Press Conference for disability football players with Excelsior’s first team
The footballers of the Excelsior Rotterdam G-team (disability team) can unfortunately not play in the Special Eredivisie because of the ongoing pandemic. Nevertheless, Excelsior tries to organise activities for the players. Recently, there was a press conference, where the G-footballers could ask questions to goalkeeper Alessandro Damen and striker Ahmad Mendes Moreira of the first team. Every season, the club gives a new team of footballers with disabilities the chance to experience the feeling of being a professional football player. Signing a contract with the general manager, press conferences, matches and training in the stadium and many more experiences are included in the programme. Of course, the players receive the same clothes as the men and women of Excelsior Rotterdam with their own number and name.
The men and women of the G-team had prepared the questions. Sharon wanted to know from Alessandro Damen what his main motivation is to play football: “This is the best job I can have and to support my family with it. Basically, I have made my hobby my job.” The answer to the question of what his greatest quality is was obvious: “I’m good at stopping balls, that’s actually my greatest quality.”
Jeffrey wanted to know from Ahmad Mendes Moreira whether coach Marinus Dijkhuizen of Excelsior is strict: ”He generally has a calm character and that’s how he reaches everyone in the group.” Ahmad said of his coach. ”A good man, who can tackle us well if we perform a little less.”
Ryan asked Ahmad if he has any tips? “You always have to enjoy training. Sometimes we train seven days a week and still we always enjoy going out on the field. During training, you also have to pay attention to areas of improvement.”
Mitchell wondered if Alessandro would keep playing football if he won a million: “I would certainly continue to play football because you are independent. You can then fully focus, that’s the best.”
Giovanni was curious what the best goal Ahmad ever scored is. “Against Jong AZ, a free kick from 30 metres. I think that is the best goal of my career. They thought I was going to make a cross, the goalkeeper was surprised and it went in.”
So many more questions were fired at the players of Excelsior and the answers were informative for the G-footballers. Alessandro had a last tip for the players: “We find it already difficult with all those corona rules, for you it must be too. But try to stick to all the rules. The quicker the number of infections decreases, the quicker we can all do things together again. Then you guys can play football again and we can maybe come and give a training session.”
“Despite the fact that it is all different than we expected, we are still going to make it a cool season. It is now very difficult because of Corona, everything has to be done in a different way but we want to organise more of these kinds of activities so the participants and their families still get the experience as a professional football player. Next month, an activity with the Excelsior Rotterdam Women is planned. Playing football together and a meet & greet. Later also a media training and, if possible, a meet & greet with the men. If all goes well, we will play a tournament against other professional football clubs in our stadium this year. I hope we can do it before the summer and of course we will try to arrange that the players of Excelsior will be there”, said Andrean Loizides from Excelsior4All.
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