First of all, from the team’s perspective, how would you access the season so far?

"The team has had good games but, for sure, we lack something. We have to work hard, to be more confident. We lost our last game but we have two important games coming up this week - we have to work hard and to get the results in these two games."

On a personal level, you are the team’s joint top scorer, how would you assess your contributions so far this season?

"I have started very well, I think with some goals and assists. But I can't play now because of the head coach's choice, but I have to work hard and be more confident to be a better player. I believe that if I work hard, I will perform better than now."

What were your first impressions of K League?

"First of all, it is completely different from football in Brazil. Both leagues have quality, but Korean football is very fast and powerful and faster than Brazil."

Did you need some time to adapt at first?

"All Brazilian players need time to adapt because of culture, the way of working and language. But, with football, football can actually facilitate helping us adapt in Korea more easily.  But, it wasn't difficult to adapt to life in Korea. I am a very calm person and Korea is a very secure country. So, from last year, we went to places near where we live and it was perfect."

Having Bruno Baio and André Luis here last season must have helped a lot?

"Baio and André are big players and we had a nice friendship. However, last year, we couldn't play together much. But, the last five games we did and I was happy. We couldn't go to the first division but I am very happy with what we did together last year."

You score all different types of goals - free kicks, “strikers” goals in the box, goals from outside the area, has that always been part of your game?

"First of all, I expect that I have to score more goals. In my youth I played as an attacker so I am trying to play this position well, being in the box and to score goals easily. About free-kicks, I am working hard. When I was in Brazil, there was one head coach (at Fortazela) called Rogério Ceni - he was a big player in Brazil and a very good free-kick taker. He taught me, actually, and I am working hard on these skills. I have to work hard to score more goals."

What would you say your preferred position is? You have played in a couple of different positions at Daejeon.

"My preferred position is actually winger because from youth, most of the time, I played in this position. But, I can play in the middle as well and the head coach has put me in that position. My job is that I have to do my best in any kind of position."

What is the new coach like to work with? Do you think he will let you take a penalty again?

"Maybe! For sure, there will be opportunities but to get this opportunity first of all I have to work hard. I missed a penalty (vs Bucheon, Round 1) but I have to be ready to get this opportunity again. The head coach's working style is that he always chooses what is best [for the team]. The players behave well, they do what he says. Actually, we are in first position because our transition is so hard." 

The team is top of the league right now, do you think it can go all the way and win promotion?

"There two important home games coming up, if we win then we are going to be favourites to get the title. I believe we have good conditions to be champions but we have to concentrate as much as possible and we have to work hard, and be strong every day. Then we can get promotion, that is my belief for this team."     

Special thanks to Edinho for his time and to Daejeon Hana Citizen's club interpreter Kim Min-su for the help.

Paul Neat
Managing Editor