By Matheus Laboissière

Name: Nathaniel “Nate” Weiss
Date of birth: july 16 of 1987 (23 years old)
Position: winger and wingback
Clubs in career (even the youth level): Weston FC (Miami based team), Longford Town-IRL, Adolfsberg-SUE e FK Jelgava-LET.

Since he was a child, the dream of Nate Weiss is to play in the UEFA Champions League. That´s why his flight plan included trials on european clubs.

On this exclusive interview to Plano Tático, the US player tell us about the places he was, the difficulties he faced at the clubs he played on. And declare: “Nothing will stop me from achieving my dream!”

The Beginning

I left America in 2006 in order to try and play abroad. I had just turned 18 years old and had a friend who lived in Mallorca, Spain. I decided that I would try to find a team to play on in the island, no matter what it takes. I, then, signed with a team called UD Arenal, which played in the spanish Tercera Division (the fourth level). At this club, they did not pay the players very much money. So, I had to find a job cleaning boats in the ship yard in the morning and, then, I would have to go to training with the U-19, in the evening, and first team in the night.

Longford Town, Ireland

After this, I had the opportunity to go to Ireland, through my youth coach in America had contacts there. I signed with Longford Town FC because they had a coach who was young and thought that he could help me progress to the next level. Longford was the in Premiership (higher level) the season before but were relegated because of financial difficulties. I think that I progressed well in Longford Town and learned a lot from my time there. Looking back, I should have spent more time there, but instead I wanted to try and find a better team in a higher level.
Looking for an opportunity

A club in Israel called Kiryat Shmona (nowadays, in higher division) contacted me and said they were interested in seeing me. They flew to Israel and had me training there for a week. Because I am jewish, I can obtain a passport through the Law of Return, so, I would not count against foreigner limit. Unfortunatly, while I was there training, I suffered an illness from some bacteria I picked up either from food or water, and became very sick. I had to leave Israel and even stop playing football for a few months.

I, then, went back to USA and trained very hard, worked a night job in order to save up money again, and wait for the next opportunity. While I was in USA, I was offered to attend preseason with a club in the Serbian Superliga called FK Metalac (First level in country). They started in the end of august and already organised my trip to go over to Serbia.

In the beginning of july a Swedish team, Djurgardens, offered me a trial. So, I decided that I was going to take the opportunity and if it didn’t work, I could always go to Serbia. I really thought that at that time Djurgardens was such a big club and maybe it was a level too high for me. But this is why you play football. So I decided to try.

I went to Sweden and played well, even better than I had ever expected. They said that they were very interested in me, but that I would have to stay for another month and continue to train with the team, which means I would not be going to Serbia, and if Djurgardens doesn’t want me, I would left with nothing.

So I decided to go to Sebia, and everything was great for the month that I was there. 1 day before the transfer window closes, on august 30, they tell the team they would not pay players all they promised. Which means pretty much no money at all.

See another interview, about Zesh Rehman, pakistani soccer player

I then called back Djurgardens, and they had already made their signings, but they liked me so much from when I was there before that they sent me to finish the rest of the season with Swedish 5th division team Adolfsbergs IK. It was either that or nothing and I decided on going back to Sweden.

Adolfsbergs IK

At this club, the conditions were a lot better than I think that anyone could expect. They have great field conditions, dressing rooms and even a sauna. I played only ten games for Adolfsbergs IK and, then, in the winter, I decided to go visit some family in Israel and maybe train with some teams that were in mid season before going back to Sweden again in the spring.

While I was in Israel my old team mate from Ireland, who is Latvian, told me about his former team which needed a player in my position. The coach for this club is also famous for the hard preseasons and improving players physical conditions, so I decided that I would go for it.

FK Jelgava

I think we started the season here in Jelgava just hoping to stay in the Virsliga, the higher level, yet we surprised the whole country by winning the cup and getting into Europa League (Jelgava was eliminated in the second round, by Molde, from Norway, because of a away goal). Now I think the goals of the club are to finish as high in the league as possible.

Communication

Most of the players on the team which I play for are russian, and cannot speak english. So, when we do communicate, it is a mix of english and russian. I have been here for about nine months and I think that my russian language is getting better.

I think that the level of football in Latvia is much better than people think. There are many players who are leaving Latvia to have a lot of sucess in top leagues in the world, so it shows that there are quality players who are playing here.

Experience

I think that if I had to elect the best soccer in all of the countries that I have played in…It would definitely have been Spain. Even though I was only playing in the fourth division, the players there were incredible technically. The way that they play is so beautiful with precise passing, and it’s how football should be played! I think that I really learned my football while I was in Spain.

USA

I have never tried to play soccer professionally in USA because my main goal in life is to play in a strong European League in the highest division and play in the Champions League. This is the goal that I set for myself since I was a little child, and of course playing in USA in the future would be great but, for now, I want to focus on my goal and not let anything get in the way of me reaching this goal.

My other main goal in my career is to play for the US national team and I think that if I were to be playing in the highest division of a top european league such as Spain, Germany, Holland, or France, I will get to play for the US national team.

Nate Weiss in action