BY ZULHILMI ZAINAL Follow on Twitter
Although Selangor fan-favourite Andik Vermansyah has returned to training with the Red Giants following a lengthy injury and is looking to claim his Asian quota spot, the man whose place in the squad is likely to be threatened by the Indonesian's return; Juliano Mineiro is unperturbed.
The Brazilian-born East Timorese, along with Romanian midfielder Victor Astafei, was signed by Selangor at the start of the season, after Andik was injured while playing for Indonesia in the 2016 AFF Cup.
Although Selangor deregistered the Indonesia winger from their competitions squad due to his injury, it was done with the understanding that Andik will rejoin the squad in the mid-season transfer window, if he recovers from his ACL injury and regains full fitness.
As Selangor's foreign quota is full, it is believed that either one of the newcomers, who can play as wingers, will have to make way for Andik if he makes the cut again, especially when Selangor's two other foreign players; Ugo Ukah and Forkey Doe, are a centre back and a striker respectively.
Next Match
But with the transfer window looming, Mineiro has refused to dwell on that possibility, saying that he is a professional, when asked by Goal.
"No (not worried). I am a professional, I do my best all the time.
"I have a contract and I am happy here, I am happy during training and during matches.
"I can play, I am 100 per cent the same (unaffected)," the 31-year old told us on Friday.
When pointed out that he is the current joint top-scorer for Selangor with five goals, Mineiro explained that he did not set out to score that many goals.
"I try and I can (score goals), but I want to help my team by controlling the game, with my passing, to help the striker score.
"But sometimes when I get chances, I try to put them away," he explained.
He however disagreed when suggested with the idea that their next match, an away league match against Sarawak, will be harder because of striker Forkey Doe's absence. The Liberian was arrested very recently by the Malaysian police for driving an unregistered car, and is set to miss the clash.
"All the games are very hard for me. We'll try to win there, and we can do it," vowed the former Fluminense man.
