Matthews Oliveira: “Robin Amorim gave me hope, but I never played.”

In 2017 Matthews Oliveira signed a valid five-season contract with Sporting. He only had a few chances in Season 1, in the service of Jorge Jesus. The 26-year-old Brazilian midfielder has had to return to Brazil to rediscover the football that Jesus continues to dazzle in Estoril Praia’s jersey.

Despite his time in Vitoria de Guimarães, with a one-and-a-half-year loan, in Alvalade he still lacked opportunities. Jose Peseiro, Marcel Keyser, Jorge Silas and Robin Amorim continued, at various times, not to look closely at the talented leftist.

In an interview with MoreAfter another training session in Curitiba – the loan agreement expires at the end of June – Matthews opens up and talks about the long-standing association with the Alphalad logo.

part two: “Jesus said that he was satisfied with me.”

the third part: “I had a big showroom in Luz and signed with Sporting the next day.”

Maisfutebol – After Guimarães returned to Sporting, walked out for a few months and was later brought back.

Matthews Oliveira – I was told that Marcel Keizer didn’t track my time well. If that was his choice, I must respect him. I can’t ask, just respectfully disagree. I think I had an excellent season in Guimarães.

Frederico Varandas – At that time President Frederico Varandas said Matthews Oliveira did not want to go out to play football. What happened anyway?

MO – I’ve been given proposals that don’t interest me at all, even because of my time in Vitoria. I immediately said that my focus was not on money and that the priority was staying in good teams. I thought I’d get at least one chance. Silas brought me back to my position and I knew I would give it all and have the quality of the gameplay. Bruno Fernandez and Coates came to speak to me to praise me, Silas was a good coach and then Mister Robin Amorim came. It still took me to some matches, it gave me hope, but unfortunately I didn’t have minutes and didn’t play.

MV – Are you upset?

MO – I wanted to help Sporting and was upset that I wasn’t helping Sporting. I am a club athlete, an asset, but I don’t make decisions. There was no harm, it was like this.

MF – Robin publicly praised his position in coaching.

Mo – that’s right, I had good relations with Silas and Robin. I don’t have bad things to say about them. Before the match in Guimarães, Robin called me to speak and I wasn’t waiting: “Look, Matthews, when I showed in training, you deserve to go to the game. Wanted.I was upset that I was never able to help the club. I can only be grateful to the club. He hired me and offered me a five-year contract. There are things in football that we do not control. I never talked about the press and social media, I always was. Even the fans talked to me and asked me why I didn’t play. I didn’t come to Sporting by chance. I arrived for what I showed in Estoril. Friendships stay. I have another year in the contract, you never know.

MF – Last summer, did Robin Amorim tell you he’s not counting on you?

Mo – You didn’t tell me anything, we didn’t talk. I haven’t played in a long time, there was no point in staying and I’m still not on the table. It was I who asked my manager to find a solution for me, because good training is not the same as playing. This is how Curitiba arose. Jorginho was the coach and he already knew me since his Flamengo days. He has known me since he was a little kid, he has known my football for many years. He didn’t just hire me because he was my dad’s teammate. In addition to the sports part, there was the family part. My daughter was to be born and I wanted to be born close to my family. With the pandemic, it will not be possible to constantly travel between Portugal and Brazil. We are a close knit family and this was the best option.

MF – Sporting is ahead of the championship. He has worked with Robin Amorim, he knows him well. What do you know about Robin in this team?

MO – The gameplay is the way Robin really wanted last season. He always had the following idea: “We will always play this way, regardless of the score and the opponent.” In fact, I remember a match where Rastovsky was sent off and Robin could put another side and take a position, but he kept the line behind him. He has very strong convictions and ideas.

Michel Foucault – From a human point of view, what image does Robin hold?

MO – Robin plays the ball and has the player’s language, sometimes there are coaches who don’t know this. He played at a high level, picked, and believed a lot in his ideas. Nothing changes your mind and it is relevant. A good coach has to believe in his ideas and know how to transmit them to the players. Robin has this, as does Jesus. I think, and this is what I’m saying, Jesus is a reference to Robin, for some of the work he asked of us.