A new challenge in Turkey
12-06-2008
After six years in Germany - three with Kaiserslautern and three with Schalke 04 - Lincoln decided it was time for a new challenge and signed for Turkish giants Galatasaray.
The Brazilian’s arrival in Turkey caused a sensation. As he stepped off the plane at Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport, he was greeted by a 4,000 strong crowd of journalists and fans, who battled to get a photo or grab a few words with the player they were already hailing as the successor to Galatasaray’s Romanian legend, Georghe Hagi.
“Everything in my life always happened dramatically,” says Lincoln. “I have never been afraid of facing new challenges - and Galatasaray is a challenge.”
Lincoln is now an experienced professional, who knows exactly what is expected of him, but even so he confesses to being taken aback by the intensity of the reception he received in Turkey.
“It was spectacular,” he enthuses. “In Germany, the people are reserved, but in Turkey the spirit is closer to Brazil.”
The decision to leave a country where he felt so settled and head for completely new surroundings was not an easy one to make. But after talking it through with those closest to him, Lincoln was confident that it was the right thing to do.
“I talked to my family about everything,” he explains. “I said that, even though I was adapted to life in Germany and was at a great club, I felt it was the time to move. Thankfully, because I now have much more experience, I didn’t face the same difficulties as when I moved to Germany. I didn’t have the same kind of worries about the weather or the food that I did when I made that first move abroad.”
Lincoln knows he faces a challenge to emulate the kind of success he enjoyed in Germany, but he also knows he can rely on strong support away from the pitch.
“I have never forgotten that I am Brazilian, and I have never stopped living as a Brazilian. Having my family and friends around me has always been essential. Here in Turkey, I can live just as I used to in Brazil, and that is very good for me. The climate and the people in Turkey are very similar to back home. The more I feel at home, the easier it will be for me to impress the Turks,” he concludes.
The early signs are that Galatasaray’s new Number 10 is doing just that. After an impressive pre-season, Lincoln has already been making his mark in the opening games of the Turkish Championship and the Uefa Cup. The Brazilian managed two goals in his first five appearances for his new club, and there will surely be plenty more to come.
The Brazilian’s arrival in Turkey caused a sensation. As he stepped off the plane at Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport, he was greeted by a 4,000 strong crowd of journalists and fans, who battled to get a photo or grab a few words with the player they were already hailing as the successor to Galatasaray’s Romanian legend, Georghe Hagi.
“Everything in my life always happened dramatically,” says Lincoln. “I have never been afraid of facing new challenges - and Galatasaray is a challenge.”
Lincoln is now an experienced professional, who knows exactly what is expected of him, but even so he confesses to being taken aback by the intensity of the reception he received in Turkey.
“It was spectacular,” he enthuses. “In Germany, the people are reserved, but in Turkey the spirit is closer to Brazil.”
The decision to leave a country where he felt so settled and head for completely new surroundings was not an easy one to make. But after talking it through with those closest to him, Lincoln was confident that it was the right thing to do.
“I talked to my family about everything,” he explains. “I said that, even though I was adapted to life in Germany and was at a great club, I felt it was the time to move. Thankfully, because I now have much more experience, I didn’t face the same difficulties as when I moved to Germany. I didn’t have the same kind of worries about the weather or the food that I did when I made that first move abroad.”
Lincoln knows he faces a challenge to emulate the kind of success he enjoyed in Germany, but he also knows he can rely on strong support away from the pitch.
“I have never forgotten that I am Brazilian, and I have never stopped living as a Brazilian. Having my family and friends around me has always been essential. Here in Turkey, I can live just as I used to in Brazil, and that is very good for me. The climate and the people in Turkey are very similar to back home. The more I feel at home, the easier it will be for me to impress the Turks,” he concludes.
The early signs are that Galatasaray’s new Number 10 is doing just that. After an impressive pre-season, Lincoln has already been making his mark in the opening games of the Turkish Championship and the Uefa Cup. The Brazilian managed two goals in his first five appearances for his new club, and there will surely be plenty more to come.
