r00fie1
Well-known member
This article was originally published in June 2019 - written by Journalist and Boro fan Philip Tallentire.
Leo was about to be appointed Boro Goal-keeping Coach.........
[https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport...s/words-leo-percovich-expresses-love-16418168]
“I started to walk. Carrying the flag walking out with my son, it was so emotional. When my name was announced, I stepped out and I felt the Teesside hearts beating.
“I tried to listen. I tried to take it all in. To fill my heart with that love. I tightened the hand of my son and I saw that he was so proud, so happy. I believe the girls were there with us. We were together.
“For me, the proudest moment was when the supporters starting singing, ‘He’s one of our own’. That was so beautiful and I’m so proud that these people feel that way because I feel that too.
Former Middlesbrough goalkeeper coach Leo Percovich on the Riverside pitch
“I left the club but I’m still right behind the team always, in every game.
“I felt the love from the fans when I was here in the good moments and the bad moments. I still remember when we were relegated from the Premier League and played against Liverpool and the fans were still singing, still supporting. That was amazing.
“I think the supporters felt my energy. Passion. Emotion. It’s not about what you say, it’s about how you feel.”
Leo was about to be appointed Boro Goal-keeping Coach.........
[https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport...s/words-leo-percovich-expresses-love-16418168]
In his own words: Leo Percovich expresses his love for Middlesbrough
Here we look back at some of the 51-year-old’s most memorable and poignant quotes ahead of his Boro return.........................Leo Percovich has a special bond with Boro supporters.
Arriving at the club as Aitor Karanka’s goalkeeping coach in November 2013 his heart-on-his-sleeve touchline behaviour played well with the Riverside faithful.
Already a cult hero, the Teesside public reacted with shock and sympathy on hearing the huge personal tragedy the Percovich family suffered 18 months ago. His emotional return to the Riverside in May 2018 only cemented the bond further and now he’s set to be appointed as Boro’s new goalkeeping coach. Here we look back at some of the 51-year-old’s most memorable and poignant quotes...
Aitor Karanka and Leo Percovich
Leo revealing how Aitor Karanka asked him to consider joining Boro in 2013
“Two or three people asked me to ask Aitor to come here (USA) as a coach, so I called him.
“He said ‘let me change the question, won’t you come here with me?’. I said where and he told me Middlesbrough.
“He said ‘can you be here tomorrow?’ And I said ‘yes’, and I took the first flight just two hours later.
“I was there on the Saturday and he was surprised, he said: ‘you arrived before me’!”
Leo explaining why he agreed to join Boro
“It was a very big decision, I had been in America for nine years. But Aitor’s a true person, a true man and a true professional.
“ The project at Middlesbrough was amazing. When he told me about the chairman, and the club and the people who run the club, it sounded like a dream, a good place to grow a career.”
Leo Percovich (Image: Katie Lunn)
Arriving at the club as Aitor Karanka’s goalkeeping coach in November 2013 his heart-on-his-sleeve touchline behaviour played well with the Riverside faithful.
Already a cult hero, the Teesside public reacted with shock and sympathy on hearing the huge personal tragedy the Percovich family suffered 18 months ago. His emotional return to the Riverside in May 2018 only cemented the bond further and now he’s set to be appointed as Boro’s new goalkeeping coach. Here we look back at some of the 51-year-old’s most memorable and poignant quotes...
Aitor Karanka and Leo Percovich
Leo revealing how Aitor Karanka asked him to consider joining Boro in 2013
“Two or three people asked me to ask Aitor to come here (USA) as a coach, so I called him.
“He said ‘let me change the question, won’t you come here with me?’. I said where and he told me Middlesbrough.
“He said ‘can you be here tomorrow?’ And I said ‘yes’, and I took the first flight just two hours later.
“I was there on the Saturday and he was surprised, he said: ‘you arrived before me’!”
Leo explaining why he agreed to join Boro
“It was a very big decision, I had been in America for nine years. But Aitor’s a true person, a true man and a true professional.
“ The project at Middlesbrough was amazing. When he told me about the chairman, and the club and the people who run the club, it sounded like a dream, a good place to grow a career.”
Leo Percovich (Image: Katie Lunn)
Leo on settling down to life in England
“It’s a very big, new experience, especially when you come to the North-east because – people looking from outside think that England is London – but when you come here it’s a different side of the country, which I enjoy more.
“It’s not just about the architecture, it’s about the people. The people I have found in Middlesbrough and all the areas around the town like Darlington, I really enjoy and I have made big, big friends.
“The people have made it easier for me to be here working. It’s not about the house that you live in or the apartment you have, it’s about the people you have to get along with day-by-day.
“I am very comfortable and happy here. It has surprised me and not what I expected. Coming from Chicago, England has been a surprise.
“In Chicago, it’s difficult to see the land but here there is a lot of green. My first feeling was ‘it is very natural here and the people are down to earth and they value everything’.
