A nice article of DIDA !!
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=331784&cc=5901
Dida all fired up
Dan Brennan
'A night to forget for sports lovers,' was how AC Milan's goalkeeper Dida summed up events at the San Siro two weeks ago, after the aborted second leg of the Champions League quarter final with neighbours Inter.
It was not, though, a night that he has been able to forget.
The match was abandoned 17 minutes from the end after the Brazilian was struck on the shoulder by a firework thrown by an Inter fan. Milan, leading 3-0 on aggregate, were confirmed as victors. And Dida was lucky to escape without serious injury.
He has since bounced back, and last Sunday added to an impressive tally of clean sheets, as AC Milan saw off Parma 3-0 in Serie A. But while he says that there was no physical effects, events in the Inter match have cast a shadow.
'Physically yes [I am fully recovered], but not mentally. I was really shocked by what happened, because that incident showed that we are exposed to anything on the pitch.
'In the first moments [after being struck by the firework], I was in a state of confusion. I'd never have thought that something like that was going to be thrown at me.
'In Brazil, I was used to the crowds going wild, but I never experienced things like that being thrown at the players. Things get thrown on the pitch, yes, but never for the purpose of hitting a player. There was no doubt that in this case, they were aiming for me.'
If opposing team fans have felt the need to aim missiles at Dida, it is in part an unwelcome reflection of the fact that opposing players faced with his imposing presence have mainly fired blanks. Dida has been near invincible in Milan's double-pronged challenge in Serie A and in Europe this season. He has not conceded a goal in the Champions League since 2 November.
That makes 520 unbeaten minutes - an awesome record which even Chelsea's Petr Cech would envy, and one that leaves PSV Eindhoven in little doubt of the task ahead if they are to find a way through.
The 31 year old keeper is not paying too much attention to what the stat crunchers have to say, though, and he is quick to dispel notions that his many clean sheets are down to him alone.
'The only reason I know about that statistic is because I read something like that in the press, and of course it makes me proud. But sometimes it's better not to hear things like that because it does tend to create extra pressure. As soon as I'm out on the pitch I feel great, because you tend to forget about anything that isn't relevant. What a player wants is to do his job right for the team, and bring happiness to the supporters, that's where the real personal joy comes from.
'As for my record, it is not something I have been able to achieve on my own, only with the help of the whole team. The defenders, midfielders and forwards all play their part in keeping a clean sheet.'
For all the international acclaim long enjoyed by its outfield players, there was a time when Brazil's goalkeepers were the butt of similar jokes to their Scottish counterparts.
Not any more. And that is in large measure thanks to the high levels of consistency displayed by Dida, who is now regarded as one of Europe's premier shotstoppers.
He says that Brazil has, in fact, long been producing good keepers, but reckons some have made the mistake of pursuing the European dream before their time.
'It's true that some Brazilians have had trouble adapting to life and football in Europe, but Brazil has always produced very good goalkeepers.
'You can't generalise - it all comes down to the individual, we don't all think or feel the same. So I can only really talk about my own experience, though I would say that sometimes players are in too much of a hurry to get to Europe, and come here before they are ready for it. That wasn't true in my case. I spent a long time thinking it over and only took the plunge when I felt I was completely prepared for it.'
To underline his point, Dida's opposite number on Tuesday night, Heurelho Gomes, is a fellow Brazilian, who has himself been having a fine season in Europe.
Dida adds that it helps when you can survey your area and spy defenders of the calibre and experience of Maldini and Cafu.
'Yes! They have been a lot of help. Playing in front of players like that it is easy to feel calm. I've been very lucky in that we reached a total understanding on the pitch almost immediately.
'I don't talk too much on the pitch. What can I say to players who have so much experience? I only really speak up for free kicks and corners though.
'My Italian isn't bad, but most of my teammates understand when I speak Portuguese. And having Cafu is a very big help to me, because he speaks fluent Italian and Spanish.'
Inter coach Roberto Mancini recently paid Dida the complement of describing him as 'almost unbeatable'. He says though that there are still aspects of his game that he would like to improve.
'I think my style, which is to stay calm at all times, especially after making a mistake, is something that really helps me. But if there is one area I think I need to improve on is coming out more to claim aerial ball from the wings.'
Ever since his penalty shoot-out heroics in the 2003 Champions League final helped ensure that AC Milan beat Juventus, Dida has acquired something of a rep as a spot kick specialist. But, he claims, there really is no sure-fire recipe behind his success.
'I used to study penalty takers on the opposing teams and make sure I knew what they did the last time they took a spot kick. But the reality is that good penalty specialists change their approach from one match to the next, so mostly I just look at their face and try to guess from their eyes what they are going to do.
'But the truth is that there is no such thing as an unbeatable keeper. Just like there is no such thing as an unbeatable team'.
