Mendieta never won the title at Valencia.Gaizka Mendieta hands down. From quality player for title winning Valencia to not really good enough to hold down a regular spot at a shite Middlesborough.
I'd argue not enough is made of it tbh because people keep posting that his decline started at Chelsea when it was obvious from the moment he stepped on the pitch at the World Cup that he was fecked. People need to realise that he was done at Liverpool well before Chelsea spent 50 milion quid on him but because they remember he was world class at Liverpool and he was never anything more than terrible on the whole at Chelsea that's where they draw the distinction. He still had good games for Chelsea and has done for Atletico too so those few good games in 2010/11 for Liverpool before the move are nothing more than that, he was done physically for a long period and should've ideally been out for ages instead to recover. It was the inevitable result of Rafa constantly rushing him back whenever he got injured before the major one because you guys had the likes of Voronin or Kuyt up front if Torres wasn't available so he was desperately needed. It ruined him long before the big injury that finally killed his reputation.Too much is made of Torres knee injury (which, fwiw, was aggravated by his decision to rush back in time for the world cup). He still had some good games the next season, Hodgson factor notwithstanding, before moving to chelsea.
But mostly, it was so fecking obvious when you saw him play that his problem was mental. He was missing ridiculous chances and after a while, you could see he was hiding, deliberately choosing runs and positions where he wouldn't be the one having to get on the end of things and focusing on contributing to 'team play'. Bad knees don't do that to players. It's not like he turned super slow either.
Curious thing. After the Copa America win, a Brazilian TV show made a piece about Adriano's life and they talked about his dad having a stray bullet lodged in his brain for more than 10 years. It seemed to give him headaches but nothing else.His dad dying affected him greatly from what i remember.
Started just before he left United. Fergie spotted it, but it became obvious to all as soon as he joined Celtic.At which point in his career? Celtic??
Started just before he left United. Fergie spotted it, but it became obvious to all as soon as he joined Celtic.
Didn’t it come out that he signed as Fergie told him he would be manager for years then ended up retiring that seasonRVP. it was like his form went off a cliff after he won the league with us and Fergie left.
Keane was still top class in 2003, despite the hip operation. Highbury 2005 was a last hurrah.Agree in some respects but i think he maintained an influence as he aged. I think the decline really started from his hip operation in summer 2002 but he pulled it back a little in his final full season in 04-05 and some of his best games were in his final few years. I'm thinking at Anfield in 2003 and 2005, and Highbury in 2005 (the 4-2 game). I'd love to see his stats for that game at Anfield in 2003, he just dominated the midfield.
Vieira might be a decent shout. I might be remembering it wrong but I think he had a tough time settling at Juve and Jose didn't fancy him at Inter.
He never recovered after his father's death. Completely gave himself away.This for me. At times with Inter he looked like a cheat code in a video game. Sad how he just didn't have the mentality or support to nurture outrageous combination of talent and physicality.
Surprised Michael Owen hasn't had more nominations.Didn’t it come out that he signed as Fergie told him he would be manager for years then ended up retiring that season
Yes, Pedja had a son with cancer I think. However in my opinion he was quite good in Madrid, mainly because of his goal in the final of "la séptima". I agree with Suker. He was better at Sevilla. Maybe he arrived a couple of years too late to MadridDavor Suker and Predrag Mijatovic went from looking like two of Real Madrid's best players to also-rans extremely quickly. Suker, i believe had attitude problems at Madrid and seemed more of a NT focused player ultimately, and Mijatovic i believe had a badly ill son that he's mentioned in interviews took it's toll on his enjoyment and determination for the game.
Some really good names there, I think I mentioned Conceicao a while ago, he moved to Real Madrid the same summer as Makelele I think.I would name three, maybe less known. Farinós, a very good defensive midfielder from Valencia. He went to Inter and from there everything went downhill although to be fair he had very serious injuries. He played in Mallorca, Villarreal, Hércules ... During the last years his career seemed to resurge a little but it really was not the same.
