Despite the time difference of 5 hours, a resounding ‘yes’ was the answer from brand new AZ acquisition Djordje Mihailovic when asked if he was going to watch Gil Vicente FC – AZ. There was just a press conference of his club in Canada and NH Sport spoke briefly with the midfielder.
The midfielder will finish the season at his club CF Montréal in Canada and will join the Alkmaarders in January. AZ wanted the footballer immediately, but the Canadian club did not want to cooperate. The player himself is happy with that decision. “We still have eight games in the league here and then the play-offs. I would be very sorry to leave now, we are working on something beautiful here,” said Mihailovic.
CF Montreal is having a good season. The team is second in the Eastern Conference behind Philadelphia.
Emotional days
These were emotional days for the American international. Yesterday his transfer was announced and he was in Alkmaar. Then he flew back to Canada. “I was very happy and proud with this step. I felt like royalty. Until I heard that my grandmother had passed away,” says Mihailovic.
Jozy Altidore
The interest from Alkmaar had been going on for a while. Of course his father Alex Mihailovic gave him advice, but also former AZ striker Jozy Altidore did. “We did indeed talk to each other and he was very positive about AZ.”
The footballer further explains that he chose AZ because they have a bit of the same philosophy in Alkmaar as in Montreal about training young players and giving them a chance.