Cassio’s undignified exit when he parted company with Adelaide United before Christmas.
CASSIO, the Adelaide United vice captain, could no longer take being branded an outcast, which is why he made the heartbreaking decision to say goodbye.
CASSIO never got what he deserved when he parted company with Adelaide United two days before Christmas.
It was Reds chairman Greg Griffin that played an important role in securing Cassio’s final Reds contract in 2012 which the Brazilian was grateful for.
But he was never given a chance to say a public goodbye to all of his Adelaide United friends and fans.
Cassio spent nearly eight years at Adelaide, he is the club’s longest serving player.
He is a naturalised Australian and just adores the SA lifestyle.
Cassio is also the Reds longest serving import.
He is a club giant — Cassio never claimed to be bigger than the club he always put Adelaide first — but being publicly humiliated last week despite giving his heart and soul to the Reds sunk the family man’s entire morale.
Cassio made the call to quit.
The Adelaide United vice captain could no longer take being branded an outcast.
Adelaide coach Josep Gombau said Cassio was ‘disrespectful’ when he didn’t turn up to the Reds FFA Cup medal presentations after the Reds 1-0 win over Perth Glory.
Cassio was in fact at home after leaving Hindmarsh at half-time of the FFA Cup clash feeling ill before he took a leave of absence on stress leave.
He had lost the joy of playing football which he took up as a kid in Rio de Janeiro.
The game became a burden for the two-time Adelaide United club champion and The Advertiser/Channel 7 Golden Boots winner.
In his final Reds day Cassio hated turning up to work.
His normal huge smile disappeared once he walked into the Reds dressing rooms.
But that fantastic personality — the Cassio trademark — the nice guy with an abundance of love to share returned the moment he walked out of the Adelaide United offices for the last time on Tuesday.
But whether he closes his professional career with an acrimonious exit is yet to be seen.
He has attracted interest from Newcastle Jets and an agent who has clubs in Portugal and Brazil waiting for an answer.
Cassio is also contemplating playing in SA’s NPL in 2015 after a career which flourished in Brazil, the US, Australia and in Asia.
Cassio started his pro career at the top.
Mario Zagallo is no mug.
Zagallo unearthed a young Cassio when the left back made his debut at one of the world’s biggest clubs Flamengo of Brazil in 2000.
Zagallo won two FIFA World Cups for Brazil as a player in 1958 and 1962.
He later coached Brazil to FIFA World Cup success in 1970 was a co-ordinator for the Selecao 1994 World Cup triumph over Italy.
Flamengo is the most popular club in Brazil with more than 39 million supporters and was voted by FIFA as one of the most successful football clubs of the 20th century.
Cassio’s infectious personality drove many of his former coaches to laud his character.
Paul Mariner — a former England international and Ipswich Town legend — told The Advertiser Cassio was just a sheer delight to coach after watching the Brazilian perform at the FIFA Club World Cup for Adelaide in 2008.
Mariner was assistant coach at New England Revolution when Cassio turned up.
In an extraordinary career Cassio was also coached by another Brazil FIFA World Cup winner Carlos Alberto Torres and Liverpool legend Steve Nicol and former Brazil international Paulo César Carpegiani.
He arrived in Adelaide in 2007 becoming an instant hit under then coach Aurelio Vidmar.
Less than three months after his arrival Cassio helped Vidmar hoist the pre season cup as a groundswell of new fans adored the pocket rocket from onset.
He stood at 168cm and had a swagger like Brazil’s legendary left back Roberto Carlos.
It can be argued that Cassio is the best modern style attacking left back seen in the A-League and it wasn’t long before rival clubs feared the Brazilian.
He has quick feet, could dribble past men — a rare feat especially from defenders in the A-League these days — with a shimmy, a step over and he was gone.
Adelaide’s incredible run to the AFC Champions League final in 2008 and the FIFA Club World Cup was highlighted by Cassio’s ability to become a man that lifted his side when ‘balls and courage’ were required in big games.
When Bunyodkor — an Uzbek club which was coached by Brazilian legend Zico and had FIFA World Cup winner Rivaldo in its side — played Adelaide in the first leg of the AFC Champions League at Hindmarsh in 2008, Cassio became a giant.
Zico talked up Cassio declaring once a Flamengo man you’re always a Flamengo man after the Brazilian legend also played for the club in the 1970s and 1980s.
Cassio turned it on for Zico and Rivaldo and the packed Hindmarsh gallery where Adelaide shocked Bunyodkor 3-0 before claiming the tie 3-1 on aggregate.
``Not only is he a great footballer, he is a great human being. That is extremely important,’’ Vidmar said of Cassio after the 2008 win.
His performance was the culmination of a tough year for the entire Reds squad which started when the side landed on Pohang’s icy runway in South Korea to face the fancied Steelers at the Steelyard.
Cassio was also a dead ball expert and former Reds assistant coach Phil Stubbins described the nimble Brazilian as “the best crosser in the A-League, bar none,’’ when he chose Adelaide United’s best XI before the club celebrated his 10 year anniversary in 2013.
Even when Adelaide officials made a massive blunder by fielding a suspended Cassio during its AFC Champions League play off against Indonesia’s Persipura in 2012 — the win was in danger of being overturned — fans rallied around the affable Brazilian to show their support.
He’d smile when Adelaide was winning and would snarl when the Reds lost matches.
Cassio was humble at all times and was even summoned to Reds board meetings when Adelaide’s board was trying to heal fractured relationships after a turbulent 2011/12 season.
He never talked himself up because he believed in his own ability.
He loves kids and adored the Reds fans for responding when he demanded a lift from his teammates on game day.
Cassio has given away precious Reds memorabilia to children, men and women and hated to see anyone being put down for no good reason including his teammates and fans.
He was also never afraid to speak his mind in the dressing room.
If he didn’t agree with the coach or players he would let his feelings be known.
Cassio always liked to know where he stood and sought second opinions from his trusted friend in Brazil football when he was floored by injury.
He paid for treatment in Brazil out of his own pocket
Medical experts in Brazil which included Selecao national team doctors Jose Luis Runco, former Brazil national team physiotherapist Dr Federico de Sa Manhaes and Germany’s Bayer Leverkusen’s fitness coach Daniel Jouvin Abraham helped Cassio three times during his stint with Adelaide.
Cassio while with Adelaide was told to have knee surgery (2008) and foot surgery (2011).
He came back from Brazil without undergoing the surgeon’s knife and played on stronger and fitter.
This year Cassio returned to Brazil to have a second opinion on a hamstring injury, had rehab in Brazil after seeing his medico friends and reported for training.
The situation became complicated.
Cassio deserved better.