Another is Flavio Conceiçao. Really dominant in Deportivo, Madrid paid for him 4000 million pesetas, something like 25m€. Probably he was one of the most expensive signings at that time. He was really disappointing in Madrid. I do not even remember in what teams he was after that.
Another striking case was Julen Guerrero. He debuted with Spain with 19, 20 years, and for a while he was very fashionable. Good player and handsome, the girls of 15 years were crazy with him. There was much talk of a signing with Madrid that never materialized. With 24/25 years he was finished.
Seriously doubt the pace in England, with all due respect, is higher than what Bayern did under LvG and Pep, or what was required to win a CL and a WC. I thought he played pretty well at a rattled United under LvG.well he got game time here but well was poor in almost of the games he played. pace of the game here was just to much for him, if he had came at his peak then it might have been different.
Just lost motivation with us big time. He also got a lot of small injuries, muscles and stuff which meant he lost that explosive pace that feared many defenders in his early 20s. Bonkers we gave him a new 4 year deal in 2014, he was looking finished then. No shock to me he hasn't found a new club yet, could easily retire as he's made a very good living from the game.Agbonlahor of Villa.
Was never a great player but was scoring double figures in the premier league in his early 20’s. Has been useless for 3 years or so and is only 31years old. Don’t remember any injury he had either.
The time is to short when a player moves from one club to the other.To be honest Sanchez should be in here. He seemed to go from the best attacker in the league in his second to last season with Arsenal, to a liability in his last season, over the course of one summer. It's just continued to be downhill from there since then.
I meant before his move to United, he really dropped off a cliff in his last few months at Arsenal. It was just blamed on him “not wanting to be there” but it seems like it was more than that now.The time is to short when a player moves from one club to the other.
Bingo. Along with Fernando TorresSanchez?
Was on the slide at Liverpool in his last few months. Crap World Cup for Spain as well and got dropped for Pedro as I remember because he couldn’t stay fit. The Chelsea move was just a terrible idea at a terrible time. When you think of the contrast of what he was in his early days at Liverpool to what he was in his early days at Chelsea it’s incredible.I mean Torres is the stand out example for me. The guy seemed to lose the ability to play football at Chelsea, and never really recovered.
At least some of the others mentioned resembled footballers.
One thing I never get with Park is how come he missed out completely on the CL final in 2008. Was he injured? He played a key role in the games v Barca in the semi final.Park Ji Sung. Nothing short of a marvel in 2010/11. Absolute rubbish in 2011/12. Big mistake Fergie made playing him in that game against City thinking he could still do it, and a month later he was kicked out to QPR. Only a year earlier he was bossing big Champions League games and title deciders.
I hear that all the time, but if you look it up his father died in august 2004. Adriano had his best season in 04/05.He never recovered after his father's death. Completely gave himself away.
Yep. One of my favourite players ever, even if his incredible peak was short lived. His left foot was something I’ve never seen before, coupled with incredible technique and ability.He was incredible - pure power & precision - imagine one of his shots hitting your face. Literally rose to the top with no answer from anyone.
Alcohol and drugs...Not as big a name as the ones mentioned above and I'm not sure why he's the first I remembered, but .... Mario Jardel.
Look at his goal scoring record before and after 2003 ffs.
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991–1996 Vasco da Gama 50 (26)
1995–1996 → Grêmio (loan) 73 (67)
1996–2000 Porto 125 (130)
2000–2001 Galatasaray 24 (22)
2001–2003 Sporting CP 49 (53)
2003–2004 Bolton Wanderers 7 (0)
2004–2005 Newell's Old Boys 3 (3)
2005–2006 Goiás 4 (1)
2006–2007 Beira-Mar 12 (3)
2007 Anorthosis Famagusta 7 (2)
2007–2008 Newcastle Jets 11 (0)
2008 Criciúma 17 (6)
2009 Ferroviário 6 (5)
2009 América (CE) 11 (8)
2010 Flamengo (PI) 16 (12)
2010 Cherno More 8 (1)
2010–2011 Rio Negro 13 (8)
Good shout. Always looked class for Chelsea and there was a lot of noise about us signing him for a free in 2010. Went to Liverpool, I think got sent off on his debut and never really recovered from that.Joe Cole
Jardel was 30 when he left Sporting. He was always going to decline. On top of that, the injuries completely took away his playing time.Not as big a name as the ones mentioned above and I'm not sure why he's the first I remembered, but .... Mario Jardel.
