Soccer Trophies

Chelsea’s RDM Must Keep Winning Trophies to Stay

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 05:32:14 -0400

Former Blues defender, Frank Leboeuf, opines that Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo needs more trophies this season to retain his job.

After taking over on an interim basis following the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas, Di Matteo guided Chelsea to success in both the FA Cup and Champions League last season. The cup victories led to the former MK Dons and West Brom manager being given the chance to manage Chelsea full-time, but Leboeuf, who was a team-mate of Di Matteo at Stamford Bridge, told Press Association Sport he believes the Italian needs to continue to win trophies if he is not to be sacked by Roman Abramovich.

When asked if Di Matteo needed to bring in more championships, Leboeuf said: “Yes, because he is the coach of Chelsea and they need to win trophies every year or at least fight for that. They are not the only challengers, there are seven clubs who could potentially win something and there are only four trophies overall. Chelsea won two of them last year in a special way but they have to show more because we expect something special from Chelsea and we want them to be the contender for the Premier League, and all of the cups, and we also want entertainment.”

World Cup-winner Leboeuf, who was talking in his role as an ESPN soccer pundit ahead of the broadcaster’s launch of its Premier League TV coverage, also refuted claims Chelsea were lucky to win their trophies last season but knows the Blues must hit the ground running at the start of this campaign. Read more…

George Gross Memorial Trophy

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 08:24:27 -0400

In the world of soccer, there are so many trophies and awards to be won. Some awards are given out to entire teams, some on an individual basis, and some are given out to coaches. Most of these trophies are well known and heavily covered by the media when they are given out. There are, however, many trophies in the wide world of soccer that exist that many people don’t know about.

One of these lesser known trophies is the George Gross Memorial Trophy, named after George Gross, a highly respected sports journalist who covered soccer news for various publications across Canada. The trophy was first handed out in 2008, and has been awarded each year since, to the top soccer player in Canada.

Although Canada doesn’t have their own specific soccer league, there are quite a few teams in the Major Soccer League (MLS) that are from Canada. This includes FC Edmonton, Montreal Impact, Toronto FC, and the Vancouver White Caps.

Surprisingly enough, the first George Gross Memorial Trophy was awarded to Matt Jordan, an American born player, who was playing for Montreal Impact at the time. The next 4 subsequent trophies were won by members of the Toronto FC club, one of which was Canadian (Dwayne De Rosario), and the other two were won by Joao Plato and Ryan Johnson, of Ecuador and Jamaica, respectively.

Although the trophy is relatively new in the world of awards, it is still an honor to win and a great piece of hardware to add to a shelf full of trophies. Who do you think will win the George Gross Memorial Trophy next year?

Silvestre and Handanovic Happy With Move to Giuseppe Meazza

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 08:48:34 -0400

Matias Silvestre says he has joined Inter to win trophies ahead of his imminent transfer from Palermo.

The 27-year-old is expected to complete his switch to the Italian giants on Friday, and the centre-back is relishing the prospect of being in the running for silverware once more.

“I am very happy to be here, and I want to win trophies just like I did at Boca Juniors in the past,” Silvestre was quoted as saying by Corriere dello Sport. “I’m pleased to join Inter because a lot of my compatriots already play here. I will get the chance to compete for silverware again.”

Goalkeeper Samir Handanovic, who is also set to join the Nerazzurri in the immediate future, was also delighted with his move, claiming that Inter showed the most intent in signing him.

“The contract has been taken care of now and I’m very pleased with this move,” he added. “Other clubs were interested in signing me as well, but Inter showed the strongest desire to sign me. I don’t know yet which number I’ll be wearing.”

The 27-year-old Slovenia international will join the Milanese club for €11 million, with Italy Under-21 full-back Marco Faraoni heading in the opposite direction to Udinese on a co-ownership basis.

