Anderson story is a fairy-tale after his grim start
The only Brazilian to play for Manchester United failed to last the
distance, hampered by an introverted personality and inability to
stamp his influence on Sir Alex Fergusons squad. But while World
Cup winner Kleberson left with his reputation in bits, it is
unlikely that his countryman Anderson will lack confidence when he
joins the Premiership champions for pre-season work next
month.
His father died when he was nine and, as the eldest son, he was
effectively head of his family by the time his mother, Doralice,
sent him to join 130 boys at a residential football academy at the
age of 14. Then he made a promise to those he left behind in the
Brazilian city of Porto Alegre. "Everyone will see me on TV one
day," he proclaimed. "I will one day buy a house for my mother and
a football pitch for the kids in this neighbourhood.
Perhaps Andersons sense of self-worth is understandable. He was,
after all, only 11 when the agents and club officials started to
knock on his mothers door, enquiring about the kid they had begun
to call the "new Pele". Since then the moniker has been updated.
Now hes the "new Ronaldinho" and in South America they insist that
the latter comparison is more appropriate.
Anderson has built his reputation not just on scoring goals but
also on his ability to direct the pattern of a game in a nomadic
role behind a more traditional centre forward. It helps, of course,
that he is from the same town as Ronaldinho and began his
professional career at the same club, Gremio. As a 16-year-old
youth team player, Anderson was handed his first-team chance
seemingly out of nowhere. Again there was a touch of self-promotion
about his elevation.
Sitting in the club canteen, first-team coach Cuca noticed an
unfamiliar kid staring at himself in the mirror with a mobile phone
in each hand. Cuca asked: "Do you need two mobile phones to play
football?" Andersons reply was instant. "If I have two mobile
phones its because Ive never had one before," he said. "I deserve
them. I bought them with my own money. "If I want five mobile
phones I am going to have five. I dont care what others think. "I
am called Anderson. Ask me what you want. I have already played in
Spain, France, Germany, England. I play for Brazil juniors. I have
scored more than 40 goals." One wonders how United manager Ferguson
would have reacted to such a torrent of self-justification but at
Gremio it was enough to seal Anderson a berth in the first
team.
Cuca recalled: "I cant explain why but it was just a hunch of
mine. He had a promising future and the best references possible. I
put him in the team." Andersons debut was a losing one, 3-1
against Internacional. But the Gremio goal, a free-kick, came from
his right foot and his subsequent rise to prominence in his own
country and before long in Europe was swift.
Perhaps what makes Uniteds £21million investment in Anderson who
agreed his move from Portuguese club Porto this week so
remarkable is that he has played fewer than 30 senior club matches.
Despite helping Gremio into Brazils top division in his only
season there, much of his time was spent playing for the Brazil
team that he helped to a runners-up position in the Under-17 World
Cup in 2005.
In his one-and-half seasons at Porto he played just 18 times. A
knee injury sidelined him for much of the clubs recent
championship-winning campaign. But Porto chairman Jorge Nuno Pinto
da Costa believes Anderson will be a success in the Premier League.
"I wish him happiness at Manchester United, he will have a great
career there," said Da Costa. "It will be a great challenge for him
to play in the same team as players like Cristiano Ronaldo and
Wayne Rooney. But he will make his mark, just as he did
here."
Portos return on their initial £3.75m investment in the striker,
now 19, is remarkable. A profit of £17m in just two years
represents good business by anybodys standards. For Anderson, life
in Manchester will complete a rapid rise from his humble
beginnings. At Gremio, his modest wages were sent home to his
mother, whose income from her two jobs one as a seamstress, one
in a créche were not enough to support her young family. "I
wouldnt swap that experience for anything in the world," recalled
Anderson recently. "I learned discipline and organisation and
responsibility. It helped me grow."
Andersons family mother, brothers and a sister eventually
lived with him in Portugal and it is likely to be the same in
Manchester. But soon he will join another family the full
Brazilian national squad for the first time. Uniteds latest star
has been selected by coach Dunga for the Copa America.
Will Anderson be daunted? It seems unlikely.
