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Zickler- my former favourite FC Bayern player...做過一季皇馬剋星
http://www.uefa.com/magazine/news/Kind=512/newsId=445777.html
Zickler riding high for Salzburg
Friday, 18 August 2006
by Alois Urban
If anyone deserves some luck, it is Alexander Zickler. The former Germany international's playing days have been plagued by injury, to the extent he considered retiring. But now in the swansong of his career, the 32-year-old is enjoying a new lease of life that could propel FC Salzburg to the UEFA Champions League. So far this season Zickler has struck eight goals to help Giovanni Trapattoni's much-touted squad set the pace in Austria and in Europe.
Hat-trick
Zickler gave a hint of things to come with a hat-trick in Salzburg's 3-0 win at SV Ried on the first day of the season. So far seven of the Bundesliga leaders' eleven goals have been scored by the German. Zickler has had a significant role to play in the UEFA Champions League as well, scoring in Salzburg's 3-2 aggregate victory over Swiss champions FC Zürich to set up their third qualifying round tie with Valencia CF. "I'm very happy and proud, in a way I've hardly ever been before during my career. Having suffered so many injuries, I have often thought about quitting, and it's very touching for me that everything has turned out so well," the striker told uefa.com.
Injuries
Zickler speaks with emotion, which is understandable given what he has been through. He was billed as one of Germany's most exciting young strikers when he moved from 1. FC Dynamo Dresden to FC Bayern München as a 19-year-old in 1993, but injuries prevented him living up to his potential. Between 1993 and 2005 Zickler suffered a shocking run of injuries: knee ligaments, cartilage damage, a broken ankle and heel, muscular problems, the list was seemingly endless. In 2001 he had a tumour removed, then suffered three fractures of the tibia between 2003 and 2005 which consigned him to the sidelines for almost two years. Zickler's injuries brought him nationwide sympathy and attention.
'Grateful'
"I really thought about quitting. I was told a fourth fracture of the shinbone would mean I would never be able to walk again. I am very grateful to Bayern for extending my contract at that time and for giving me the time to recuperate." Between 1999 and 2005, Zickler started just 23 league matches for Bayern, but still built up an incredible collection of trophies, winning the title seven times and the cup on four occasions. The most memorable moment of his career came in May 2001 when he converted a spot-kick to help Bayern defeat Valencia on penalties in the UEFA Champions League final. Five years on he is looking to get the better of the Spanish side again as Salzburg target a place in the group stage.
European dream
"It would be a dream to play in the Champions League one more time," Zickler said. "Especially in a group with Bayern." Following Salzburg's 1-0 first-leg victory against Valencia, he is close to realising that dream, but there is still much work to do. "Valencia are very strong and will force us to give everything," he said. "It's a tough task." But he is confident Salzburg are up to it. "Something big is happening here. We have big targets and lots of potential. It's an entirely new team and we're just on the way to becoming a unit."
'Charisma'
Zickler joined Salzburg on a free transfer at the start of last season and enjoyed his most productive campaign in years. Not since 1997/98 had he played over 20 league games and only once before had he matched his tally of nine league goals. Things improved still further this summer with the arrival of the high-profile management team of Trapattoni and Lothar Matthäus. Zickler played alongside Matthäus at Bayern when the pair were coached by the Italian. "I know both of them from my time in Munich. They are incredibly important for Salzburg. Our game is much more structured and disciplined with Trapattoni as a coach. He won everything as a coach and has incredible charisma."
Injury-free
Zickler is playing with a spring in his step, grateful at last for the chance to show his stuff. "Being injury-free is, of course, important for my current form. In the past I often started playing again without having fully recuperated; nowadays I take my time. That's important. Last season was the first in ages I was able to complete without a serious injury. That was incredibly important to me." Salzburg were runners-up last season, and Zickler hopes to go one better this time. Before then there is a place in the UEFA Champions League group stage to play for and he is relishing the challenge. "I'm very proud to finally be able to play in front of my kids. Before, they only saw me doing rehabilitation, but now they are able to see me on the pitch and that makes me very happy." Should his run of success continue it will make Salzburg very happy too.
a long passage... |
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發表於 2006-9-6 21:07:11
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變色å¡
顯身å¡
發表於 2006-9-6 22:04:32
發表於 2006-9-7 00:55:28
有, 另外一個外援尤萬, 前塞黑聯賽最佳球員, 無註冊"