Silvera discusses his move to Blackpool

Blackpool Gazette

Blackpool new boys Sammy Silvera has discussed his move to Bloomfield Road and reflected on his career so far.

Transcript

00:00Central Coast to the Fylde Coast, how do the two compare?

00:03A little bit different, there's a beach, they're both got a beach.

00:07But yeah, there's a little more sunshine on the Central Coast.

00:12But look, I'm getting accustomed to it around here and yeah, it's good.

00:18What was it like growing up, obviously you mentioned playing different sports,

00:21but was it like hard to break into football?

00:23Was the facilities and the set-up there that we have here?

00:26Compared to Australia, it was quite difficult at the time coming through.

00:32I think there was only a couple of youth contracts, like I mentioned before,

00:36that were available to boys probably from ages 16 to 19 coming through.

00:41So it was quite hard to break and there's not as many teams, professional teams within Australia.

00:46So it was a difficult process.

00:48I think there was lots of boys trying to get out of Australia into UK to like the youth systems here.

00:55That's always a goal for a young boy.

00:58But if you're lucky enough and you work hard enough,

01:01you get the opportunity to go and be in the A-League system there

01:05and you can kind of kick-start your career there quite early.

01:08So if you get that opportunity, it can be good.

01:11Was there a lot of determination then, your end to break through?

01:14Yeah, 100%, I think. For me, I was quite small growing up compared to some of the other boys.

01:20I was always even put down a level because of my size.

01:25So it was always that determination to have extra training,

01:30to go out there after school and to keep working and working.

01:34I think it's paid off.

01:35How big a jump was it to leave home?

01:37And you obviously went to Europe first before you arrived in England.

01:40So how big a jump was that?

01:42When I was 19, yeah, Portugal was difficult.

01:45I think I got there and I was there for three weeks feeling great.

01:51And first game came on at halftime and 10 minutes in,

01:56one of the centre-backs landed on my ankle and tore three muscles and damaged my ligament.

02:00So I was out for about four and a half months.

02:02So that was a changing period for me where I learnt a lot.

02:06I learnt a lot and it was difficult.

02:09And having no family there, it was even harder.

02:12So I'm grateful for that opportunity, to be fair,

02:15because I think it's helped me to get to this point I am now.

02:17And it's helped me to, from what I've learnt there,

02:20to take it back to the A-League and then to obviously kick-start my career again.

02:24Yeah, that must have been hard, not having your family there,

02:26leaving home for the first time properly, language barrier,

02:29and then not being able to do the thing that you were to do.

02:31Yeah, I think it's an opportunity that you had to take.

02:33I think when it comes up, you've got to put your best foot forward.

02:37And unfortunately, things happen where you can't control.

02:40But I think looking back on it,

02:42yeah, you've got to make the best out of the situation.

02:44And I learned a lot from it.

02:47But I was just happy that family was close by.

02:52But because of the COVID and everything, it was a bit hard.

02:55But again, it's shaped me into who I am today.

02:58Well, since you've arrived in England, you've done a proper tour.

03:00You started in the North East, worked your way down South.

03:02Now you're going West.

03:03So have you enjoyed seeing different bits of England?

03:06I'm having a right tour around the UK.

03:09But again, I'm grateful for the opportunity I've had to represent some clubs.

03:15I think when the opportunities come up,

03:17I think obviously you've got to discuss what's right.

03:20And sometimes it doesn't work out.

03:22Sometimes it does.

03:23But I think from the feeling I've got from being here,

03:27I'm very happy and I'm smiling each day.

03:30I won't stop doing that.

03:31So it's been great since I've been here.

03:34You mentioned you've had difficult times.

03:35How hard was Portsmouth?

03:36Obviously, with the fans as well,

03:37I know there was a bit of jeering going on towards the end.

03:39How tough was that?

03:41I think it's English football.

03:43They got to cheer how they cheer or whatever it is.

03:50There has to be maybe a scapegoat or what.

03:53So it was unfortunate.

03:56It was like that.

03:57It is what it is.

03:58But look, it was a change in systems.

04:01I played at the start and changed systems where the gaffer wanted to change.

04:05And it didn't quite suit me.

04:08But obviously I spoke to the gaffer and I wanted to get into the team.

04:12I wanted to try my best to adapt to the way he was playing.

