Alexander Manninger



D.O.B: 04/06/197 in Salzburg, Austria
Position: Goalkeeper
Squad number: 13
Nationality: Austrian
Height: 1.89m (6'3")
Weight: 84kg
Nickname(s):

Serie A debut -

1995-96 Vorwarts Steyr A 5 -?
Jan 1996 Salzburg A 1 -?
1996-97 Sturm Graz A 23 -?
1997-98 Arsenal A 7 -?
1998-99 Arsenal A 6 -?
1999-00 Arsenal A 15 -?
2000-01 Arsenal A 12 -?
2001-02 Fiorentina A 24 -?
2002-03 Torino A 3 -?
Jan 2003 Espanyol A - -?
2003-04 Bologna A - -?
2004-05 Siena A 19 -?
2005-06 Red Bull Salzburg A 16 -?
2006-07 Siena A 38 -?
2007-08 Siena A 26 -?
2008-09 Juventus A 16 -11
2009-10 Juventus A 11 -19
2010-11 Juventus A - -


Honours: -


Manninger first played as a youth for SV Austria Salzburg. In the 1995–96 season he was sent on loan at Vorwärts Steyr, and played his first top-level game away against Grazer AK. After a strong performance in goal, Grazer decided to sign him as backup goalkeeper in summer 1996. Manninger's first match was a baptism of fire; after first-choice goalkeeper Franz Almer fell ill before a UEFA Cup second round game against Internazionale in autumn 1996, Manninger found himself making his debut in the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. He put in a strong performance and pulled off several high-quality saves as GAK narrowly lost 1–0. In the return leg, GAK won 1–0 to level the aggregate score at 1–1, but lost in the resulting penalty shoot-out.

After that, he remained first-choice for the rest of the 1996–97 season and was signed by Arsenal in June 1997 as cover for David Seaman. During the 1997–98 season Seaman suffered a long spell out injured and Manninger ably covered for him, enjoying a spell of six clean sheets in a row in the league, a joint-club record with Jimmy Ashcroft. The last of these was against Manchester United at Old Trafford, where Arsenal won 1–0, a result which helped them beat United to the 1997–98 FA Premier League title, thereby winning the player of the month award, a first for an understudy goalkeeper in the Premier League. However, Manninger had to make way for Seaman once the Englishman returned from injury.

Manninger continued to deputise for Seaman for the next three seasons, but without a consistent run in the side he was unable to maximise his potential. In all he made only 64 appearances over four seasons for Arsenal. After the Gunners bought Richard Wright in 2001, Manninger became number three at Arsenal, and spent the 2001-02 season on loan at Fiorentina, making 24 appearances. In July 2002 RCD Espanyol signed Manninger on a four-year deal for £960,000. However they released him just seven weeks later before he had made a first team appearance. Doubts were raised as to whether his transfer from Arsenal had been fully completed.

Manninger joined Torino in January 2003. There then followed spells at Brescia and Siena, before he rejoined Red Bull Salzburg (as they are now known) in 2005. In 2006-07 he returned to Siena, where he is currently first-choice goalkeeper.

Manninger also plays for Austria, since 1999, and was member of the Austrian Euro 2008 squad.

At the end of the 2007-08 season he returned to Red Bull Salzburg. However in July 2008, Manninger moved back to Italy with Juventus for €2.5m

Welcome to Juventus, Alex. Bring a cushion

He did well in the game he played in my opinion, he was excellent in two and did ok against BATE when he didn't actually have many actual saves to make.

Manninger has done well so far, a few clean sheets. Looked sloppy on one or two shots with his handling and decisions but in terms of shot stopping can't question him, much better backup than anyone we have had since Fabian Carini. Can you imagine Belardi or Chimenti in goal for 2 months?

By the way:



Maniac alert!

Blog: Man in the middle

Italian football has a crisis between the sticks, but James Horncastle believes Juventus' Alex Manninger has been one of the signings of the season



Up in the Curva Scirea, Juventus fans have had more than just the cold to contend with in recent weeks. The Bianconeri faithful have been keeping themselves warm with hot debate. Who, they ask, has been the club's Player of the Season so far?

