As the newly installed coach of South China Football Club, Casemiro Mior plans to whip his team into shape.
Coming from a country where soccer is almost considered a religion, he should know a thing or two about working miracles on the pitch.
A coach for the past eight years, most recently with Veranopolis in Rio, this soft-spoken Brazilian also knows what feels like when the boot is on the other foot - he was a defender for Gremio Porto Alegre for 13 years.
After two months, he is impressed with what he has seen of Hong Kong. 'I think the standard here is good. The quality of the players and their techniques are fine, too. It is the mentality which must -change.' That also means the players' attitude towards the game and their profession. 'Sometimes the players lose track and forget this is something professional.' As to how he plans to change the mentality, Casemiro says it is not something one can do overnight. And to achieve professional status, Casemiro insists on players going to bed before midnight, eating nutritious food and adopting a healthy lifestyle. Miracles sometimes require sacrifice.