[Mr Mercury]

Good article in this mornings Sunday Mail talking to Covolan.
Pity it didn’t work out for him here but glad he’s sorted himself out.

FA CUP
The Posh and Becks of Maidstone
Covolan is Cup hero chasing history... and his partner is targeting Olympic glory at fencing
By Joe Bernstein
SINCE his FA Cup exploits made headlines all the way to his native Brazil, National League South goalkeeper Lucas Covolan has been keeping his feet — and gloves — on the ground with early-morning airport runs for girlfriend Jana Kuna, a notable sportswoman in her own right.

Covolan, whose 12 saves helped Maidstone United shock Ipswich Town last month and become the lowest-ranked side to reach the FA Cup fifth round since 1978, regularly needs to set the alarm in order to drop off and collect his partner, an international fencer for Croatia.


Having just returned from the World Cup in Barcelona, Jana finds out in April if she’s qualified for the Paris Olympics this summer. It’s a glamorous coupling for the county town of Kent to enjoy and having missed out on the drama at Portman Road in order to compete in Qatar, Jana has guaranteed she will be chief cheerleader at Coventry City for tomorrow’s tie.

‘I was jumping about the hotel room in Doha after watching the Ipswich game on a laptop and then Lucas rang, literally still on the pitch. It was so nice,’ she recalls.

‘When I came back to England and saw how crazy people were about it, I realised how big it was. Everywhere we go it’s, “Lucas, Lucas, can I take a photo?”

‘I’ve told him I ain’t missing the next game, not a chance. I am going to be there to support.’

Covolan has had a remarkable and difficult journey to become an overnight success at 32. He started at the academy of Brazilian club Athletico Paranaense, two years behind current Bournemouth No 1 Neto, but hit a professional dead end despite a couple of caps for the Under-20s alongside Chelsea star Oscar. Holding an Italian passport through grandparents, he came to England and had spells with non-league Whitehawk, Worthing and Torquay — where he scored a play-off goal — before blowing chances at Port Vale and Chesterfield when his temper got the better of his talent.

Covolan estimates that he was sent off ‘eight or nine’ times and has sought to try to understand why since making the most of his last chance at Maidstone under manager George Elokobi.

‘I always had the attributes to play at a higher level but my mind wasn’t in the right place,’ he says candidly. ‘We won promotion to League One at Port Vale (2021-22) but something was still wrong inside me. For two years, I didn’t have a chance to see my family in Brazil because of Covid. I’d ask myself what I was doing, being away for so long.

‘My parents were getting older. When my niece turned 10, I worked out I’d moved to Europe when she was a few months old.

‘I felt I was losing good moments and started getting depressed. People would ask what was wrong because Vale were a great club but our mind is tricky, we don’t choose when we are going to be well. It affected me on the pitch. Psychologists call it the red mist. Opponents would step on my toes at corners or elbow me in the ribs. They’d wind me up because they knew my reputation and that I would react.’

The lowest point arrived at the start of last season when he was sent off playing for Chesterfield against Dorking. ‘I left my box to head clear and one of their players cleaned me out,’ recalls Covolan. ‘He went for me, not the ball, and when he was on the ground, I stamped on him. It was stupidity on my part. I knew things had to change. I saw psychiatrists and psychologists. They taught me breathing techniques if I felt a trigger on the pitch.

‘It’s worked. It freed my mind. If anyone tries to provoke me now, I laugh and keep my peace.

‘You need aggression as a goalkeeper and courage to dive at a striker’s feet or get hit in the face but you can’t lose control.’

There have been no disciplinary issues at Maidstone. The biggest reward came at Ipswich when Covolan produced one of the great goalkeeping displays. He was so calm and confident on the day that he didn’t need to use any of the coping techniques at his disposal.

‘My family watched the game in Brazil and told me I’d looked completely assured. I think I passed that confidence on to team-mates as well as making the saves.’

It was only after the final whistle that he allowed emotions to take over, particularly after speaking to Jana four thousand miles away.

