If you are going to forge a career in football and have the name ‘Pele’ on your back, then you had better have a bit about you.
One of Nottingham Forest’s newest recruits appears to have no issue with the weight of expectation.
A Portugal-born star has arrived at the City Ground boasting a famous moniker.
This is no free-scoring Brazilian striker, this is a Guinea-Bissau international midfielder.
Pele is Pele, though, and the Reds are happy to have him.
He is happy to be here as well, telling the club’s official website: “I am looking forward to playing.
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“The fans will see that I will do my best because I am a player who, in every game, gives their all to enjoy their football and to stay ready for all the game.
“I need a few days to be ready but I will be ready very fast and I will do my best on the field.”
It is the final part of that comment which needs to be heeded by the Reds.
Rusty
Pele may boast spells at AC Milan and Monaco on a distinguished CV, but he has not seen a lot of football of late.
In fact, since December 16 he has seen a grand total of one minute of competitive action.
He could not be blamed for arriving in England a little rusty.
Patience, then, will be the order of the day.
Pele has the pedigree but it is wise not to expect too much, too soon.
He added on the club’s official website: “I am very happy to be here; it is my dream to play in England and now I have the opportunity to play here I will do my best to help the team.
“I know it is a very difficult league because I have a lot of friends in England, playing in the Championship, so I know it will be difficult. But I will do my best every day to become ready to play in this league.”
Experience
That is another issue, Pele has no experience of Championship football.
Ben Watson recently slotted seamlessly back into the Forest fold on the back of an extended break, but his situation is markedly different.
The 33-year-old is a seasoned campaigner and well versed in the demands of life in the English second tier.
He has also been part of the fabric at the City Ground for 12 months and was training alongside colleagues he knows well despite not figuring in Aitor Karanka’s plans on matchday.
Expecting Pele to require no adjustment period is a big ask.
The 27-year-old is clearly talented, though, and was the subject of an £8.8 million transfer a matter of months ago.
His time will come and, amid fierce competition for places, it will be up to him to deliver.
He is accustomed to facing such pressure.
This is Pele we’re talking about!