Carlo Cudicini

[Milan 17,835]

I can understand why he left but cannot understand his choice honestly. He would still be a quality goalkeeper in any other, let's say mid-table team.

[Manuf 1,448]

I can understand why he left but cannot understand his choice honestly. He would still be a quality goalkeeper in any other, let's say mid-table team.

well, he did choose spurs, didn't he?

[TacticalBlues 2,817]

Looks like Carlo's joined LA Galaxy, good luck to him! Hated seeing him in Tottenham colours.

[BenIsLegend 475]

Yup, he's off to La Galaxy. Hope he gets lots of game time, still one of my favourite goalkeepers and still has a lot to offer!

[James 5,140]

An excellent shot stopper who was quick and agile, Cudicini soon displaced the incumbent Ed de Goey as Chelsea's first choice goalkeeper and was a regular in the side for the next four years. He would keep 101 clean sheets for the club, behind only Peter Bonetti and Petr Čech among Chelsea's goalkeepers. He also showed a knack for saving penalty kicks, keeping out six of the twelve he faced, including from Thierry Henry and Ruud van Nistelrooy. Such was his contribution to the team, he was voted the club's player of the year for 2001 and was named the Premier League's goalkeeper of the season by ITV in 2003.

Cudicini lost his first team place after the arrival of Čech in July 2004, and therefore only featured sporadically. He did not make enough appearances to earn a league winners medal in the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons, and missed out on playing in the 2005 League Cup final after being sent off in a match a week earlier, although he did win two FA Cup winners medals, having been on the bench for the 2000 and 2007 finals. He moved to Tottenham on a free transfer in January 2009, having made 216 appearances for Chelsea.

After Chelsea

On 26 January 2009, it was confirmed that Cudicini signed for Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer. He was allowed to move on a free due to his services given to Chelsea. He made his debut for 'Spurs on 27 January 2009 in the Premier League fixture against Stoke City, the match ended in a 31 win. Since Tottenham's loss in the League Cup final against Manchester United, Cudicini's appearances have been limited. He did not play again for Spurs in the 20082009 season after the 21 victory over Hull City at the KC Stadium a week before the 2009 Football League Cup Final.

Click here to view the record

[TacticalBlues 2,817]

http://forum.talkchelsea.net/topic/38-carlo-cudicini/

[robdog 2,084]

An excellent shot stopper who was quick and agile, Cudicini soon displaced the incumbent Ed de Goey as Chelsea's first choice goalkeeper and was a regular in the side for the next four years. He would keep 101 clean sheets for the club, behind only Peter Bonetti and Petr Čech among Chelsea's goalkeepers. He also showed a knack for saving penalty kicks, keeping out six of the twelve he faced, including from Thierry Henry and Ruud van Nistelrooy. Such was his contribution to the team, he was voted the club's player of the year for 2001 and was named the Premier League's goalkeeper of the season by ITV in 2003.

Cudicini lost his first team place after the arrival of Čech in July 2004, and therefore only featured sporadically. He did not make enough appearances to earn a league winners medal in the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons, and missed out on playing in the 2005 League Cup final after being sent off in a match a week earlier, although he did win two FA Cup winners medals, having been on the bench for the 2000 and 2007 finals. He moved to Tottenham on a free transfer in January 2009, having made 216 appearances for Chelsea.

After Chelsea

On 26 January 2009, it was confirmed that Cudicini signed for Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer. He was allowed to move on a free due to his services given to Chelsea. He made his debut for 'Spurs on 27 January 2009 in the Premier League fixture against Stoke City, the match ended in a 31 win. Since Tottenham's loss in the League Cup final against Manchester United, Cudicini's appearances have been limited. He did not play again for Spurs in the 20082009 season after the 21 victory over Hull City at the KC Stadium a week before the 2009 Football League Cup Final.

Click here to view the record

Nice entry Jim. BTW Don Carlo is now playing w/ the LA Galaxy & is the #1 for them. He is still doing the business. Cheers!!!

[robdog 2,084]

Yup, he's off to La Galaxy. Hope he gets lots of game time, still one of my favourite goalkeepers and still has a lot to offer!

He is the gals #1

[CHOULO19 24,332]

He was cheering us on on twitter in the EL final last week. Still love him very much.

