Following Udinese’s amazing win over Milan at San Siro our hero goalkeeper Maduka Okoye featured on Udinese Tonight. Here’s some of what the Nigerian international had to say:
“I’ll never forget last weekend. Beating Milan 3-0 at San Siro was special for all of us. It was an incredible night for Udinese. We learned a lot from last season. We realised that if you lose your hunger, you lose games. We believe strongly in ourselves.
“I’ll never forget last weekend. Beating Milan 3-0 at San Siro was special for all of us. It was an incredible night for Udinese. We learned a lot from last season. We realised that if you lose your hunger, you lose games. We believe strongly in ourselves.
“Next up is Parma on Saturday, and that match might be even more difficult than our last one. The San Siro win is now behind us. We also got a good win there earlier in the season against Inter, and since that match we've all taken a step forward. We played so well against Milan. We weren't lucky - it was all about quality and energy.
“For me, keeping a clean sheet is like scoring a goal. I'm happy to have kept three in a row, but it's all down to teamwork, which starts from the attack. My save from [Alexis] Saelemaekers was my best one since I've been at the club, along with the one I made in Frosinone.
“For me, keeping a clean sheet is like scoring a goal. I'm happy to have kept three in a row, but it's all down to teamwork, which starts from the attack. My save from [Alexis] Saelemaekers was my best one since I've been at the club, along with the one I made in Frosinone.
“I want to focus solely on football. I want repay Udinese for what they've done for me over these past months. They've never made me feel alone and they have always believed in me. Difficult times happen and will continue to come along in the future, both in football and in life. You have to know that these moments come, but also that peace will return.
“I need consistency – that’s important. Then I need to improve on high balls and with my feet if I want to reach the top. I know that I can play with my feet, but in some matches I've taken too many risks, and that's not a good thing for the team. We've decided to take fewer risks, but building from the back is important for our game. I still try to play with my feet, but I need to know how to manage this in certain situations.
“The boss [Kosta] Runjaic is very important to me. He's helped me so much, and I'm very grateful to have him as a coach. The whole team learns so much from him. [Gokhan] Inler helps me a lot, as he helps every player. We're lucky to have a technical director like him. He was a top player, and he's an example off the pitch too. We're lucky to have him.
“I feel a great energy in the dressing room this year. We laugh together, we suffer together, we work together, and it shows on the pitch.”