Alex Manninger

Alexander Manninger (born 4 June 1977) is an Austrian former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He played internationally for the Austria national team on 33 occasions, including at UEFA Euro 2008, and has represented football clubs in Italy, Germany, Austria and England.

Alex Manninger
Manninger with Juventus in 2010
Personal information
Full name Alexander Manninger[1]
Date of birth (1977-06-04) 4 June 1977
Place of birth Salzburg, Austria
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Playing position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1984–1995 SV Salzburg
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1996 SV Salzburg 1 (0)
1995 → Vorwärts Steyr (loan) 5 (0)
1996–1997 Grazer AK 23 (0)
1997–2002 Arsenal 39 (0)
2001–2002 → Fiorentina (loan) 24 (0)
2002 Espanyol 0 (0)
2003 Torino 3 (0)
2003–2005 Bologna 0 (0)
2004–2005 → Siena (loan) 18 (0)
2005–2006 Red Bull Salzburg 16 (0)
2006–2008 Siena 64 (0)
2008 Red Bull Salzburg 0 (0)
2008 Udinese 0 (0)
2008–2012 Juventus 27 (0)
2012–2016 FC Augsburg 34 (0)
2016–2017 Liverpool 0 (0)
Total 254 (0)
National team
1999–2009 Austria 33 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Salzburg, Steyr and Grazer AK

Manninger started his career as a youth player for SV Austria Salzburg in 1993. He was promoted to the first-team squad at the start of the 1995–1996 season. After his debut, and lone appearance of the season, he was sent on loan at SK Vorwärts Steyr, and played his first top-level game away against Grazer AK.

At the start of 1996–97 season he signed for Grazer AK, making his debut in place of the unfit first-choice keeper, in the autumn 1996 UEFA Cup second-round game against Internazionale Milano at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Milan. He made twenty-four appearances in his lone season with Grazer AK, before a high-profile transfer to Arsenal in the Premier League, where he was understudy to the experienced David Seaman.

Arsenal, Fiorentina and Espanyol

During the 1997–98 season Seaman was injured and Manninger covered for him, enjoying a spell of six clean sheets in a row in the league, a joint club record. The last of these was against Manchester United at Old Trafford, where Arsenal won 1–0. In March 1998, he was named Premier League Player of the Month.[3] However, Manninger had to make way for Seaman once the Englishman returned from injury. Despite only having played 7 games in the 1997–98 FA Premier League season (10 was then required to automatically qualify for a winners' medal), Manninger was granted special dispensation for a medal as his contribution to Arsenal's title win was considered to be significant enough. He also made 5 appearances in Arsenal's FA Cup run. The highlight for Manninger came in the quarter final replay at West Ham United. The game went to penalties and he saved Eyal Berkovic's spot kick to help Arsenal through to the semi finals.[4] He was on the bench as Arsenal won the 1998 FA Cup Final to complete the double.

Manninger continued to deputise for Seaman for the next three seasons. He made sixty-four appearances over four seasons for Arsenal. After the Gunners bought Richard Wright in 2001,[3] Manninger became number three at Arsenal, and spent the 2001–2002 season on loan at Italian side ACF Fiorentina, where he made twenty-four appearances for the Tuscan club.[5]

In July 2002 RCD Espanyol signed Manninger on a four-year deal for £960,000.[6] However, he was released after just two months at Espanyol without making a first team appearance with Manninger claiming that the Barcelona-based club had reneged on the contract.[7][8]

Torino, Bologna, Siena and Salzburg

Manninger subsequently joined Italian side Torino in Serie A in January 2003,[9] and remained with them until the end of the season. At the start of 2003–04 he signed for Bologna FC where he spent two seasons largely used as an understudy. He had a short loan spell with Brescia Calcio in July 2004, but was subsequently loaned to A.C. Siena for the 2004–05 Serie A season during which Manninger made nineteen appearances in the league for the Robur.

In July 2005, FC Red Bull Salzburg re-signed Manninger from his parent club Bologna and during season 2005–06 he made sixteen appearances.

Return to Siena, Udinese and Juventus

Manninger returned to Siena, in Serie A, this time on a permanent basis for the 2006–07 season. He started the season as the club's first choice keeper but he was injured and replaced by Greek international Dimitrios Eleftheropoulos, who retained the first team goalkeeper's jersey once Manninger was fit again. He was first choice again at the start of 2007–08 season, ahead of Eleftheropolous, and Anssi Jaakkola. In a two-year spell at Siena, Manninger made nearly 70 appearances.

In July 2008, as a non-contract player, he returned to Austria for another spell with FC Red Bull Salzburg, but before the season started he had signed for Udinese Calcio, where he replaced the Juventus-bound Antonio Chimenti. However, in a career of brief moves, he stayed with the north east Italian club for just two weeks before being signed by Juventus as backup for Gianluigi Buffon and Chimenti in August 2008.[10] A long-term injury to Buffon resulted in Manninger playing for the first XI from early October 2008 through to late February 2009. During his tenure with Juventus, Manninger made thirty-five appearances in all competitions, drawing praise in the media for his performances. Following an injury to Buffon during the 2010 World Cup, Juventus signed Marco Storari from Milan in the summer of 2010, and Manninger was demoted to the role of the club's third–choice goalkeeper.[11][12][13] He was released at the end of the 2011–12 season, following Juventus's league title victory.[14]

Augsburg

After four months without a club, Manninger signed for Bundesliga club FC Augsburg to cover for an injury to regular first-choice goalkeeper Simon Jentzsch.[14] He made his competitive debut for Augsburg in a DFB-Pokal home match against FC Bayern Munich on 18 December 2012. In 2014, he signed a one–year contract extension.[15] and was released at the end of his contract in June 2016 after having made 38 appearances in all competitions for the German side during his time with the team, 36 of which came in the Bundesliga.[16][17]

Liverpool

During July 2016, Manninger trained with Liverpool to maintain match fitness and on 22 July 2016, he signed a short-term contract with the Merseyside club.[18] On 25 May 2017, he announced his retirement from football at the end of his contract.[19]

International career

Manninger made his debut for Austria in an August 1999 friendly match against Sweden and was member of the Austrian Euro 2008 squad. He earned thirty-three caps and retired after ten years from international football for the Austria national football team on 5 August 2009.

