He’s one of the few players that actually looks neat in possession. Carefully caressing the ball into his team-mates path. Carlos Miguel Ribeiro Dias looks different to everyone else… More at ease with the ball at his feet, when he does things he does them slower, more precise, more natural, but you always expect the ball to get where it should… We don’t have many other players like that at our football club.

Not many were convinced, back in October when Forest loaned yet another ‘whobody‘ from Greek relatives Olympiacos… ‘Another CDM’? they said… ‘Why do we want yet another defensive midfielder?’… ‘More Olympiacos cast offs?’… ‘I thought Cafu retired’ they said…

But slowly (he does everything slowly) and surely, ways have warmed to a player, too good for ‘CDM’, although I’ve argued perhaps he weren’t good enough for ‘CAM’ although that’s not to say he can’t just be a ‘bloody good’ midfielder.

Yesterday Forest announced the permanent capture of Cafu. The Manager obviously pleased with his performances since that first awkward meet shared on video via social media.. Hughton introducing himself at the Nigel Doughty Academy to the Portuguese man who replied ‘hello’ in limited broken English, confused perhaps only a few weeks into his UK tenure and already dealing with ‘another’ new manager.

But since that first date, Cafu has become a staple diet of Hughton’s plans… Relied on to ‘do a job’ and he usually does… Going about his business with a 6 or 7 out of ten… Football clubs need that… Stability, assurance, consistency. A Managers dream.

Cafu isn’t the quickest, but he’s not as slow as he looks either. He’s pleasing on the eye, comfortable in possession, and is a physical presence at 6ft1in. Something about him just makes him stand out. Maybe it’s the simplicity he delivers? Maybe it’s the lethargic look of his every move. A harder working player than I probably give him credit for… That pass for Ribeiro arguably his best work in red so far… Nothing too spectacular… Just a good pass that looked ‘better’ because he did it… Ribeiro importantly opening the scoring against Sheffield Wednesday in what was a must win game. ‘Cafu made that happen’.

We can do statistics..  In 14 Championship games he’s had 13 starts, 19 key passes, 21 chances created, 3 shots on goal, 8 dribbles, 5 tackles won, seemingly nothing stand out doing him justice, but with an 84% pass completion you start to understand what he brings to the team… Ball retention is of course 2/3’s of the law.

And when a player like Cafu consistently delivers, it has a knock on effect, for those next to him to deliver too… If Yates could pass like Cafu he would be playing in the Premier League… If Cafu could run like Yates he would ‘still‘ be playing in the Champions League…

Now 27 he’s been there and done that. Capped by Portugal at every age up until 20.  A Benfica graduate who moved on to Vitor Guimaraes where he qualified to play Europa League football in the Primeira Liga before spells at Lorient and Metz in France’s Ligue 1.

Cafu then moved to Polish giants Legia Warsaw twice winning the League, in his first season the double, before Olympiacos came along and paid €4m.

You forget, or probably never even knew, the pedigree of the player. One playing at the top of his game in every country he’s been in, bar England, so far.

A player in his prime he provides experience to those around him, captains material perhaps as the question has certainly been asked a few times under Lewis Grabban’s leadership. Cafu not only delivers the ball where it should go, but does it with precision. Likened to an articulate Portuguese Post Man… Delivery how it should be, without breaking your stride.

A man no doubt who Hughton likes, a man relied-on by Hughton through his toughest of times in taking on the unforgiving role of Forest manager, a man rewarded for that connection and one trusted, that Hughton can perhaps build the team around towards future success.

A calming influence for those around him and one for me too… Happy that Cafu is now here for good, I’m off to do some yoga whilst watching replays of last nights win v Coventry.

*Article provided by Daniel Peacock (Editor).

*Main image @NFFC Cafu has steadily warmed the folk of Nottingham towards him.