“Maybe that doesn’t happen so much in the big towns. Here has been a very big surprise in a good way because of the quality of life and the neighbours we have.”
Aitor Karanka and Leo Percovich celebrate against Birmingham (Image: Action Images / Lee Smith)
“It’s not just about the architecture, it’s about the people. The people I have found in Middlesbrough and all the areas around the town like Darlington, I really enjoy and I have made big, big friends.
“The people have made it easier for me to be here working. It’s not about the house that you live in or the apartment you have, it’s about the people you have to get along with day-by-day.
“I am very comfortable and happy here. It has surprised me and not what I expected. Coming from Chicago, England has been a surprise.
“In Chicago, it’s difficult to see the land but here there is a lot of green. My first feeling was ‘it is very natural here and the people are down to earth and they value everything’.
“Maybe that doesn’t happen so much in the big towns. Here has been a very big surprise in a good way because of the quality of life and the neighbours we have.”
Aitor Karanka and Leo Percovich celebrate against Birmingham (Image: Action Images / Lee Smith)
Leo on English football
“British fans are a different class.
“It’s beautiful here. I was in America for eight or nine years and we would occasionally play teams like Manchester United and Aston Villa.
“We played friendly matches in the States and the stadium is so comfortable and the locker rooms are huge. Out on the pitch there is a big show for the fans.
“But, when you come here, you understand those things are not necessary. In England, it is pure football, exclusively football.
“You have a simple locker room. Fans sit on the edge of their seats, people don’t move until the game is over.
“In the States they get up for food, they move around, they come in late for the game because it lasts 90 minutes and they arrive after 20 minutes.
“Here the people live and breathe football. You can see the tradition in the stadiums. We went to Burnley, we went to Sheffield, it is amazing, you feel the sense of pure football, the respect for the people who work in the game, the managers, it’s a cultural thing, it’s in the culture.
“I really love it. Even coming from a country that is very passionate about football, you can sense it here, it’s the best.”
Leo Percovich (Image: Katie Lunn)
“It’s beautiful here. I was in America for eight or nine years and we would occasionally play teams like Manchester United and Aston Villa.
“We played friendly matches in the States and the stadium is so comfortable and the locker rooms are huge. Out on the pitch there is a big show for the fans.
“But, when you come here, you understand those things are not necessary. In England, it is pure football, exclusively football.
“You have a simple locker room. Fans sit on the edge of their seats, people don’t move until the game is over.
“In the States they get up for food, they move around, they come in late for the game because it lasts 90 minutes and they arrive after 20 minutes.
“Here the people live and breathe football. You can see the tradition in the stadiums. We went to Burnley, we went to Sheffield, it is amazing, you feel the sense of pure football, the respect for the people who work in the game, the managers, it’s a cultural thing, it’s in the culture.
“I really love it. Even coming from a country that is very passionate about football, you can sense it here, it’s the best.”
Leo Percovich (Image: Katie Lunn)
Leo on returning to the Riverside ahead of the Aston Villa play-off semi-final
“I started to walk. Carrying the flag walking out with my son, it was so emotional. When my name was announced, I stepped out and I felt the Teesside hearts beating.
“I tried to listen. I tried to take it all in. To fill my heart with that love. I tightened the hand of my son and I saw that he was so proud, so happy. I believe the girls were there with us. We were together.
“For me, the proudest moment was when the supporters starting singing, ‘He’s one of our own’. That was so beautiful and I’m so proud that these people feel that way because I feel that too.
Former Middlesbrough goalkeeper coach Leo Percovich on the Riverside pitch
“I left the club but I’m still right behind the team always, in every game.
“I felt the love from the fans when I was here in the good moments and the bad moments. I still remember when we were relegated from the Premier League and played against Liverpool and the fans were still singing, still supporting. That was amazing.
“I think the supporters felt my energy. Passion. Emotion. It’s not about what you say, it’s about how you feel.”
Leo on Boro missing out on the play-offs last season
“We all can feel disappointed that we didn’t get promotion. We can have the bitter taste for not reaching the play-offs.
“But, we have a couple of important things to remember at this time: The effort was there all season, we have the best chairman, who will do whatever it takes to take our club back to the Premier League and that we have the most truly amazing fans and supporters who will travel and follow to support the team wherever they go.
“So it’s time to reunite the forces, make an army, bring back the hope, and start to get ready for the next season’s project.” *
* Perhaps the poignancy of that remark has never been more appropriate than now?
“But, we have a couple of important things to remember at this time: The effort was there all season, we have the best chairman, who will do whatever it takes to take our club back to the Premier League and that we have the most truly amazing fans and supporters who will travel and follow to support the team wherever they go.
“So it’s time to reunite the forces, make an army, bring back the hope, and start to get ready for the next season’s project.” *
* Perhaps the poignancy of that remark has never been more appropriate than now?
Last edited:
. You will not find a man who cares about this football club more than Leo. Let's hope he guides us to another victory this afternoon.
