João Teixeira has seen enough footballing qualities in his first weeks at Feyenoord. The midfielder was taken over from Vitoría Guimarães at the beginning of last month and received a starting spot from trainer Dick Advocaat in the past two league games. In conversation with Football International Teixeira expresses his surprise at the fact that Feyenoord is known as a workers’ club.

“I hear that Feyenoord as a nickname the Workers has. The labourers? That it is a club that relies on hard work. What nonsense “, says Teixeira. He states that everything starts with hard work, although he dares to” doubt it “in the case of Feyenoord. The footballing qualities of his fellow players make a great impression on the summer acquisition during training and matches. “I see a lot of quality, a lot of technology and overview.”

Teixeira lists the names of Marcos Senesi, Steven Berghuis, Mark Diemers, Orkun Kökcü, Jens Toornstra to illustrate what he means. “There is a lot of football in it, while we are also strong defensively and also have speed on the back positions”, continues the Portuguese, who was on the field for ninety minutes at Feyenoord against Sparta Rotterdam (1-1) on Sunday. Lawyer is happy to see that Teixeira is getting fitter, after he had little time to play in Portugal in the summer months.

“I was looking for a midfielder with depth and directness in his game”, he explains the choice to take over Teixeira. “João brings that, we also let him start from the left.” The 27-year-old acquisition is actually number ten, but does indeed play as a left half at Feyenoord. “But he is helped by Bryan Linssen who is constantly busy during the striker and Mark Diemers who has the discipline to take possession of that left side when losing possession. So Teixeira can focus on the attacking part and we have all seen that this player has something brings extras. If he is 100 percent fit, that will only be more. “