Brazilian midfielder André Mortiz may not have stayed at Crystal Palace for long, but still holds a lot of affection for the club.
That was explained by the recently retired player in an interview with ESPN Brasil, where he recalled the season he spent at Selhurst Park.
Mortiz joined Crystal Palace in 2012, after ending up out of contract with Chinese side Mersin IY. In his first and only year in London, they won the Championship and got the promotion to the Premier League. He now claims he had unique treatment from the club fans during his season there.
“I have three shirts behind me, the three main ones in my career, of all the clubs I’ve played for, I have three main ones, which are Fluminense, Avaí and Crystal Palace. And I have an enormous love for the club. Because no fans have ever embraced me as much, thrown me up so much, appreciated me as much as the Crystal Palace fans have,” André Mortiz told ESPN Brasil
The former midfielder also talked about what impressed him the most while at Crystal Palace. That’s how hard the players used to work at the club, and that changed his mentality for the rest of his career.
“I learnt that I’ve always been a professional, I’ve always enjoyed training. But in England, training was at 9am, I arrived at 8am and everyone was in the gym. I said: it’s not possible, tomorrow I’ll arrive at 7.30am. I arrived and half the team was already in the gym. I’d arrive at 7am to have breakfast, to go to the gym, and there were already people there. And when the training is over, there’s extra training.
“These guys have longevity in football because of their gift, of course, but more because of their commitment. And I learnt in England that you have to train, you have to give of yourself. That’s why the guys there, Jedinak, Zaha, to this day Joel Ward, who is the captain, was our right-back. He and I were even signed on the same day. I learnt about professionalism above all else, you have to respect the club, who’s paying your wages. So what do they expect from you? Professionalism.”
Mortiz left Crystal Palace for a transfer to Bolton in the summer of 2014. He also played for Pohang Steelers, Mumbai City, Buriram United, Denizlispor, Avaí, Londrina, Confiança and Hougang United until retiring at the start of this year.
