Matt Jones: “Anything other than promotion will be a failure”
Belenenses firmly focused on getting back into Liga Zon Sagres
Belenenses have signalled their promotion intentions in 2012/13 by winning their first three games in the Segunda Liga to top the standings at this early stage. PortuGOAL caught up with Matt Jones, the English goalkeeper of the Lisbon club, who explained why one of Portugal’s most historical clubs “deserves to be in the top flight.”
PortuGOAL: Since we last spoke you moved from Santa Clara (Azores) to União de Madeira, and now to Belenenses. Although Santa Clara were often fighting for promotion, do you think it’s fair to say you are at a club of a bigger dimension now? What differences have you noticed between playing for a club in Lisbon and playing for teams from the islands?
Definitely, it’s a much bigger club than Santa Clara was and is. From the facilities and the behind-the-scenes support they have you can see it’s a much bigger club. Once you’re in the club you feel its history. The fans also remind you of the history of the club, where they have been and where they feel they should be, because the last few years the club has been in the second division whereas previously it was always in the top flight of Portuguese football. As soon as you walk into the club you get the sensation that it is a big club that deserves to be in the top league.
PortuGOAL: Would you consider this the most positive moment of your career so far?
Probably, yes. Things are going well at the moment. I like where I’m living in Lisbon. Obviously I’ve been in the Portuguese islands the last few years so Lisbon feels like a whole new country. I’ve managed to get my starting spot. I’m playing well, the team’s playing well so at the moment it’s all positive.
PortuGOAL: You’ve made a fantastic start in the Liga. Three matches, three wins, top of the league. But the squad has a lot of new faces (including yourself). Do you think there is room for improvement?
It’s definitely early days but when you have a completely new team – basically we’ve got three players that were here from last year, so it’s a completely new team – it’s important you get off to a good start and that’s what we’ve done at the moment. Everyone’s come together. I’ve experienced it before in Portugal when you have a lot of new players in and sometimes it starts off well and sometimes it doesn’t, but with the team we’ve got at the moment it seems like everyone’s coming together. We’ve got great players but we’ve also got a very good team, which is just as important as having good individuals.
PortuGOAL: You went on a summer army boot camp. Tell us about that.
The whole purpose was the team bonding exercise. We have something like 24 new players so obviously the quicker you can come together the more it helps. We went away for three days on boot camp. It was tough. We didn’t sleep much, we got put through it all, but the quicker you can come together the better, and that’s what seems to have happened at the moment.
PortuGOAL: The aim for Belenenses this year is without doubt promotion. How are you, the rest of the squad, and the coach dealing with the pressure?
As soon as we spoke to the first person at the club, when we were discussing contracts, it was clear what the objectives were. Anything other than promotion is a failure. It’s not just an ambition. They’ve changed the squad but they’ve changed the complete philosophy of the club as well. A lot of players who have been in the lower leagues have been brought in, young players, who are basically all in the same situation. Everybody from the coaching staff to the players are in the same situation – we all need a big year in order to advance ourselves. Obviously if we advance ourselves the club goes along with it and we go places.
There’s going to be pressure, but it’s one of those things. You just take it day by day. You don’t think about the long picture, you just think about the next game coming up and if you take it day by day then the pressure is less.
PortuGOAL: Having played in this league for three years now, you’re in a good position to judge whether the expansion and the introduction of the B teams was a good idea. What impact do you think it has made/will make to the league?
It has positives and negatives. On the positive side it’s going to help Portuguese football because it’s going to help transition young footballers to the senior squad, so from that perspective it’s a good idea.
The only thing which is a bit negative in my opinion is how they are going to compete in this league. They are not subject to the transfer window because they can change their squad (between the senior team players) at any time so they are going to have an advantage over us. Also, one game they may put out a strong squad, the next game they may put out a weaker squad, so is it truly fair for the league? I don’t know.
The B team players run all day, technically they are very good, but the only thing they may lack is the experience of playing in the second league against players who have far more experience than them. Basically against the B teams you have to get on top of them and not give them the time on the ball they want to be allowed to play. Especially against the Porto’s and the Benfica’s. They are all technically gifted players. If you give them time on the ball they are going to pick you apart.
PortuGOAL: From a personal point of view, what are you ambitions? Can you see yourself building your whole career in Portugal? Is a future move to another country/back to England a possibility?
To be honest I’m not 100% sure right now. If you’d have asked me that question in the summer I would have said I was more edging towards a move away from Portugal. But then I got the offer from Belenenses. It was a good offer from what is historically a big club here in Portugal, and which had a real ambition to get promoted so it was something that interested me straight away.
I had offers from other clubs in other countries but I decided I would stick with Portugal. It’s somewhere where I feel comfortable. I’ve learned the language now so I can speak quite comfortably. I’m happy here. I’ve got a two-year contract at Belenenses, so in my opinion I’ll be here for the next two years. But if another offer came along I wouldn’t turn it down just because of the location – it’s all about the best opportunity for me. I want to play at the highest level I can possibly play. If that’s here in Portugal it’s here in Portugal. If it’s in another country that’s fine by me.
To listen to the whole interview click on the play button below:
WELL DONE TO ALL YOU GUYS,
MATT YOUR FLYING THE FLAG NOW MATE.
MAY WHAT LIES AHEAD ONLY BE GOOD FOR THE CLUB AND YOURSELF.
VALE EAT YOUR HEARTS OUT!
Matt Jones
4
Wednesday, 19 September 2012 17:31
Go on my son (nephew) soc it to em.No pun intended.Good luck Jonesy
Nice piece
3
Friday, 24 August 2012 03:52
I always tried to catch a Belenenses match while in Portugal. Now they'll have company in Atletico.
I still remember the interview you guys had with Matt Jones while he was at Santa Clara.
It's good to see the follow up. I hope for continued success.
good luck
2
Thursday, 23 August 2012 17:40
I’m thrilled to see Belenenses get off to a good start. I’ve been able to catch their first two matches but I couldn’t see yesterday’s and I haven’t seen highlights yet. Out of all the clubs in the second division I think this club can make the biggest impact by moving back up. If they continue to do well, they have the ability to draw out some good crowds. It would also bring back the 3rd Lisbon derby. They face Benfica B next round and that should be an interesting match.
Jones Boston
1
Thursday, 23 August 2012 17:29
Matt Jones aka VH1's I Love New York, Mr. Boston is the MAN! Go Jones your a good goalkeeper
Matt Jones: “Anything other than promotion will be a failure”
Belenenses have signalled their promotion intentions in 2012/13 by winning their first three games in the Segunda Liga to top the standings at this early stage. PortuGOAL caught up with Matt Jones, the English goalkeeper of the Lisbon club, who explained why one of Portugal’s most historical clubs “deserves to be in the top flight.” 
The whole purpose was the team bonding exercise. We have something like 24 new players so obviously the quicker you can come together the more it helps. We went away for three days on boot camp. It was tough. We didn’t sleep much, we got put through it all, but the quicker you can come together the better, and that’s what seems to have happened at the moment. 
MATT YOUR FLYING THE FLAG NOW MATE.
MAY WHAT LIES AHEAD ONLY BE GOOD FOR THE CLUB AND YOURSELF.
VALE EAT YOUR HEARTS OUT!
I still remember the interview you guys had with Matt Jones while he was at Santa Clara.
It's good to see the follow up. I hope for continued success.