Look at his goal scoring record before and after 2003 ffs.
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991–1996 Vasco da Gama 50 (26)
1995–1996 → Grêmio (loan) 73 (67)
1996–2000 Porto 125 (130)
2000–2001 Galatasaray 24 (22)
2001–2003 Sporting CP 49 (53)
2003–2004 Bolton Wanderers 7 (0)
2004–2005 Newell's Old Boys 3 (3)
2005–2006 Goiás 4 (1)
2006–2007 Beira-Mar 12 (3)
2007 Anorthosis Famagusta 7 (2)
2007–2008 Newcastle Jets 11 (0)
2008 Criciúma 17 (6)
2009 Ferroviário 6 (5)
2009 América (CE) 11 (8)
2010 Flamengo (PI) 16 (12)
2010 Cherno More 8 (1)
2010–2011 Rio Negro 13 (8)
Him and Ronaldinho both fell off the edge of a cliff in May 2006 and were basically done at the top level within a couple of months. In retrospect Shevchenko must have declined physically. He suffered a knee injury at the end of the 2005/06 season and was rushed back for the 2006 World Cup. Took the edge of him and looked like he was struggling to use his body to hold players off or his pace to get away from defenders.Shevchenko's is the most surreal one I can remember. Came to England as a herald: the true harbinger of doom for the rest of the league who would elevate Chelsea to the elan of football. An all-timer who could do no wrong. A bona fide superstar.
Utter flop. Then he looked like a shell of himself as he list his confidence.
At least most players of his calibre have falls attributed to: injury, disinterest, age, external circumstances (particularly death). Nothing was wrong with Sheva, he just bombed.
Good shout. Watched him play during his decline a lot and the Madrid fans seemed to back him continuously despite playing pretty poor. I forgot who benched him and it caused an uproar. Capello?Surprised no one has mentioned Raul.
Of course one of the best strikers in the world in the late 90s/early 00s. Then in 2003 he scored twice v Man. United in the famous CL tie that season and afterwards SAF called him the best striker in the world which wasn't an unreasonable opinion.
Think after the game he had to have an operation and he missed the Ronaldo second leg at OT. At this point he's only still 25 despite being around for nearly a decade.
Few seasons after he stil scored decent o.k but to me lost that spark that made him an elite player. Think that was summed up by his international career. Played his last Spain matches in 2006 when he just turned 29.
Left Madrid and did fine at Schalke when he was about 31. Mentioned the Saviola/Owen comparison and I'd say Raul and Wayne Rooney followed very similar paths in their careers. Brilliant at club level until 28/29 and could never meet same expectations for national teams and both were done by age of 30.
I didn't know of an injury for Sheva? At least one that was above the level of a minor issue. I just recall that signing being the one that was supposed to break the proverbial camel's back and crush the league... and then, well, he became an absolute laughing stock. It was so bad, his standing in the game and for his era has been reduced from what it should have been to him not being anywhere near as revered.Him and Ronaldinho both fell off the edge of a cliff in May 2006 and were basically done at the top level within a couple of months. In retrospect Shevchenko must have declined physically. He suffered a knee injury at the end of the 2005/06 season and was rushed back for the 2006 World Cup. Took the edge of him and looked like he was struggling to use his body to hold players off or his pace to get away from defenders.
I heard about it at the time. I was on the Milan forum and the fans before he even moved were concerned about the rumours that his knees were done for.I didn't know of an injury for Sheva? At least one that was above the level of a minor issue. I just recall that signing being the one that was supposed to break the proverbial camel's back and crush the league... and then, well, he became an absolute laughing stock. It was so bad, his standing in the game and for his era has been reduced from what it should have been to him not being anywhere near as revered.
Ronaldinho, I thought, was down to his off-the field antics and not training - like it was explainable, at least.