It will come as little surprise to hear the name Alex bandied about, for Del Piero has once again rolled back the years and turned on the style. But a few fans are talking about the team's other Alex. A certain Austrian goalkeeper - namely Alex Manninger - who left Arsenal in 2001 and somehow ended up at Juventus, his 10th club in seven years.

Manninger thought he had said goodbye to Italy in the summer when he left Siena and joined Salzburg. The 31-year-old was supposed to see out the rest of his career at his hometown club only for Udinese to buy and then sell him to Juventus for a paltry £625,000.

I say paltry because Manninger was voted one of the best goalkeepers in Serie A last season. The Bianconeri signed him as cover for Gigi Buffon who missed several games through injury in 2007-08 and their foresight has proven valuable. The Azzurri No 1 suffered a recurrence of a thigh problem at the start of the current campaign and Manninger has been between the sticks ever since.

He went into Saturday's match with Reggina having conceded just six goals in 10 games - that is one every 143 minutes. Needless to say, Manninger kept another clean sheet against the Calabrian side and Juventus won 4-0. Buffon is clearly impressed with the way the Austrian is playing. After all, he has a poorer record than Manninger, letting in a goal every 106 minutes so far in 2008-09.

Manninger's performances have raised eyebrows for other reasons too though. There are now 22 foreign goalkeepers in Serie A, seven of which can be considered undisputed No 1s.

Antonello Brambilla, one of Italy's best goalkeeping Coaches, believes the rise in foreign goalkeepers started with the Bosman ruling in 1995 and the statistics lend truth to his argument. In the 1995-96 season there were 66 foreigners in Serie A. None of them were goalkeepers. Last year, there were 180 foreigners, 15 of which pulled on the gloves.

Many lament the absence of an heir to Buffon and question marks linger over the ability of Marco Amelia, Federico Marchetti and Emiliano Viviano. Ivan Pelizzoli - who was once touted as a successor to Buffon and now plays for Lokomotiv Moscow - blames foreigners too. “They come before us,” said Pelizzoli on Friday. “They are given the trust that we are not afforded.”

Whichever way you look at it, you have to admire Manninger. If he is not Juventus' Player of the Season so far, he is definitely challenging Amauri for the Signing of the Season award.

http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_ita...blogs/jh71.html

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I've always rated Manninger during his time in Italy, I think this was a great move from the board and thought as much when they initially signed him. Well done Alex II

Look at him, he is a nutcase!

I liked him when he was at Arsenal but he was always backup for David Seaman. As far as second choice goalkeepers go he was one of the best. I'm glad he is getting a good run of first team football now with Buffon out.

2008-09 Serie A stats

Games / Minutes: 16 / 1395
Goals conceded: 11
Penalties faced / saved: 0 / 0
Assists / Completed: 1 / 0
Passes / Successful: 264 / 133
Fouls: 0
Fouls suffered: 3
Cautions: 0
Expulsions: 0

Ha, no goalkeeper specific stats then?

I'll add them later, they are not on the page I am on currently.

Manni second only to Buffon



Juventus back up goalkeeper Alex Manninger insists he is only second to Gigi Buffon and no one else.

The 32-year-old Austria international looks set for a short stint in the starting line up after Buffon underwent knee surgery on Sunday.

Asked if it's tough being in Buffon's shadow, Manninger said: “Second, yes, but only to Gigi.

“With a goalkeeper like him in front of me, I cannot have any demands.

“I can only learn, even if I am closer to retiring from football than at the beginning.”

Manninger was exceptional when he stepped in for Buffon at the same stage last season.

He conceded just two goals in seven games, giving Juventus the best defence in Europe at the time.

http://www.football-italia.net/dec15f.html

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He clearly means he would only be number two to Buffon at a club. It's time for the Manninger show, let's hope he does as well as last year

seems like a confident lad and u need ur keeper to be confident

i would imagine a keeper whos replacing Buffon, the best keeper in the world, would be at least nervous or smth but he seems ready, good for juve

Manninger will move on this month too. Very good keeper in my opinion, not without the odd error but great shot stopper and we were lucky to have him as backup and then incredibly as third choice once Buffon returned.

Hopefully he finds a club where he can play again every week, he deserves it.