World Football Quotes of the Week

Zambia were crowned champions of Africa. Rangers entered administration. AC Milan embarrassed Arsenal.

Once again, it was a memorable week in world football.

To commemorate the week that was, we've compiled 13 of the best quotes from around the world. In this list you'll find a bit of everything, from Zambia, Rangers and Arsenal to a surprising show of in-game stargazing.

If we missed something, feel free to add your own in the comments.

Follow Mike on Twitter: @MikeCummings37

Written in the Sky

Zambia won their first African Cup of Nations earlier this week by beating Ivory Coast on penalties in the final. Afterwards, manager Herve Renard dedicated the title to the 18 members of Zambia's team who died in a 1993 airplane crash.

Renard also noted some striking coincidences about the Chipolopolo's title run:

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"Our first game was against Senegal and the team was on its way to Senegal for a match when the plane crashed," said Zambia coach Herve Renard, who dedicated the title to Bwalya.

"The plane crashed in Gabon and we won the final in Gabon. It was a sign of destiny, written in the sky. There was a force with us. I think God has helped us."

"

It's hard to argue with that.

Paying Tribute

That wasn't the only feel-good story that emerged from Zambia's magical run.

Kalusha Bwalya, a former Zambia international who survived the 1993 plane crash, is now the head of the Zambian federation. As the federation's top official, he was partially responsible for bringing back manager Herve Renard, who had previously led the team from 2008-10.

After Zambia's 8-7 penalty shootout victory over Ivory Coast, Renard dedicated the win to Bwalya.

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"He is the best Zambian player of the last century and he escaped the plane crash," Renard was quoted as saying on the Confederation of Africa's official website.

"He was criticized for giving me the second chance. I dedicate the victory to him because he gave me the opportunity to coach."

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Zambian forward Collins Mbesuma paid tribute to the players who perished in the 1993 plane crash:

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"I also believe the departed Zambian team of 1993 was with us in this final match.

"When Drogba missed the penalty l just knew it that it was our night, the departed were making sure the Ivorians would not score."

"

Still Chasing Glory

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is certainly no stranger to winning trophies. But this season the Red Devils are chasing an unfamiliar piece of silverware.

After crashing out of this season's Champions League in the group stages, United are now competing in the Europa League. But while the competition is new for United, the goal is the same.

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"Players are coming back and we can combine the Premier League and Europa League with the number of players available. 'Winning a European trophy is significant,' Ferguson stated.

"I feel good about it—it is a tournament we will try and win. There's a final in Romania. I want to be there and they (the players) want to be there and so do our supporters."

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Rangers into Administration

Rangers are the reigning Scottish champions. That's part of what made Tuesday's announcement so shocking.

The Glasgow giants announced Tuesday that they are entering administration due to financial problems. According to Reuters, Rangers could face a tax bill of more than £50 million.

On Wednesday, Rangers owner Craig Whyte told Sky Sports News that administration is the "best way forward" for the club.

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"This was the best way to take the club forward and end the uncertainty that's surrounding Rangers at the moment.

"What we've done today is the start of a road to recovery. Rangers will always be around, Rangers will always be here at Ibrox and this is the start of the healing process.

"We will get over this and we will come out fighting and come out stronger, there's no question about that."

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Celtic's Response

After the news about Rangers came out, Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said the club's bitter rivals, Celtic, "can't prosper unless Rangers are there."

That didn't sit well with Celtic.

Here's what Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell said in response:

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"This is simply not true. In a series of interviews given just three days ago, we made it abundantly clear that Celtic has a well-defined strategy and a business plan independent of the fortunes of any other club. That remains absolutely the case.

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"The predicament of Rangers is clearly a serious and complex matter with a whole range of possible outcomes.

"However, we are extremely well qualified to make our own position clear and have no wish to see that being misrepresented for political reasons."

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While Lawwell is correct, finance was probably not the only aspect of prosperity the First Minister was talking about.

Bye Bye, Mick

Opinions abounded after Wolverhampton Wanderers sacked manager Mick McCarthy on Monday.

While most blamed McCarthy and pointed to Wolves' recent 5-1 humiliation at the hands of West Brom, former England manager Graham Taylor had another take. He told BBC 5 Live:

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"Mick McCarthy has had a tremendous five-and-a-half years at Wolves. Steve Morgan, the chairman, probably feels they just need a positive change to get the number of points they need to stay up.

"Managers are responsible for results but players are responsible for their performances. I watched the game and a number of the Wolves players should be looking at themselves.

"A 5-1 defeat at home to West Brom? You'll do well to survive that."

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Players? What Players?

