One of the biggest sticks used to beat Moyes when he was here is that he wasn’t playing Fabio.
I remember people being furious that Possebon wasn’t given a chance.
I remember people being furious that Possebon wasn’t given a chance.
I really thought James Wilson and Nick Powell would make it at a high level
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I think James Wilson stood out at that time because of how slow we were up front. Rooney, RVP, Falcao etc
He was the only one who seemed to have any pace about him watsoever
He was the only one who seemed to have any pace about him watsoever
Thought Nick Powell was going to be the next Frank Lampard.
Shows how daft it can be to dub young players the next superstar unless it is incredibly obvious.
Shows how daft it can be to dub young players the next superstar unless it is incredibly obvious.
Lazy isn't the word, I watched him drag his sorry arse around OT like a lazy school against Burnley and said to my dad he will never make it.
He litrally walked around hand in sleeves as if he was cold in a school field before Louis Van Gaal dragged him off.
Yeah its as if football came so easily and naturally to him that it messed with his mind. I imagine its a difficult mental block to overcome if you've never had to work hard before, and yet you were still better than everyone.
I think I saw an article from the last few years though where he has settled down some with married life and is enjoying himself more. He sounded like he was in a good place.
Yea, by all means he just isn’t a football fan and is one of those where it’s just a career to him. It isn’t his dream to work his ass off 24/7 to play in the PL which seems to annoy lots of fans but personally think all the power to him. Not everyone has to dedicate their life to their career and try be the best. He’s just a good footballer and is happy to just do his job and that’s it. It’s a rather refreshing and normal attitude imo.
I thought Janko would be a solid right back.
I was sure Will Keane will make it. At the time he was the brighter prospect in comparison with his England partner, one Harry Kane. Not to mention his brother.
He was still excellent after he came back from the first injury. I remember an amazing chip over the goalie and bossing the u-21.
Then he got his chance with LVG, hit the post in a cup game while getting injured again, the next game he was out, Martial got injured in the warm up, Rashford got the nod on and the rest is history.
I also thought Matty James will make it big. Injuries destroyed him as well.
Injuries and luck have so much to do with it.
He was still excellent after he came back from the first injury. I remember an amazing chip over the goalie and bossing the u-21.
Then he got his chance with LVG, hit the post in a cup game while getting injured again, the next game he was out, Martial got injured in the warm up, Rashford got the nod on and the rest is history.
I also thought Matty James will make it big. Injuries destroyed him as well.
Injuries and luck have so much to do with it.
Powell was absolutely amazing at Crewe - so the hype was justified. In the season starting when he had turned 17 just 4 months earlier, he scored 14 goals in 38 matches. And some of those goals were brilliant.
The one I got most correct myself was Welbeck - already at U18 level I questioned his ability to score goals. He was capable of getting 4-5 goals in a game, and then he could go 4-5 matches without scoring.
My biggest miss was probably Cleverley - I saw him a few games early on and thought he was average at best. If anyone had told me then, he would be playing regularly for United even for just a few season, I would have laughed.
What was the story with Fletcher when he was to make his debut at 16 - but for some reason wasn't allowed to play ?
Fergie wanted to play him in the last match of the season but he was only 15 and you have to be 16.
He looked good at u18 level, but he got exposed at u21 level where kids could contend with his physical advantage.
FRAZER Campbell just scored a worldie for Huddersfield. There's anyone where greatness was expected.
Here is an unusual stat for Frazer. He has 1 cap for England senior team. It was a cap made by Stuart Pearce who played him against Holland. The very min he came on as Sub in that game - his wife gave birth to his first daughter. A North he missed as he wanted to play for England.
Here is an unusual stat for Frazer. He has 1 cap for England senior team. It was a cap made by Stuart Pearce who played him against Holland. The very min he came on as Sub in that game - his wife gave birth to his first daughter. A North he missed as he wanted to play for England.
