(Photo courtesy of Maccabi Tel Aviv)
A few months after leaving it in favor of Apoel Nicosia, Andre Geralds followed in his footsteps and tonight (Tuesday) signed a contract for a season and a half with Maccabi Tel Aviv, with whom he won the championship last season. Judging by his remarks following the signing, it seems the Portuguese right-back has just waited for the moment when he will return to wearing the yellow uniform.
“There are quite a few stops in the career of a professional player,” Geralds told Maccabi’s official website. “Only lucky people can create a real connection that is far beyond football. I was lucky to play in a club that became a family for me. A club through which I got to know a new culture, friends, fans. A club whose distance made me realize how much I miss. A player’s career also has opportunities. And when I had the opportunity to return – I realized that I would not miss it. I knew I would return to Maccabi. “
The 29-year-old right-back was one of Maccabi Tel Aviv’s main goals in the current transfer window, in order to stabilize the defensive game – after under Vladimir Ivitch, he was one of the standouts in the back line (which included the brakes Eitan Tibi and Jair Amador, And left defender Enrique Saborit – two of the three are still at Maccabi).
Geralds returns to Maccabi after an unsuccessful half-season at Apoel Nicosia, in the media he signed in the summer after being released. He made a total of 11 appearances in the team uniform, when in the last three games he was not at all in the squad of the Cypriot team – in which the Israelis played Omar Atzili (who was released and is on his way to Maccabi Haifa) and Ben Shehar (who remained). To strengthen the defensive position (where she did not find a suitable replacement) – and managed to achieve it with the help of a particularly important signing.
Geralds, who grew up in the Portuguese city of Maya, played for the local youth team, and even one season for the other team – until he started wandering: he went through 13 different football clubs in a total career of 12 years. In the summer of 2014, he signed with Sporting Lisbon – but in the media he did not play, but was loaned every season (including last season to Maccabi Tel Aviv).
Last summer he was released, after six long years, from Sporting and officially moved to Apoel, which he left after only half a year. Geraldesh has won only one championship throughout his career, and that was here – in the media of Maccabi Tel Aviv. Now, he will try to get her back in the race, to finish with another plate in the closet.