Spain’s Soccer Coach Needs a Little Love

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 04:57:23 -0400

Should Spain win tomorrow night’s Euro 2012 final against Italy, Vicente del Bosque will become the first coach to win the Champions League, World Cup and European Championship trophies — an achievement which eluded even West Germany’s Helmut Schön, Holland’s Rinus Michels and Italy’s Marcelo Lippi.

Yet, even in Spain, del Bosque is rarely placed in this elite coaching company. At Real Madrid he was famously sacked despite winning two Champions Leagues in four seasons. During the 2010 World Cup in South Africa he was heavily criticized for his team selections. This summer, knockers — including his predecessor with La Roja Luis Aragonés — have been unimpressed by a “boring” style of football based on maintaining possession and lacking attacking thrust.   

Spain’s players have been baffled by the negative reactions from fans and journalists. “We ask the fans to trust in us,” said Iniesta. “We have confidence in what the coach tells us and what we are doing.”   

“Sincerely, I do not understand the criticisms,” said Casillas. “I guess people always find something to talk about.”

  Many of the external grumbles about del Bosque seem based on a feeling any manager could win trophies with the likes of Casillas and Iniesta to call on. Also, his heavy and balding appearance and genial avuncular personality do not fit with the modern conception of a top coach.

‘The Big Moustache’ neither looks nor acts like Jose Mourinho or Pep Guardiola. His 2003 sacking at Madrid, after 36 years at the club in various roles, reportedly happened because club president Florentino Peréz decided he could not handle big-name players.

  Such under-estimation also took place during del Bosque’s playing career. An unfussy defensive midfielder, he rarely made headlines but nevertheless won five La Liga titles and four Spanish Cups at Real Madrid between 1973 and 1984, and played for Spain at the 1980 European Championships.   

Now 61, the veteran has taken a similarly diligent approaching to coaching his national side. Soon after taking over Aragonés’ Euro 2008-winning team, del Bosque began to tweak it. Marcos Senna was replaced by Barcelona’s then inexperienced Sergio Busquets. The Madrid media was unimpressed but del Bosque stuck to his guns and Spain won a first World Cup.

Raiders Still On Soccer Pinnacle

Tue, 29 May 2012 07:17:51 -0400

This year the Capital District Championships proved that being the top seed wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Of the four sports played, only a single No. 1 seed came away with a trophy. But even that one title did not come easy..

Atlee claimed the Capital District girl’s soccer championship, but of the six straight soccer trophies for the Raiders, 2012 may go down as the hardest to achieve. No. 2 seed Hanover (13-4) gave Atlee (18-0) everything they had, missing on two opportunities to tie the game in the final minute before falling to 3-2.

With the win Atlee seniors Sammy Florimo, Ashley Riefner, Caila Mullen, Sam Armentrout and Katie Tilson can now claim a soccer championship trophy in all four of their high school seasons.

“It’s awesome that I’ve done it four years in a row,” said Riefner who earned Capital District Player of the Year honors. “It just shows how hard our team’s worked over the past couple of years.”

Playing in extreme heat for one of the few times this season, both teams faced an environment they were not used to.

“Honestly I’m concerned about conditioning still even though it’s late in the season,” said Atlee coach Bruce Lovelace. “We’ve had a lot of shorter games. I was concerned.”
Though cramping and exhaustion affected both sides, the Raiders quickly faced greater adversity losing two starters to injury in the first eight minutes of the game.

Chelsea Shows Off Champions League Trophy in West London

Thu, 24 May 2012 06:02:45 -0400

Tens of thousands of Chelsea fans have lined the streets of west London to watch their team parade their Champions League and FA Cup soccer trophies in an open-top bus.

Chelsea won the Champions League for the first time in their history last night with a 4-3 penalties win over Bayern Munich following a 1-1 draw after extra time in the Allianz Arena.

Interim manager Roberto Di Matteo was joined in today’s parade by last night’s Munich heroes Didier Drogba, Petr Cech, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole along with all the other players who took part in the amazing victory and those unable to take part, such as suspended captain John Terry.

