is harder.
What are you looking forward to most about being in Sydney?
Everyone I’ve met has said great things about Australia and from what I’ve seen so far they are right. And I wanted to give my family a nice style of life and the way that people live here is a similar way to how we live in Brazil. The weather is nearly the same, we like to spend time outdoors with our families, so I think my family and I will adapt very quickly.
 |
| Juninho the World Cup winner |
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