Q&A with Rochdale AFC's Fabio Tavares

Style caught up with 19-year-old forward, Fabio Tavares, who signed his first professional contract with Rochdale AFC in June 2019 having progressed through the club's Academy. A local lad, from Kirkholt, his story is one of talent, grit and determination...

When did you first discover your footballing talent?

I was playing football in school and I could see that I was a bit better than others. I really enjoyed playing football so my Dad took me a to a team called Rochdalians and I started playing for them when I was around 9 years old. I really got into it and started scoring goals which gave me a good feeling from a young age.

I then moved from there to a team called Bridge Colts, who are based not too far away from the Crown Oil Arena. I played there and then someone told me about open trials at Rochdale for their U15s and I went along to that. I signed for the U16s off the back of that and then progressed to where I am now, so it has been a long journey for me.

Playing football professionally had always been a dream of mine and it was something that I really wanted to pursue. I had chances at Blackburn twice and didn’t make it, and before I signed for Rochdale, I actually came into the Academy when I was under 12 but didn’t make it then either. I kept going and my family told me that if I was meant to be a footballer then I would be a footballer. I got lucky at the U15 open trials and it has just kicked on from there.

Any advice for young footballers?

Keep going. One knock back doesn’t mean that it’s over. Keep going until there’s nothing more that you can do. You give yourself the best opportunity. Even if you don’t make it into an Academy or professionally, you’ll know that you have done everything in your power to control that, if that’s what you want to try and do. You’ve worked hard, you’ve trained well, you’ve gone to the matches, you’ve taken part and you’ve done what you needed to do. If it doesn’t work out then it’s just not meant to be and you should be proud of yourself for giving it your all. But football should also be about enjoyment, it shouldn’t just be about trying to get into an Academy or playing professionally. Play football because you enjoy it and because you want to do it. It’s important to enjoy yourself and have fun.

Most memorable moment in the first team so far?

It has got to be my first professional goal, when I scored in the win over Bolton Wanderers last season. I felt on top of the world and I’d do anything to live that day again!

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve had from your more experienced teammates or the Manager?

In my first year, I’d say that the most influential person for me was either Brian Barry-Murphy or Calvin Andrew. Calvin took me under his wing from as soon as I came up from the Youth Team and he guided me. He was always filling me with confidence, the same as Brian. Everything that the Manager has told me about playing me and giving me chances, he has gone on and done that, so I’m thankful to them for showing faith in me. All I want to do is repay that faith by giving it back on the pitch.

How is team morale this season?

It’s great! I remember Jim McNulty saying when we were away at Swindon for the first game of the season that we’ll have a second season syndrome where people will think that we wouldn’t do well, but we’ve kicked on and we’re doing well and we’ve started to get the points we’ve deserved from the performances.

How was life during lockdown?

I didn’t really mind it because it gave me time to stay at home and bond with my family and it gave me time to myself, but five / six months out of football is hard. We were given a programme that we had to do every day and I just got on with it. It gave me something to do and to look forward to.

What has it been like playing without a crowd?

It’s weird but because I’ve just recently come up to the first team from Academy football, I was already kind of used to it from my experiences there. But it’s definitely not the same without fans - when you score a last-minute winner you want to celebrate that with the crowd and take in the noise. There are definitely moments where you think the fans should be here.

Who are your biggest influences on and off the pitch?

Off the pitch, definitely my Mum and Dad. They know that even although I’m only 19, I’m mentally quite old. They don’t talk to me like a kid and or treat me like a kid. They tell me how it is in football, that it’s not going to be an easy road and that there are going to be ups and downs. But the one thing my Mum has said to me since I was young, is that if you’re meant to be a footballer then you’ll be a footballer, you’ve just got to give yourself the best opportunities to train hard, work hard and impress the Manager to be on the pitch.

On the pitch, it has got to be the team now. They fill us all with confidence. If we, the younger players, do something wrong, they won’t just shout at us, they’ll always tell us what we can do to improve and get better. They want to see us doing well and they encourage us.

Footballing idol?

Ronaldo. Why? Because of his work ethic. They say that Messi is a god given talent, but to have a work ethic like Ronaldo is a talent in itself.

What are your personal aims for this season?

To get more starts or to play more minutes. Any minutes I can get are really important. I just need to keep on developing every day in training and keep on showing what I’m good at and work on what I’m not good at to improve every day.

What has been your highlight of the season so far?

Fleetwood at home when we won 2-1. That’s the first last-minute winner I’ve ever scored, so it was an unbelievable feeling. There was good energy around the changing room after that goal and good vibes.