Average players who went through a world-class patch, then returned back to being average

[Get In Scholesy]

Van der Vaart was a star in the Netherlands, was a star for Hamburg (why do you think Real signed him?) and at Spurs he had a good period as well. He also won over 100 caps for the Dutch NT. "shit player with a purple patch" indeed...

I won't pretend to be a close follower of Ligue 1 or Payet, but I remember him posting some ridiculous numbers for Lille and for OM, before joining West Ham, where I guess he gained most of his fame. After his return to France he also played his part in OM's EL final run.

Real signed him and benched him him, lasted 2 seasons at a top club, then muddled around mid table clubs the rest of his career where he had most of his highlights as a player.

Even for The Oranje, he had two decent tournaments and was largely ineffective throughout major tournaments.

Relatively the same tune with Payet, decent at mid table clubs, but hardly done anything to be integral to a cup or league winning side.

But to your point I might be sounding harsh, I just never saw the hype these players had around them, nor was it warranted imo.

 

[Ramshock]

No imo. I was more of an Igor Korneev ( a lazy wasted talent) fan in the early 90s for the right side of the national team, but Kanchelskis was a noted talent since winning the 1990 under-21 Euro against a highly talented Yugoslav side with Boban, Prosinecki, Suker, Boksic, Mijatovic etc in the team. Injuries ruined Kanchelskis when he moved to Fiorentina. He came back early from a knee and ankle injury after a hilariously mistimed Taribo West tackle to play in the Russia vs Italy World cup 98 playoff on a pitch that might be the worst ever seen in a high level international game of my lifetime. A collision there with Pagliuca wrecked his knee and he played on for a while causing even more damage. Was never the same player after that.

True. Great post btw

 

[renandstimpyfan83]

Most of these players weren’t average per se but had peaks that were well above the rest of their careers.

Gaizka Mendieta

Started out as a mediocre right back before Ranieri converted him to a midfielder. Was one of the best playmakers in the world around the turn of the century and captained Valencia to two CL finals. Totally flopped as Verón’s replacement at Lazio and ended up playing for Middlesbrough by the age of 29 where he ended his career.

Maniche

Rose from relative obscurity to have an incredible 2002-2004 period for Mourinho’s Porto and the Portuguese national team in his mid 20s, scoring great and important goals for both in. Left to play in Russia and then occasionally showed up for unsuccessful loan spells with other Mourinho sides.

Ángel Di María

Quality but flaky and lightweight winger was briefly the best all round midfielder in the world in 2014.

Diego Costa

Signed for Atlético in 2007 and finally established himself as a starter in 2013-14 where his goals took them to the CL final. Joined Chelsea and was an absolute monster of a centre forward for two title winning seasons before rejoining Atlético and looking a shadow of the player.

Dante

A relatively unknown centre back who signed for Heynckes’ Bayern at 28 and formed part of a record breaking defence en route to the treble. Won two more titles in the following seasons but is best remembered for his chuckle brothers act with David Luiz in the Mineiraço.

Wesley Sneijder

A very good young player at Ajax who was overshadowed by Van der Vaart. Did alright at Real Madrid but was an absolute big game beast in 2010 as Inter won the treble and the Netherlands reached the World Cup final. By 28 he was playing for Galatasaray and his brief elite status was soon forgotten.

Dwight Yorke

Scored 27 league goals in his first five seasons of professional football before he hit his stride in his mid twenties. Joined United and for a season was the best striker in the world. Declined slightly in his second season with only two CL goals and was totally washed up by his fourth. Left for Blackburn having just turned 30 and flopped there and at Birmingham before going to play in the A-League.

 

[witchtrials]

People in this thread have a very generous definition of world class.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

This bloke once winning Premier League player of the month:

Ok, I'm taking liberties with the world class tag, but he might well be the most legitimately average player mentioned so far and he certainly hit a nice bit of form.

Signed for Southampton in March 97, the same season that Ali Dia had played for them. This is the table on the 4th of April Southampton bottom with 1 win in their previous 10.

On April 5th, Evans comes off the bench to score twice in a 3-1 win away at Nottingham Forest. He and Southampton suddenly get good. They draw 1-1 with Derby, he scores in a 2-0 win against West Ham and again in a 2-2 draw against Coventry. By the 19th they're out of the relegation zone.

Southampton go on to win 2 of their final 3 matches too and survive by 1 point. Evans wins player of the month for April and those 4 goals he scored that month were the only top-flight goals of his career.

I've mentioned him before on here because I really like his story, proper Roy of the Rovers stuff.

Great post. Don’t remember this at all. Thank you.

 

[Isotope]

Mario Gomez.

Maybe Chicarito.