Possebon looked a real player until he got tackled and was never the same since . I remember United fans going mental David Jones was not given a chance in the first team
It's amazing how capable players like Cleverley and Gibson looked under SAF while not nearly as being talented as someone like Powell or WIlson. A bit more time under him and I reckon they'd have had more of a chance of making it than what they had to deal with.
Possebon did look class the little time he was on the pitch before that horrible injury.
I never really had much hope for Nick Powell. Apart from a good shot, I didn't really see any other stand out characteristic myself. Just came across like Gibson Mk2
Really hoped Ravel would make it here
I just came across a YouTube Short from the Scholes and Butt podcast and they pointed out that both Powell and Wilson didn't like football and all they wanted to do was other things in life despite their talent for it. Probably a reason neither made it in the senior game at a high level.
I always respected the fact that Powell carved out a long, consistent career at a few clubs around Championship level. It must be hard to be so highly rated in such a public way, but to put in enough consistent application to stick it out at that level for a prolonged period.
I feel like what you usually see in those situations is a player bounce around from club-to-club, different leagues and different countries, until the whole thing just fizzles out somewhere like Mexico or Greece or whatever. I'm generalising obviously, but Powell's career path (and I suppose Wilson's) doesn't seem like the career of a player who wasn't arsed.
I feel like what you usually see in those situations is a player bounce around from club-to-club, different leagues and different countries, until the whole thing just fizzles out somewhere like Mexico or Greece or whatever. I'm generalising obviously, but Powell's career path (and I suppose Wilson's) doesn't seem like the career of a player who wasn't arsed.
I don't think Powell was ever that good, never really looked top level ability. He's had 8 years as a regular in the Championship so it's not like it went terribly for him, injuries did him in more than anything.
I'm sure it doesn't help, but a few players have still made it at a good level despite not having any apparent passion for the sport.
There was a BBC article a while ago about David Batty and how he pretty much couldn't be arsed with football and it was strictly a job he happened to be good at. I think Ben White is supposed to be a bit like that as well and it was part of his falling out with Steve Holland and exile from the England squad. Maybe I'm miles off, but Luke Shaw has always given me that impression, too.
Is it that they don't like the actual sport or that they don't like the nature of the business?
I might be misremembering, but apart from a very good shot, I don't think Nick Powell's all round game was ever anything special.
Still worth a couple of million. Not bad for a failure.
Thought Garnacho would make it
Reminds me of Championship Manager legend John Curtis, who could cover any position in the backline of an all conquering team! He was coming through the youth ranks just as I was starting to follow United, and I couldn't believe what I was reading when I came across an interview with him. He was very clear about having no real passion for football, and that it was just something he did because he was good at it. To my football-obsessed self it seemed absurd and, to be frank, a bit unfair!
Yeah. He looks to have lost the edge that got him to where he was.
Lacking tenacity, and his finishing has regressed
There was an African lad at spurs under redknapp. Think he may have had him at portsmouth too. It was well known that he disliked football too. He did a few interviews on it
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Benoit Assou-Ekotto, wasn't it?
That's strange, I'm not sure how you get so good if you don't like football. If I didn't like football I probably wouldn't play it for tens of hours per week as a teen
I wonder if it's as simple as being paid for something you love (a hobby) turns it into something you're obligated to do (a job)
That’s him
They don't like wearing shorts.
Eden Hazard is another one who's never been that interested in football.
Quite possibly for some. They must have enjoyed it a lot at some point, as it must be borderline impossible to get PL level good without being into football as a kid/teenager.
They weren't Phelan them
i remember David Bentley similarly went on record as not liking football, he was at Spurs at this time too. Sort of Spursey to have a bunch of these lads at the same time.
David Batty was another. I've heard it mentioned a couple of times when ex England internationals have been talking penalty misses.
What’s Ravel up to these days? Worth a punt, or is it too late for him?
Lower leagues in the UAE, last I checked