Absolutely random footballers from the 2000s

[Team Brian GB]

As a follow up to the 'Absolutely random footballers from the 1990s', the time is right to call on the last decade of well, absolutely random, players in the English top flight.

https://www.redcafe.net/f7/absolutely-random-footballers-1990s-201009/

Claudio Reyna in the early 2000s was one of the best footballers the United States could bestow upon the United Kingdom. Arriving in 2001 at Sunderland so great he was they decided to sell him onto Manchester City two years later for half the price. There he spent four wonderful injury blighted seasons, and must have been thrilled to watch on as his team mates failed to score any goals in the league at home in the 2006/7 season after New Year's Day.

Claudio Reyna

 

[Eugenius]

Laurent Robert

Played for Newcastle when they were a top-4 or thereabouts team. Pacey, good crosser with a thunderous shot. But a complete nutjob too.

 

[Zebs]

Paul Telfer is a retired full back from Scotland. He played for many clubs in the 00's but made his name at Coventry City under Gordon Strachan. When Strachan left Coventry to manage Southampton in 2001 he made Telfer one of his first signings. In 2005, Telfer was also one of Strachan's first signings at Celtic Football Club. Telfer made one appearance for the Scottish national team in a 2-0 loss at home to France.

 

[K Stand Knut]

Christian Bassedas:

Bassedas was an Argentine midfielder who signed for Newcastle United for £3.5m in 2000 where he played 24 games and scored a solitary goal against Chelsea in a 3-1 defeat.

 

[Team Brian GB]

According to Wikipedia, Thomas Gravesen is most known for his bad temper and ruthless tackling. To everybody else after five solid years at Everton kicking people, he is known as the first player newly appointed manager Vanderlei Luxemburgo decided to sign of all the players in the world when he became manager of Real Madrid - he was sacked within a year.

Thomas Gravesen

 

[Eugenius]

Alexei Smertin

One of the first buys of the Russian revolution; was shite. Ended up being loaned to Charlton and Pompey.

 

[peterstorey]

But a complete nutjob too.

Complete nutsack judging by that pic.

 

[Eugenius]

Duncan Ferguson

Thug. Played some football on the side and scored a winner against us.

 

[eric le roi]

Trevor Sinclair.

Played for West Ham, scored an overhead kick, got selected for England.

 

[kietotheworld]

Pascal Cygan

 

[Team Brian GB]

What can I say about the man, no really, there is so little to say about Winston Bogarde. There are few pictures of him on the pitch, I could however muster up a picture beside a rather nice car he bought. Apparently signed without Vialli's knowledge and Ranieri wasn't interested - in four seasons at Chelsea he played in all competitions a mesmerising 11 times.

Winston Bogarde

 

[Eugenius]

Artim Sakiri

Scored from a corner against England.

 

[B Cantona]

Michael Ricketts had one good season in the English top flight, 2001-02. He scored the winner against us at Old Trafford for Bolton. He was capped by Sven Goran Eriksson, playing 45 minutes in a friendly against Holland. Middlesborough (under Steve McClaren) spunked £3million on him. He barely scored a goal in his career again. He's currently clubless aged 32, having had his contract at Tranmere cancelled, and recently pleaded guilty to nutting his ex girlfriend. Lovely fella...

 

[Team Brian GB]

Duncan Ferguson

Thug. Played some football on the side and scored a winner against us.

He did once catch a burglar in his house and beat him up a little.

 

[Kaos]

Massimo Maccarone

Was a big name signing for Middlesbrough in the early 00s following a highly impressive Euro U21's tournament. Started off promisingly but then struggled for the remainder of his time in NE England until he returned to Italy. Was capped twice for Italy.

 

[Gio]

Reyna was a fine player for Rangers, particularly in Europe, albeit the least important cog in a very talented midfield under Advocaat.

 

[Team Brian GB]

Reyna was a fine player for Rangers, particularly in Europe, albeit the least important cog in a very talented midfield under Advocaat.

Even Chris Sutton looked good in Scotland, at Chelsea he was pathethic.

 

[Eugenius]

Celestine Babayaro

Chelsea left back. Went to Newcastle when Chelsea started getting good.

Facundo Sava

Pulled a mask out of his sock to celebrate goals.