‘I’m glad he called then because for the next few days he was so busy with people wanting him here, there and everywhere,’ she recalls.

Like most Brazilian kids, Covolan’s first dream was to be an outfield player showing off flicks and tricks. A coach called Carlinhos persuaded him to be a goalie and his instinct for spontaneity saw him travel to Spain and then England to pursue his career. Meeting 23-year-old Jana at a fencing competition — Covolan’s mum competes for a Brazil in a veterans’ category — was a meeting of sporting minds.

‘We are competitive in whatever we do. Table tennis, cards, even PlayStation. It is always going to be there,’ she reveals. ‘He’s also been able to help me with fencing. Mental preparation is key in any sport. It is scary how much our brain is part of the game. With his history, he can help me control that.’

Life has changed since January 27 in Suffolk. Often, the couple aren’t allowed to pay for drinks or a meal out as a mark of gratitude for Covolan’s heroics. ‘Football fans in Maidstone always recognised me but now it’s the whole town,’ he states. ‘The team has brought happiness to the whole community.

‘Football is mostly about downsides so when you have these big moments, you have to enjoy them.

‘We’ve been given a few free drinks and it was an honour to do a podcast with David Seaman, who is a goalkeeping icon. I did mention the Ronaldinho goal because I am Brazilian but on a serious side we both know that you can make 12 saves but it’s the one mistake that will be remembered.

‘It’s unfair but that’s life as a keeper. It is the most exposed position. So, there have been a few perks but still the biggest thrill has been making the people close to me proud. To speak to my family in Brazil and hear them crying with happiness and hearing it’s big news over there too, that’s when you realise what the FA Cup means.’

Covolan’s appetite for hard work is shared by 38-year-old Elokobi, a former player with Wolves and Cameroon who has become a cult hero during the Stones’ Cup run.

‘He’s inspirational every day. What you see is what you get,’ is how Covolan describes his manager. ‘He helps the players so much. When he joins in training, he is the one who gives 120 per cent.

‘Everyone jokes that if we draw Wolves, he will definitely have to register and get on that pitch. He’s also a good friend. He likes how I train and play because we’re alike. He doesn’t like laziness. He wants you to work hard out of respect for those who are not in the team — to show why you were picked.’

Lucas and Jana giggle at the prospect of being called the Posh and Becks of Maidstone if their joint-success continues.

Covolan briefly rubbed shoulders with stardom when Oscar would turn up for Brazil U20s camps in a helicopter, and he’s not given up on his own dreams yet. ‘I aim for the highest,’ he says. ‘The Premier League is the one you want.’

Born 18 months after Coventry manager Mark Robins scored for Manchester United in the FA Cup to save Sir Alex Ferguson’s job, Covolan wasn’t aware of the connection but loves hearing the stories the competition throws up.

He expects another busy 90 minutes. ‘There is a big difference facing Championship players. You need to be switched on because they only need a single touch to strike on target,’ he says.

[plannerj]

Mr Mercury, on 25 February 2024 - 12:07 PM, said:

Good article in this mornings Sunday Mail talking to Covolan.
Pity it didn’t work out for him here but glad he’s sorted himself out.

FA CUP
The Posh and Becks of Maidstone
Covolan is Cup hero chasing history... and his partner is targeting Olympic glory at fencing
By Joe Bernstein
SINCE his FA Cup exploits made headlines all the way to his native Brazil, National League South goalkeeper Lucas Covolan has been keeping his feet — and gloves — on the ground with early-morning airport runs for girlfriend Jana Kuna, a notable sportswoman in her own right.

Covolan, whose 12 saves helped Maidstone United shock Ipswich Town last month and become the lowest-ranked side to reach the FA Cup fifth round since 1978, regularly needs to set the alarm in order to drop off and collect his partner, an international fencer for Croatia.


