So here we go.. Part Two… Jose talks supporters, true love, life after football and the unity in the current squad.

Away from the pitch of course the connection Jose Semedo has with supporters is there to see as he spends time with fans to take pictures, sign autographs and share the word of Wednesday if he should see the fan on the streets or more recently on social media too. But why is it so important for him to do that? Well, it isn’t just his job to do that, it goes much deeper and that love for the club is still as strong as ever.

“It doesn’t matter if we win or lose when someone asks me to sign something I will do that because if I make the fans happy then it will make me happy. This is the way I see things and in the same way I know there will be some Wednesday fans that don’t like me, there has to be, but if they see the things I do and still say, I don’t like him but I respect him then that makes me happy too.

“Our fans may think that we should play with Lewis McGugan or Barry Bannan or Sam Hutchinson and that is fine but I want them all to know that I just want to play to be the best I can be.”

In the past Semedo has often recalled that one game playing for Charlton against Wednesday at Hillsborough in January 2010 was THE day he knew he wanted to move to South Yorkshire, while the dissenters amongst the Addicks support thought that Semedo came north to Hillsborough for one thing alone, money. The cynics reacted after he picked up player of the year awards at the Valley and he had expressed his love for the club then left for Sheffield.

“I can say honestly, it wasn’t true about the money; I was on better money at Charlton. When I signed for Wednesday I could have earned more money at Charlton.

“Yes you feel it when any fans say things about you but, I love this place. I love it here and this is because it touched me without being at the club, before I came here. Sometimes you find the person who you love by accident, it’s not because of a particular reason. I didn’t expect it at all, I was very happy at Charlton, I loved my time there. I was friends with so many people at the club and didn’t have a problem with anybody and they all treated me so well, the kit man, the kitchen staff, everyone.

“But to come here and feel that passion in the supporters to then say this is what I want for the future from that one game was something I didn’t know about, I swear on my kids life that it’s never ever happened like that so much that I had to move here. Before coming here I had Doncaster Rovers interested in me and they were in the Championship while Wednesday were in League One and I didn’t think about going to the Championship. There were more things of value to me in League One, if you asked me if I’d have swapped two years of Premier League football for the five years I’ve been here, then I would say no. I would have chosen Sheffield Wednesday. I love this club, the people, no matter where I go in my future life I will always have one more family alongside me.”

Semedo is always preparing himself mentally for the tasks in hand and in the future and he says getting things right now will only serve for good in the future and again he stresses how important it is to follow his daily routine to get the best out of every day. Being prepared mentally is something he is passionate about and he hopes that one day other players will adopt a similar strategy to avoid what would be the ultimate tragedy.

“This tool has the purpose that you enjoy it, it has value but this moment is not the holy grail as the moment you try and grab it, it disappears. It’s a journey and there are always new things, it’s a process.

“In football there have been players who have spoken to me and said, ‘You are Semedo and I am close to you!” And I reply to them ‘Yes, and I am close to you too! I’m a person just like you, you cut me and I bleed the same. This is the gift we are given; we are all given the gift to do what we do now. In the future you maybe a billionaire and then I would be asking you for a job because my time in football maybe over. I’m like you, don’t worry about that.’ Then they seem to have a bit of relief, they relax and things are more normal.

“This is what make’s us all a normal person, even with football you are not on top of the world, we are all the same. People who work in restaurants for example, sometimes you would go and if they treat you amazing and then if there is someone else who doesn’t serve you well because they take a problem into work then they don’t serve you well, they are not being the best that they can be in that moment.

“This is why this part of football sometimes maybe things happen because this type of advice isn’t really out there to give the footballers the thought that there is a life after that.

“Some see it as an easy life, good cars, then you are famous now. But then after ten years the only ones who will be remembered are the ones like Zidane, Ronaldo, Van Basten, Gullit, these are the ones who people will remember till the day they die but we are not all like that.”

(I did say that I’m certain if he was in Sheffield in 10 years time I don’t think he’d be struggling to find someone to buy him a pint!)

“This is the thing that football can be dangerous at our level, the money isn’t the best in comparison to the Premier League but even the money you get at this level makes you dream that you are like a superstar and when this finishes that’s where the depression comes but by preparing your mind you get to the stage where you finish your career and you’re ready to start the next stage of your life.
You can have four years of amazing experiences but then in one year it can all be gone if you don’t prepare.”

“I know Leon McKenzie, we played together at Charlton and he tried to kill himself, he had a lot of things then lost a lot of things so he then wanted to end his life himself so I’m happy he’s found some value in boxing.

“But it’s your mind that can give you life after football, you just have to see that it’s the gift of life so you have to be the best I can be. That’s why when I met you, I don’t think I’m more than you, when I see you I give you a hug. I never want anyone to feel that I’m more of a person than you, I’m a human being exactly like you.

“What I do, is due to the gift god gave me. I share it. I grew up in a family full of religion and you decide what to do. Sometimes people say in bad times they ask where is god? They have their opinion what god is, but he brought everything, good people, bad people, rich, poor, those who want to hurt others but he also gave us the power to make the right decision. He didn’t decide who had to be like that, you have the power of the decision.

“But I never think I’ve got all the answers, it’s a work in process everyday, the day you think you have the magic that’s when it disappears.”

That work in progress is also on the field this season and Jose is positively beaming at how things are going for Wednesday. With a squad bigger than he’s experienced before at the club, in terms of quality and quantity the midfielder is positive that good times are around the corner.

“We had some losses through injuries in the Charlton game but the good thing is we then showed against Huddersfield we have replacements within the squad to step in for those who are missing and still get the right results. It has been seen by everyone that when the manager changes things like earlier in the season we can still get the right results.

“Some people may think about how with 23 players the manager can keep everyone happy, but we have someone who has managed at big clubs, like Sporting Lisbon and Besiktas who had some big characters. He knows when to speak to players and this is key that he knows how to deal with things like that. On our level where we are now, we have some big players we are proven in this league and he knows the players will be disappointed if they aren’t chosen to play but he is able to manage the players and make sure we are all ready for the next game. The atmosphere within the players we have has been building for the last two years and I think it’s continuing to go upwards and it feels like it’s building into something special.”

If you want more of his words of wisdom or to buy the perfect present for any Wednesday fan, then don’t forget to pick up a copy of ‘Win The Day’ which you can pick up at the SWFC Megastore, at Wintheday.co.uk and also on Amazon for the bargain sum of just £15.99.

I personally cannot thank Jose and Sam enough for their time and allowing us here at Owlsonline to spend an exclusive few hours in his company and of course to all of you who have read this and continue to support Owlsonline either on the forum, on Twitter or Facebook.

Cheers.
Hoyland.

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