Denilson Ready To Play The Team Game At Palmeiras
New Palmeiras signing Denilson believes that he has matured as a player in the ten years he has spent abroad and has learned to become more of a team player.
Denilson, one-time most expensive player in the world, was unveiled as the latest player to join Vanderlei Luxemburgo's Palmeiras revolution earlier today as he signed on a free transfer after being released from his contract at FC Dallas in November.
The thirty-year old winger last plied his trade in Brazil back in 1998 with São Paulo and despite a number of disappointments since leaving his homeland, Denilson believes he has improved as a player in that time.
"Football has changed significantly, more towards the physical side, with technical ability taking a backseat, and I tried to follow this evolution," he told Placar.
"For me before it was all a party. I would start dribbling on the half-way line and come back and start dribbling one more. Now I am more experienced and am playing for the group, as football is a collective game. Individually you are nothing if you don't have a place in the team."
Despite noting that he has had to adapt his game in recent years, Denilson still believes that skillful dribbling of the ball is what defines him as a player.
"I continue being a player of you dribble, therefore this is my essence. The difference is that, if before I dribbled fifty times, today I dribble twenty. The important thing is to feel good and to get in peak condition so I can fulfil what Luxemburgo asks of me in the best possible way."
Despite having not played competitively since November last year, Denilson feels that he is in good enough condition to be part of the squad for Saturday's game with Juventus São Paulo.
"I await the call for the next game, as I have trained for twenty days with great intensity. If the documentation is ready and the coach wants me, I am at his disposal," he concluded.
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