Quaresma gets 'Golden Bin'

| Thu, 12/11/2008 - 03:51

Inter Milan's Portuguese winger Ricardo Quaresma has claimed Italy's 'Golden Bin' (Bidone d'Oro) award for the player who produces the most rubbish on the field.

It is the third year in a row that table-topping Inter has given voters the player they would most like to see in the bin.

Troubled Brazil star Adriano got the Bidone d'Oro, a mock version of the Pallone d'Oro (Golden Ball), in 2006 and 2007.

In its citation, the RAI state broadcaster's Sunday radio soccer show Catersport said ''nine appearances in the championship, with seesawing performances mostly on the downswing, were enough to submerge Quaresma in votes''.

The Portugal winger, whose lacklustre displays forced his one-time champion, Inter boss Jose' Mourinho, to drop him last month, garnered more than 17% of the votes from the show's listeners.

Another former Bidone winner, Atalanta's ex-Inter striker Christian Vieri, was second with 10% and Adriano third with 9.5%.

Adriano preceded former AC Milan striker Ronaldo and Rossoneri strugglers Nelson Dida and Andriy Shevchenko.

Juventus's expensive flop, Tiago Mendes, finished in ninth place.

Former Barcelona and Porto winger Quaresma, 25, was seen by some in his Porto years as a future candidate for the Golden Ball for European Footballer of the Year.

Mourinho insisted for months that he needed his compatriot for his trademark three-pronged attack and virtually forced the club to buy him.

But even the Inter boss has had to admit Quaresma's form so far has not justified the 18.6 million euros Inter owner Massimo Moratti forked out at the end of the summer.

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