Owner Roman Abramovich, who finally saw an estimated £1 billion investment in the club come to fruition, was also on one of two specially painted parade buses, which, owing to a notorious Chelsea song, navigated roads carpeted with copious amounts of celery thrown by supporters.

The parade began at Stamford Bridge at 4pm before heading along Fulham Road and King’s Road until reaching Parsons Green, where the buses stopped for players to serenade supporters with some popular chants.

Local road closures were in place and were not due to be lifted until crowds dispersed later in the day, the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham said.
The last time Chelsea held a trophy parade more than 70,000 gathered to watch them show off the Premier League Trophy and FA Cup in 2010.

Councillor Nick Botterill said Chelsea’s Champions League heroics would ‘never be forgotten in these parts’. ‘Like a phoenix from the flames Roberto Di Matteo turned around what could have been a disappointing year for the Blues to deliver the top prize in world club football to west London,’ he said. ‘This will forever be remembered as the year the Blues achieved their European destiny.’

Pod wants Trophy Haul at Arsenal

Tue, 22 May 2012 06:16:05 -0400

Lukas Podolski has vowed to smash the goals that will end Arsenal’s seven-year wait for a soccer trophy. The striker will move to London after Germany’s Euro 2012 campaign has finished. And he is confident he can lead Arsene Wenger’s side to their first taste of glory since their 2005 FA Cup win.

Podolski said: “It won’t be easy as the Premier League is quite well balanced, certainly across the top six teams who are all very strong. It will be difficult. But I have joined to win titles and trophies — that is my target. I will do my very best to be successful with Arsenal. They play fast in England, score lots of goals and there are tough battles.
I enjoy this style of football, so from that point of view I think I will adapt fairly quickly. I’m a player who plays in a similar style.”

Podolski’s former manager Stale Solbakken — the new Wolves boss — believes Arsenal have made a shrewd signing.

He said: “He can play in any team in the world. He was bigger than God in Cologne — you wouldn’t believe it unless you were there. He’s just had his best ever season with 18 goals from 30 games or something and when we had all those injuries, he carried the team alone for some games. He’s physical, he’s played 100 games for Germany and scored 45 goals, so I think he can cope with everything. He can play in either of the forward positions up front. If Arsenal play their usual 4-2-3-1, he can play in all of those four forward positions.”

Arsenal will hold talks with player of the year Robin van Persie over a new contract and Podolski would relish the opportunity to play alongside the Dutch striker.

He added: “Arsenal are a very disciplined team; they play great football with excellent passing and they are really good to watch on television. I’m excited to be part of this team now, playing that way and making the supporters happy. Robin van Persie has had such a brilliant season — it has been great to watch. Then there is Per Mertesacker who I know well, and I have also been impressed with the performances of Wojciech Szczesny in goal. Of course Tomas Rosicky has had a very good season. There are many great players at Arsenal.”

Former Inter Manager Wants More Trophies for Man City

Thu, 17 May 2012 06:02:17 -0400

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has pledged his future to the club by saying that he wants to win seven soccer trophies in just four years. The Italian boss has plans to repeat his successful era in Milan by winning a collection of silverware in under five years, and is hoping the first comes on Sunday.

City hosts QPR on Sunday knowing that a win would crown them Premier League champions for the first time since 1968. The Italian wants to make his side the new power in England and is keen to better his successful period at Inter.

“Winning this title would be my best ever. The players will have changed history,” Mancini told reporters. “I won Inter their first title for 20 years. We began with the Italian Cup, then we continued for four years — seven trophies.”

“Could I repeat that here? I hope so — and maybe we can do better. This championship is the most difficult, so if we win it would be the very best for me, too. But I say ‘if’ we win because we still have another game. To fight with United is not easy because they have won for 20 years.”

After 13 Trophies Pep Guardiola Resigns from Barcelona

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 06:03:33 -0400

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola announced Friday he is leaving the team at the end of the season, ending a four-year reign over one of the greatest eras in club football.