 

[Andersonson]

Bojan

 

[KirkDuyt]

Dusan Tadic was absolutely tantalizing in the CL for Ajax 2 seasons ago. He completely destroyed Juve and Madrid. Now he's back to his good Eredivisie player level.

 

[Eire Red United]

Lingard,
Papiss Cisse,
Demba Ba,
Nani,
Michu
Most of that Leicester team
That City team now the drugs have worn off

 

[Carl]

Nani.

"Average" is very halrsh but he definitely performed at a fabulous level for about 12 months or so only to then return to his usual form for the rest of his career.

 

[Josep Dowling]

What about Dwight Yorke. He was a good player at Villa, but no one would have expected the two great years he had at United. He then went back to be just ok.

This is a good shout. Many people are suggesting players like Michu but even when he had a good season it wasn’t world class.

I suggest Van Persie. He was world class in his first season with us, and the previous year with Arsenal. Before and after he didn’t exactly hit the heights expected of him.

 

[Carl]

When was this "world class" period in Lingard's career that so many are mentioning? I've always liked Jesse, and still hope there's a way back, but even during his best spell at United during Jose's tenure he was never world class.

 

[Sunny Jim]

Lingard comes to mind - he had that one sensational run of games a few seasons back

First name on my list.

 

[KirkDuyt]

Harsh of course, but both Van Der Vaart and Sneijder had only very brief periods in their career where they were world class, both due to the fact that they enjoyed life more than giving everything up for football. Though I think it would be more apt to describe them as world class players who were average for a large part of their career if that makes sense.

I'm also trying to find a period in Dirk Kuyt's career where he was world class, but I'm coming up empty.

Maarten Stekelenburg and Gregory van der Wiel were also amazing in 2010 only to turn to shite soon after. And who can forget Ron Vlaar and Bruno Martins Indi in 2014. I think some on here even wanted Vlaar at United

 

[Infordin]

Mkhitaryan

 

[big_jeffstar]

Drinkwater, and I’d actually throw Mahrez in there.. still a good player obviously, but looked absolutely world class for an entire season... then back to just being a good player

 

[MrEleson]

I suggest Van Persie. He was world class in his first season with us, and the previous year with Arsenal. Before and after he didn’t exactly hit the heights expected of him.

Van Persie was always a high quality player but just impeded by injury. Before his move to United, he was always good whenever I saw him play for Arsenal but just lacked continuity. For every brief period he’d display his class, he’d then be out with injury again. So it really came as no surprise that in the 2.5 seasons he managed to keep full fit, he was able to establish himself as one of the best strikers in Europe. After that, he was back to being injured again and just old.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

Mkhitaryan

yes. That one season is a real outlier. Shame we were the ones who got sucked in.

 

[Josep Dowling]

Van Persie was always a high quality player but just impeded by injury. Before his move to United, he was always good whenever I saw him play for Arsenal but just lacked continuity. For every brief period he’d display his class, he’d then be out with injury again. So it really came as no surprise that in the 2.5 seasons he managed to keep full fit, he was able to establish himself as one of the best strikers in Europe. After that, he was back to being injured again and just old.

True. To say he was average is being unfair to him as he was hampered by injuries.

I think a lot of players signed by Borussia Dortmund fit the mood really. Micky, Kagawa, Goetze, Hummels, Barrios.

 

[JPRouve]

Payet

McTominay

Payet level has remained the same from his last years at Saint Etienne to Marseille.

 

[(...)]

Ibrahim "Ibou" Ba. Most people forgot him, but for a season, in 1996/1997, out of nowhere he was probably the 2nd best attacking player in France after Zidane. Then Aimé Jacquet decided to leave him out of the world cup at the last minute, he was part of the 6 players, with Anelka, who were left behind just before the start of arguably the most important sporting event in France's history.
He never truly recovered from that, and had a very average career.
Gourcuff is another one, I still don't understand what happened to that guy, he was really amazing for a season and then it all went downhill.

 

[duffer]

When Gus Poyet came to Chelsea, he was fantastic fo a year or so.

It was more than 20 years ago so it may be rose tinted glasses but he was a part of Chelsea first real title challenge in my lifetime.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

Ibrahim "Ibou" Ba. Most people forgot him, but for a season, in 1996/1997, out of nowhere he was probably the 2nd best attacking player in France after Zidane. Then Aimé Jacquet decided to leave him out of the world cup at the last minute, he was part of the 6 players, with Anelka, who were left behind just before the start of arguably the most important sporting event in France's history.
He never truly recovered from that, and had a very average career.
Gourcuff is another one, I still don't understand what happened to that guy, he was really amazing for a season and then it all went downhill.

