Morning all.
Dreadfully sad news broke yesterday of the passing of Alex Manninger at just 48 years old. Reports say his vehicle he was driving was hit by a train whilst on a level crossing. My thoughts are with those he’s left behind.
It feels like just yesterday when David Seaman suffered an injury towards the end on the 1997/98 season. In came the young Austrian and I’m sure I wasn’t alone in thinking the worst, after all, how does a skinny young keeper fill the boots of the big and strong English number 1? Well, as we all know, he did exceptionally well, keeping six clean sheets in a row in the league, a joint club record at the time. The last of these, the best perhaps was against Manchester United at Old Trafford which Arsenal won 1-0. His heroics earned him the Premier League Player of the Month in March but of course, once Seaman returned from injury, our young keeper stepped aside. Despite having played three short of the required ten needed to pick up a Premier League winners medal, Manninger was granted special dispensation as his contribution to Arsenal’s title win was considered to be significant enough.
Our young keeper made five appearances in the FA Cup that season too, the highlight being his save of Berkovic’s penalty which ensured we reached the semi-final. Again though, for the final, he was on the bench as Arsenal secured the double.
Three years later, Arsenal signed Richard Wright which was the beginning of the end of Alex Manninger’s Arsenal career.
Former Italy keeper Gigi Buffon, who played alongside Manninger, paid his own tribute on Instagram, writing:
“Dear Alex. Every word is superfluous. Every tear would be just another for the loss of a friend and someone I’ve always admired. You chose to remain independent from the addiction of the world of football, seeking your happiness in the simple things: a healthy life in the woods, fishing, nature, family. This was your credo.
“In a world often bowed and genuflected, chasing oppression, careerism and easy money, you always asserted your freedom, maintaining an upright posture, with the pride of someone who knows what you want. You had the strength to distance yourself from all this and look at us with that sly smile of yours, as if to say: ‘You’re all crazy, you’ll never have me.’ I hope, indeed, I’m certain, that from up there you will continue to guide your beautiful children and your young wife. Rest in peace, Gigi.”
If this Arsenal as a group can show the kind of determination a 20 year old Alex Manninger did back in 1998, over the next six weeks, there’s a chance we could still win the Premier League. Manninger showed courage and determination when he stepped into the team.
He stepped in and stepped up which is exactly what a number of current players need to do. Step up! Especially in the final third of the pitch.
Rest In Peace Alex…..
Yes RIP Alex,that’s dreadfully sad. He always seemed to have a lovely smile on his face. One of our own.
Agree Limey.
Nice tribute from Buffon…
G’day Rico.
I was very sad to read about the death of Alex Manninger, a goalkeeper I admired.
The tribute to him from Gigi Buffon was heart warming and respectful.
R I P Alex.
Hi Cicero, I thought it was lovely too, from the heart.
Good evening Rico
That was a beautiful post Rico.
We all have to go that way. But whenever it arrives it still is a shock. Especially at a young age.
Looking back I feel that Manninger was a better keeper than Wright. AW should have kept him as Seaman’s understudy.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7ntuyr2WqbM
Great post Rico, lovely sentiments from Buffon, I can’t help feeling that Wenger mishandled Manninger when he was absolutely flying…
Gary Lewin used to attend Redding Court School in Harold Wood and even as his career took him to many places he and his own family remained resident in Harold Wood and he stayed close to his old school.
My youngest boy also attended the same school in the late 1990’s and at the end of one of the school years Lewin arranged for Manninger and Ljungberg to attend the school and officiate in a game between the children of my sons year. Alex took the whistle and Freddie was one of the linesmen. Of course all the kids were excited and swarmed around both players at the conclusion of the game. Both players showed admirable patience and good humour signing autographs and posing for photos with all the kids, they were an absolute credit to the club.
Thanks Rico. A loving tribute to a lovely young man. Gigi’s words were illuminating, the knowledge that neither football nor fame possessed him is inspiring. To close ones ears to the calls of Sirens and find peace in the woods, out fishing and with his family resonates deeply.
