A new perspective and a new friend…

Leaving Melbourne at 23 was a good age for me. I’m 24 now and I had lived at home my whole life. I knew I was ready to move out. If I left earlier, I still think it would’ve been OK for me, but I’m a grown man now, so the transition has been seamless and I’m quite happy living alone. Speaking Portuguese is all good from the football side of things. I speak Portuguese while I’m playing, but I’m still not fluent for general conversation. The lessons have been good, but it’s not the easiest language to learn.

Our Kiwi striker Tyler Boyd lives upstairs in my apartment block, so we’re very close, but we also get our own space. He has said to me a few times “it’s been great to have you around” because he left Wellington Phoenix in 2015. For me, it would be difficult without him because he’s helped me acclimatise to the culture and lifestyle. He can also speak fluent Portuguese and he’s been able to tutor me at times.

 

The village 👌🏻

A post shared by Nick Ansell (@nickansell) on

 

I was playing a game against Rio Ave and I came out after half-time and it was that cold, I was almost struggling to move! I then said to Tyler: “I’ll never wear gloves while I’m training or playing” and we’ve got dinner on it, so if I ever cave in, I’ll have to buy him dinner! I’m holding out at this stage. I’ll admit I’ve been very close to putting on gloves. Tyler puts on his gloves, his neck scarf, his beanie and he’s got everything like a little girl!

I kicked goals and I want to continue kicking goals…

Throwback to representing the Young Socceroos in 2011...

Sometimes when football isn’t going so great, I end up thinking about the good times which was winning A-League Championship and the Premiers Plate in 2015. It’s good to look back on the good times in football, because it’s not always good, you get injuries or maybe you’re not playing… I always flick through old photos and winning the title will always be one of my biggest achievements I’ll have in my career. I played over 20 games that year, so I had a big part to play in it. I reflect on it a lot actually… more than you’d think.

People like to talk about bolters for the Socceroos and it’s great a new coach has been appointed and everyone now knows who they need to impress. It’s everyone’s dream to play in a World Cup and if I can continue and get more game time here in the Portugese Primeira Liga, you never know what can happen, so I’m just trying to improve and if I’m called upon, I’ll be ready and it would be a dream come true if that happens.

As told to Clement Tito