First-year Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas isn't afraid to go it alone. Asked during a Thursday news conference whether the players support him, AVB said:

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"They don't have to back my project; only the owner needs to back my project."

…

"I think the owner has full trust in me and will continue to progress with the ideas that we have. In the end, that is the objective of getting us the best position possible in the league, plus these two trophies, which we are fighting for. It will be extremely good for us if we win against Birmingham to put ourselves in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

"But we need strong progression in the league and to show our strength."

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'Arry for Spurs and England?

Everybody knows Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp is the odds-on favorite to replace Fabio Capello as England's manager.

Especially 'Arry himself:

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"I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't the popular choice. I know I am, it's been everywhere, in every paper every day But it's not an easy one.

"I have a good job and I work with good people and I have a good team. The fans have been fantastic to me.

"This week we have Stevenage in the Cup, then we have Man United, then we have Arsenal, then we have Chelsea. We have some fantastic games. It's an important time for me with Tottenham."

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Fear not, all you adoring England fans. 'Arry may yet deign to accept the most prestigious job in the country.

But only if he can do both at the same time:

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"Part-time? In the short term I think it's possible for the European Championships. But I think in the long term it's not possible to manage a club team and manage a national team.

"It's difficult enough to manage in the Premier League without having to worry about managing the England team as well. You want to be watching England players play, you want to be watching the opposition.

"I think whoever they give the job to could only do the one job. Maybe for the Euros, it's not such a problem but once the Euros are finished and the new season starts in England, the manager has to be a Premier League manager – if it's someone who manages in the Premier League – or the England manager. To do the two jobs, it would be impossible."

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Messi's Shirt

Bayern Leverkusen hosted Barcelona in the Champions League round of 16 this week. Apparently, some members of the German club were more starstruck than anything.

Leverkusen teammates Michal Kadlec and Manuel Friedrich reportedly competed for the chance to swap jerseys with Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi after the match. Kadlec won, but now it seems neither player will get what they want.

"I can guarantee that Kadlec and Friedrich will auction off their Messi shirts for a good cause,'' Leverkusen manager Rudi Voller told German newspaper Bild. "What the pair did was a bit over the top.''

After the match, Kadlec defended his actions thus: "When you play against such a player, then you always want his shirt. I would have swapped it immediately for a better result, but it is a shame that we did not do enough.''

Champs or Chumps?

Wednesday's Champions League match between Zenit St. Petersburg and Benfica produced a flurry of late goals and a memorable one-liner from the Sky Sports commentator.

Hundreds of Twitter users passed along the comment. Here's just one.

"'This is the champions league, not the chumpions league' says the Sky commentator Gary Weaver for Zenit/Benfica. What does that even mean?"

Umm, it means the match was rather sloppy.

Wenger Unloads

Wednesday's second Champions League match produced a (somewhat) surprising result. AC Milan crushed Arsenal 4-0, planting one foot in the quarterfinals of Europe's most prestigious club competition.

In the short time since the final whistle, several memorable soundbytes have already popped up.

Here's Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger:

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"It is our worst night in Europe. We were punished and deservedly so. I felt we were never in the game, we were very poor offensively and defensively. It was shocking to see how we were beaten everywhere.

"There was not one moment in the 90 minutes where we were really in the game. What made it worse was that we had to chase the game. It was always the same problem, balls over the top and we were well beaten. It is difficult to analyse. I think it is better not to talk too much…and to analyse with a cooler head and regroup for the next game."

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Yikes. Tell us how you really feel, Arsene.

Gentlemen, Thank You, but Goodbye.

An even better reaction came from former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit.

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"Certain young players haven't done enough to justify the confidence that Arsene has in them. Walcott - somehow he's going to have to reach the next stage. It's been years that he's been at the same level.

"(Aaron) Ramsey, against Milan, I got the impression it was his (twin) brother on the pitch. In the way they behave, in their body language, we see they're not there anymore.

"We shouldn't hesitate to talk about the end of the cycle. Regardless of age, we have to look seriously at certain players. Right now.

"You have to send out a strong signal. You have to say to Arshavin, and to Rosicky: 'Gentlemen, thank you, but goodbye'. And soon."

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Oh, snap.

Au Revoir, Thierry

Thierry Henry likely played his final game for Arsenal on Wednesday.

Before the match, Wenger hailed the impact of Henry, who scored three times for Arsenal during his short loan spell from the New York Red Bulls.

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"He has a special strength that is based on desire and belief. I am very sad to see him going back to New York because I didn't expect him to be so important for us when he returned on loan at the start of the year.

"But he grew into the team very quickly and his talent is much sharper than I thought it would be after having been out in the States. He left top-level European football because he was concerned about knee tendon problems but he is in very good shape."

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