“This is not a very easy situation for me,” the 41-year-old Guardiola told a news conference where the club also revealed that his assistant coach Tito Vilanova will take over. “Four years is an eternity as coach of Barca,” said Guardiola. “Time wears everything down, I feel drained and I need to replenish.”

Guardiola apologized for leaving the club in uncertainty for such a long period while he considered whether to extend his one-year contract, which expires in June. But the coach said he wanted to wait until the Champions League and the Liga title were settled before making an announcement.

Barcelona crashed out of Europe’s premier club competition after a semi-final defeat to Chelsea on Tuesday, and Guardiola has already conceded the Spanish league title to arch rivals Real Madrid.

“The man who is succeeding me will be able to bring something more,” he said.
He added that he would coach again but not immediately. “I am leaving at peace with myself, with the feeling of a job well done - and I say that after losing two titles.”

Guardiola thanked the players, some of whom including Gerard Pique, Cesc Fabregas and Xavi Hernandez were in the room, and said it had been a privilege to coach them.
After spending most of his playing career at Barcelona, Guardiola coached Barcelona’s B team before taking control of the first-team squad in June 2008 from Dutchman Frank Rijkaard.

In his four years at the helm, he has led Barcelona to 13 title trophies and is credited with promoting some of the most sublime football in the world, helped by huge talent including footballer of the year Lionel Messi.

His successor Vilanova hit world headlines last summer when Jose Mourinho, coach of Real Madrid, poked him in the eye during a brawl on the sidelines of Barcelona’s Supercup victory at the Nou Camp. Asked about the incident, which earned him a two-match ban, Mourinho famously asked journalists at a post-match news conference: “Pito Vilanova? I don’t know who this Pito is.”

Vilanova, 42, played only briefly as a professional in Spain’s top flight, notably with Celta Vigo, before turning to coaching at the end of his career and finding his way back to the club of his youth.

He came through Barcelona’s youth ranks but after failing to break into the first team he continued his playing career with a number of lower league sides before retiring in 2002. Vilanova rejoined the Catalans as a youth coach in 2007, helping Barcelona’s B side to promotion. He was promoted to first team duties, working alongside Guardiola, for the 2008-2009 season, by the end of which the team had won six major trophies including the Champions League.

Premier League Might Have Trophy Dilemma

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 21:31:26 -0400

With Manchester United and Manchester City locked in a nail-biting battle for the title, officials from the Premier League have held talks with both clubs, and senior figures at Sunderland – United’s opponents on May 13 — to formalize a plan of action should both Manchester clubs go into the final day with hopes of the championship still alive.

A City victory in the 163rd Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium next Monday will ensure that the title will not be resolved until the final weekend of the campaign. But with almost 150 miles separating the Etihad Stadium and Stadium of Light, the Premier League has ruled out the prospect of having a helicopter on standby halfway between the two venues to deliver the trophy to whichever ground hosts the title winners.

With the League owning two trophies, one will be taken to each stadium, along with a set of medals, and a post-match presentation ceremony will be planned for both venues to fit in with television schedules. During a season, one trophy is the property of the reigning champions, while the other is used by the Premier League for PR purposes.

Towards the end of the 1995-96 season, when United and Newcastle contested a close race for the title, plans were drawn up for a play-off at Wembley because of the prospect of them finishing level on points and goal difference. Tickets were printed, but not distributed, for the game, yet United pulled clear in the final week to win the league by four points.

La Liga Dominant in UEFA League

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 06:01:27 -0400

While English and Italian sides have failed to take the UEFA Europa League seriously, La Liga is using it as a friendly little vehicle to move to the top of the UEFA Coefficient rankings. Also, the winner of the competition gets a trophy at the end. Who doesn’t like soccer trophies? Only weird people don’t like trophies.

The Portuguese Liga and their teams have accomplished something similar. With the exception of this season’s gate-crashers Maritimo, it’s basically a four-team league, and it has been a three-team league in the not so recent past before Braga built themselves up. Last year, they had three teams in the Europa League semifinals. This year, La Liga has done the same.

