Adelaide United’s Cassio has quashed rumours he wants to leave the club but admits a poor mental state saw him miss the Reds’ game against the Gold Coast on Friday.
Post match, United said the flu had kept Cassio out of the Round 3 clash but it’s since been revealed some ‘particular issues’ between the 29-year-old and the club saw the Brazilian miss his second game of the season.
Neither Cassio or the club would elaborate on these issues.
“My flu was gone but I wasn’t feeling well, especially mentally and when you are not feeling good mentally you can’t do your job properly, this is why I didn’t play last Friday,” Cassio said.
“I need to be happy to play, I’m the kind of person if I’m sad, I don’t feel happy or comfortable I can’t play.”
“This week is all back to normal for me and that’s it.”
Despite the problems of last week, Cassio said media reports, which suggested he wanted to leave Adelaide, were untrue.
“I’m still under contract at this club, I respect the club, I respect the people that drive this club, I respect my team-mates, my fans, my family, I will stay here,” he said.
“I feel comfortable at this club, like I feel home and I feel comfortable to come to the coaching staff, to the club, to the director of football and explain my situation, what’s happened with me.”
“It’s all fine, time to move it on, I will stay here, I will play on Friday night and will be happy to stay and help the club.”
Adelaide coach Aurelio Vidmar said he was ‘delighted’ Cassio hade ‘made the right decision’ and could now give 100 per cent to the club.
“We had a discussion on Thursday, he brought up a couple of issues and we tried to resolve them and Cassio wasn’t in a mental state to play the game on Friday,” he said.
“Those issues are between myself, Cassio and the club.
“We’ve had a few (player) meltdowns in the past so you’ve got to treat those on an individual basis.”
While the Reds have kept the details of last week’s discussions in-house, Cassio said he had some concerns about his role in the team.
“Everyone knows here my real position is full back, as a left full back, the position what he (Viddie) brought me here (for) two years ago and everyone knows that,” he said.
“I play for this club, he’s the manager and I prefer to play there but if he wants me to play goalkeeper, striker, midfielder I will go because I have a contract here.”
“I think (Scott) Jamieson is doing a good job since last year. People maybe say ‘He want Jamieson’s spot, I want to play wherever the coach and staff want, I don’t care.”
“Me and him together can do a good job, he’s one of my best friends at this club.”