Having just returned from the World Cup in Barcelona, Jana finds out in April if she’s qualified for the Paris Olympics this summer. It’s a glamorous coupling for the county town of Kent to enjoy and having missed out on the drama at Portman Road in order to compete in Qatar, Jana has guaranteed she will be chief cheerleader at Coventry City for tomorrow’s tie.

‘I was jumping about the hotel room in Doha after watching the Ipswich game on a laptop and then Lucas rang, literally still on the pitch. It was so nice,’ she recalls.

‘When I came back to England and saw how crazy people were about it, I realised how big it was. Everywhere we go it’s, “Lucas, Lucas, can I take a photo?”

‘I’ve told him I ain’t missing the next game, not a chance. I am going to be there to support.’

Covolan has had a remarkable and difficult journey to become an overnight success at 32. He started at the academy of Brazilian club Athletico Paranaense, two years behind current Bournemouth No 1 Neto, but hit a professional dead end despite a couple of caps for the Under-20s alongside Chelsea star Oscar. Holding an Italian passport through grandparents, he came to England and had spells with non-league Whitehawk, Worthing and Torquay — where he scored a play-off goal — before blowing chances at Port Vale and Chesterfield when his temper got the better of his talent.

Covolan estimates that he was sent off ‘eight or nine’ times and has sought to try to understand why since making the most of his last chance at Maidstone under manager George Elokobi.

‘I always had the attributes to play at a higher level but my mind wasn’t in the right place,’ he says candidly. ‘We won promotion to League One at Port Vale (2021-22) but something was still wrong inside me. For two years, I didn’t have a chance to see my family in Brazil because of Covid. I’d ask myself what I was doing, being away for so long.

‘My parents were getting older. When my niece turned 10, I worked out I’d moved to Europe when she was a few months old.

‘I felt I was losing good moments and started getting depressed. People would ask what was wrong because Vale were a great club but our mind is tricky, we don’t choose when we are going to be well. It affected me on the pitch. Psychologists call it the red mist. Opponents would step on my toes at corners or elbow me in the ribs. They’d wind me up because they knew my reputation and that I would react.’

The lowest point arrived at the start of last season when he was sent off playing for Chesterfield against Dorking. ‘I left my box to head clear and one of their players cleaned me out,’ recalls Covolan. ‘He went for me, not the ball, and when he was on the ground, I stamped on him. It was stupidity on my part. I knew things had to change. I saw psychiatrists and psychologists. They taught me breathing techniques if I felt a trigger on the pitch.

‘It’s worked. It freed my mind. If anyone tries to provoke me now, I laugh and keep my peace.

‘You need aggression as a goalkeeper and courage to dive at a striker’s feet or get hit in the face but you can’t lose control.’

There have been no disciplinary issues at Maidstone. The biggest reward came at Ipswich when Covolan produced one of the great goalkeeping displays. He was so calm and confident on the day that he didn’t need to use any of the coping techniques at his disposal.

‘My family watched the game in Brazil and told me I’d looked completely assured. I think I passed that confidence on to team-mates as well as making the saves.’

It was only after the final whistle that he allowed emotions to take over, particularly after speaking to Jana four thousand miles away.

‘I’m glad he called then because for the next few days he was so busy with people wanting him here, there and everywhere,’ she recalls.

Like most Brazilian kids, Covolan’s first dream was to be an outfield player showing off flicks and tricks. A coach called Carlinhos persuaded him to be a goalie and his instinct for spontaneity saw him travel to Spain and then England to pursue his career. Meeting 23-year-old Jana at a fencing competition — Covolan’s mum competes for a Brazil in a veterans’ category — was a meeting of sporting minds.

‘We are competitive in whatever we do. Table tennis, cards, even PlayStation. It is always going to be there,’ she reveals. ‘He’s also been able to help me with fencing. Mental preparation is key in any sport. It is scary how much our brain is part of the game. With his history, he can help me control that.’