Sporting Lisbon is the remaining representative from parts outside Spain, and based on their impressive defeats of Manchester City and Metalist Kharkiv, they’re good enough to crash La Liga’s party. They have been handed arguably the toughest draw, starting at home against Athletic Bilbao. Marcelo Bielsa’s men have already knocked Manchester United and Schalke 04 out of the competition, so Sporting is arguably the weakest team they’ve faced in the knockout stages thus far.

The other semifinal is the all La Liga affair. Atletico Madrid start the tie at home, hosting Valencia. All three of the remaining Spanish teams in the competition are battling each other domestically for next season’s European places, so it will be interesting to see if any of the three teams opt to rest any key players and sacrifice this tournament in order to get a leg up on their competition in La Liga. In all three of these teams’ cases, their efforts in the Europa League have correlated with dips in domestic form.

Boer Goes to Bat for Trophies

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 06:00:05 -0400

Ex Ranger Ronald de Boer has urged SPL chiefs not to take Rangers trophies from them. The Dutchman who took part in last night’s Rangers Legends vs AC Milan Glorie charity match said it would be ridiculous if the trophies were stripped.

  De Boer said: ‘Real Madrid have many millions of debt, and can you think if they were to be stripped of those Champions Leagues? No, of course not. They were great players at that time, one of the best in the world. At that time we deserved to win. And in the time of the nine-in-a-row they deserved to win.’  

Ronald de Boer won five honors whilst playing for Rangers between 2000 - 2004. He won one SPL title, two Scottish cups and two Scottish league cups. His twin brother Frank also had a short spell at the club.  Ronald and Frank played together for Rangers for the last six months of the 2003/2004 season. Frank didn’t win anything with Rangers but twin Ronald did and as quoted above he believes the honors were won fair and square.  

Lorenzo Amoruso also echoed de Boer’s comments. de Boer and Amoruso both took part in last night’s legends game which Rangers won 1-0 thanks to a goal from current Rangers manager Ally McCoist.

No More Disappointments for DCU

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 06:15:05 -0400

The long line of trophies, a total of 12 from various competitions, on a table at D.C. United’s kickoff luncheon earlier this week was impressive. The Black and Red’s last MLS Cup was in 2004 with Major League Soccer Supporters Shields for best record in the regular season claimed in 2006 and 2007.

The soccer trophies are reminders of a glorious past, but not to be confused with a team living in the past. Head coach Ben Olsen, who was a part of two of United’s four MLS Cup championship teams, is a big part of that history, but is singularly focused on restoring the team’s standing among the league’s elite clubs.

Now ready for his second full season in charge. Olsen has gone from reluctant caretaker when Curt Onalfo was fired in 2010, the worst season in club history, to confident bench boss after a 2011 season that nearly included the playoffs. In short, Olsen has grown with his young team and made the transition from respected former player to professional head coach.

After 25 games last season United was the best in the Eastern Conference standings on a points per-game basis. United’s impressive run seemed to hit a wall after a 3-0 win on the road to Chivas USA when midfielder Chris Pontius suffered a broken leg. United was only able to win once in the final 9 games of the season after Pontius’ injury.

“We wanted to get deeper this off-season,” Olsen said. “We wanted to get more experience, and we wanted to get hungrier. We had a bunch of goals we think we have accomplished with this group, but again it’s on paper. Now, we have to make it happen on the field.”

Arsenal Needs Big Players According to Allegri

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 06:00:05 -0500

AC Milan boss Massimilano Allegri believes that Arsenal’s six-years without trophies is due to a lack of big name players and insists they must “buy big” to start winning again.

Allegri, whose side hold a 4-0 first-leg lead over the Gunners ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash at the Emirates, criticized Arsenal’s policy of cashing in on big name players.

The Italian believes the sales of the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri have shown fans that the club lack ambition, something which he insisted is not manager Arsene Wenger’s fault.

