Interview with Edison Bilbao Zarate

by Ayrton Galea - 12th January 2016

Edison Bilbao Zarate was the Club's first signing during this January Transfer Market. He made his debut in the narrow victory over Qormi FC and we talked with the Chilean midfielder in the first interview of this website for 2016.

1. Who is Edison Bilbao?

Edison Bilbao is a 28 years old midfielder from Chile raised in New Jersey, USA. I am determined, hard-working, and sociable guy, who gets along with everyone, and who love to hang out with friends and have fun.

2. How do you spend your regular days and how do you spend your weekends?

A regular day will be waking up at around 09:00, eat breakfast and go to the gym or somewhere to train. Then come home at around 13:30. I take lunch to my wife at work and just chill until practice. Then I come home, eat and most of the days hang out with my wife or with some friends playing UNO.

On the other hand, on weekends, I try to go eat somewhere. Also I enjoy watching movies and watching my friends play with their teams.

3. What are your main hobbies besides football?

I really don't have any hobbies other than football.

4. Do you follow international football? If yes, which is your favourite nation when it comes to football, and which is your favourite club?

Yes, I follow international football. My favourite nation is of course Chile, but I like watching all the big leagues like Spanish, English and Italian. My favourite club is Colo-Colo from Chile where I was born, while I support Real Madrid from Spain, Arsenal from England and Inter from Italy.

5. What is your biggest fear on the pitch?

My biggest fear is getting injured and not being able to help my team.

6. Can you tell us about your experiences before joining our Club?

Well, I signed my first professional contract in America at twenty-one years of age, after finishing university, and travelled to Russia where I started my European journey. In the following year, I went to Spain and ended up playing the following three years in Portugal.

Then, I went to Costa Rica and after six months, I came to Qormi, when my twin brother brought me. I spent a year in Qormi and then went to New York Cosmos. However I came back to Balzan and from there, I am here with Birkirkara FC.

7. Why did you join your Club? Did you imagine yourself wearing our shirt before?

I joined Birkirkara because since I came to Malta my first thought was playing for one of the best teams in Malta. Birkirkara is being the most consistent club these past years playing deciders and winning many trophies. Therefore, when the opportunity came I felt very happy and had to join it. I imagined playing for Birkirkara FC many times and I feel very excited to finally be part of this family.

8. Where is your preferred playing position?

My preferred position is in the midfield, with freedom to go up. However, I can play anywhere in the midfield, as long as the team plays good and win games.

9. Following the first week with our Club, how are you feeling? Have you settled in?

Following the first week, I still feel very excited. I'm still in the process of settling in but I feel happy and I know that I will settle shortly, because there is a very good group of guys who are helping me every day.

10. How is the atmosphere in the dressing room?

The atmosphere is very good. The whole team is motivated and excited. The coaching staff is helping us every day and as a whole in the dressing room there is a really good vibe of what's coming.

11. Who is your best team-mate so far?

All the players have treated me well since the first day. I knew Mauricio Mazzetti, and Diego Bartolotta (from the Under-19's Team), so it feels very good to share dressing room with them and the other foreigners who I admire. The Maltese players are very welcoming starting from the captain Gareth Sciberras, Joseph Zerafa, Ryan Camenzuli, Ini Akpan, Kurt Zammit, Edmond Agius and Cain Attard, who I knew from Pieta, but honestly everyone treated me well since the first day.

12. The team got off a winning start in 2016. What are your comments about the match? In your opinion, what did you do right, and where can you improve? Are you satisfied with the general performance?

It was very important to get the win. The match was going to be tough because of the many new players and we knew Qormi were going to wait. Unluckily we had many chances that could make the game easier but we kept the intensity throughout the match and were able to keep a clean sheet.

We need to keep the team shorter sometimes, and maybe we work more on finishing, but only time and practice will help us with this. I'm very happy we got the three points this first game and I know we will continue growing because we have a really good coaching staff and players.

13. What are your comments about your debut? Are you happy with your performance?

I'm really happy about my performance, but I think I can still improve once I get to know my teammates and understanding what the coaches are asking me to do on the field. Very happy we got the three points and hope we continue in that direction.

14. What are the Club's targets and what are your personal targets?

The Club's ambition is to win everything, and that's the reason why I came to Birkirkara FC because my goals are to win everything too. I hope that I will be being able to look back and say that I helped the team to win everything.

15. Do you have a message for the supporters?

Well first of all, I want to thank all the supporters for the messages of encouragements this past week and want to tell them that I will give my best in every game and hopefully we will be able to celebrate the championship together.

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