Tomás Händel: Missed Porto move left me frustrated | OneFootball

Tomás Händel spoke about the transfer to FC Porto that fell through on the last day of the market and how he managed to bounce back to seek a new opportunity.

You were very close to leaving Vitória for FC Porto, but the move didn't happen. How did you react?

– It was difficult. I felt frustrated. Anyone who says they handle it well is lying. When we realize that something could happen and it was so close—and it would be beneficial for us and for the club—we start to plan. It's natural to feel disappointed when things don't materialize. In football, everything happens very quickly and you live intensely in the present; if we dwell on what didn't happen, even if it's not our fault, we end up missing the train. I knew I had to keep working. It wasn't the first time I could have left and it had happened before. The president was impeccable with me, as were the vice-president and the coach. I am very grateful for the support they gave me.

Were you able to bounce back?

– I followed the natural course of things. I could have dwelled on what could have been—my career would have changed, not only professionally but also financially. It could have been an interesting leap. And, naturally, when that doesn't happen, we think "will the opportunity come again?". In my mind, the only way for it to happen again is to repeat the same performance. If I caught attention, I have to keep doing it. I've always had the mentality to look forward and that was also due to the family structure that supported me a lot. It was mainly that: returning to work, showing resilience, and maintaining the same attitude.

– [Smiles] I didn't think again that the opportunity would slip away because I was convinced that I would leave. Whatever the proposals for Vitória in the summer, I felt I would leave the club in this market. So, I wasn't afraid of losing it. I am, however, always cautious in choosing; I want to decide well, as it is the next step in my career. And I believe the choice I made was the right one.

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