Speaking to The Sun, he said: “For me it’s impossible to win the title or Champions League without signing big players. “You will never do it without big players. That goes for Arsenal, Milan or any big club. You must buy big. “I have a strong team but in that I have three big players, bringing experience, character, technical ability and leadership. You need leaders.”

“It’s not fair to criticize Wenger so much and it is not right, because every year Arsenal sell one big player or two big players and the team still manage to play well and finish in the top four. “But it’s also true that if they want to win trophies they have to keep their best players. And make two or three big signings. “If somebody told me this summer we have to sell Zlatan [Ibrahimovic[ and [Kevin] Prince [Boateng] I would say no. No. No.”

Persie Has to Leave to Win Trophies?

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 06:00:05 -0500

AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovich believes Robin van Persie must leave his Arsenal ‘comfort zone’ to win soccer trophies.The Swede helped mastermind the Rossoneri’s 4-0 demolition of the Gunners mid-week and was only to keen to give advice to the Gunners skipper.

“When you don’t win anything for years, people understand why you leave like Cesc Fabregas,” he told the Sun. “Football is all about winning. If you don’t win you want to go. I don’t know Robin personally but I remember him from Holland and what a talent he was — now he is complete. I don’t know what he is thinking but I know what I would do.
I have made a lot of moves in my life — I take it as a challenge, an adventure.“And I have won eight titles in eight years with different clubs in different countries.“But if you stay in one place all your life it is easy to play football. You are at home, you are in the comfort zone. But if you move to five different places it is a real test. If you succeed that’s when you become a real champion, that’s when you get more respect.”

The Gunners forward has scored 28 goals for the north London club this campaign and could leave to begin a trophies quest anew for free at the end of next season when his contract expires.

Shay Given Inspired to Win at Villa

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 06:00:05 -0500

Shay Given is the first to admit his medal collection is not particularly impressive. In fact, it’s pretty poor considering he has been one of the world’s top goalkeepers for at least the past decade. He’s got enough caps to keep three lots of Grand National jockeys in headgear – 120 to be exact – and has graced the stage of some of the world’s major tournaments.

Yet Given’s trophy cabinet is a bit bare – one Intertoto Cup winners’ medal along with two FA Cup final losers’ medals from his 12 years at Newcastle. He has a Championship gong with Sunderland and there is an FA Cup winners’ medal with Manchester City from last year, which, though a prized possession, has a slightly hollow feel about it. That’s because the 35-year-old didn’t play after City boss Roberto Mancini had decided that despite rating him as one of the top five keepers in the world, one of the other four was at the club – Joe Hart.

Hart visits Villa Park tomorrow and Given reveals that despite what some people might imagine, the two of them are pals. The Republic of Ireland star just had to move on.

Given said: “I haven’t come to Villa just to let my career fizzle out. I want to win some trophies and I think that’s possible. “To say my medal collection is a bit sparse is an understatement. I’d like some more and I feel I can do that at Villa. “You can’t beat yourself up too much about it. Everyone wants to win all the top trophies but no matter how successful your career, sometimes it doesn’t work out that way.

“The opposite example of that is Ryan Giggs. He has won every trophy going and yet has never played in a major championship for his country. “Things like that don’t add up. You’d think that a magnificent player like Ryan should be playing at European Championships and lighting up World Cups, but it’s just not happened for him.”

Given doesn’t envisage England stopper Hart having a problem on either front – the medals and caps are already on their way. He said: “There’s no reason why Joe can’t go on to challenge Peter Shilton’s caps record for England. “He could get 100 and maybe quite a few more. He has established himself as the No.1 at a young age and has very much made the position his own. “And rightly so, too. His form has proved he should be the No.1. Some of the contenders for the position seemed to come and go but Joe has taken the bull by the horns and has shown great character as well as great form.”

And though Given had every reason to beg to differ with Mancini’s decision, he revealed the two keepers never allowed it to spill out on to the training pitch. The shot-stopper said: “I still keep in touch with him. I drop him a text now and again. We get on really well.

