True, what the hell happened to that guy... Scored our first goal in the CL final, seemed to be at the top of the world. Then he signed for MSI, went back to Brazil where he's been ever since, and quite unnoticed. I think he has a contract with Werder Bremen but was always on loan.
Top ten wasted talents
- Thread starter Ole's_toe_poke
- Start date
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
Gus Hiddink
Does Ralph Milne fall under this category?
Isn't he still supposed to be 14 years old or something?
Jovan Kirovski - Was going to be a big star in Europe, the first "American" star. I'd argue he's been more wasted than Adu, as the latter still has plenty of years ahead of him. Adu was simply hype where as Jovan had serious talent. Jovan did it right too - joined a proper European academy, granted he didn't have the media exposure Adu would endure a decade later. Shame he couldn't get the work permit sorted out in England as he may have broke into the United squad, at least on a casual/temporary basis. Probably would have still ended up elsewhere, like Bolton or Blackburn.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1007378/index.htm
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1007378/index.htm
I always though Malbranque could have been great if he'd been surrounded by quality attackers. Thought he acquitted himself well at Fulham.
Not that he's done poorly mind.
Not that he's done poorly mind.
Malbranque flatters to deceive I think. He often does some very clever things, looks very dangerous but his final shot/pass lets him down.
I think it's official now that we disagree on every single blessed thing 
. United, Arsenal, socialism, Barcelona, yanks, Warhol, Sholokhov, and now Malbranque.
Yeah you may be right. Still when he was at Fulham though he seemed to do so much right, but just didn't have the support or the targets up front to make it happen. A real fireplug as well. As active as you like, making himself available.
Just seems like one of those guys that maybe could have been great, but didn't quite make it work.
I'd add Vassel to the list. If he'd had Scholes behnid him and Rooney alongside, I reckon he could have been a beast.
. United, Arsenal, socialism, Barcelona, yanks, Warhol, Sholokhov, and now Malbranque.Yeah you may be right. Still when he was at Fulham though he seemed to do so much right, but just didn't have the support or the targets up front to make it happen. A real fireplug as well. As active as you like, making himself available.
Just seems like one of those guys that maybe could have been great, but didn't quite make it work.
I'd add Vassel to the list. If he'd had Scholes behnid him and Rooney alongside, I reckon he could have been a beast.
Too soon to add Yoann Gourcuff to the list?
No I don't think so.. and what would people say of Heskey? I mean if 'wasted talent' in a sense is never fulfilling the potential he looked to have at 18 for Leicester...
Darko Pancev.
Never recovered from signing for Inter in the early 90s when they specialized in destroying highly promising strikers
Never recovered from signing for Inter in the early 90s when they specialized in destroying highly promising strikers
Ronaldionho,ronaldo? Maybe petrucci. Would add rooney to the list as well.
And robinho.
Francis Jeffers got over the 40 league goal barrier last night.
Quaresma has be there
Batistuta?
feck me some shocking shouts at the start of this thread.
feck me some shocking shouts at the start of this thread.
Tottenham had a Russian striker, a short lad. Some 'ov.
Andres D'Alessandro - Looked amazing between 2005-2008 but never fulfilled his potential in my opinion.
Ryan Babel
that is all
Harry Kewell Thought he would have done better after joining Liverpool but flatered to deceive and always injured.
Davide Bellion Touted as the next Henry, he wasn't even the next Ryan Babel
Kerlon Injuries, Injureis and more Injuries
Christian Wilhelmsson - Looks like a wrold beater for Sweden but some bafflinf transfers (Bolton, Nantes) hindered his progress.
Jose Paolo Guerrero Wasn't a complete flop but didn't live up to the heights he was expected to when he was at Bayern.
Ronaldinho I know he was amazing in his time but 'his time' wasn't long enough. I thought he would be a name thrown around in 'best player ever' conversations, but it isn't.
Podolski Was supposed to be Germany's answer to Rooney but never lived up to the hype. Still great for the national team but quite inconsistent season by season for clubs. Choked at Bayern. Doing okay now though...
Andy van der Meyde The rock and roll lifestyle ruined what seemed to be a VERY promising career.
Ryan Babel
that is allHarry Kewell Thought he would have done better after joining Liverpool but flatered to deceive and always injured.