Martin Keown has also written some loving words about Alex.
Thanks Devil, Kev.
Sad though. I kind of agree Kev but Seaman was always going to stay put. I guess back then Wenger didn’t alternate when cup games came along. I can’t remember now.
Great story Kev…
Those words got me too Stuart. In a world as it is today in sport, reading that was refreshing.
Was that the last time an Arsenal keeper saved a penalty Potter? 😜
A man of words and action. Mikel is now a true arsonist.
Dear friends….in his contract Seaman had a clause inserted…..that whenever fit he would always be first choice. Hence the reason for Manninger dropping to the bench was not a choice of Wenger but David’s contract which he signed under GG.
After DS01 left, AW could determine whatever he wanted and always made his own choices.
Same as with Pires….in his contract it was stipulated that he would always have number 7.
So while we might berate AW for mishandling Manninger the reasons for it would lie elsewhere.
Yes, I said that AW should not have bought Wright as back up keeper, however, if Alex wanted to be number 1 he had to go elsewhere. I wouldn’t blame him because had I been in his position (I wish I had his height and hair) than yes I would have done the same and gone elsewhere.
Was that the last time an Arsenal keeper saved a penalty Potter?
No Kepa 3 against Palace in a shoot out ,
Raya 2 against Atalanta and Porto
Cech 1 against Watford
Szczesney against Villa.
Apparently Almunia saved 43% of the penalties he faced , 6 out of 14 from AI.
Morning Gooners, seems as if the cost of a barrel of oil is finally dropping, derv cost me £1.87p a litre at my local Sainsbury’s when I last filled up on Tuesday so hopefully today it’s going to cost me a bit less.
Cheap it’s nearer £2 quid on the broads. Gone down today to £ 192.9.
£1.51 Ltr on the south coast. Still, a tank lasts a long longer here as all amenities are within walking distance. 😂
I know, me, me me…
Morning guys.
Unleaded that is…
Well as the Hormuz strait has again be closed by Iran, I suggest everybody should fill up before the price goes back up.
A nice obituary to Alex in this morning’s Telegraph.
Just watched the Women’s Six Nations match between Scotland and England, how refreshing it was to see a match without endless T M O interruptions to examine in minute detail incidents in the game. Final score Scotland 7 – 84 England.
I’ve been out in the garden, just come in to see Totts and Brighton are 1-1 at halftime. Come on Brighton…
2-2 Rico. They are in trouble…
Just watched back a few Arsenal wins at City and was reminded of one of my favourite bits of commentary. “Fetch me an abacus” after the fourth of our five goals went in.
Diesel is $4 a litre down here at the end of the world.
2-2 at the end..
spain cup final: 35 seconds:
R. Sociedad 1 (Arteta team) – A. Madrid 0 (next fixture in Champions League)
I saw Stuart, I smiled. Lol
Commiserations LG on the passing of the luminous Nathalie Baye. A poster of her must have featured on your wall?
I’m not that a great fan of French cinema, actually.
Much too often for my taste, it consists in “filming people who talk”, to paraphrase the great Hitch (talk … at the dinner table, I would add!).
The role I’ll remember her for is her cameo in Spielberg’s “Catch Me if You Can” (loved “tongue-in-cheek” Tom Hanks in that a lot, too, btw), but Baye stood out from the rest of our so-called stars indeed, Stu, for her simplicity, humility …
I wish she had been given a chance at singing, too, there was something unique in the warmth of her voice imho. Now, in my personal movie pantheon, no one’s above Nastassja Kinski in Wenders’s “Paris, Texas” …
“D-Day” it is. I hope the lad will just embrace the pressure, feed on it, turn it into positive vibes … I don’t think plans and tactics matter that much in such games, but:
1) GG proved such thinking wrong in ’89, didn’t he?
2) I enjoyed Adrian Clarke’s … tactical preview a lot, yesterday:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqh4sFqGd6Y
we’re just bags of contradictions, aren’t we?
COYG
Morning Lg, all.
Let’s hope the spirit of ‘89 somehow reaches Arteta and his players…
New post up.