Are there any examples of footballers who were so disliked in the dressing room that they ended up destroying their career regardless of ability?
Footballers who ruined their careers because they were disliked by their team mates
- Thread starter horsechoker
- Start date
Alright, this is not the general forum and the truth is that I don't have an example. Are you happy now? In fact, I don't think there's going to be many players on this list because the nature of football means that those who don't get on at one club will be transferred out to another very quickly. For example somebody like the esteemed Dutchman Pierre Van Hooijdonk, who was by all accounts not very well liked at Nottingham Forest — probably because he didn't like to spend his weekends getting the rounds in at Hooters — but went on to have a fairly decent career at Benfica, Feyenoord and Fenerbahce, who let's be fair were probably bigger, better or more or less equal clubs to Nottingham in stature at that point in time.
I also apologise to @horsechoker for not taking his thread seriously. I know he's earned the right to be taken very seriously based on his excellent history of superb posts and threads over the years.
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What's the point of a forum of then?
That is amazing! Thanks mate
You've obviously been desperate to post this - but it's really not applicable to OP's thread. It's not like he's asking for "who won the world cup in 1998". There's no definite list on google.
His career was not exactly destroyes, but Icardi has like 10 caps for Argentina even though he was playing at Inter and PSG. Rumors say that Maxi Lopez is friend with Messi and Mascerano.
Im not sure that’s happened to any top player. Take Anelka, who must have been hated at every team for his sulking, he still had a good career.
if you’re good, someone else will always buy you
if you’re good, someone else will always buy you
Cassano is probably the worst one that comes to mind, with “Cassanata” describing players that go against team ethic and harmony. In terms of pure ability, he was one of the very best, an incredible talent, but his personality, infighting and lax attitude meant he never fulfilled what his talent merited. He has numerous interviews attacking teammates.
It would be hard to beat someone who literally has his own word for it!
It would be hard to beat someone who literally has his own word for it!
Royston Drenthe seemed to sabotage his own career by constantly falling out with his managers and team mates when he looked like a top prospect.
No, you've upset me
Reminds me of me when young with the GAA. I left as soon as i turned 18, and people in the club didnt like it. I was expected like the others to devote the next 30 years to the club for very little in return. Our club is shite as well, never won anything. I think we got to a quarter final once like 15 years ago.
Anyone who ive met that left the gaa says the same thing - you get very little in return for what you put in. Then the guys in croke park at the very top are getting 100k a year.
Anyone who ive met that left the gaa says the same thing - you get very little in return for what you put in. Then the guys in croke park at the very top are getting 100k a year.
Craig Bellamy? Still had a fairly strong career but seemed to be chased out of every club for being a right tool
Can't imagine Nile ranger was liked by his team mates.
Little wannabe gangster.
Little wannabe gangster.
It seems more common at international level. Benzema comes to mind. Onana has had issues with his national side as well.
Could be used to describe Balotelli as well
I know there’s always unverifiable stories like these about certain characters, but a direct friend of mine who played for Swansea reserves went on a ‘lads’ holiday years ago when he still played with a group of footballers (Jonjo Shelvey went and a few other bigish names), and while they were out there they met up with Nile Ranger who burned a bunch of money notes in front of some random people (or tried to before just ripping them up). He also spent an inordinate amount of money (even for a footballer) gambling. With regards to the gambling part apparently he has or had a problem with being addicted to gambling so I have some sympathy there, but the other part doesn’t paint him in a good light as he was bragging about how much money he makes while destroying said money.
I reckon he could do with that cash now...
Arguably Schmeichel could have been one if he hadn’t apologized for going against Fergie and been forgiven.
Probably the best example anyone's going to come up with.
Not at Chelsea. There was no LeSulk here. Just a good pro who is remembered very fondly now.
Van Hooijdonk said Forest weren't good enough to stay up and wanted to leave and didn't want to play for them. Forest refused to sell him and he eventually played for them again. After he scored on his return, none of his teammates celebrated with him.
Forest finished bottom that season and he was sold to Vitesse
Forest finished bottom that season and he was sold to Vitesse
I don't think John Hartson was that keen on Eyal Berkovic.
Aye, I didn’t imagine he was being paid that much at the time, at least not enough to be losing thousands at a time at casinos, but I just googled it now and he was given a £10,000 a week contract (not including any appearance/goal based bonuses) at the age of 18 before he’d made a single first team appearance. I can’t imagine he was earning much at Southend, or from the single appearances he made for Spalding and Boreham Wood…
They sure showed him
Why always me?
There is so much more to that story than has been quoted here - PVH was an arrogant cock but was dead right. We got promoted with a very very good team under ‘Arry’ Bassett, playing some lovely football. The owners basically sold the spine of the team behind Bassetts back in pre promotion season - the result being what PVH moaned about and inevitably were relegated via feckin Ron feckin Atkinson and 0v8 vs Man Utd
In terms of the thread - Stanley Victor Collymore - probably the best striker to ever wear shirt but a complete cock end. He’d win us matches by him self but his team mates barely acknowledged him.
Except for Madrid players, who wanted their pal Morientes to play, Anelka was well regarded by his teammates. Managers and media is another story.
Hatem Ben Arfa on the other hand completely sabotaged his career at Lyon by falling out with his teammates. If he stayed a few more seasons before moving, his career could have been different.
Ending up at a meddling Newcastle side at the age of 22/23 was absolutely insane given the hype around Ben Arfa.
Lukaku was good at Man Utd. Not a great player but a very good goalscorer, and probably could have continued to be one had he not burned all his bridges with team mates and the club. Although he had a Fellaini aura around him, and probably would have never been fully embraced by the fans.
Gravesen (the most bizarre Madrid signing of all time?) punched Robinho in training and was sold on.
Jasper Cillessen.
I fondly remember him at Chelsea too. Especially for his penalties
sounds like it could’ve happened it certainly wouldn’t be a surprise he always gave off that type of vibe. Just a waster basically.