Davide Bellion Touted as the next Henry, he wasn't even the next Ryan Babel
Kerlon Injuries, Injureis and more Injuries
Christian Wilhelmsson - Looks like a wrold beater for Sweden but some bafflinf transfers (Bolton, Nantes) hindered his progress.
Jose Paolo Guerrero Wasn't a complete flop but didn't live up to the heights he was expected to when he was at Bayern.
Ronaldinho I know he was amazing in his time but 'his time' wasn't long enough. I thought he would be a name thrown around in 'best player ever' conversations, but it isn't.
Podolski Was supposed to be Germany's answer to Rooney but never lived up to the hype. Still great for the national team but quite inconsistent season by season for clubs. Choked at Bayern. Doing okay now though...
Andy van der Meyde The rock and roll lifestyle ruined what seemed to be a VERY promising career.
Rebrov?
Rebrov?
People with no talent shouldnt even get a mention.Andres D'Alessandro - Looked amazing between 2005-2008 but never fulfilled his potential in my opinion.
Ryan Babel
Harry Kewell Thought he would have done better after joining Liverpool but flatered to deceive and always injured.
Davide Bellion Touted as the next Henry, he wasn't even the next Ryan Babel
Kerlon Injuries, Injureis and more Injuries
Christian Wilhelmsson - Looks like a wrold beater for Sweden but some bafflinf transfers (Bolton, Nantes) hindered his progress.
Jose Paolo Guerrero Wasn't a complete flop but didn't live up to the heights he was expected to when he was at Bayern.
Ronaldinho I know he was amazing in his time but 'his time' wasn't long enough. I thought he would be a name thrown around in 'best player ever' conversations, but it isn't.
Podolski Was supposed to be Germany's answer to Rooney but never lived up to the hype. Still great for the national team but quite inconsistent season by season for clubs. Choked at Bayern. Doing okay now though...
Andy van der Meyde The rock and roll lifestyle ruined what seemed to be a VERY promising career.
Carlos Vela
Mark Kerr
Fernando Cavanaghi
Cherno Samba
Maxim Tsigalko
AVB (Anthony Vanden Borre that is)
Hatem Ben Arfa
Freddy Adu
Joaquin
Kim Kallstrom
Mark Kerr
Fernando Cavanaghi
Cherno Samba
Maxim Tsigalko
AVB (Anthony Vanden Borre that is)
Hatem Ben Arfa
Freddy Adu
Joaquin
Kim Kallstrom
Yes Rebrov, supposed to be their missing link or something.
I'd throw in Nery Castillo as well, he looked like he was going to be a star
Adriano as well
Adriano as well
I do not understand the thing with Podolski. Why did he choke at Bayern? About every 20 to 21-year-old would choke if he would have to fight with Ribery for a spot on the left side and with Roy Makaay, Luca Toni in his best career years, Klose in his good years, Claudio Pizarro for a forward spot.Andres D'Alessandro - Looked amazing between 2005-2008 but never fulfilled his potential in my opinion.
Ryan Babel
Harry Kewell Thought he would have done better after joining Liverpool but flatered to deceive and always injured.
Davide Bellion Touted as the next Henry, he wasn't even the next Ryan Babel
Kerlon Injuries, Injureis and more Injuries
Christian Wilhelmsson - Looks like a wrold beater for Sweden but some bafflinf transfers (Bolton, Nantes) hindered his progress.
Jose Paolo Guerrero Wasn't a complete flop but didn't live up to the heights he was expected to when he was at Bayern.
Ronaldinho I know he was amazing in his time but 'his time' wasn't long enough. I thought he would be a name thrown around in 'best player ever' conversations, but it isn't.
Podolski Was supposed to be Germany's answer to Rooney but never lived up to the hype. Still great for the national team but quite inconsistent season by season for clubs. Choked at Bayern. Doing okay now though...
Andy van der Meyde The rock and roll lifestyle ruined what seemed to be a VERY promising career.
It would be the same if you would say that Shaqiri chokes now when he has Ribery, Müller, Kroos and Robben fighting for 3 places in the offensive midfield at Bayern - or Götze fighting against Özil for the CAM-spot in the German team.
If you want to take a German take Marko Marin... - Mesut Özil was nothing against him with 17 or 18...
Guerrero came with 18 to Bayern from Lima's U19 - he has not played professional football until then like a lot other real great talents do with 16 or 17. I do not see him flopping - he just has a normal career...