Gourcuff - Championship Manager legend.

 

[Gentleman Jim]

Papiss Cisse
Michu
Santa-Cruz
Benteke
Micheal Johnson
Harry Winks

Wrong on so many levels.
Never world class (very promising youngster, nothing more) and didn’t return to being average-he had a succession of injuries which led him into mental health issues and dark places with drink and drugs.
He never returned to regular football again.

Fortunately he seems to be much better now.

 

[B20]

Yorke and Mendieta are good shouts

 

[JPRouve]

Ibrahim "Ibou" Ba. Most people forgot him, but for a season, in 1996/1997, out of nowhere he was probably the 2nd best attacking player in France after Zidane. Then Aimé Jacquet decided to leave him out of the world cup at the last minute, he was part of the 6 players, with Anelka, who were left behind just before the start of arguably the most important sporting event in France's history.
He never truly recovered from that, and had a very average career.
Gourcuff is another one, I still don't understand what happened to that guy, he was really amazing for a season and then it all went downhill.

Ba was never the second best attacking player in France, not even close, we are talking about the Ginola, Cantona, Djorkaeff era and the kids were all better than him. As for Gourcuff, he has been riddled with injuries and then allegedly struggled mentally with them, he was generally good when fit but it was always a short period.

 

[ReallyUSA]

Payet level has remained the same from his last years at Saint Etienne to Marseille.

Stats say different.

 

[JPRouve]

Stats say different.

Stats say nothing. Payet has been the same inconsistent player since his last years at Saint Etienne, he has never been world class.

 

[harms]

I think Yorke is the best shout so far.

 

[JPRouve]

I think Yorke is the best shout so far.

Darren Bent could be an other one?

 

[Lord SInister]

It is weird to see Di Maria in these lists.
Di Maria has been a top player for much longer post United.
Dude is an assist machine. Even in the flop season at United, he bagged 10plus assists.

 

[buckooo1978]

Torres perhaps

he was a class act as a youngster at Atletico, certainly above average but he really hit world class at Liverpool before his decline

 

[Redcy]

Torres may be a good shout, in that he was class for about 4-5 years then completely dropped off

 

[JPRouve]

Torres may be a good shout, in that he was class for about 4-5 years then completely dropped off

I'm not really getting it. Torres wasn't an average player before becoming a world class player and he developed into one. Unless I'm not understanding the OP, the point is to name players considered average/below average but who somehow managed to play at a "world class" level out of the blue and didn't sustain it. Carroll for six months at Newcastle seems to be an example.

 

[2cents]

At United in my time Yorke and Nani would be two that spring to mind.

 

[Invictus]

All of the Michu mentions bring Alfonso Pérez to mind. Didn't really make a mark at Madrid and had a largely forgettable adventure at Barcelona, but between those stints he was a decent player for Real Betis — and flirted with proper world class categorization in 1997 with his goalscoring exploits and overall influence on the team. Had the beating of more illustrious peers like Raúl, Rivaldo, Mijatović, Penev, Šuker, Morientes in the league, and trailed only peak Ronaldo, who was having a season for the ages with Barcelona, in the Pichichi stakes. Beyond just scoring a bunch of goals, he shone in quite a few important matches — like the 1997 Copa del Rey final vs. Barcelona at the Bernabéu:

 

[Jonno]

At United in my time Yorke and Nani would be two that spring to mind.

Yorke was class for Villa if I remember rightly, but he certainly did fall off a cliff after the treble. I remember a story somewhere whereby he asked Fergie for a 12 month career break in June 1999. Hahaha.

 

[Jonno]

Kevin Phillips, arriving in the Premier League from the Championship, scored a phenomenal, 30 goals in 36 premier league games, winning him the golden shoe. Goals dried up somewhat from there:

99/00 - 30
00/01 - 14
01/02 - 11
02/03 - 6
03/04 - 12
04/05 - 10
05/06 - 4

 

[Grande]

Emmanuel Petit, Thomas Gravesen and Gaizka Mendieta.

Average is a useless word in this context, but Gaizka Mendieta on his own average was a passably promising-ish full back for the Valencia reserves until Claudio Raineri plunged him into midfield at 24. He became like a blend of Modric, Zidane and Cantona in this role for Valencia for three or four years under Raineri and Hector Cuper, UEFA midfielder of the year twice, before delivering consistently and completely none-notable performances for Lazio, Barcelona and Middlesborough the rest of his carreer.

Speaking of Cuper and Ranieri, two coaches that did similar majestic rises above their own averages, Claudio even twice.

 

[BigDunc9]

Would Kanchelskis fall in to this bracket?

Kanchelskis was still world class in his two seasons at Everton.