Peluang Nazmi beraksi dalam ujian di Portugal direalisasikan oleh Marco Guimaraes, ejen FIFA dari Football Management International. Selama ini saya fikirkan ia adalah usaha FAM, rupanya bukan.
"Saya ada impian yang besar. Yang utama bagi saya ialah apa yang berlaku di atas padang," kata Nazmi.
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CONFIDENT: Youngster promises to give his best in Portugal
IT first felt like a dream when I was told that a Portuguese club wanted me at their base in Aveiro for trials.
I told myself that I shouldn't waste this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and took it as it came. I tried my best during the three-day trial and although their players were bigger and stronger, I did not want these physical elements to stop me from chasing my dreams.
I did enough to make a huge impression and the club agreed to sign me on for a three-year deal until 2015. I was lost for words... I just couldn't react at first. It was all happening too fast and I needed time to digest the good news.
When I was young, I always dreamt of becoming a professional but of course, the idea of playing football in Europe never really crossed my mind as it is so difficult for locals to break into their leagues.
The day had come for the signing ceremony and as I penned down my signature on the pre-contract agreement, I took a deep breath to make sure it was not a dream. And finally the deal was sealed.
And in silence, I promised myself not to waste this opportunity as this was the first step towards having a career in Europe. I have been informed to report for training on July 6.
I will need to stay focused and disciplined all the time and give 100 per cent in training. As a new player with the club, I will need to give extra to gain confidence and also the trust of my teammates.
I will not allow outside factors to affect my career and most importantly, remain focused and guided at all times. My agent Marco Guimaraes has also cautioned me about the many elements that could affect me.
But I have big dreams. The only thing that matters most to me is what goes on the playing field. My coach (Ong Kim Swee) will travel with me to Aveiro to help me settle down for a week but after that I will be on my own. I am looking forward to this opportunity.
The club will provide me a place to stay and of course, my other main agenda apart from football will be the language.
During my short time in Portugal, I picked up a few words as some are very similar to Bahasa Malaysia. I believe I will be able to pick up the language quickly.
My future teammates helped me with common Portuguese terms used for football matches but of course, I will need to brush up on them. And food will not be a problem as there are many halal restaurants in Aveiro.
The club will expect me to get adapted to their kind of football when I join them. Although I will be training with their first team, I will likely start my football with their junior team as part of the process to get myself acclimatised with Portuguese football.
I have also been told to build more body mass and muscles. I have to admit I look small when I stand next to any of their players.
I will need to work extra hard to reduce the disparity. It all depends on me and how I approach these challenges. I am confident about overcoming them." -- As told to Ajitpal Singh
* Nazmi's trial in Portugal was made possible by Football Management International director Marco Guimaraes, a Fifa agent, who spotted the teenager in the S-League.
NST
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