Today, Real Betis winger Antony spoke to Camel Live in an interview, during which he opened up about his past experience of leaving Manchester United.
On Leaving Manchester United
That was a really tough time. I reported for duty on the 14th, and then trained alone there for over a month. It was an extremely difficult period – naturally, I was scared that things wouldn’t work out in the end. Fortunately, though, everything finally got sorted on the last day of the transfer window.
My dad and I stayed in a hotel for over 40 days. The team trained in the morning, so I could only go to train at 5 PM… I’m really grateful for the tough things I’ve been through, including everything I encountered in England. I think these experiences have made me a better person.
Q: Was the night of the transfer deadline the toughest night of your career?
A: It was indeed extremely tough, because I had no idea if the transfer would actually happen. If I remember correctly, it wasn’t finally confirmed until 3 AM – over in England, that was already the middle of the night. Me, my brother, my agent, and my dad – we were all really nervous, anxiously waiting for the result.
Like I said before, Bayern also got in touch with me the night before, but by then I had almost completely finalized things with Betis.
Q: Did Bayern’s offer make you waver?
A: It did make me waver – it would be a lie to say it didn’t. After all, it’s a big, powerful club, and we did have contact. But like I mentioned earlier, by then things were 95% finalized with Betis, so it was basically a done deal.
On Feeling Disrespected
I’ve never liked getting involved in controversies, and I don’t like naming names either – even in this interview, I won’t mention anyone’s name. But I think at Man Utd, some people there lacked a bit of respect and even basic manners. They wouldn’t even say greetings like “good morning” or “good afternoon” to me. But like I said, all that is in the past now.
On Why His Performances at Man Utd Fell Short of Expectations
I’ve always been someone who dares to face up to responsibility. In my opinion, some off-field factors greatly affected my performances on the pitch. I know what kind of potential and ability I have – getting the chance to play in the World Cup wasn’t by accident, and returning to the national team is definitely not by luck either. I’m willing to take responsibility for not succeeding at Man Utd and not delivering the performances I hoped for.
But like I often say, you have to look on the bright side of everything. My time at Man Utd made it necessary for me to re-examine myself. If I had been physically and mentally exhausted when I first arrived at Man Utd, I might have fallen into even deeper confusion later on. I’m really grateful to God for bringing me back to reality – letting me see my roots clearly, and making me understand what I gave up and lost for my dreams. For example, I missed my son’s first steps just because I was too far away and couldn’t be with him.
Q: As a “100-million-euro player”, do you think this label puts too much pressure on you?
A: I understand that because of my transfer fee, I have corresponding responsibilities. But I also know I did my best to live up to that value. I tried not to focus on the fee itself and to ignore as much of the external noise around it as possible. As I said before, I think many off-field issues caused me a lot of trouble, and that ultimately led to my performances not reaching the level they should have.
Q: If you could turn back time, would your experience at Man Utd be different?
A: No. Like I said before, everything happens for a reason. Going to Man Utd was God’s will – it was to let me learn all the things I’ve talked about and experienced, to make me a better person and a better father. Before joining Man Utd, I almost signed a contract with Liverpool, but everything happens for a reason, and fate led me to Man Utd. At Man Utd, I went through negative times, but I also lifted a trophy and had great experiences. So I have no regrets.
On Whether Turbulence at Ajax and Man Utd Hurt Him
I don’t think so. Not long ago, my brother and I talked about this – we were probably still in England at the time. My life always seems to be full of twists and turns; many things only get decided at the last minute, which makes it really tough. In fact, this has been the case since my youth team days. When I played for São Paulo, I was almost cut by the team. I barely made it to the first team at the last minute, but then I was sent down again. So my life has always been full of challenges, but thank God, He has always guided me on the right path.
Today, Real Betis winger Antony spoke to Camel Live in an interview, during which he opened up about his past experience of leaving Manchester United.
On Leaving Manchester United
That was a really tough time. I reported for duty on the 14th, and then trained alone there for over a month. It was an extremely difficult period – naturally, I was scared that things wouldn’t work out in the end. Fortunately, though, everything finally got sorted on the last day of the transfer window.
