Waste of talent xi? (Wasteman xi)

[Fortitude]

With the news that Ravel Morrison has unsurprisingly ruined his prospects at yet another club, there really seems to be no hope for him. He was the English talent of his generation and if his head was screwed on, he'd probably be a star turn at the biggest club in England now.

Balotelli is another car crash in terms of talent to output ratio.

Perhaps Cassano can make up the third position in this team?

Is it possible to make a full xi of wasted talent from goalkeeper through to the forwards?

 

[swissgenius]

Stoke City

 

[horsechoker]

Freddy Adu is captain

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Antonio Cassano would qualify surely?

 

[krombacher92]

-------------------Akinfeev--------------------
Myself----------Breno------------Jones------Sharpe
Deisler------Gascoigne------Bentley------Quaresma
------------Balotelli--------Adriano--------------

 

[Irrational.]

Anderson has gotta be in there. He was never the same player after he broke his leg when playing for Porto.

 

[horsechoker]

-------------------Akinfeev--------------------
???----------Breno------------????------Sharpe
Deisler------Gascoigne------Scholl------Quaresma
------------Balotelli--------Adriano--------------

Jones as the other centre-back or is it too soon?

 

[krombacher92]

Jones as the other centre-back or is it too soon?

Good shout. He's still young enough but I somehow doubt he will still make it.

 

[Ødegaard]

Asenjo
No Clue - Breno - Jones - No Clue
Diaby - Gago
Quaresma - Saviola - Denilson
Adu​

 

[Samid]

?
Rafael - Evans - Jones - Fabio
Cleverley - Anderson
Nani - Ravel - Zaha
Welbeck​

 

[R.N7]

Reyes
Gourcuff
D'Alesssandro
Tower of Ryan Babel

 

[Lennon7]

I think Ben Arfa has to be in even though he's found decent form and got a move to PSG. It's all come a bit late for him.

Ravel Morrison without a doubt too.

 

[prath92]

Sczcesny
Naughton-Richards-Coates-Gibbs
Townsend-Huddlestone-Anderson-Bojan
Adriano
Balotelli

 

[Thaumaste]

-------------------Akinfeev--------------------
???----------Breno------------Jones------Sharpe
Deisler------Gascoigne------Scholl------Quaresma
------------Balotelli--------Adriano--------------

Some interesting picks, but not sure you can say a keeper who debuted at 16 and has been a first team player ever since, captaining his club and racking up almost a century of caps by the age of 30 has wasted his talent. Sure, he never became the greatest keeper mankind has ever seen, as some versions of Championship Manager would have led you to believe was his destiny, but Igor Akinfeev has had a bloody good career.

Equally, is the Scholl in your midfield Mehmet Scholl? Because if so, that's surely a bit nuts. The guy's one of the most successful players of all time. (Apologies if I'm ignorant and there's some other Scholl who massively wasted their talent!).

I'd also say that it's fairly harsh on Lee Sharpe to have him down as a failed left-back, though I can see the reasoning in thinking he wasted his talent.

Personally, I'd not have Quaresma in there either. Again, not the worldbeater that FM made him out to be, but he's had a solid career at clubs at the top of their divisions all over Europe.

Then again, I guess all of this comes down to how much you individually rate the players' talent, because that determines what kind of shortfall you see them as having made in reality.

 

[Kag]

Some of this lot have won League and European titles and played over 50 times for their national sides.

Of course, it's all relative to potential, but few of the names in here have wasted their career's. Mehmet Scholl for feck sake?

 

[Nighteyes]

Balotelli has done justice to his limited talent.

 

[rcoobc]

Januzaj, Wiltshere, basically every Arsenal Englishman actually.

 

[horsechoker]

Would Adam Johnson be another? Ok he was probably never going to a balon d'or winner but he was playing at a decent level and threw away his career because he wanted to sleep with a 15 year old.

 

[lysglimt]

Some of this lot have won League and European titles and played over 50 times for their national sides.

Of course, it's all relative to potential, but few of the names in here have wasted their career's. Mehmet Scholl for feck sake?

My thoughts exactly - if playing 340 times for Bayern Munchen (Scholl) scoring 90 goals is wasting your career - well....enough said

 

[lysglimt]

Would Adam Johnson be another? Ok he was probably never going to a balon d'or winner but he was playing at a decent level and threw away his career because he wanted to sleep with a 15 year old.

IMO - he was on the down when this happened - and at the age of 28/29 - he never wasted his career - just his name and future!

