It's a terrible situation."He was with his Brazilian team-mates this week in Split for their 1-1 draw with Croatia, the last game before they have the chance to seal World Cup qualification against Chile on 4 September. What happened in England was terrible because the police don't know what might happen and they have to be aware all the time," he says "It was a big, big mistake and the impact in Brazil was big People were very shocked about what happened. Some were scared, not about what happened to the guy but especially about the terrorist attacks."The story about the police's mistake was in the Brazilian press and people were very shocked. But it's difficult because in one way you think about the family of the person who was shot dead, but also the police are concerned because they don't know when something might happen, where and who it will be.
Beyond the occasional mandolin lesson, he has little contact with the Brazilian expatriate community in London, but he said that the repercussions in his native country had been serious."It was a difficult situation for the police as well. He has been toughened by a childhood that was not spent in academies or summer soccer schools but working to support a family in factory and quarry jobs that few of his new neighbours in Enfield would contemplate, let alone the average Premiership footballer.It was back to Minas Gerais that he headed last season to recover from a back injury that, at one point, threatened his career and has meant the loss of his place in the Brazil team. He spends his time looking after his children, strumming on his mandolin and, following this month's sale of Patrick Vieira to Juventus, contemplating a new role as the senior man in an Arsenal midfield that is increasingly reliant on the young and inexperienced players of the club's future. Tomorrow will be the first serious test for Arsenal's life beyond Vieira and no one knows better than their Brazilian midfielder that it is an opportunity to strike a mighty blow against the cult of success that Jose Mourinho has built up at Chelsea. He may be a World Cup winner, but Gilberto is still a footballer who has the Ars? Wenger identity: thoughtful, ambitious and with a hard edge. His friends still talk in awe of the reaction, of the people who had travelled from other towns just to see him, of the excitement of the occasion. There's no pressure on the people of Enfield, but if Arsenal win at Stamford Bridge tomorrow, they've got a lot to live up to when it comes to a fitting homecoming reception for their new neighbour. It is in that north London suburb that this 28-year-old international midfielder now lives contentedly with his family, a shy, serious man, with a deep feeling for the responsibility of his job and a real affinity for the club he serves.
When Gilberto Silva returned to his village of Usina Luciania in the south-eastern Brazilian region of Minas Gerais with a World Cup winner's medal three years ago, they shut the shops, emptied the school and came on to the streets to welcome home a local hero whose achievements had astonished that simple rural community. Given his lengthy suspension, and recent contract dispute, the jury remains out on Ferdinand but on Veron the verdict was clear. The Argentinian flopped, first at Manchester United, who lost £13m on him, then Chelsea who also lost a fortune."It will not be a problem to adapt," said Essien, who succeeds new team-mate Didier Drogba as Africa's most expensive footballer. "I know the language and have friends here so it will be easy." When asked to compare himself with Patrick Vieira and Steven Gerrard he insisted: "Every one has his own style of play."Essien's own style will soon be apparent but it is on his substance he will be judged.. Big teams want to buy big players and those clubs want to keep their players and they demand a lot of money. They make it hard and difficult to negotiate."Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas certainly drove a hard bargain Two seasons ago, Lyon paid Bastia £5m for Essien. Since then he has won two Ligue 1 titles and been voted player of the year in France by his peers but he has never played in a World Cup or reached the last four of the Champions' League."The size of fee doesn't matter," insisted Essien but it does, it raises expectations.
