EXCLUSIVE: Felipe Caicedo has assured Al Jazira fans that the goals will soon start to flow after failing to find the back of the net in his first month at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium.
The Ecuadorian arrived in Abu Dhabi from Lokomotiv Moscow during the January transfer window as both Nelson Valdez and Ricardo Oliveira were moved on by the club.
Since then he has made four appearance without finding the net, but the former Manchester City striker believes that is to be expected considering those games were his first starts since mid November, and he is still searching for match fitness.
“This is quite normal because these are my first four games, I haven’t really played since November,” Caicedo told Sport360° in an exclusive interview.
“I didn’t have a really good pre-season so it is going to take time. I’m okay, I continue to train and continue to feel better with every game.
“The goals are going to come.”
Caicedo turned down an approach from La Liga club Valencia to sign with Jazira. While that decision was made largely due to the security of the contract offered by the Abu Dhabi club, the 25-year-old is happy he moved to the UAE and has been impressed with the standard of football in the Arabian Gulf League.
“My team-mates are helping me a lot and I’m happy to be here,” Caicedo added. “It is a strong league. Maybe when we are not here we think the league is not at a high level but that is not true.
"When you are here you play games and go to training every day and you can feel this is a good league and a good experience.”
Pick up a copy of Sport360°'s weekend edition on Thursday for the full interview as Felipe Caicedo talks to Martyn Thomas about moving to the UAE, his love for Manchester City, World Cup hopes, and the death of international teammate and friend Christian Benitez.
