Flashscore interview with André Almeida: “I want to ensure the rise of division by the Academic”
“The II Liga is much more complicated than the I Liga.”
– Academic has not lost this season to the Championship. How has this start been?
“It’s been a positive start to the season. We would like to have one or two more wins, but it is always important to start the championship and achieve a good phase without defeats. We’ve also had two games without conceding a goal.
– We’re talking about a group with little change from last season. Does that help?
– The base is set, we already know each other very well and it makes everything much easier to integrate the new colleagues. Everyone came to add and help. We have a lot of similarities to last year, but also with a lot of positive things that the new players have come to bring.
“The perception we have is that this championship is even more balanced. Are there more teams prepared for the fight for the climb?
– The II Liga is much more competitive and complicated than the I Liga. Players who have gone through both divisions say so. Here any result is possible: the former may lose with the latter, the former lose points where the common adept thinks it is impossible, but we who are inside know that it happens many times. There are always more candidates in theory at first, but then the groups start to fall apart when the ball starts rolling. It is not yet possible to realize this, but we have already started to see some teams that stand out, not only for the investment, but also for considering themselves favorites. Then there are still teams that play positive football and can join the front train.
Follow Academic’s next game on 100 percent sure wins
– There is an increase in the quality of play…
-Undoubtedly. If we look at the II Liga of five/six years ago, it has nothing to do with the II Liga of now. The proof of this is that when there is a confrontation between teams of the first and second, it usually even leans more towards the teams of the second. The championship has grown a lot, not only in terms of quality, but also structure. It became a more professional and attractive league.
– In individual terms, can we say that this start to the season is going well?
“I’ve scored two goals, so it’s been very positive. I matched last season’s number. There are also two games of the team without conceding goals, which for a defender is always a positive. My goal is to help the team, which is the most important thing.
– André had an experience in Lithuania. How was it?
– Above all, it made me grow as a man. I left Portugal at the age of 21 and found myself alone in a completely different reality, in a people with a very closed mentality. Today, looking back, I gained a lot of maturity and it helped me a lot.
– Did this allow the adaptation to regions such as Covilhã and Viseu, in the interior of the country, to be easier?
– I realized that if I managed to stay two years in Lithuania, anywhere in the country it would be easy to adapt. I adapted very well to Covilhã, in a city that I love and whenever I have the opportunity I go back there because I left many friends. Viseu is an even better city, and I can say that I feel very good in Viseu.
Daniel dos Anjos, Filipe Martins and Jorge Costa
– Regarding figures in your career, which coaches are the most striking?
– Philip Martins. I worked with him at Real SC, and I can say that he is a spectacular human being, in addition to the footballing qualities. Of the best coaches I’ve caught. Then I have to mention Jorge Costa. It helped us a lot last year. He had this quality of creating good relationships with the players and we were able to make a great championship, which owes a lot to his arrival.
– And forwards you faced?
– I’ve always fought great battles with Daniel dos Anjos (Tongela). We’re very good friends, but on the pitch it’s always been great battles. It always gives me great pleasure to play against him. Nenê is also an opponent that I like to have in front of me, for the knowledge of the game and characteristics that it has. And I remember, the best/worst pairings I caught in the days of Mafra: Abel Camara and Okitokandjo. What a headache!
– What dreams do you have?
– I really want to ensure that the Academic moves up the division. The club and the city deserve it. It would be the perfect story for the city to achieve this division climb. As a team captain I would have an even more special flavor.
– How would you like to be remembered?
– For the opponents as a tough and loyal player, but also as a completely different person on the pitch and off. On the pitch as someone who gives everything he has and who off the pitch is a super calm, quiet person who likes to be with people. Deep down, an animal inside the field and a piece of soul outside it.
Comments are closed.