Goal-hero Filipe is a true team player

FILIPE MORAIS: hoping his goal at Charlton will lead to more first-team opportunities.

DIFFICULT second-season syndrome may have hit Filipe Morais this term, but he insists it will not stop him supporting his Athletic team-mates.

The Portuguese, who has been in and out of the first team picture, plundered a fine equaliser to secure a 1-1 draw at Charlton and hopes the strike buys him more game time.
But should he spend the festive period warming the substitutes’ bench, Morais — who joined the club in October, 2010 — will still provide the starting XI with plenty of vocal encouragement.

He said: “It is important to support the boys no matter what.

“I am the worst at the club when it comes to being left out of the team, but I would never want those ahead of me in the pecking order to do badly. We have a great bunch of lads at this club who all root for each other. That won’t change. Obviously it was pleasing to get the equaliser against Charlton, especially as they are one of the favourites for promotion and are so hard to play against at the Valley.

“Hopefully, it acts as a springboard for me. I have been sharp for two months but just haven’t been picked, which is frustrating. But in that time Luca Scapuzzi has come in and done well and we have a few lads who can play in my position out wide.”

Morais feels his nimble footwork and direct approach down the channels is suited to matches that are stretched by two sides trying to play passing football.

His introduction at the Valley paid off and the 26-year-old believes he poses a threat to opposition highly placed in npower League One.

He added: “I seem to be a danger to sides higher up the table because there tends to be more space in which to operate.

“It is good to get on in those fixtures because I think I can help the team’s cause. Naturally, you want to play in every game, but when it is a bit scrappy sometimes you have to wait for an opportunity to get the ball and make something happen.”

With a trip to Liverpool to look forward to in the FA Cup third round next month, and a potential visit to Wembley in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, these are exciting times.

But as upbeat as Morais is about the cup runs, he is refusing to get carried away and has turned all his focus to the next three league games, against Hartlepool United and Notts County at home and Chesterfield away.

He continued: “It is no secret that we want to be closer to the play-off places, but the key is consistency. We have had a habit of winning a couple and then losing one, or excelling against the big teams and taking a step back against sides we were maybe expected to beat. I think we have a good chance of winning our next three league games and if that happens, all of a sudden we are pushing the top six again. Hopefully, we can keep it going with three wins and that would set us up nicely for the cup games.”