It may not have amounted to an announcement of an engagement, but it was clear both suitor and the object of its interest expressed a strong liking for each other.

The suitor is South Melbourne Football club and the pursued is former Brazilian and Real Madrid star Roberto Carlos who South is hoping will become its inaugural A-League team coach should the club gain an A-League License.

Carlos visited Melbourne and Lakeside earlier this week for a three day visit which gave him the chance to meet SMFC officials, and gain first-hand knowledge of the club, its facilities and its culture.

It was clear at the press conference held at Lakeside on Monday, that both parties made a strong and favourable impression on each other.
Looking dapper in a suit and tie, the trim Carlos, flanked by SMFC officials Bill Papastergiadis and Leo Athanasakis addressed the gathered throng through a translator. Amongst the gathering of media, SMFC officials and club associates were current senior coach Chris Taylor and South’s former Brazilian star Fernando De Moraes, who was probably more excited than anyone else to be in the presence of his fellow countryman. Carlos acknowledged the club’s proud history, it’s continued present success, and its future goals.

He told the gathering “I would like to thank the club for inviting me. I’m very curious and excited to see Australia. What I’ve seen here, it’s moved me. I’m very happy with what I’ve seen, the (football) complex and the people. The most important thing now is for the club to go to the A-League and that together we can make more history.”

“My life is football and always has been. I’ve had the fortune to be involved with the biggest football institution in the world and win. My idea is to keep winning, If I go to a club and become married to a project, I go to win. Or when I see an academy, I don’t just want to teach kids to play football but to have a winning mentality as well. To dream.”

“What I’ve seen here has gratified me a lot. When you have the idea of winning to form champions, to try and sign up the best players you can, when I’ve noticed that the club is very ambitious and has a winning mentality, that has satisfied me.”

Sitting alongside Roberto Carlos at the press conference was Bill Papastergiadis, Chairman of SMFC ‘s A-League advisory board. Papastergiadis said that Carlos’s journey to Australia as a guest of SMFC proved that South was prepared to back up the big and bold statements it had made about its future. He told the gathering, “ [South] is a club that’s not prepared to sit on its hands. It’s a club prepared to invest in the future. It recognises its current place in the football status in this country but at the same time, it’s a club which needs to continue to evolve. Football doesn’t remain static in this country. As part of evolving we need to bring the best and brightest beside us. That means Chris Taylor has a future and a place with us, but it also means we’re going to scout some of the best to participate. So we made some big statements. We’re backing them up. Roberto’s made his journey to Australia under some difficult personal circumstances in recent times. He’s expressed his commitment to coach this club when this club makes it into the A-League. So let’s be clear about something here. This club is committed to making it to the A-League. It’s committed to bringing back to football the notion of community. It’s not a business. It’s not a franchise. It’s a real club, mens, womens, boys and girls and that investment is throughout the entire spectrum. And Roberto Carlos is a fantastic fit for that.”

Papastergiadis maintains that SMFC is a club which deserves to be in the A-League but at the same time he didn’t dismiss the possibility of the club becoming a foundation member of a B-League if that preceded A-League expansion. “We’re ready, willing and able to participate in the B-League when it’s ready to be formed. We will agitate for that..”

Roberto Carlos then deftly sidestepped a question of whether he would be willing to coach SMFC if instead of gaining a A-League license first up, it became a foundation member of a B-League. He replied, “ I think the idea of having a B-League is a very good idea. Do I have to play?” he asked before turning to current senior coach Chris Taylor and asking, “Chris, can I play for you?” To which Taylor responded , that the 44 year old Carlos could take the free kicks.

Carlos ended the conference the way he began reiterating the importance of the club joining the A-League. “It’s very important for the club to go to the A-League, to take the next step, and I’ll be happy to be along with that success.”

Later in the day Carlos supervised junior training sessions at Lakeside. His engagements also included a SMFC social event at Crown on Tuesday night before flying out. Carlos no doubt has left a good impression on SMFC but only time will tell, if this is the start of long beautiful partnership which can take South into the A-League.