Life has changed since January 27 in Suffolk. Often, the couple aren’t allowed to pay for drinks or a meal out as a mark of gratitude for Covolan’s heroics. ‘Football fans in Maidstone always recognised me but now it’s the whole town,’ he states. ‘The team has brought happiness to the whole community.

‘Football is mostly about downsides so when you have these big moments, you have to enjoy them.

‘We’ve been given a few free drinks and it was an honour to do a podcast with David Seaman, who is a goalkeeping icon. I did mention the Ronaldinho goal because I am Brazilian but on a serious side we both know that you can make 12 saves but it’s the one mistake that will be remembered.

‘It’s unfair but that’s life as a keeper. It is the most exposed position. So, there have been a few perks but still the biggest thrill has been making the people close to me proud. To speak to my family in Brazil and hear them crying with happiness and hearing it’s big news over there too, that’s when you realise what the FA Cup means.’

Covolan’s appetite for hard work is shared by 38-year-old Elokobi, a former player with Wolves and Cameroon who has become a cult hero during the Stones’ Cup run.

‘He’s inspirational every day. What you see is what you get,’ is how Covolan describes his manager. ‘He helps the players so much. When he joins in training, he is the one who gives 120 per cent.

‘Everyone jokes that if we draw Wolves, he will definitely have to register and get on that pitch. He’s also a good friend. He likes how I train and play because we’re alike. He doesn’t like laziness. He wants you to work hard out of respect for those who are not in the team — to show why you were picked.’

Lucas and Jana giggle at the prospect of being called the Posh and Becks of Maidstone if their joint-success continues.

Covolan briefly rubbed shoulders with stardom when Oscar would turn up for Brazil U20s camps in a helicopter, and he’s not given up on his own dreams yet. ‘I aim for the highest,’ he says. ‘The Premier League is the one you want.’

Born 18 months after Coventry manager Mark Robins scored for Manchester United in the FA Cup to save Sir Alex Ferguson’s job, Covolan wasn’t aware of the connection but loves hearing the stories the competition throws up.

He expects another busy 90 minutes. ‘There is a big difference facing Championship players. You need to be switched on because they only need a single touch to strike on target,’ he says.

Really good read and thanks for copying it here.

[Westbars Spireite]

He was on Talksport the other day. Came across as a really decent chap.

[CFC91]

Westbars Spireite, on 25 February 2024 - 12:21 PM, said:

He was on Talksport the other day. Came across as a really decent chap.

Thought the same. All the best to them and Maidstone - have a feeling this cup run will see him back up the leagues potentially

[gordon_brittas]

In hindsight he doesn’t get sent off against Dorking and remains first team keeper. We don’t sign Fitzsimons and we win promotion at Wembley against Notts in the final.

Still sore but we’d have beat Notts with a better keeper.

This post has been edited by gordon_brittas: 25 February 2024 - 12:57 PM

[clarevoyant.]

gordon_brittas, on 25 February 2024 - 12:57 PM, said:

In hindsight he doesn’t get sent off against Dorking and remains first team keeper. We don’t sign Fitzsimons and we win promotion at Wembley against Notts in the final.

Still sore but we’d have beat Notts with a better keeper.

We'd have beaten notts if we hadn't had a ref running round like a headless chicken for the first 20 minutes.

[CFC91]

gordon_brittas, on 25 February 2024 - 12:57 PM, said:

In hindsight he doesn’t get sent off against Dorking and remains first team keeper. We don’t sign Fitzsimons and we win promotion at Wembley against Notts in the final.

Still sore but we’d have beat Notts with a better keeper.

I agree to an extent but having a nut job in goal is nose use to us where you can only name 5 subs so don’t want a sub keeper on the bench to cover his ars* when his head goes and he gets sent off

[Cartman]

gordon_brittas, on 25 February 2024 - 12:57 PM, said:

In hindsight he doesn’t get sent off against Dorking and remains first team keeper. We don’t sign Fitzsimons and we win promotion at Wembley against Notts in the final.

Still sore but we’d have beat Notts with a better keeper.

