Gus made the leap to being a star for Sky Blues
City star Gustavo Hamer yesterday explained his touching journey from a Brazilian children’s home to the Netherlands. Here, in the second part of our exclusive chat with the Sky Blues’ favourite, he tells ANDY TURNER how he ended up in the West Midlands ahead of other opportunities, and his hopes and ambitions for the season ahead.
GETTING to know Gustavo Hamer, head of recruitment Chris Badlan was instrumental in selling the club to the player who was looking to take the next step in his career. Now in his third season with the Sky Blues, Hamer has to go down as one of the biggest recruitment success stories from abroad in the club’s modern history, costing City just over a million pounds from PEC in 2020, and worth substantially more today – considered one of the club’s biggest assets.
Asked if he had other opportunities or offers when he moved from the Netherlands to England, the dynamic player revealed: “I could have gone to France but I chose England because that’s where the big leagues are, the Championship and Premier League, and in my opinion it’s a bigger league than La Liga in Spain. So for my personal career I think coming to Coventry and building up nicely would be good for me.
“The people are really friendly and Chris told me that as well, and I trusted him and it was a good trust because it’s really nice to be here. So it was the right decision not to go to France.”
Reflecting on and explaining his spell as a wing-back, Hamer said: “I played in that position a couple of times in my first year with PEC because someone was injured and there was no-one else to fill in. To be fair, it wasn’t the position I really wanted to play but it made me a better midfielder, certainly defensively, by helping me to know how to defend. So that has helped me in my game plan. And I played the last year there as well.”
As for his footballing idols, one player stands out.
“It’s Kaka, a midfielder who was also at AC Milan which was always my dream club and who I always loved,” he said.
“Italy is nice but I loved to watch Kaka, who is Brazilian of course. I like to watch clips of him and other midfielders, to be fair, so I would rather do that than watch a whole match. He was an amazing player and it’s nice to see how good players like him are and try to use it in your own game.”
Kaka played with the number 22 on his back during his glittering spell at the San Siro. Hamer, meanwhile, takes the number 38 rather than a more traditional number for his position.
Explaining why, he said: “So when I played for Feyenoord I was given number 38. I was from the Academy and you don’t get the biggest numbers when you’re breaking through and I played two games with that number.
“I then went to Dordrecht and they didn’t have 38 so I played with number 6. I then went to PEC Zwolle and got 6 there as well but I didn’t have the season that I wanted. I thought I
was a lot better than I played, so it didn’t go that well.
“Another midfielder who played with the No.6 came back from injury and he was getting No.11, but I asked him if he wanted his No.6 back and told him he could have it back if he wanted it. And then I asked if 38 was available, and it was, so I took that and had an amazing season.
“Then Coventry came for me and I thought I couldn’t ditch the number 38 any more so yes, it’s my lucky number. And I will keep it for the rest of my career if I can.”
Not surprisingly for someone who was given up as an infant and experienced such difficult early years, Hamer knows, perhaps more than most, the value of a loving family. And like most new dads, Hamer’s life changed for the better when little Thiago came along.
“I have a little boy who is three years old already,” he said, with a beaming smile.
“He’s great, although one’s enough for now!”
He added: “I think I am more responsible now. I love to be out of the house but it’s lovely to be with him all day. I wake up every day for training and my missus takes care of him but I always want to be with him in the mornings and put him to bed at night, stuff like that.
“I love to go out with him to the soft play or pick him up from nursery, those little things, going for dinner with the three of us or just having dinner at home. Any spare time I get I want to be with him.”
With the World Cup upon us, Hamer appears to be in a win-win situation as far as his affiliations go, able to legitimately claim allegiance to both Brazil and the Netherlands – countries known for their footballing brilliance.
But, interestingly, he’s more likely to be kicking a ball with his toddler son than glued to the TV at every opportunity.
“To be fair, it’s maybe weird for you to hear but I don’t really watch football,” he said. “That might seem quite strange but I am busy the whole day with football. I like to watch it, I like to turn it on and I will watch if there’s a goal but I don’t have the concentration to sit for 90 minutes and watch someone else playing the game.”
He added: “I will turn the TV on when the Netherlands and England are playing, or Brazil and France – the nice teams to watch, but I won’t sit down and watch and analyse the game. I can’t watch a whole match. I would prefer to so I can watch some of the games but play with him more.”
As for his tip to win the World Cup, he said: “Err, I will say Portugal.”
So not the Netherlands, Brazil or England?
“Nah,” said the player who harbours international ambitions of his own, with the Netherlands.
“It would be an honour if they called me. I would never say no to that, of course, but that’s quite a big shot for now. But if they called me I would be buzzing and show up, for sure, and do my best. I hope that one day that will come and then we will see what happens.”
Back to the here and now, Hamer is thoroughly enjoying his football, having more than played his part in City’s sensational recovery.
“We have won four games in a row and I think that’s absolutely outstanding from the team,” he said, speaking after the 2-0 win over QPR. “We have built a lot of confidence. The gaffer said that this break has come at the perfect time but maybe not because we are on a good run. But I think we can be proud of it and look forward to the second half of the season.”
It would be an honour if (the Netherlands) called me. I would never say no, but that’s quite a big shot for now. But if they called me I would be buzzing. Gustavo Hamer