Sandro’s refreshing maturity will serve Tottenham well
Concluding the worst kept transfer secret of the season, Internacional President Vitorio Piffero’s confirmation of Brazilian midfielder Sandro’s forthcoming summer switch to Tottenham Hotspur in March of this year put paid to months of speculation. The 21-year-old, who is moving to Spurs for a fee of £14m, has recently revealed that he is already preparing for life at White Hart Lane by undergoing adaptation work with a psychologist ahead of his August move.
The impending signing of the highly-rated young Brazilian has already excited fans of the Lilywhites, and his comments will no doubt have furthered the levels of anticipation amongst Spurs fans. Capped once already for his national side, Sandro was unlucky not to have made coach Dunga’s 23-man squad for the World Cup finals after been named in the provisional 30-man squad. Having already admitted that he favoured a switch to Tottenham over fierce rivals Arsenal, Sandro’s latest remarks will have helped to further endear himself to the expecting White Hart Lane faithful, with his recent preparation demonstrating a real desire to ensure a successful start to his career at Tottenham.
Aside from an early indication of passion and commitment to the Tottenham cause, Sandro’s actions serve to highlight a real sense of maturity within the 21-year-old. History is littered with examples of young South American players failing to settle in Europe, and the midfielder has acknowledged this, stating that, “There are lots of players who have moved to Europe but returned immediately as they couldn’t adapt to their new countries. I know I will suffer and I’m going to have some difficulties when I move to London but I want to be prepared for that moment. I’m going to fight and stays in Europe.I don’t want to be a six-week wonder and then return home, like many Brazilian and South American players do. I want to make my career there and then return to Brazil – but only after I have achieved all my goals in Europe.”
The cultural differences existing between England and South America are gargantuan, and it’s unsurprising that many young men struggle to successfully make the transition. Aside from the obvious differences in language and weather, the nature of the game differs greatly between the two different environments, and an inability to acclimatise to both the game and life in a new country can both contribute to a failure to adapt. The disappointing English tenures of the likes of Juan Sebastian Veron and Robinho have both demonstrated that even experienced players who have plied their trade elsewhere in Europe struggle to get to the grips with the English culture and game.
Harry Redknapp will be delighted by the mentality of his new acquisition, with Sandro’s pre-emptive actions refreshingly alluding to maturity beyond his young years. Both the player and manager alike will be determined to make sure that the 21-year-old’s transition to the English game is as smooth as possible, and it seems that the midfielder’s determination and sensibility will go a long way towards ensuring that this is the case.
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