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Bosnich Richards Breno Coco Diaby Anderson Gourcuff quaresma deisler recoba balotelli

 

[R.N7]

 

[Isotope]

Jack Rodwell. Seems like even Fergie rated him really high.

 

[Isotope]

Stan Collymore and Robbie Fowler.

 

[Dan]

Robinho
Gianluigi Lentini

 

[BigTimeCharlie]

Richard Wright

Michael gray
P.Jones
J.Woodgate

Kieron dyer
Jermaine pennant
Michael johnson
Lee bowyer
Jack rodwell

Francis jeffers
Michael owen

Ive tried to keep it all english, playing hoddles favourite formation.

 

[Deleted member 101472]

Nigmatulin, mantorras, bakarcioglu, kallstrom

 

[hobbers]

?
Rafael - Evans - Jones - Fabio
Cleverley - Anderson
Nani - Ravel - Zaha
Welbeck​

To be fair Nani did realise his talent in at least two seasons for us. Cleverley and Evans never had the talent to begin with, they have played to their full potential. Zaha and Welbeck have as well, arguably.

 

[Kag]

To be fair Nani did realise his talent in at least two seasons for us. Cleverley and Evans never had the talent to begin with, they have played to their full potential.

Nani, Evans and Cleverley are laughable mentions. I wouldn't even waste your time.

Infact, Anderson and Morrison seem to be the only names in that side worthy of debate. Both very talented players that could well be out of competitive professional football before they hit 30. And one of them can still turn it around given his age.

 

[Lay]

Carlos Alberto. The Porto forward who scored in the CL final in 2004. I can't remember if it was against us where he was unplayable. Looked a real talent. He's 31 and has only played 133 games and played at ten clubs since Porto.

 

[Boycott]

There are two problems regarding "waste of talent"

1) Some people overestimate the ability and potential of youngsters when they are in age-group football. The step up to pro football is a much bigger step than thought of. Hence guys who go on to have solid careers, though never being at the top end as once expected to get labelled as waste of talents. I'm looking at Zaha, Cleverley, Rodwell from this thread.

2) You have players who did reach the top-end of the game but couldn't sustain it for whatever reason (injuries, personal problems). Did they really waste their talent though? Gazza for instance was at the peak of his powers world class. A genuine elite player. Ronaldinho had 3 years of elite performance but was on the downward scale by 27. Is he a wasted talent? Both did justice to their talents by reaching the heights expected after-all.

 

[duffer]

Anelka had a very good career but his talent merited much more I think.

Leon Knight had talent but was mental. He should have had a lower premier league/championship career.

 

[Fortitude]

I think putting injury-riddled players in is a stretch, personally.

Anyone remember Amir Zaki?

Looked like Alan Shearer's long lost Egyptian brother for a run of games, then he just folded like a house of cards.

 

[Fortitude]

Bosnich Richards Breno Coco Diaby Anderson Gourcuff quaresma deisler recoba balotelli

Bosnich is a great shout. Was more interested in nose candy than football. Just stopped caring, seemingly. Mutu would definitely also come in under that 'bracket'.

Putting Diesler in is unfair. Declining mental health isn't a fitting match for a waster.

 

[Enigma_87]

Denilson should top any list, Adriano as well. Quaresma is also probably one who wasted most of it.

 

[UnitedBoy]

Always thought Julio Baptista was better than he let off

 

[Moby]

Cleverley and Evans?

 

[redspoony]

Denilson should top any list, Adriano as well. Quaresma is also probably one who wasted most of it.

Not sure I agree on Denilson (assuming you mean the one who went to Real Betis for a huge fee and not the Arsenal player). I don't think he can be classed as this because, purely because he was pushed too soon and I don't think the talent to become a "world class player" was there in the first place. Yes, he did a lot of fancy step overs etc, but I think it was a classic case of someone being thrust into the limelight too soon and not being given a chance to develop.

 

[Ravelation]

Just saying; 'Wasteman' is a slang word used in London, of which is offensive, it doesn't just mean wasted lives/talent

 

[Enigma_87]

Not sure I agree on Denilson (assuming you mean the one who went to Real Betis for a huge fee and not the Arsenal player). I don't think he can be classed as this because, purely because he was pushed too soon and I don't think the talent to become a "world class player" was there in the first place. Yes, he did a lot of fancy step overs etc, but I think it was a classic case of someone being thrust into the limelight too soon and not being given a chance to develop.

Yeah the same. Went from the biggest talent in the world to basically a nothing player in couple of years. He never reached the top, indeed, but I don't think it was due to lacking the talent, but lacking the mentality, which makes him a candidate here.