Already tested by Manchester
PAYERNE • He's only 15 years old and just had a week of testing with Manchester United. The Dollhouse, Joel Dinis Pereira Castro does not know.
This is his first interview. It has the courtesy of a shy teenager. Yet it measures "1m88 and a half," he says. "And I'll still take a few centimeters." For a goalie, it counts. For now, it's his bowl brush that grows.
Yet Joel Dinis Pereira Castro has already taken many steps, fast, very fast. In December, the one who made his football school in Le Locle was even propelled the seventh best keeper in the world in his age group at the site of footballyouthtalent.com. A classification that perspective: "I'm pleased, but I do not give so much importance. I do not think those who went to see this site all the players of my age, around the world. "
A cat that jumps around
Nicknamed by his coach "El Gato" - the cat - when he became keeper by accident, because he wanted someone to this position, the kid has probably made the choice of his life without knowing it. "I was called that because I was jumping around, he smiled. Now, no one uses this nickname. " It might come back.
For a year and a half, Joel Castro Dinis Pereira lives in Payerne and attended the pre-training center of the Swiss Football Association (SFA). All rushed to him in recent months. On the one hand its future is more uncertain with Xamax where it evolves in M18 and the other, just go for a week of tests at Manchester United.
"It's amazing what happens to me, he tries to step back. My current club collapses, even if those responsible for training to do everything we can finish the season in juniors. At the same time, I find myself eating in the same room as Mr. Ferguson, with all its players. "He pauses before continuing, biting his wrist:" I think I'm a little young to think about all this . For now, though I really want to finish my training at Payerne. "
Contacted by many clubs have their Alemannic and foreign-to go do some tests, it was Manchester United that he decided to try his luck. "It is through my agent, a Luxembourg national who lives in Zurich, as it happened, he says. Several recruiters from Manchester had seen me play this fall, especially in a match of the Swiss team of M16 against Italy. "
Manchester, as a family
Neuchâtelois the original Portuguese landed at Old Trafford in January with his father and his agent. He trains all week with the M18 in Manchester, playing one game with the M16 and the club even offers a workout with the keepers of the first team. Joel Dinis Pereira Castro is pretty quiet when he tells his experience. It would almost want to keep it to himself, lest it disappear or fear that everything stops. Yet it is real.
February 27 to March 3, Manchester United wants to see him again at work in his den. "We feel that this is a family there, he says. At noon, everyone eats together, whether one is M18, or reservist of the first team. Alex Ferguson enters, and greets everyone comes to eat with us. Nobody seems above the other, that's what hit me. I have not spoken with him because I was intimidated and my English, it's not that. But my father and the agent discussed, mainly the structure of training. "
Fan of Benfica and Real
One week after England, the adoption Broyard went on a training course in Valencia with the Swiss team of M16. Suffice to say it had wings. Again, he wants to try to go as far as possible. Huge fan of Benfica and Real Madrid, a temperature measurement was made may have on this side, too. "There, I said nothing, 'says he mischievously. "Since his childhood, I dream of becoming a pro, he slips again. Today is also still a dream ... "He touched a finger. I