As the count down to the cutthroat match with Nagoya continues, Cassio has given his take on one of the most asked questions surrounding the Reds’ remarkable ACL run.
As the count down to Adelaide United-s cutthroat match with Nagoya continues, Brazilian star Cassio has given his take on one of the most asked questions surrounding the Reds- remarkable ACL run.
From the time Adelaide United arrived home after defeating Bunyodkor in the opening match day of the Group Stage, the query arose of why the Reds manage to be such a force in the AFC Champions League, especially on the back of a less than successful Hyundai A-League season.
It follows a similar trend of two years ago when the Reds finished last on the table in the Hyundai A-League before finding themselves atop of their group in the ACL and hosting a game in the Round of 16.
Why and more specifically how the contrast in results has come about is anyone-s guess, and Coach John Kosmina plus a host of the players themselves have been asked and tried to come up with their reasons.
For Cassio, who is into his third ACL campaign having been part of the journeys in 2008 and 2010, the answer does not involve any highly sophisticated ideology or game style. Rather it is something that is the exact opposite – getting back to basics.
The dual Adelaide United Club Champion attributes the turnaround to Kosmina peeling back the layers of football meaning countless tactics and strategies and bringing the focus back to it being a less sophisticated game.
“I think we-re playing simple football now. In the end it is simple things and that-s what we-re doing now – defend when you have to defend, attack when you have to attack. They-re the main things and we-re doing them,” Cassio said.
“We know we had a terrible A-League season, we had to turn it around and that-s what we-ve all done and that has brought the confidence back.”
Cassio is the longest serving current player still at the Reds, the pint sized left back having arrived in Adelaide as an unknown entity in June 2007.
But since then, he has become arguably one of the Hyundai A-League-s best imports in its history, and even coming up to his sixth year at the club, he is still as determined as ever to bring success to Adelaide.
“I feel proud of that,” Cassio said of the fact that he is the longest serving player still playing at the Reds.
“Every club I play for I try to do my best to bring everything that I can to help the club achieve the best.”
From the sound of that, he can-t wait to get out there on Tuesday night.
