O Carlos Zeca he quit football in last season’s finale and took on a scouting role for his beloved Panathinaikos.
Speaking to the “noticiaominuto.com” website, Carlos Zeka spoke about his career, the Greek National Team and his new role at Panathinaikos
The veteran footballer emphasized that his goal is to win the championship with Panathinaikos, which he failed to do while playing football.
Excerpts from Zeka’s long interview
You spent six consecutive years at Panathinaikos, followed by Copenhagen for half a dozen years and returned to Greece for his last two seasons. During this period, was there no expectation of returning to Portugal?
“I was very happy the first six years in Greece, really satisfied. My transfer to Copenhagen was made for financial reasons of the club. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have left. I went to a club that I identified with a lot. I was always treated exceptionally well, I played in Europe and fought for the league and the Danish Cup. I felt comfortable and happy. I returned to Panathinaikos after two knee injuries within a year, and that’s where I wanted to finish my career. It’s a club that means a lot to me, and I’m very attached to it. It never occurred to me that, after my first departure from Panathinaikos, I could return to Portugal, especially since I was already 28 when I transferred. With time, I knew it would be very difficult to go to a big team in Portugal.”
Is it a dream that never came true?
“I can’t say it’s an unfulfilled dream. The outside was something unknown to me. I had no idea what it was like to live or play in a foreign country. I only watched games on TV. What initially crossed my mind was to make a career in Portugal, in one of the “big ones”, if it happened. It would be great to play in one of those teams, but I don’t regret anything. I wouldn’t trade the career I had in Greece and Denmark for playing in a “big one”, especially since it gave me the opportunity to represent the Greek national team. That was one of the biggest turning points in my career.”
How did the process of his naturalization through the national team of Greece happen, since he had already played with the small national teams of Portugal?
“Yes, I had already played with Portugal in the U23. Of course, I knew how difficult it would be to become an international with the men’s team. Portugal have huge quality, with many players. More and more talented young people are emerging. I knew it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to play with the men’s team. When I had the opportunity to play with Greece, I didn’t think twice and accepted it. It’s a country that means a lot to me — I still live in Greece today. I believed it was the best solution for me and my career.
It all started with a conversation with the president [του Παναθηναϊκού]who told me that I would spend my entire career at Panathinaikos. He also told me that I am already Greek and all that was missing was the passport. He even jokingly told me: “I will make you Greek.” And I replied: “Then why don’t you do it? I don’t have a problem.” And so he started dealing with the matter, without having any idea that I could play for the Greek national team. When the national team and the coach at the time, the German Michael Skibe, found out that I was getting a passport, they came to talk to me and suggested that I represent Greece. That’s how it happened. At that time, both the club and I had already started the process.”
First call in 2017?
“The national team wanted me to play in the friendlies in Australia first, but UEFA or FIFA didn’t allow it then because I didn’t have the passport yet, although it was almost ready. They didn’t let me… So my first international appearance was against Belgium”.
As soon as he hung up his boots last season, Zeka immediately made the leap into the Panathinaikos structure, where he works as a scout. Was it something he wanted for a long time?
“I knew I wanted to be in football. I knew I wanted to start at Panathinaikos, but I didn’t have a specific position in mind. In the future, I want to be a sports director. I am currently following the UEFA MIP programme [Master for International Players] and I have been preparing for this for two years. In the meantime, I had to start somewhere. Of course, I couldn’t become the sports director of Panathinaikos just four months after my retirement. I could, but it wasn’t something I wanted. Honestly, I wasn’t ready for such a big role, with so much responsibility. The club and I thought it would be good to learn the scouting part first, to be close to the sporting director and the people who make decisions, so I can prepare for the future.”
Is it more demanding to be a footballer or to have such roles off the pitch?
“I think it’s harder outside the lines. I’ve been preparing to play football since I was 18, so it just came naturally. You don’t think much beyond training and playing. Now, I’m entering a world I’ve never prepared for. I had no real contact with him, nor did he study anything like that. It’s harder because I’m not used to it — it’s a new role. I am preparing and studying for the future. As with everything in life, you have to live the situation to become a sports director one day. This is what I do, step by step. Starting lower and, when I have the opportunity to take on other functions, be more prepared and not make as many mistakes as I would if I started now.”
You have been described as an idol at Panathinaikos, being the fifth player with the most appearances (273) in the history of the club. Did that help you stay at the club?
“In the end, all players want recognition and love. If you feel good, comfortable and loved, it’s hard to make the decision to leave. I had all this at Panathinaikos. What I wanted was to continue here and become one of the legends of the club. Even so, I don’t believe I am. I played in a lot of games and did a lot for the club, but in terms of titles I’m behind a lot of others. To be a legend is to have won titles… Nowadays, it is very difficult for a player to stay so many years at a club and play so many games.”
And for Rui Vitoria? He was once considered a hero, but he disappointed at the start of the new season. Did the management of Panathinaikos run out of patience?
“The club is very big here in Greece. When the results are not what they should be, there is a change of coach. That’s how things work… I wasn’t in the club at the time. I came back after he had left. He is a coach with whom I have a very good relationship, as well as his assistants. I didn’t know what was going on here or what the atmosphere was like in the team, with the owner, the management… What I can say is that it was a pleasure to work with him. I really enjoyed the time we had.”
Do you have dreams you still want to realize in football through these new roles?
“What I’m thinking about immediately is winning the championship with Panathinaikos. That’s what I missed in my career. I missed playing in the Euros and the World Cup, but that can’t happen anymore. Only if I have a place in the national team. What I really want was to become a champion with Panathinaikos”.