[Muzchap 8,966]

Cudicini was ace for us - loved watching him on his game - to be fair we've always had pretty decent keepers

Dmitry Kharine (sp?) was great - wild - but great

Ed de Goey - perhaps as ugly as the German keeper Oliver Khan - but ole bendy legs kept us in some great games

Hats off to Carlo if he's rocking it in USA - he deserves it - always a true professional

[Billy. 2,739]

Legend

[Arief 40]

Really missed this man, he was such a great goalkeeper. Too bad he doesnt get much time with tottenham. Wishing him a good career at states! Thanks for making a chelsea fan!

[Milan 17,835]

When they met in the US -

Cudicini: "#Chelsea is always in my heart. I want to take this opportunity to say hello to all the supporters, they're always in my heart."

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

Didn't know where to put this, in Cech or Courtois thread, so I decided to post it in Cudicini thread

(Hey, didn't realize we have 3 letter "C" in there )

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/petr-cech-wont-accept-being-chelseas-no2--carlo-cudicini-9697153.html

Petr Cech won't accept being Chelsea's No2 - Carlo Cudicini

Carlo Cudicini was prepared to play second fiddle when Petr Cech joined Chelsea in 2004 but the Italian believes his former team-mate will not be so accommodating in his battle with Thibaut Courtois.

Jose Mourinho kept his goalkeepers guessing this summer who would be his No1 and Cech learned he had lost out only an hour before Chelsea kicked off their season at Burnley.

Cech will be the back-up to the 22-year-old Belgian again at Everton tomorrow and Mourinho’s decision has left him facing some difficult questions about his future.

Cudicini thinks the 32-year-old will not hang around to spend his weekends on the bench, especially as Paris St Germain, Monaco and Real Madrid are all keeping a close eye on him.

“I decided to stay but that doesn’t mean Petr will do the same,” Cudicini told Standard Sport. “Every situation is different. I was the No1 for three years when Petr arrived but I didn’t have the same pedigree Petr has now. He can go anywhere; any team in the world will take him but it was different for me.

“A goalkeeper of his calibre will try to win the No1 jersey back but if Courtois does his job well and keeps it, then I don’t think that Petr will stay. It might be in January, it might be the end of the year but I don’t see him staying. That’s my idea but I might be wrong.”

Cech’s arrival a decade ago left Mourinho facing a similar dilemma during his first spell as Chelsea manager. Cudicini had been one of the club’s most consistent performers and was named Player of the Year in 2002.

It is difficult to rotate keepers without losing consistency and the Italian spent more than four years as support to Cech before joining Tottenham in 2009.

The scenarios are similar but, while Cudicini accepted his lesser role, he believes his former team-mate is in a more difficult position.

“We’re good friends and recently went out for dinner together,” said Cudicini, 40. “I probably know how Petr is feeling but it is difficult to compare with my situation. The manager is the same and the ages of me and Petr were similar to the ages of Petr and Courtois. But Petr has been among the best three goalkeepers in the world for the last 10 years — he has won everything at Chelsea. Courtois is a young goalkeeper but he has already played in a Champions League Final and is a well-established player in his national team.

“You can’t really say one keeper is better than the other. They are both fantastic and similar in style. Mourinho made the right decision 10 years ago and I hope for the club it works out now.”

Mourinho has described Cech and Courtois as two of the world’s three leading goalkeepers. Should Cech stay, Mourinho will make every effort to keep him happy without compromising the future of Courtois, who made huge strides during three years on loan at Atletico Madrid.

Speaking about his years as the No2, Cudicini said: “Mourinho would challenge me. He wanted to keep me on my toes and he also wanted to keep Petr on his toes. Maybe Petr performed fantastically well because I was right behind him and I kept pushing every single day in training. Petr could not make a wrong step because he knew I was right behind him.

“I knew I was highly respected by Mourinho. Although I was No2, I always ended up playing 12 or 13 games a year. That’s not common for a second goalkeeper.

“I played mainly cup games but Mourinho would also pick me for some Champions League games when Petr could have played. Things were different after Mourinho left and I ended up leaving.

“I feel for Petr on one side but I understand Jose’s decision. Knowing him personally, I know that he is very competitive. He now has 10 years of Premier League experience behind him and I’m pretty sure he will try to win his position back. But it’s difficult to say what will happen in the future. Ten years ago I decided to stay and I don’t regret it at all.”

[We Hate Scouse 10,260]

Such a humble guy

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

"Ten years ago I decided to stay and I don’t regret it at all"

Personally I like this part very much. Hope Cech do the same thing.

[Clevemayer 764]

absolutly role model as a player...

[The Skipper 20,593]

Hero.