Style of play

An experienced goalkeeper,[14] Manninger was known in particular for his shot-stopping, consistency, handling, and positional sense as a goalkeeper, although he was less effective at coming out to collect crosses.[20] In his early career, he was considered to be a good back-up keeper, but was occasionally accused by pundits of lacking the ability to cope with pressure which was necessary for him to succeed in a starting role.[21] He also stood out for his professionalism.[14]

Personal life

Before playing football, Manninger was a carpenter. Since retiring from professional football, he has been focussing on his work in furniture and real estate.[22]

Career statistics

Club
As of 24 July 2016[23][24][25]
Club Season League Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
SV Salzburg 1995–96 Austrian Bundesliga 1000—0010
Vorwärts Steyr (loan) 1995–96 Austrian Bundesliga 5000—0050
Grazer AK 1996–97 Austrian Bundesliga 23000—00230
Arsenal 1997–98 Premier League 70504000160
1998–99 Premier League 60202000100
1999–2000 Premier League 150101070240
2000–01 Premier League 110100020140
Total 390907090640
Fiorentina (loan) 2001–02 Serie A 24000—50290
Espanyol 2002–03 La Liga 0000—0000
Torino 2002–03 Serie A 3000—0030
Bologna 2003–04 Serie A 0000—0000
Siena (loan) 2004–05 Serie A 18000—00180
Red Bull Salzburg 2005–06 Austrian Bundesliga 16000—00160
Siena 2006–07 Serie A 38000—00380
2007–08 Serie A 26000—00260
Total 64000—00640
Red Bull Salzburg 2008–09 Austrian Bundesliga 0000—0000
Udinese 2008–09 Serie A 0000—0000
Juventus 2008–09 Serie A 16000—50210
2009–10 Serie A 11010—20140
2010–11 Serie A 0000—5050
2011–12 Serie A 0000—0000
Total 27010—120400
FC Augsburg 2012–13 Bundesliga 12010—00130
2013–14 Bundesliga 13010—00140
2014–15 Bundesliga 9000—0090
2015–16 Bundesliga 2000—0020
Total 36020—00380
Liverpool 2016–17 Premier League 0000000000
Career total 2560120702603010

International
As of 24 July 2016[23]
Austria national team
YearAppsGoals
199930
200020
200130
200260
200300
200440
200500
200610
200760
200870
200910
Total330

Honours

Arsenal

Juventus

Individual

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References
  1. "Squads for 2016/17 Premier League confirmed". Premier League. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  2. "Alexander Manninger". Premier League. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  3. "A complete history of goalkeeping at Arsene Wenger's Arsenal". sport.co.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  4. "West Ham 1 Arsenal 1 (aet, 3-4 on penalties)". Sporting Life. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  5. "Manninger completes Fiorentina switch". BBC Sport. 7 August 2001. Retrieved 16 June 2008.
  6. "Manninger joins Espanyol". BBC Sport. 4 July 2002. Retrieved 16 June 2008.
  7. "Espanyol release Manninger". BBC Sport. 23 August 2002. Retrieved 16 June 2008.
  8. Kendall, Mark. "Alex breaks silence on Espanyol fiasco". Sky Sports. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  9. "Manninger joins Torino". BBC Sport. 14 January 2003. Retrieved 16 June 2008.
  10. "Manninger swaps Udinese for Juve". UEFA.com. 5 August 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  11. Radaelli, Roberta (21 November 2008). "Juve tranquilla nelle mani di Manninger" (in Italian). UEFA.com. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  12. "Buffon return unknown". Sky Sports. 15 June 2010. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
  13. Ormezzano, Timothy (5 July 2010). "Buffon super, ma io non mi sento un vice". La Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  14. "Manninger making up for lost time". Bundesliga. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  15. "Manninger pens one-year Augsburg extension". FourFourTwo. 24 February 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  16. Price, Glenn (11 July 2016). "Liverpool consider signing Manninger, Danny Ward joins Huddersfield on loan". ESPN FC. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  17. Chaffer, Alex (17 August 2016). "Weinzierl exit heralds new era for Augsburg". DW. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  18. "Liverpool complete deal for Alex Manninger". liverpoolfc.com. Liverpool F.C. 22 July 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  19. "Manninger set to retire: 'Keeper on career, LFC experience and future". liverpoolfc.com. Liverpool F.C. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  20. Stefano Bedeschi (4 June 2016). "Gli eroi in bianconero: Alex MANNINGER" (in Italian). Tutto Juve. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  21. Ladyman, Ian (30 November 2000). "Manninger: I'll prove I can cope". ESPN FC. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  22. Husmukh Kerai (3 October 2017). "Gianluigi Buffon wrote the book on how to be a top goalkeeper – Manninger". www.squawka.com. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  23. "Manninger, Alex". National-Football-Teams. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  24. "A. MANNINGER". Soccerway. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  25. "Alex Manninger". Soccerbase. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  26. "Alexander Manninger: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
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