 

[thebelfastboy]

Neil Mellor

The next big thing is he still alive????

 

[stubie]

Once touted as United's future

 

[Team Brian GB]

The next big thing is he still alive????

Wikipedia says beside playing on loan for Sheffield Wednesday, he is a pundit on LFC TV.

I remember his injury time goal against Arsenal though.

 

[Ole's_toe_poke]

Jesper Gronkjaer

 

[K Stand Knut]

Neil Mellor

The next big thing is he still alive????

Yes - although looking slightly porkier.

Another player from the hotbed of footballing talent - Sale, Greater Manchester.

 

[K Stand Knut]

Once touted as United's future

Looks a tad different now:

 

[Xander45]

Jeremie Aliadiere

Was seen as a promising talent at Arsenal but after a succession of loan moves finally left to join Middlesbrough in 2007. After 4 years there he's now back at Arsenal, albeit just to get back to fitness, and recently played in a reserve game for them.

 

[Xander45]

Steve Marlet

He was so poor for Fulham that Al Fayed took the manager to court thinking he must have got a cut of the £11.5 million they paid for him.

 

[Team Brian GB]

For two seasons Rami Shabaan was a reserve goalkeeper at Arsenal who looked half decent. He suffered quite horrendous injuries though that made him leave the club. However we should all be thankful because the summer he left, Wenger was forced to look for an alternative, he brought in Manuel Almunia.

Rami Shaaban

 

[Mick1991]

He did once catch a burglar in his house and beat him up a little.

Bollick naked too apparently, must have been an horrendous experience for that burglar!

 

[Eugenius]

Aldo Duscher

Famous for breaking Beckham's metatarsal. Back when Deportivo used to be the in Champions League.

We were linked with him in the summer of 06 when we needed a Keane replacement

 

[Scrumpet]

Jay-Jay Okocha

I remember this wee freekick well:

 

[Gio]

Even Chris Sutton looked good in Scotland, at Chelsea he was pathethic.

That's why I said he did the job in Europe. As did Sutton by the way whose highest-scoring season during his career wasn't with Celtic in the SPL but with Norwich in the Premiership.

 

[Chabon]

Massimo Maccarone

Was a big name signing for Middlesbrough in the early 00s following a highly impressive Euro U21's tournament. Started off promisingly but then struggled for the remainder of his time in NE England until he returned to Italy. Was capped twice for Italy.

Inspired one of the great bits of demented commentary in recent times:

 

[Gio]

Jay-Jay Okocha

Don't forget this beauty for PSG.

 

[peterstorey]

Once touted as United's future

... until the marketing men had a say.

 

[Richter]

For two seasons Rami Shabaan was a reserve goalkeeper at Arsenal who looked half decent. He suffered quite horrendous injuries though that made him leave the club. However we should all be thankful because the summer he left, Wenger was forced to look for an alternative, he brought in Manuel Almunia.

Rami Shaaban

He has played for my local team Hammarby since 2008, their biggest transfer ever at the time and he is still the highest paid player by a distance yet he has barely played since he joined because of injury. Not a fan favourite....

 

[Mick1991]

Mart Poom.

He was actually alright from what I can remember. Has a premier League goal and a Champions League runner up medal to his name.

 

[Gio]

Julius Aghahowa

Phenomenal athlete who was a highly rated prospect when he moved to Shakhtar Donetsk at just 18. Blessed with searing pace (claimed he could run 100m in 10.3 seconds), the Championship Manager legend failed to build on his early potential and the goals gradually dried up. By the time he joined Wigan in 2007 he was a bust flush and, like many pace-based prodigies, his career seems destined to fizzle out.

 

[Richter]

Magnus Hedman

Had a few decent years at Coventry and then randomly joined Chelsea 2006 because of a injury crisis. Then spent a few years on TV as a pundit bragging about being friends with Mourinho until he got fired because he got caught having doping pills in his pants, of course he claimed he had borrowed the pants from a friend. Now he is broke and works as a DJ and has recently been in court after buying sex with hookers which is illegal in Sweden.

 

[Gio]

Has he still got the fit wife?

 

[Richter]

Has he still got the fit wife?

Nope that crashed ages ago and now she is still trying to squeeze every penny out of him claiming he is hiding money. Things went downhill quickly for him.....