Coach who saved Emerson Royal’s career sends message to Flamengo | OneFootball

Coluna do Fla Report: Elio Sizenando, Emerson Royal's Coach at Ponte Preta, Talks About the Player's Past

By: Rodrigo Lima and Pedro Paulo Catonho

Emerson Royal's gift is Flamengo, but when he arrived at Mengão, the right-back made a point of remembering his past, specifically at the beginning of his football career. In one of the moments, the athlete mentioned the name of Elio Sizenando, the coach who gave him his first opportunities at Ponte Preta. Given this situation, the Coluna do Fla reporting team spoke with the professional to understand a little more about the current number 22 rubro-negro.

Elio Sizenando, current coach of Pouso Alegre-MG, fondly remembered Emerson Royal's first steps. In the chat, the coach recalled the player's arrival at Ponte Preta and spoke about the promise he made when the player broke his arm and was afraid of being dismissed from the team.

“He was very down with that injury, complaining a lot in the 'DM' worried and afraid of being sent away. But the physiotherapist spoke with me and I calmed him down, saying that he wouldn't be sent away. That I would wait for him to recover and promised that he would go to the Copa BH. I managed to change his mindset at that moment”, he concluded.

HOW DID EMERSON ROYAL'S CAREER BEGIN?

Since his first opportunities in Ponte Preta's youth categories, Elio saw great potential in Emerson Royal. In the 'review' with the Coluna do Fla reporting team, the coach highlighted some of the player's strong points and also made it clear that the player could have played in other positions throughout his career.

“Emerson's stride and technical quality caught my attention a lot. You could see his potential in marking and arriving in attack from behind. He could have even played in more positions throughout his career, as he is a versatile player”, he emphasized, before concluding:

“We see players with potential, but it's not certain. I helped several players during my time at Ponte Preta. One of them was Fabinho, who played for Liverpool (ENG) and now plays in Saudi Arabia. I saw a lot of potential in Emerson. Arrival, marking, good aerial power. In 2016, there was a competition in Rio Grande do Sul, where he stood out a lot, and that's when he caught the attention of the national team. That's when his career took off”, he concluded.

HOW DOES ELIO SINCEZANO SEE EMERSON ROYAL'S CAREER?

Elio Sinezando also commented on Emerson Royal's trajectory in European football. In the coach's view, the player made the right choice by choosing Flamengo for his return to Brazilian football. The professional even highlighted that Filipe Luís can be a key piece in the player's 'turning point'.

“He didn't manage to develop, but I believe that at Flamengo he can return to performing well. Because he's more mature, his return to Brazilian football, and choosing Flamengo, he can return to being competitive. The young coach like Filipe Luís can be part of his formation on the flank, even more so with the team being very offensive. Playing for Flamengo isn't easy, but I believe he can achieve this turning point”, Elio said.

SEE OTHER ANSWERS FROM ELIO SINZENANO ABOUT EMERSON ROYAL

P: With Emerson Royal's characteristics, does he have everything to fit in with Flamengo's team? How can he fit in with Filipe Luís' team?

R: “He will fit in, as Filipe Luís likes full-backs who defend well and arrive well in attack. He will know how to understand Emerson well, like he did with Wesley. He is a surprise full-back. This arrival at Flamengo will do well for both the player and the club.”

P: Did you recently talk to Emerson Royal? What is your bond with him like today?

R: “I spoke with Emerson a month ago, I have a very good bond with him. We exchange ideas about everything. I've already talked to him about positioning. He's a very simple and humble guy, we always talk. He always has the habit of asking me what I think of his performances.”

P: What message do you leave for Emerson Royal at the beginning of his trajectory with Flamengo?

R: “My message to Emerson is that he can understand as quickly as possible what Flamengo is, one of the biggest teams in the world. That he is open to learning. He comes to fight for titles, which is important, and that he wants to learn to continue having success in his career. If he succeeds at Flamengo, with the lack of full-backs in Brazil, he will certainly be able to return to the Brazilian national team.”

HOW DID EMERSON ROYAL ARRIVE AT FLAMENGO?

Emerson Royal arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday morning (26). Still, on the same day, the right-back underwent medical tests and signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with Mengão. Thus, on Sunday (27), the player, along with Saúl Ñíguez, had their first contact with the fans at Maracanã. Finally, on Tuesday (29), the player's official presentation will take place at 14:30 (Brasília time) at the CT Ninho do Urubu.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.