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Interview de Joel Pereira sur le site de Manchester United…

Découvrez ci-dessous l’article paru sur le site de Manchester United.

Bravo Joel et bonne continuation !

 

JOEL CASTRO PEREIRA TARGETING THE TITLE

Manchester United Under-21 keeper Joel Castro Pereira sat down with ManUtd.com to discuss the 2015/16 campaign.

The 19-year-old enjoyed the pre-season friendlies and behind-closed-doors games and is determined to earn a regular place in Warren Joyce’s side. After keeping goal in the opening league match, a 1-1 draw at Leicester City, the Portugal Under-19 international explains why he is focused on developing his game…

How did the pre-season campaign go for you and the team?
It was good. We are working hard all the time. Everyone is working hard to get ready for the games. We won the league last year and want to do the same this season. If we are going to win it again, we have to prepare properly and that is what we have been doing.

In terms of the friendlies, you made one incredible double save against Stockport… 
I was a bit disappointed it was called offside but it was still a save as I didn’t know the flag was up! I didn’t see the linesman as I was concentrating on the ball before it was called offside. I still prevented the goal and was happy with that.

It promises to be difficult this year as we have a pretty youthful squad… 
I think we had a young team last year too, even if some of the first-teamers played with us. We still had young players so, if we train hard and play as the coach wants us to play, I think we can do it and win the league again. That is what we are working towards and what we are trying to do.

Teams always want to beat United but will the fact we’re the reigning champions give them even more incentive? 
Everyone wants to beat us, of course, especially because we are the champions at the moment. But we also have to play like champions and, with Warren as coach, he likes to win and hates to lose. I think everyone knows that and everyone tries their very best to win every single game. We know every point is important for a title challenge so I think we have a big chance to win the league again.

We kicked off the season at Leicester – how useful is it to play at first-team venues like the King Power Stadium? 
Yes, of course it is always nice to play in stadiums. It makes a difference and is much better. When you play at Old Trafford, it is something else. Just to play in our stadium in front of our home crowd is unbelievable. You saw the last game there against Manchester City, there was a big crowd, 17,000 I think, and it was amazing. They were all singing and it was a great game and good experience. We won 4-0 so the fans helped us as well because it is always good to have a big crowd behind you.

There are a number of goalkeepers at the club so the competition for the no.1 spot will be intense… 
To be honest, I am just trying to focus on myself and striving to play as many games as I can. I will do my best whenever I need to play. Even if there are many keepers here, my long-term goal is to be in the first team. I want to do everything I can to get there.

You’ve been here three years now so do you feel properly established at the club? 
It feels like home. My English has improved a lot, I think, as I couldn’t speak too much of it when I first came and it was difficult. My parents are Portuguese and I play for Portugal’s Under-19 team but I was born in Switzerland. I grew up there but I feel Portuguese as, at home, we always spoke the language. Every year, I go to Portugal to see my wider family – aunties and cousins – so I always feel Portuguese. Certainly, my heart is Portuguese.

So do you get to speak in your native tongue to the likes of Andreas Pereira? 
Yes, Andreas plus Rafael when he was here and also the Spanish lads. They can also speak Portuguese and it’s quite similar to Spanish anyway so we can understand each other. It’s really good. I grew up in Switzerland so I can speak French and talk that with Adnan [Januzaj] and Marouane [Fellaini]. It helps them as well as me a lot because I can feel at home. Always speaking English is sometimes quite difficult – when you have people speaking your first language, you feel better because you realise you can switch off and relax a little.

I know very little Spanish but can understand your nickname ‘El Gato’ – when did you start getting called ‘The Cat’? 
When I was a kid, I used to play in Switzerland and my coach gave me that nickname because of my reflexes and how I used to dive.

There are many other aspects to modern-day goalkeeping. Using your feet has become more and more essential… 
I think football has changed a lot during the years and I think it’s now really important to be able to play with the feet. Louis van Gaal and Frans Hoek really put a lot of importance on it. Of course, it’s almost like being an outfield player these days as you need to know how to play with your feet and not just with your hands as a goalkeeper. You have to work on the ground as well because, nowadays, you play a lot with the ball. You see many goalkeepers, David De Gea and Manuel Neuer for instance, always coming out of the box and using their feet to good effect. I think it’s really important to know everything as a goalkeeper – not just with your hands but also with the feet.

What can you do to improve on this facet of your game?
In training, some goalkeepers also train outfield. I think it’s really good because it improves your skills, passing and view of the game. I like to score goals as well!

Your main focus is on keeping goal though, of course. What are your aims in this regard? 
I want to play as many games as I can and, if we can win the league, it’s even better. I will do my best for the team. I will work hard throughout the season and play as well as I can.

http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Exclusive-Interviews/2015/Sep/joel-castro-pereira-exclusive-interview-on-under-21-season.aspx