 Cássio training withAdelaide United in 2007 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Cássio José de Abreu Oliveira | ||
| Date of birth | (1980-01-08)8 January 1980 (age 45) | ||
| Place of birth | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Left back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Flamengo | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2000–2004 | Flamengo | 96 | (3) |
| 2002 | →Internacional (loan) | 44 | (1) |
| 2003 | →Atlas (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2004 | Olimpia | 16 | (1) |
| 2005 | New England Revolution | 3 | (0) |
| 2005–2006 | Ceará | 22 | (2) |
| 2005 | →Brasiliense (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2006–2007 | Santa Cruz | 14 | (0) |
| 2007–2014 | Adelaide United | 158 | (11) |
| Total | 360 | (18) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2019– | White City | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 5 December 2013 | |||
Cássio José de Abreu Oliveira (born 8 January 1980), simply known asCássio, is a formerBrazilian-bornAustralian professionalfootball player who last played forAdelaide United in theA-League. He is currently[when?] running his own academy, called "Academia de Futebol by Cássio".
Cássio began playing as a left back with local sideFlamengo. After missing a penalty kick in the2001 Copa Mercosur final, his career with Flamengo was effectively over and he was loaned toInternacional andMexican Primera División sideAtlas in 2002 and 2003.[2] While at Internacional, Cássio won the 2002Campeonato Gaúcho and scored the club's 1000th goal in Brazilian competitions.[3] He played inSérie B withMarília during the first half of 2004, before joiningPrimera División Paraguaya sideOlimpia in July 2004.[4] He had a brief spell with theNew England Revolution, making only three appearances before being released midway through the 2005 season.[5]
Cassio's arrival at Adelaide United came after all of the club's options at left-back (Matthew Kemp,Adam van Dommele andAaron Goulding) were either released or transferred at the end of the2006–07 A-League season.[6] Although failing to score during his debutA-League campaign, his 3 assists, and contribution of 14 shots on target, revealed how dangerous Cassio was as an attacking force. For his significant contributions on the field for the2007–08 season, he was given three end of season awards, including the Club Champion award.[7]
Despite a slow start to the2008–2009 A-League season due to injury, Cassio proved just how valuable he had become to the club when he set up all three of Adelaide United's goals againstFC Bunyodkor in the first leg semi-final of the 2008AFC Champions League.[8] On 15 October 2008 Cassio signed a new two-year deal with United despite interest from rival A-League clubs with the Brazilian stating that although they offered more money Adelaide was "like a second home" for the player.[9]
Despite coming to Adelaide with a reputation of a goal scorer Cassio's first goal came midway through his second season with the club; a brilliant free kick againstMelbourne Victory[10] in late October. In December, Cassio scored a brace in Adelaide's 6–1 demolishing ofWellington with both goals coming from unstoppable drives after he cut in from the left channel.[11]
On 3 January 2009, Cassio scored his fourth goal for Adelaide United against in the annualSydney FC clash atAdelaide Oval. Adelaide went on to win the game 2–0.[12] In thesemi-final second leg against Melbourne Victory, Cassio was sent off by referee Matthew Breeze, and made agesture toward the Melbourne crowd as he departed down the tunnel.[13] In the2009/10 season Cassio scored two goals, one from a free kick againstPerth Glory andgoal of the season-contender againstNewcastle Jets to level the match at 1–1.
On 12 September 2011, Cassio revealed a desire to become an Australian citizen and play for the Socceroos.[14] Cassio and his family became Australian citizens at a ceremony at Hindmarsh Stadium on 7 September 2012. As a result, he is eligible to representAustralia at international level. He also does not require a visa to play for Adelaide United, thus enabling the club to import another player on visa.
However Cassio eventually did not get to play for Australia after taking citizenship, and was not called up by the Socceroos to play in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, hosted by his birth country.
On 21 November 2012 he signed a two-year contract extension keeping him at the club until the end of 2014-15 A-League season.[15]
2014 saw a return from injury for Cassio as he featured in a friendly against local sideEastern United FC[16]
On 18 December 2014, Cassio was branded as "disrespectful" by Adelaide United managerJosep Gombau for refusing to turn up to the2014 FFA Cup Final to support his teammates, before or after the match, stating that he would not be selecting Cassio to play again, whilst refusing to rule out releasing him in January.[17] Five days later, Cassio was released by Adelaide United.[18][19][20] He leaves the Reds as a two time Player of the Year, and as Adelaide's longest serving player.
After having announced retirement from his professional playing career, Cassio is currently running his own academy called "Academia de Futebol by Cassio" Adelaide-based football academy which focuses on training and developing the skills of juniors and young players.
In 2015, Cassio has coachedPembroke School's First XI Soccer team. Cassio is currently taking over the Soccer program at Nazareth Catholic College High School.
(Correct as of 1 February 2011[21])
| Club | Season | League1 | Cup | Continental2 | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Adelaide United | 2007–08 | 17 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 26 | 3 |
| 2008–09 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 30 | 4 | |
| 2009–10 | 19 | 2 | - | - | 3 | 1 | 22 | 3 | |
| 2010–11 | 30 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 30 | 0 | |
| 2011–12 | 7 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 7 | 0 | |
| Total | 89 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 18 | 1 | 115 | 10 | |
1 – includesA-League final series statistics
2 – includesFIFA Club World Cup statistics;AFC Champions League statistics are included in season commencing after group stages (i.e. 2008 ACL in 2008–09 A-League season etc.)
Personal honours: