Interview with Qingdao West Coast foreign aid Davidson: I believe that my family will like Qingdao very much, and I want to play until I am 40 years old

Reporter Chen Yong reports Three years ago, when Wuhan Three Towns staged the "Kaiserslautern Miracle" in Chinese football, the 31-year-old Davidson was one of the core players of the Three Towns to win the Chinese Super League championship at that time. Three years later, at the age of 34, Davidson joined Qingdao West Coast. The age has increased by three years, and the roles and positioning of the team have changed, but Davidson is still showing his might as he did three years ago. Looking at Davidson today, people can't help but think of the former Matthews - the veteran who said goodbye to the Chinese Super League at the age of 40.

In the first eight games of the season (one less on the West Coast), Davidson scored one goal and provided three assists, which is joint fourth in the league in assists. Not only that, but he is also at the top of the list when it comes to creating scoring chances and dribbling statistics. Unlike in Wuhan Three Towns, where he was more of an assaulter, on the west coast of Qingdao, he had to take on more defensive tasks than before while acting as a playmaker, so he also improved significantly in ground scrambles and tackles. Of course, it was impressive that he and his old partner Aziz formed a formidable attacking duo on the West Coast, with the latter scoring four goals and three assists, while Nelson Luz on the right flank also scored two.

A few days ago, Davidson accepted an exclusive interview with this newspaper, and he believes that the west coast of Qingdao is young and energetic, and the high-pressure tactical requirements are exactly what he likes. Talking about his career plans, Davidson said that he is feeling very good physically and has good running statistics, and his goal is to play until he is 40 years old.

◆Football: You've been doing really well since you returned to the Super League, scoring one goal and providing three assists, how do you assess your current form and the performance of the whole team?

Davidson: After joining Qingdao West Coast, I feel that this team is very dynamic and very competitive in the Chinese Super League, whether it is the desire to win on the field or the training off the field, all the players in the team are full of passion every day. We've had a lot of young players this year and they've done really well, overall the team is young and dynamic and everyone is doing very well with the manager's tactics.

◆In previous seasons you were very close in terms of goals and assists, and now it feels like you're more of a playmaker.

Being able to help the team is the most important thing, and if I have the opportunity to help my team-mates, I will use the assist, and if I need to score goals, then I will naturally do my best to score the ball. In Wuhan in 2022, we had Stanciu in midfield, who was more of a playmaker, and I was more of an attacker. At that time, there were also Malcom, Edmilson, Wallace in the lineup of Wuhan Three Towns, and domestic players such as Xie Pengfei and Deng Hanwen, etc., who had a lot of experience in the Chinese Super League and the national team. Now on the west coast of Qingdao, the tactical play and staffing are different from the previous Wuhan Three Towns, and in this case, I will be actively involved in the attack and more involved in the defense.

◆Qingdao West Coast often has high pressing, as a veteran, is there any pressure on the body?

For me, I prefer the high press that we have now because it brings us closer to the opposition goal and creates more chances. I don't care too much about my age, I pay attention to my body every day and do more individual training, including the running stats of the races now, and my stats are always at the top.

◆What kind of communication do you have with Shao Jiayi and Director Shao, and what kind of requirements does he have for you?

Director Shao will give us as much detail as possible about the opponent before each game, so that we can better understand the opponent's tactical play style and characteristics. We have a lot of young players with potential, and we are more inclined to switch play, and through this constant transformation, we can improve our position in defense and initiative in attack. Overall, Shao has brought a new style of play to our team and perfected his tactics through detailed analysis and guidance in daily training.

◆Football: Returning to the Chinese Super League after a year, do you feel that there is any change in this season's Super League compared to the 2023 season?

Davidson: If you compare Qingdao West Coast and Wuhan Three Towns, the two clubs are different in terms of goals, Wuhan Three Towns had a better configuration at that time and won the championship in the Chinese Super League, and Qingdao West Coast is a team in the second year of the Chinese Super League, so it is not easy to compare in this regard.

From the perspective of the entire Chinese Super League, Beijing Guoan, Shandong Taishan, Shanghai Shenhua, Shanghai Port and Chengdu Rongcheng, these five teams are all very good in strength and fierce competition, and the Chinese Super League is more mature and fierce than the 2023 season.

◆You must also be very concerned about the three towns of Wuhan, right?

Wuhan Three Towns is a team that I love very much, and I also paid close attention to the news of Three Towns after I left Wuhan for Turkey, after all, I played for Three Towns and made team history there.

◆In the 7th round of the Chinese Super League, Wuhan Three Towns fell behind Beijing Guoan 1-4 near the end of the game, and finally scored three goals in a row to chase a 4-4 draw.

It's shocking and I'm proud of my former teammates. This is probably the hallmark of the Chinese Super League, where every team has moments of outbursts and any slackness can lead to conceding a goal.

◆From your point of view, let's predict the championship situation of the Chinese Super League in the new season.

It's hard to predict, with a lot of competitive teams, league teams getting closer, and very intense competitions, the title race may not become clear until the final stages.

◆What are the goals of Qingdao West Coast?

From a team point of view, the goal is relegation, but from my goal, I naturally want to be the champion. We're going to go one step at a time, give it our all in every game, try to get a few more points in every game, and move towards the top of the table one step at a time.

◆Football: Was it a surprise to meet Aziz again in Qingdao?

Davidson: Initially it was my agent who told me that Aziz could be a target for the west coast of Qingdao. When I heard the news, I was very excited because old friends were meeting again. Actually, I've been in personal contact with Aziz, so I'm not a surprise, but I'm very happy. During the recruitment phase, we have also been exchanging information to confirm if and when the other side will come. Eventually, we met again in Qingdao.

◆You and Cressan have been rivals in Portugal before, did you know each other before? What did you talk about during the match against Tarzan?

We played against each other in Portugal and then we played a lot in China. In that match with Tarzan, I chatted with Cressan a little bit when I stepped on the field, and we also chatted for a while before the game. Cressan is a very good player, an ace. Unfortunately, he scored a hat-trick against us and we lost that game as well.

◆Do you have any good friends in China, and if you don't go back to Brazil during the break, where will you go in China?

I have made a lot of friends in China, such as Wei Shihao, Liu Dianzuo, Yan Dinghao, Ren Hang, etc., many cities. If I choose a city to visit, I will have a lot of choices, Chengdu, Shanghai, Wuhan are all very good.

◆In the summer, Wuhan and Chengdu are too hot, so they can come to Qingdao.

Yes, Qingdao has beaches.

◆From Wuhan to Qingdao, how is life?

My family really enjoyed living in Wuhan and haven't come to Qingdao yet, but it's coming soon, Brazilians love the beach and I'm sure they will love Qingdao as well.

◆In terms of your personal football plan, how long will you still play, given your age and physical condition?

I'm feeling really good right now, and if my body allows, I'll be playing until I'm 38 or 40. Now, age is no longer a limiting factor in a player's career, for example, Cristiano Ronaldo is now 40 years old, but he is still in very good shape. In Brazil, there are also many players in their 40s who still continue to run on the football field. As for me, if I feel good physically, I want to play as long as I can.

◆Speaking of which, it turns out that Matthews in Shijiazhuang and Zhejiang, do you understand? He was exactly 40 years old when he left Zhejiang.

Yes, when I came to the Chinese Super League, he played for Zhejiang FC and he was still very threatening, so the more important thing to decide if his career can continue is to maintain love and passion, to maintain good physical condition, age is not the most important issue.