A little professionalism may be what the Quinnipiac men’s soccer program needs to maintain their early winning ways as the Athletics Department announced the hiring of former professional soccer play Cristiano Pereira.
Pereira, currently living in West Haven, has known soccer his entire life as he is a native of soccer-crazy Brazil. He is no stranger to college soccer, however, as he played for Western Connecticut before he signed professionally. Pereira played for Barra da Tijuca as well as the Flamengo team in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
The extensive coaching resume that Pereira possesses surely was a basis for his hiring. He has coached the Connecticut Olympic Development Program, the Greens Farm Academy, as well as Bethel High School. Pereira believes that his prior coaching and playing experience will certainly help the Bobcats this year.
With the Quinnipiac men’s soccer team showing great strides of improvement in the early going this season, the program is striving towards being a strong NEC competitor.
The aspirations of winning the conference are not too high according to Pereira as he said, “Ever since I have got here, the ultimate goal has been to win the [NEC] conference. It is a goal we can definitely reach.”
Quinnipiac was picked sixth out of ten in the NEC’spreseason coach’s poll, and any improvement from last season’s disappointing 5-11-1 will be a step forward according to Pereira.
Pereira’s experience should certainly be welcomed by the Bobcats as he hopes to start his collegiate coaching career off in a positive way.
Pereira said, “I can relate to what the guys are going through. There is a lot of pressure in Division I. I think I can teach [the players] to stay in composure and let their natural ability to take over.”
Pereira has acknowledged that both he and Carrington share some of the same on the field philosophies and that certainly makes for a much easier transition. He said, “We both buy into the same system of play, such as a possession based style, from the back to the front.
We don’t want to just be a kick and run team. We want to control the ball.”
Pereira’s adept eye for soccer has already enabled him to see some of the team’s strength’s as well as its weaknesses. Pereira feels that the 2004 Quinnipiac squad is very solid from the defensive aspect starting in net. Being a former midfielder himself, it is easy for Pereira to know how hard it can be to break down a strong defense.
Pereira knows however how quick the action can move in a game, and he said, “We need more individual composure. We have to know when to slow the game down and when to speed it up. It is so hard to play quickly and be patient at the same time. We have to find a medium between the two.”
The men’s soccer team opens conference play over the weekend hosting rival Sacred Heart on Friday as well #2 ranked Farleigh Dickinson over the weekend. Pereira put it best as he said, “Each game we have to view as a must win. Our motto is to take one game at a time.” In order to make any strides towards winning the conference, Pereira sound advice should be easily heeded.