My dad and I stayed in a hotel for over 40 days. The team trained in the morning, so I could only go to train at 5 PM… I’m really grateful for the tough things I’ve been through, including everything I encountered in England. I think these experiences have made me a better person.
Q: Was the night of the transfer deadline the toughest night of your career?
A: It was indeed extremely tough, because I had no idea if the transfer would actually happen. If I remember correctly, it wasn’t finally confirmed until 3 AM – over in England, that was already the middle of the night. Me, my brother, my agent, and my dad – we were all really nervous, anxiously waiting for the result.
Like I said before, Bayern also got in touch with me the night before, but by then I had almost completely finalized things with Betis.
Q: Did Bayern’s offer make you waver?
A: It did make me waver – it would be a lie to say it didn’t. After all, it’s a big, powerful club, and we did have contact. But like I mentioned earlier, by then things were 95% finalized with Betis, so it was basically a done deal.
On Feeling Disrespected
I’ve never liked getting involved in controversies, and I don’t like naming names either – even in this interview, I won’t mention anyone’s name. But I think at Man Utd, some people there lacked a bit of respect and even basic manners. They wouldn’t even say greetings like “good morning” or “good afternoon” to me. But like I said, all that is in the past now.
On Why His Performances at Man Utd Fell Short of Expectations
I’ve always been someone who dares to face up to responsibility. In my opinion, some off-field factors greatly affected my performances on the pitch. I know what kind of potential and ability I have – getting the chance to play in the World Cup wasn’t by accident, and returning to the national team is definitely not by luck either. I’m willing to take responsibility for not succeeding at Man Utd and not delivering the performances I hoped for.
But like I often say, you have to look on the bright side of everything. My time at Man Utd made it necessary for me to re-examine myself. If I had been physically and mentally exhausted when I first arrived at Man Utd, I might have fallen into even deeper confusion later on. I’m really grateful to God for bringing me back to reality – letting me see my roots clearly, and making me understand what I gave up and lost for my dreams. For example, I missed my son’s first steps just because I was too far away and couldn’t be with him.
Q: As a “100-million-euro player”, do you think this label puts too much pressure on you?
A: I understand that because of my transfer fee, I have corresponding responsibilities. But I also know I did my best to live up to that value. I tried not to focus on the fee itself and to ignore as much of the external noise around it as possible. As I said before, I think many off-field issues caused me a lot of trouble, and that ultimately led to my performances not reaching the level they should have.
Q: If you could turn back time, would your experience at Man Utd be different?
A: No. Like I said before, everything happens for a reason. Going to Man Utd was God’s will – it was to let me learn all the things I’ve talked about and experienced, to make me a better person and a better father. Before joining Man Utd, I almost signed a contract with Liverpool, but everything happens for a reason, and fate led me to Man Utd. At Man Utd, I went through negative times, but I also lifted a trophy and had great experiences. So I have no regrets.
On Whether Turbulence at Ajax and Man Utd Hurt Him
I don’t think so. Not long ago, my brother and I talked about this – we were probably still in England at the time. My life always seems to be full of twists and turns; many things only get decided at the last minute, which makes it really tough. In fact, this has been the case since my youth team days. When I played for São Paulo, I was almost cut by the team. I barely made it to the first team at the last minute, but then I was sent down again. So my life has always been full of challenges, but thank God, He has always guided me on the right path.
On the World Cup
Playing in the World Cup has always been my dream. I was lucky enough to play in one before – that was an incredibly great experience: being able to represent my country and play for one of the best national teams in the world. So for me, getting to play in the World Cup again is still a dream. I came here to play freely on the pitch and show my ability. If God wills it, I hope to get the chance to play in the World Cup again – that’s a dream every player has.
Playing in the World Cup has always been my dream. I was lucky enough to play in one before – that was an incredibly great experience: being able to represent my country and play for one of the best national teams in the world. So for me, getting to play in the World Cup again is still a dream. I came here to play freely on the pitch and show my ability. If God wills it, I hope to get the chance to play in the World Cup again – that’s a dream every player has.
