Week in Quotes - WORLD FOOTBALL
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“Guys that were here, they have now tasted what’s possible at the end of this long MLS road, and there’s no greater motivation to do it again. Not many people feel that. It’s like a drug, you want it again – or ice cream.”
Portland Timbers coach Caleb Porter describing the feeling of what it is like to win the MLS Cup
"I didn't see one shot. I was behind the wall of my players so I had to watch it from there. I will watch it on television at home but it was good watching the crowd instead... Wembley is a cool place to play football but we go there to win - it's not much fun to lose."
Manager Jurgen Klopp was unable to watch his Liverpool side’s shootout victory against Stoke City in the English League Cup semi-final
"Some of the boys haven't played senior football and it will be happy days. We have just got to look forward to it.”
Striker Kevin Kelbie’s extra-time goal saw Linlithgow Rose become the first-ever junior team to reach the last 16 of the Scottish Cup. An away tie at Premier League Ross County awaits
"So I told him Manchester is ideal as a city because you stay home, you play every three days, we can eat and play football together."
Sergio Aguero trying to lure Lionel Messi to Manchester City
"(Journalist Dimitar Berbatov): And you are disappointed because of this?
(Dimitar Berbatov): Yes. When I don't play, I can't be happy. The problem is that, in this case I took it out on the colleague from the other team. And I am not one of this players looking for a conflict, this is a well-known fact, but in this case the opposite happened, for which I am sorry."
PAOK forward Dimitar Berbatov in a Facebook interview with himself after receiving a straight red card in a Greek League match
"A year ago we were playing in front of one man and his dog and now we are set to [attract] hundreds for Stuart Pearce's debut. Stuart knows that there will be no special treatment, he will still need to pay his £5 a game subs."
Nick Dawe, Longford AFC manager, on signing Stuart Pearce in the January transfer window. The former English international is set to train with the team and play in one match for the bottom side of the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League Division Two
"With Southampton, we are going into games as favourites and wanting to be in that top ten. That is what drew me to go to Southampton - they are a club on the up. I wanted to be involved in that. Look how many chances they create, it's certainly what me and centre-forwards thrive on. Watching on Saturday and seeing the superb work Shane Long put in and the amount of chances they create - look, I am going to eat it up really.”
Southampton new-boy Charlie Austin sets his sights on more goals for the Saints after his debut goal against Manchester United at Old Trafford
“She was this athlete that was a sponge and willing to do anything. I explained the changes she needed to make in her personal life, and she made them right away. I told her it had to be her priority: forget about family, forget about friends, forget about boyfriend, forget about everything, they’ve got to come second. If you really want to do this, it’s got to be No1. She said, ‘I’m in.'"
Carli Lloyd’s trainer, James Galanis in an exclusive chat with FIFA.com, on when he realised the USA No10 would go on to become one of the world’s greatest players
"We were playing five-a-side and we were losing because he [Mario Balotelli] didn’t work, which is evident. He swore at me in Italian and he thought I didn’t understand. But I know a bit of Italian lingo so I said, 'Who’re you talking to?' He said it again so we squared up and I offered him out, but he said no.”
Micah Richards revealed him and former Manchester City team-mate Mario Balotelli became embroiled in a confrontation on the training pitch
"Whether you think it's a risk or a gamble, these are the risks and gambles that you take. Ashley Cole has a great history. We know that doesn't necessarily translate on the field when you come to Major League Soccer, but my interactions over the last couple of months show me he's a player that has a strong desire to play here in Los Angeles. He's very fit and has a burning desire to get back on the field and prove to people he can still play. I have a hard time believing he won't be one of the better left-backs in our league."
LA Galaxy boss Bruce Arena on ‘taking a gamble’ by bringing Ashley Cole to Carson, California
“He said: 'no, if you (leave) I won't see you any more. Your area's difficult for you guys and you don't have much help – they'll have to put an extra bed here. You'll stay here and we'll share'.”
Cristiano Ronaldo’s room-mate at Sporting Lisbon, Jose Semedo, explains how the three time FIFA Ballon d’Or winner helped keep his close friend in the academy
"It was definitely my aim to make the squad for Euro 2016. You get noticed more in Italy. To be called up for the national team you need to be playing regularly at club level and to do that you need to work hard, be committed and show desire. My aim is to play well for Roma to achieve that. I'm here to show what I can do - to myself, the coach and Italian football as a whole."
Stephan El Shaarawy revealed international ambitions with Italy were a factor in his return to Italy’s Serie A with Roma
"It would have to be when I was in the youth team at Bristol City. We had to perform karaoke for the first team players in the dressing room at Christmas party. Believe me none of us were ever going to make the X Factor. The two worst performers (I wasn't one of them) had to strip down to their boxers and put giant garbage bins on their heads. All you could see of them was from the knees down. They had to start at opposite sides of the pitch and sprint across the field to score a penalty. It must have taken them ten minutes to find the balls."
Former Canada defender Jimmy Brennan revealed his funniest dressing room moment while playing for Bristol City during a Reddit AMA
“When I saw him at the airport, I said to myself: ‘This kid’s too small to play football.’ I thought they’d tricked me.”
Horacio Gaggioli, the man who signed Lionel Messi, tells the story of when he first met the Argentinian
“I’ve always been scared to see the end of my playing days and now that it’s here I’m sad. But I’m also excited that Vancouver Whitecaps FC have given me a chance to become the head coach of the U-14 Pre-Residency team.”
Robert Earnshaw announces his playing retirement
Thank you football— Robert Earnshaw (@RobertEarnshaw) January 28, 2016
An open letter to football family across the worldhttps://t.co/IVmYhZ8cRw
"Listen, I’ve experienced how short a life can be, what’s happened to my little baby could happen to someone in this team, so make sure you give everything today because these football moments are not going to last forever, and what I’ve learned from this experience is that life can end at any second."
Harry Arter recalls his speech to his Bournemouth team-mates before he played in their win against Manchester United last month. The game came two days after his fiancee had given birth to their stillborn daughter.
“I think I’d say Titanic. He died at the end so for me, I didn’t like that. At the start it’s good but at the end, everyone just drops off the ship and the guy at the last minute gives up then the girl leaves so what’s the point?”
Efe Ambrose's thoughts on the blockbuster movie, Titanic, when asked to name the worst film he has ever seen