04:17And again, unfortunately, it just didn't work out.

04:19It was something that happens and you can't always have it your way.

04:24But I did give it my best.

04:26Obviously, there was down days.

04:27But again, to be kind of chucked in to a game where I think it was a difficult game

04:35going away to Bristol City.

04:36And I think I tried my best and obviously it wasn't a great game.

04:41We were down 3-0 at half time.

04:43But look, fans got to blame someone maybe.

04:46So it is what it is.

04:49But yeah, we'll just take it up the chin when we move on.

04:52You seem like a very positive person.

04:54Do you take things like that and turn it into a good thing maybe down the line?

04:57Use it to motivate yourself?

04:58Yeah, 100%.

04:59I think it's something that will change you for sure.

05:06I think if you take it in the wrong way,

05:09you can take it in a very negative way.

05:11But I think the best thing is to go out and prove people wrong.

05:15Is to always keep learning from different experiences and just keep going forward.

05:20I want to ask about another Australian who's played for Blackpool, Kenny Dougal.

05:23Have you ever come across him?

05:24Have your paths ever crossed?

05:25No, I never spoke to him, never crossed paths with him.

05:27But I think it seems like he had a great time here.

05:30And yeah, hopefully he's doing well wherever he is.

05:32Have you heard of anyone who's here who knows him, said anything about him?

05:35Are you fans?

05:36I've had a couple of people ask me if I know him.

05:39But yeah, I'm just hoping I haven't spoken to him or never met him.

05:43Australia's a big country, you can't come across everyone, can you?

05:45No, not quite.

05:47It is a bit big, that country, yeah.

05:50Just on representing the national team, how much pride does that give you?

05:52And how much do you feel that's sort of growing?

05:56I think, yeah, it was massive.

05:57Obviously, I kind of just didn't expect it to be fair.

06:02It was a bit surreal when I got my opportunity.

06:05My first camp was in Dallas versus Mexico.

06:09And again, the top 10 or top 15 team in the world at the time.

06:14And to see some of the names on the team sheet

06:17and to come on and make my debut in front of them was incredible.

06:21I think it was one of the only times when I play so focused

06:27and then the crowd was so loud that I kind of woke up from the focus

06:31and was like, yeah, wow, this is a massive year.

06:35So that was a blessing.

06:37And then I got the opportunity to play in the Asian Cup.

06:43That was a massive learning for me.

06:45The pressure, the pride of every different country,

06:49the will and fight from every country to just play each 90 minute

06:56with their heart on the sleeve.

06:57So that was, again, another learning curve for me.

07:01Do you think some of the big figures who've been in the Australian shirt

07:04over the last 20, 30 years has sort of increased the passion for it

07:08from the home fans?

07:10I think 100%.

07:11Yeah, I think we're getting bigger crowds now.

07:14That's for sure, especially when we're going playing games at home.

07:18I think just the level of the boys that are coming through now

07:22and even boys that are coming from the A-League now

07:25that have the potential of making it into the national team.

07:28I think it's amazing for Australian football.

07:31I think it should drive fans to come and watch the game.

07:34I think it just shows the level that we can reach.

07:37I think, again, their last World Cup,

07:40I think the game against Argentina was an amazing game.

07:44And I think, unfortunately, we lost 2-1.

07:46But watching from home, the boys were unbelievable.

07:50I think that's the level we can play at.

07:52Just finally, you, obviously, A-League champion, junior time over.

07:55Coming into this squad,

07:56do you see a team that can achieve something this season?

07:58Obviously, it's a big gap between yourselves and the playoffs.

08:00But from what you've seen in your first week,

08:02can that gap be closed?

08:04Yeah, 100%.

08:05I think, obviously, it has the same feel of camaraderie

08:10between the boys and the time I had at Mariners to here.

08:16I think it's just a good level

08:18and everyone's friendly with each other and it's great.

08:22And everyone wants to fight for each other.

08:23I think, obviously, some results you have to fix and you have to change.

08:28Obviously, you can't keep the same way.

08:32Obviously, you've got to change them.

08:32But I think the boys are closer.

08:34I think there's a certain way everyone knows which way we want to play here.

08:38And I think with a result where maybe it's away at Exeter

08:42or another result away somewhere

08:44that can really kick-start our run of wind.

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