If you want a flop take the biggest talent the FC Bayern had during their last 40 years... - Berkant Göktan... - he is a flop. He is 32 know and tries to get his feet on the ground at 4th league Heimstetten.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkant_G%C3%B6ktan
And what about Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Rooney, as MJJ suggested?
Talk about being a harsh critic! (Or sarcastic; I hope.)
Although I do understand that if they're serious, they're probably emotional, 'could have been even better', suggestions. And in that category, although slightly more on topic I think, I'd add Mendieta and Aimar.
I agree with Dirty Schwein about D'Alessandro.
That's just a list of names off Football Manager
On what fecking planet are people like Ronaldinho wasted talents? Are some of you on crack or some mind feck drugs?
I thought that was the point of the thread? Ronaldo really should be mentioned in the same breath as pele,maradona,etc if it wasnt for his injuries while ronaldinho had so much talent but he just didnt utilize it to the best of his abilities.
Rooney I also feel could have been so much more, should really be up there with messi and ronaldo as the three best players of this generation.
I dont consider Podolski or Guerrero as flops, they just didn't live upto what was billed of them. When these two were at Bayern, the press, Bayern staff, comentators etc would go on about them as they now do in the EPL about Wilshire, Cleverly etc, (granted these two examples don't have as much competition) but Podolski and Guerrero never broke into the Bayern first team. I don't think they are bad players at all, just that they struggled to break into the top teams (Bayern being the top team in both cases). They are still two of my favourite players... I was beggign for Poldi to come to United
Used to love watchin this little lad. He was sensational at River Plate and in the underage Argentina sides. Wolfsburg was a shocking move for him but. Was so happy to see him in the premiership but he only lasted a short while there with Pompey.
Too early to consign Ravel Morrison to the list?
It's time to add Anderson to the list.
Great shout. I'm sure I heard that Ferguson was very keen on signing "The Cobra" pre-Cantona. Inter wasted Pancev with their ultra-defensive setup and lack of counter-attacking impetus. Pancev said himself that he was a striker who often ran "in the last 30 metres" but who had a natural goalscoring talent. They bought him to score goals but expected him to adapt to a style of play he wasn't comfortable with, rather than adapt the play to get the best out of him.
That Red Star Belgrade side of the late 80's early 90's was full of special talent....Savicevic, Pancev, Prosinecki, Stojkovic.
Love Eastern European players in that mould....they have so much skill and composure, and a certain way of playing the game that is hard to replicate.
I see where you're coming from (hence my mentioning of Mendieta and Aimar), but if we're going down that road we might end up adding George Best or even Maradona himself. And someone like Gazza would be a given.
When I hear 'wasted talent', I'm thinking more of someone like Quaresma or even Sinama Pongolle, players who looked like they'd set the world on fire but fizzled out, rather than truly iconic players who maybe didn't realise their potential to the absolute maximum.
Gazza was number one on the OP hence my thought that the others would fit in as well. I see your point but if you go down that route how do you know that the player wasnt just good enough to begin with?
Strange thread. Most of the players here seem to be because of media hype rather than observed/squandered talent.
Isn't every player in this thread........-_-
Bojan Djordic
Steve Marlet
Jérôme Rothen?
Casiraghi?
Hakan Yakin? (or was he more a flash in the pan?)
Hidetoshi Nakata
Chris Byland?
Queresma
Michael Johnson
Micah Richards perhaps?
Terry Cooke
Keith Gillespie
Joey Barton perhaps if you consider how highly he was rated.
Stephen Ireland? As with Barton...accept those two are debatable.
Nile Ranger (was never going to be brilliant but is wasting his chance at any sort of football career)
Huntelaar?
Saviola?
Steve Marlet
Jérôme Rothen?
Casiraghi?
Hakan Yakin? (or was he more a flash in the pan?)
Hidetoshi Nakata
Chris Byland?
Queresma
Michael Johnson
Micah Richards perhaps?
Terry Cooke
Keith Gillespie
Joey Barton perhaps if you consider how highly he was rated.
Stephen Ireland? As with Barton...accept those two are debatable.
Nile Ranger (was never going to be brilliant but is wasting his chance at any sort of football career)
Huntelaar?
Saviola?
Yeah...I accept some of mine may have that in them.