Would play in the ISL even if it was eight months long, says Mumbai City's Andre Moritz

Mumbai: Andre Moritz beamed as Mumbai City fans gathered for their team’s kit launch broke into a chant about the Brazilian, the only player to have scored a hat-trick in the inaugural Indian Super League last year.

In a career which has seen him play for Brazilian giants Fluminense, Turkish side Kasimpasa and Premier League sides like Crystal Palace and Bolton Wanderers, Moritz feels most at home in India.

“It’s surprising isn’t it, man?” he asks rhetorically, in a fashion that is repeated throughout the interview – a way of talking he may have picked up during his time in England.

“But I absolutely love it here, man. I would surely play even if the ISL was an eight-month long league.” Moritz finished ISL 2014 with three goals and two assists in seven matches as Mumbai City finished seventh.

“The culture is completely different, you understand? But the warmth of the people when they welcome you, the love they show and the way they’re immediately there to lend a helping hand is what makes me feel at home here,” the 29-year old said.

Mumbai City had organised the event at Tote on the Turf in Mahalakshmi with Puma – their official kit sponsors for ISL 2015 – and co-owner Ranbir Kapoor revealed that the club had already spoken to Moritz about a return as soon as their season finished in 2014.

“It all happened so quickly,” Moritz said.

The attacking midfielder is on a full time contract with Korean club Pohang Steelers (till 2017) and for any Brazilian, there are countries that are not pretty high on their professional agenda. However, Moritz is quite candid when it comes to explaining his decisions.

“There’s always a doubt in your mind when you make decisions in football. But honestly I have no regrets with my career. After Palace and Bolton, Korea was good for me even financially and there was the ISL. It’s great to be back in Mumbai,” he said.

Moritz is a prime example of the modern South American footballer – affected by players from the continent travelling wholesale to Europe and cutting down their expression on the pitch. For a Brazilian attacker, Moritz is as un-Brazilian as they come.

“My game is based on ‘shoot on cue’. I create, I score and I play a basic game. I dribble when I’m in the box and I have to score, yes, but I think dribbling is disrespectful to the opponent,” he said. It’s a remark that would surprise lovers of Joga Bonito.

Moritz is expected to be part of Nicolas Anelka’s team come the start of the season. They open their campaign against Pune City FC, against whom he scored that brilliant hat-trick. If Anelka and Sunil Chhetri start up front, then Moritz would make a brilliant No 10.

Unlike last season, Mumbai have a number of attacking options. So does the competition daunt him?

“There’s always competition in football, that just means you up your game and make it count,” he said.