AMAZON PRIME
Brazilian keeper Lucas has had a rough ride but now he’s making Alisson and Ederson take notice
MAIDSTONE keeper Lucas Covolan has been on a career rollercoaster.
Covolan played for Brazil under-20s, once rivalled Alisson Becker at youth tournaments and, just like the Liverpool No.1, scored a dramatic header in a play-off semi-final.
But he has also suffered the downsides – including an unhappy spell at Port Vale – and he ended up seeking help for his mental health.
The Brazilian-born keeper started with Vasco da Gama, has been through the lower leagues after moving to England and was a hero for Torquay in the play-offs.
But even his last-gasp header and then two saves in a penalty shoot-out could not stop them losing to Hartlepool.
Now the Maidstone hero – who lined up alongside the likes of ex-chelsea star Oscar in the Brazil youth ranks – is hoping this season’s remarkable FA Cup run may help put him back in the shop window.
Boss George Elokobi (above) guided the Stones to an incredible 2-1 win at Ipswich in the last round, with forward Lamar Reynolds (in training this week, below) and Sam Corne on target for the National League South side.
And perhaps the best insight into Covolan’s journey came after he sank to his knees at full-time at Portman Road.
He said: “It was the thousand moments in the past two years, when I went to the league with Port Vale, my mindset was not right.
“Suffering a little with my mental health, being depressed. I was thinking of the people who helped me through it. When I went down on my knees and just cried, it was remembering all the down moments.
“It was reward for myself, saying you can do it.
“Winning against a Championship side was a very good moment (celebrating above), 30,000 people and everyone watching at home, it was like a mix of emotions. I went straight to Port Vale two weeks after the play-offs. It was a big moment in my career as well, the play-off, scoring, a hyped moment.
“That moment was so difficult to replicate, things at home not doing so well, not seeing my family, it was adding up.
“That was the point I was struggling. We decided to contact the PFA, through them I went into therapy and it progressed from there.
“It affects loads of people, not just footballers. At the ground everyone is there to criticise you.
“In front of 15,000 people, if you are not strong mentally at that point, you can go down, down, down. Not a good place.
“I like to talk about it, I think it is important. Even just talk to a friend. That is the way to go.”
Covolan has been on the up after getting help and Maidstone has been a fresh start.
And he knows they will need another miracle to make their dreams come true at Championship side Coventry tonight.
He is also ready for a penalty shootout as the fifth round are one-off games.
He said: “Against Ipswich after 85 minutes everyone was cramping. That’s because they have run, run, run. That’s what Maidstone is, the unity on the day.
“We know it will be tough again. We need everyone to be focussing, believing 100 percent we can win.”
If they win, there might be time for a Brazilian celebration with Alisson and Manchester City keeper Ederson.
Covolan played in the same youth tournament as Alisson and they have a mutual friend who has promised to set up a Brazilian barbecue if United win. The 32-year-old added: “I have a friend in common who says they know about the cup run. They say when I go up north they will invite me to have a barbecue.
“I don’t know who’s going to cook, probably Allison because he comes from the south. I think his barbecue is going to be better.”
I went down on my kness and cried, I was remembering all the bad moments