Ciel ready to turn over a new leaf

Dubai: Unlike most young expatriates new to Dubai, Jociel ‘Ciel' Ferreira da Silva is keen to forgo the city's social scene in exchange for an honest day's work.

A reputation tarnished in Brazilian football by the ills of alcohol abuse, Caruaru-born Ciel is now ready to turn a new leaf with the help of a six month loan spell at UAE Pro League outfit Al Shabab — and he promises to grab this latest opportunity with both hands.

Previous dismissals

Upon his signing the 28-year-old attacking-midfielder was subjected to local media coverage highlighting his catalogue of previous club dismissals for drinking — the latest ousting coming in September 2010 from Brazil's Serie B side Agremiacao Sportiva Arapiraquense (ASA).

However, the only thing the tight-nit fraternity of fans, players and backroom staff at Al Shabab has read into his arrival has been his four-minute brace on his debut, having come on as half time substitute against Ittihad Kalba in the Etisalat Cup last Saturday.

Where others have seen a problem, Al Shabab has seen promise. "The club has accepted me; they've brought me in and given me a chance to prove myself again. I see this as a huge opportunity and I want to use this to my advantage to build up my life again from the chances I've thrown away in the past — I'm re-focused now, now is the time."

Ciel added, "I'm feeling well, everybody is taking care of me; the technical staff, the group of players and for this I'm giving back my best efforts to return their trust in me and to repay their warm welcome."

Of his previous drink-related issues, Ciel, who has also played in South Korea and Portugal said, "There's no doubt Brazil is very different to Dubai. At home there's a lot of attraction and a lot of friends who speak your language. You receive many offers and invitations, all of the stuff which sometimes picks you up," he said.

"But in Dubai I can breathe smoothly. There's more time for training. I'm not constantly surrounded by the invitations that let me lose focus from my football. Dubai is a place for me to rebuild my life..."

With the help of his brother, Ciel has accommodation a stone's throw away from the training ground and a new family around him in the form of the club.

At the heart of that is vice-president and first team director Khalid Buhumaid, who said, "Ciel is settling in well. He has been attending training twice a day. He's demonstrated in his last game, which qualified us to the semi-final of the Etisalat Cup, that he has the ability to blend in here. I'm sure we can count on him."

Past behind him

Buhumaid added, "The UAE is a great market for Ciel to showcase his abilities. He's here on six month loan but there is the opportunity to extend this by a year. Living in a city like Dubai you can't deny there are distractions, but this depends on how he's caring for himself. Whether he can show people his talent and put his past behind him."