Afonso Alves, Middlesbrough’s record £12 million signing, was welcomed to the Riverside Stadium today by a samba band, dancing girls and screaming supporters, which must have made a change from the gnashing of teeth. As Gareth Southgate conceded, on his previous encounter with the Brazil centre-forward, his budding managerial career was almost curtailed.
“We first became aware of Afonso in 2006 when we played Heerenveen in a pre-season friendly,” Southgate said. “David Wheater got himself sent off in the first five minutes, Afonso scored twice and we lost 4-0, so you could say he nearly got me sacked within two weeks of getting the job!
“They were a good side. We were alerted before the game to keep an eye on him, but I wasn’t able to sit back and enjoy his performance. After that, we were fire-fighting a little bit, but I kept an eye on him and we made enquiries about him last summer.
“He’s exactly what we need. You see a hunger in his game to get in the box. You judge a player of his style on his goals and that is an aspect that has been missing from our game.
“His scoring pedigree gives us something we have not had this season. He will compliment the quality of the midfield players we already have and he gives us someone with a proven track record.”
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Alves, 27, scored 45 goals in 40 appearances for the Dutch club. He has also mustered eight caps for his country, scoring once, and Southgate regards his capture following a protracted pursuit as a strong intimation of Middlesbrough’s ambition. Those ambitions have been questioned recently by Jonathan Woodgate, who left Teesside for Tottenham Hotspur last month.
There are also high hopes he can emulate the impact made by Juninho, who was voted Middlesbrough’s player of the century by supporters; Alves becomes the eighth Brazilian to represent the club.
“He has been in the Brazil squad for the last 18 months,” Southgate said, “and to bring in someone who is a current international for them is a coup for this club. There is never a guarantee as we are talking about human beings, but you look at the affinity we have had with Brazil and their footballers. It is a signing you don’t see on a regular basis.
“All the South American players have settled here and found it a second home. That is as important as anything for a player coming here. They find a home here. There’s no reason why he can’t have the same impact as Juninho. He was the top scorer in Europe last season and he joins at a time when the team are improving on the field.”
Alves is yet to learn English – he spoke through an interpreter – and his taciturn responses suggest that he would prefer his football to do the talking.
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“Only time will tell how long it takes me to settle, but I think I will gave my answers with goals,” he said. “I think it is a very good team here. I will take some time to adapt to the speed and the football here, but I will play my game and I will succeed in the end.
“The beginning will be hard, but I think I will score. It is natural to me and it will come after a while. In Holland, the football is a bit slower but we have a high quality in the Premier League and every team can win every game.
“There were several good clubs who wanted to sign me, but I wanted to come to the Premier League. I talked to Fabio Rochemback and he told me it was a very good club. I am a fast player and I love to counter attack. I think there are lots of players here who have good qualities and together we have the responsibility to win.”