Agreed, had Covolan been in goal in the play off final we’d be in L2 now, Fitzsimons was terrible but less likely to be sent off so played more!

The difference this season with having the same vulnerable defence but a much better keeper is massive

[LondonBlue]

Covolan was in goal away at Barnet where he let in some shockers… not sure he’d have changed the outcome of the play off final at all.

[Cartman]

LondonBlue, on 26 February 2024 - 06:06 PM, said:

Covolan was in goal away at Barnet where he let in some shockers… not sure he’d have changed the outcome of the play off final at all.

He saves that free kick, then again so would Mike Allison, Mick Astbury, Mark Gayle, Sal Bibbo, That Norwegian Nesh lad, Andy Richmond or any of the rest of the dodgier keepers we’ve had in my time watching Town! In fact Ollie Banks or Jamie Hewitt would have saved it! It remains one of the worst goals from a keepers point of view I’ve ever seen a Town keeper let in, and what a time to do it!

[DIFH]

The fact Cook said no thanx says everything.

[jonnythespireite]

Cartman, on 26 February 2024 - 06:45 PM, said:

He saves that free kick, then again so would Mike Allison, Mick Astbury, Mark Gayle, Sal Bibbo, That Norwegian Nesh lad, Andy Richmond or any of the rest of the dodgier keepers we’ve had in my time watching Town! In fact Ollie Banks or Jamie Hewitt would have saved it! It remains one of the worst goals from a keepers point of view I’ve ever seen a Town keeper let in, and what a time to do it!

If Covolan had played for the majority of last season we wouldn’t have made the play off final.

[azul]

No magic from Covolan tonight

[LondonBlue]

jonnythespireite, on 26 February 2024 - 08:41 PM, said:

If Covolan had played for the majority of last season we wouldn’t have made the play off final.

Tend to agree

[danblue]

I'm not so sure.
I think Covolan is a decent keeper at our level and fitted into Cook's sweeper keeper/quick distribution bracket.
What did for him was getting sent off at Dorking (obviously annoyed Cook) and the dogs abuse he got from the fans - absolutely destroyed him here.
No Spireite player deserved that level of abuse and booing. Embarrassing tbh

[jonnythespireite]

danblue, on 26 February 2024 - 10:10 PM, said:

I'm not so sure.
I think Covolan is a decent keeper at our level and fitted into Cook's sweeper keeper/quick distribution bracket.
What did for him was getting sent off at Dorking (obviously annoyed Cook) and the dogs abuse he got from the fans - absolutely destroyed him here.
No Spireite player deserved that level of abuse and booing. Embarrassing tbh

He was poor subsequently. Cook didn’t pick him . He couldn’t get a gig in the NL. I realised he was a liability when I’m watching him regularly in front of his centre halfs!

[60s 70s Spireite]

danblue, on 26 February 2024 - 10:10 PM, said:

I'm not so sure.
I think Covolan is a decent keeper at our level and fitted into Cook's sweeper keeper/quick distribution bracket.
What did for him was getting sent off at Dorking (obviously annoyed Cook) and the dogs abuse he got from the fans - absolutely destroyed him here.
No Spireite player deserved that level of abuse and booing. Embarrassing tbh

Maidstone’s manager has said he wasn’t suited to the sweeper role and has been a better keeper for not being expected to fill the role.

[danblue]

Think the question remains - Fitzsimons or Covolan?

[60s 70s Spireite]

danblue, on 26 February 2024 - 10:31 PM, said:

Think the question remains - Fitzsimons or Covolan?

As Cook said after the play off final, we move on. What’s the point of such a debate now?
Never heard the management play the blame game- although it was reported at the time that the coaching staff were screaming at our defence to cover the near post for the free kick- which they didn’t.

[sophocles]

danblue, on 26 February 2024 - 10:31 PM, said:

Think the question remains - Fitzsimons or Covolan?

And the answer to the question is ........ TYRER!