Now working for Casa Pia, Afonso Taira praised the nine players who represented Belenenses against Benfica on Saturday.
Afonso Taira, a former Belenenses player – who started his season at the Bwin League emblem -, now with Casa Pia, left an emotional message to the nine players who represented the club on Saturday against Benfica, a game counting for 12. The 1st round of the Bwin League, marked by much controversy and which would end shortly after the start of the second half, with a 0-7 score and Belenenses not having enough players to continue with the game.
“I don’t even want to imagine the amount of information, opinion, consequence and repercussion that this moment will bring to Portuguese football. That is not my role with this publication. Nor will I make a publication in black and white, for a very simple reason : these nine players who were on the field cannot be eclipsed in any way. They were, without a doubt, the most difficult 45 minutes of their professional lives, and everything must have crossed their minds”, he began by writing, leaving later lots of praise to each one.
“I will now speak directly to them, after all I shared a bathhouse and four lines with each one. I admire you. Your composure and bravery, you were vulnerable in an unprecedented way. I want everyone to know that these 45 minutes they are proof of your professionalism, which for me and anyone else who walks in football deserves infinite credit. I also want you to know that I suffered with you. I believe I was not the only one who suffered. I also want you to know that despite football be important to the point of moving forward after today, I will not forget seeing you sacrifice yourself. I hope that whoever saw you today will not forget either”, added Taira, concluding afterwards:
“I can’t in any way say that today it made you better footballers, better professionals or better people, but I can say that you deserve respect and recognition of the value of your presence on the field today by everyone around you. Today. , were worthy despite having lived an unworthy situation. Tomorrow is another day.”
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