Trophies for Top Teams

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 06:00:05 -0500

It wasn’t quite Wembley or Old Trafford, but at Brannel School football fever swept the corridors when its two top teams picked up their trophies.

Launched last September, 13 teams (130 pupils) from the Premier League, made up of Year 10 and 11 pupils, and the La Liga League, consisting of Years 8 and 9, took part over four months in a six-aside football tournament.

Stevenage FC battled it out and won against Unbelievable Teckers in the Premiership League finals. In the La Liga League finals Sahara Desert beat Sue United seven to one.

Last week the students picked up their trophies from the tournament, which was refereed by students. Organizer Adam Trudgian, said: “The tournament was a huge success, the pupils here love their football and to use a facility such as the 3g (all weather pitch) has given them the opportunity to do something they love.”

Juventus Signs Simone Padoin

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:00:05 -0500

New Juventus signing Simone Padoin has expressed his delight with his move to the Old Lady, and is desperate to win soccer trophies with the Serie A table toppers.

The 27-year-old joined Juventus from Atalanta on the final day of the January transfer window, and Padoin is hopeful of winning the first major trophy in his career at his new club.

“Signing for Juventus was a unique opportunity for me. This club always wants to win trophies, and I’m looking forward to playing a role in their strive for success. I have never won a trophy in my career yet,” Padoin said in an interview with Juventus Channel.

“This transfer came as a real surprise to me. I never expected Juventus to try and sign me. As soon as I heard of their interest, I made it clear to Atalanta that I wanted to leave.”

Padoin could make his official Juventus debut in Sunday’s Serie A game at home against Siena.

Walcott Dreaming of Trophies

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:00:05 -0500

Theo Walcott has set his sights on making the FA Cup his first winners’ medal at Arsenal following their rousing comeback against Aston Villa. Arsene Wenger’s side were 2-0 down at the Emirates Stadium heading into at half-time, with another shot at long-overdue trophies looking to have passed them by.

However, a thrilling second-half performance turned the tie around with a brace of penalties from captain Robin van Persie sandwiching a fortunate effort from the England winger as Arsenal secured a place in the last 16 against either Sunderland or Middlesbrough next month.

Walcott - signed from Southampton in 2006 - is one of a string of senior players yet to lift silverware with the Gunners. However, the 22-year-old is out to put that record straight this season. He said: “I would like to look back on my career at the trophies I have won. There are none yet. This is a competition that we can win. “A couple of big teams have gone out and, if we can come from 2-0 down, hopefully we can beat anybody now.”

Walcott revealed a rousing address from Van Persie during the interval helped lift Arsenal for the second half. He said: “Robin is the captain and showed again how much he believes in this team and how much he wants to win this competition.”

Liverpool Urged to Go After Carling Cup

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:20:05 -0500

Former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann has urged the club to give the Carling Cup everything they have so they can win one of the major trophies this season.

The Reds are one goal up ahead of the return leg of the semi-final against Manchester City which takes place at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday and the German wants them to go after it very seriously as it will put the club ‘back on the map’.

“”I think it is very important for them because the club has not won a trophy for six years now and we all know what an impact it can have,” he said at an event at Football League headquarters.”

“In 2001 we got off on our way to a memorable season with the League Cup and I’m not sure whether we would have won the UEFA Cup or FA Cup finals had we not beaten Birmingham on penalties. “To go to the final and win would be a major step forward for Liverpool. “It puts them back on the map. We all know the longer you don’t win the harder it gets the next year.”

“A victory is very important because if breeds confidence and belief and faith in the other players and I think it gives them a better chance of finishing in the top four.
“They won’t win the league this year because there are stronger teams but in cup competitions you only have to win six or seven games so that is why Dalglish has played strong sides.”

“But other managers have identified that as well because if you look at the winners of the Carling Cup in the last few years apart from Birmingham they are all big teams.
“It is all about winning trophies and the Carling Cup was seen as the fourth cup a few seasons ago but has grown in importance the last few years.”