Juventus
Alex Manninger played for which team from 2008 to 2012?
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 . 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 . 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 Arsenals title win was considered to be significant enough . He also made 5 appearances in Arsenals 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 Berkovics spot kick to help Arsenal through to the semi finals . 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 , 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 . In July 2002 RCD Espanyol signed Manninger on a four-year deal for £960,000 . 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 . Torino , Bologna , Siena and Salzburg . Manninger subsequently joined Italian side Torino in Serie A in January 2003 , 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 clubs first choice keeper but he was injured and replaced by Greek international Dimitrios Eleftheropoulos , who retained the first team goalkeepers 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 . 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 clubs third–choice goalkeeper . He was released at the end of the 2011–12 season , following Juventuss league title victory . 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 . 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 . 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 . 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 . On 25 May 2017 , he announced his retirement from football at the end of his contract . 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 , 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 . 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 . He also stood out for his professionalism . 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 . One such real estate venture for Manninger includes significant holdings in Meininger Hotels , a subsidiary of Holidaybreak . Honours . Arsenal - Premier League : 1997–98 - FA Cup : 1998 - FA Charity Shield : 1998 , 1999 Juventus - Serie A : 2011–12 Individual - Premier League Player of the Month : March 1998