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Fervent Liverpool fan Ryan Williams is savouring his hometown club's Champions League heroics from the other side of the globe – while he plies his trade in Brazil's Serie B.
Williams joined Paysandu, based in Belém in northern Brazil, from Canadian side Ottawa Fury in January, and the 27-year-old midfielder is relishing the challenge of making an impact in a country where English footballers are a distinct rarity.
The only other England-born footballer currently in the ranks of Brazilian professional football is former Brighton and Sheffield United forward Kazim Kazim (the Turkish international better known to many as Colin Kazim-Richards) and Williams is determined to seize an opportunity he has dreamed about since he was a kid.
“I have always loved Brazil, I have always been fascinated by this country. My first memories of football are from the 1998 World Cup. You know, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Dunga, Cafu, Roberto Carlos...all these amazing players and I think Brazilian football has captivated me ever since," says Williams.
“Football from abroad has always appealed to me. I like the tactical and technical side of things. It was always a dream of mine from even when I was 11 or 12 to experience different styles of football. I remember as a kid, I used to watch a lot of Italian and Spanish football. We would also watch a little bit of Copa Libertadores too, so I was always quite well up to date with what was going on in Brazil.
“When the opportunity came to come over in January, it was an opportunity I couldn ́t refuse. Playing in Brazil was always a dream of mine and I am very happy to fulfil it.”
©Fernando Torres/Paysandu
Namesake
Although Williams is breaking new ground on the pitch, an Englishman with his surname is already well-known to Brazilian football fans: former Arsenal goalkeeper Charles Williams having managed Fluminense, Corinthians and Flamengo with distinction in the 1920s.
Back to the present day, and Williams the player is opening another intriguing chapter in a career that already makes for very interesting reading: periods in Wales (with Rhyl), Spain (with Hercules B), Scotland (with Inverness) and the US (with the Fury) interspersed with spells at Chester, Stoke City, Morecambe and Brentford in England.
Brits abroad
A reluctance to leave home comforts, coupled with difficulties adapting to foreign climes, has historically limited the number of Brits playing football abroad; successes such as Keegan, Hoddle, and Beckham outweighed by those in the Greaves, Rush and Owen mould.
However, with bright young talents such as former Man City starlet Jadon Sancho (Dortmund) and ex- Arsenal prospect Chris Willock (Benfica) taking the plunge in recent years, Williams believes times are a-changing:
“In the past, it was like out of sight, out of mind with English players abroad. People would forget about them. But that started to change in the last 5 years, and even more so in the last 2 years...there are lots of young English players who are moving abroad now.
“They go to Germany, to Spain, to Sweden and that has got to be good for English football because it is more difficult for young English players to get an opportunity now back home. But, if they go abroad, and show what they can do, they can reach heights in the game they might not otherwise.”
©Jorge Luiz/Paysandu
Pro Evolution
Has Williams' own globetrotting made him a better player? The midfield technician, who has a reputation as a free-kick specialist, is in no doubt.
“You're being exposed to different styles all the time. When I was playing in the United States, it was so much more physical, so much more powerful and athletic than English football, which is physical anyway.
“Coming to Brazil, it is much more technical, the game is played in much smaller spaces, there is a lot less running. In England, it is a lot faster and a lot more physical. Especially outside the Premier League, teams look for direct, longer balls over the top, or play forward faster.
“So it's different styles in different countries, and it's allowed me to constantly improve my game in various areas. Having to constantly evolve and adapt to different places, different coaches and different styles makes you improve.”
Learning on and off the pitch
After struggling to settle during his time with Juventus, Ian Rush was famously quoted as saying that living in Italy was 'like living in a foreign country' and Brits' inability to master another tongue has often caused them problems. Currently taking regular Portuguese lessons, Williams is, however, undaunted by cultural and linguistic obstacles.
“There are obviously certain communications issues at times. It's a barrier, but I knew that coming out here. I knew it was an opportunity to experience a different culture and a new language and to evolve not only as a player, but as a person.”
With the 2018 Serie B season only just underway, and Paysandu's new English signing yet to feature, Williams´ adventures are only just beginning, but his focus is clear.
“My short term goal is, obviously, to get in the team and into the starting eleven; to do well and make an impact. I can hopefully impress the fans and the coaching staff and take it from there.
“I remember Paysandu playing in the Copa Libertadores when I was a little boy. They played Boca Juniors. Obviously when I heard of the interest, I did a little more research and realised what a big team they are, the biggest team in the north of Brazil, so this is an amazing opportunity for me and one I am so grateful to accept.”
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NameRyan Anthony Williams Born/Age1991-04-08(33 -yrs-old) Nationality England PositionMidfielder (Attacking Midfielder) | |
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