Summerbee called him the new Duncan Edwards. He's not even the new Tony Book.
Top ten wasted talents
- Thread starter Ole's_toe_poke
- Start date
Vicente looked a real talent at Valencia, but injuries ruined his career and he is now playing for Brighton.
Anderson
Nani
Veron
Robinho
Kluivert
Nani
Veron
Robinho
Kluivert
Best didn't waste his talent. he played at the top level for over 10 years, won league titles, a European Cup, and was capped for his country on a regular basis. Same with Maradona, who also won the lot. For me, a player who wastes his talent is one who has the potential to be the greatest, but pisses it away for whatever reason, and ends up with nothing.
Byland had everything, such a shame
Vela is doing all right in Spain. He has scored more than 10 goals this season and has been asked back to play for Mexico.
He was supposed to go to Inter Milan before United was interested. Maybe that would have got him to actually develop a work ethic
These two are like some names on londonredmaniac's list but Jose Baxter and James Vaughan. Both PL youngest scorers but neither have reached what was expected. Both were thought to be playing regular PL football at least. At least Baxter still has a chance of reaching it! I think injuries will prevent Vaughan from doing so though.
I take it this has been bumped because of Owen?
Anderson to some extent. He was a huge talent when we signed him , he won best young player in Europe (won by Messi, Fabregas, Aguero etc) and cost us around 20m. There's no doubt he was expected to be the 'next big thing' in terms of a central midfielder.
Robinho was highly rated at Madrid and had a Neymar type of hype before he made that move, we all know how he turned out.
Robinho was highly rated at Madrid and had a Neymar type of hype before he made that move, we all know how he turned out.
Actually, it was me. For some reason Gourcuff popped into my head last night and I was trying to remember what had happened to him
I'd possibly agree regarding Anderson. He was similarly hyped up to what say Hazard is now. It would be like Hazard failing to turn into a top player, which everyone now expects.
Diego? While at Santos marked as next big thinng alongside Robinho, yet neither one accomplished things their talent promised.
Robinho
Really?
He is currently playing for Oldham who are fighting to stay in league 1. It is a fair old climb for him. He might make Championship level but I would be surprised if he became a Premier League player.
Yup. You only need to look at players from Southampton or Norwich to see that just because a player is playing at lower league level it doesn't mean they're not going to get to the top league. Had praise heaped on him with 11 goals and 6 assists this season and his managers believe he can get back to the top again. Will take a lot of hard work but he's only 21. If he keeps it up i'd not be surprised to see him one day. You could see in the various Fa Cup games that he was a level above his teammates.
1. Adriano - fantastic striker in his peak years at Inter, his career was derailed by personal problems
2. Aimar - possesses excellent close control in tight areas, couldn't fulfill his potential at the top level for a sustained period
3. Anderson - his United career has been plagued by injuries and inconsistent displays (partially attributable to a shift in playing position)
4. Cassano - very talented forward with behavioral issues
5. Diego - great attacking midfielder, couldn't perform adequately at the highest levels
6. Gourcuff - talented playmaker who hasn't managed to reach his predicted peak
7. Pato - brilliant striker whose career at Milan was curtailed by unfortunate injuries
8. Quaresma - talented winger who couldn't perform well at the highest levels
9. Robinho - gifted forward who has failed to fulfill his abundant potential convincingly
10. Vicente - excellent traditional winger who suffered several career impeding injuries
2. Aimar - possesses excellent close control in tight areas, couldn't fulfill his potential at the top level for a sustained period
3. Anderson - his United career has been plagued by injuries and inconsistent displays (partially attributable to a shift in playing position)
4. Cassano - very talented forward with behavioral issues
5. Diego - great attacking midfielder, couldn't perform adequately at the highest levels
6. Gourcuff - talented playmaker who hasn't managed to reach his predicted peak
7. Pato - brilliant striker whose career at Milan was curtailed by unfortunate injuries
8. Quaresma - talented winger who couldn't perform well at the highest levels
9. Robinho - gifted forward who has failed to fulfill his abundant potential convincingly
10. Vicente - excellent traditional winger who suffered several career impeding injuries
Did anyone on here get to see Robin Friday play? If so, how good was he?
I have read a-lot about him but any footage is hard to come by.
I have read a-lot about him but any footage is hard to come by.
Nathan Delfoeunso
Fabian Delph
Fran Merida
Henri Lansbury
The last two were at Arsenal. They were never going to be world beaters but Wenger felt they would develop to be good players.
Fabian Delph
Fran Merida
Henri Lansbury
The last two were at Arsenal. They were never going to be world beaters but Wenger felt they would develop to be good players.
Merida was never hyped like that at La Masia
I missed the word 'never' FCBarca. Also how is Marc Muniesa coming along?
Giovanne Dos Santos and Recoba
Perica Ognjenovic is one of the biggest wastes of Serbian talent.
Guy went to Real Madrid from Red Star in his early 20's. They had to offload Samuel Eto tot get him there, and then he never made any sort of impact. After that he just disappeared. Like a total nosedive of a career. Big shame.
In a way I think Dragan Stojkovic was a wasted talent. He went to Marseille and Italy but had injury problems, before going to Japan and playing out the rest of his days there. He should have gone down as one of the best players of all time. One of the biggest things you can say about his talent was when Yugoslavia played Argentina in the QF of the 90 World Cup in Italy. Yugoslavia went down to ten men after half an hour but Stojkovic was brilliant and Yugoslavia despite having ten men were better and should have gone through.
Non Balkan related I'd have to say Denilson was a waste of talent.
Guy went to Real Madrid from Red Star in his early 20's. They had to offload Samuel Eto tot get him there, and then he never made any sort of impact. After that he just disappeared. Like a total nosedive of a career. Big shame.
In a way I think Dragan Stojkovic was a wasted talent. He went to Marseille and Italy but had injury problems, before going to Japan and playing out the rest of his days there. He should have gone down as one of the best players of all time. One of the biggest things you can say about his talent was when Yugoslavia played Argentina in the QF of the 90 World Cup in Italy. Yugoslavia went down to ten men after half an hour but Stojkovic was brilliant and Yugoslavia despite having ten men were better and should have gone through.
Non Balkan related I'd have to say Denilson was a waste of talent.
Has Anderson really wasted his talent?
He has won 6 league titles, 2 domestic cups and the Champions league by the age of 24. Add to that earning millions on his way. Seems like his career has been fairly decent so far. He doesn't really compare to someone like Francis Jeffers in that regard.
He has won 6 league titles, 2 domestic cups and the Champions league by the age of 24. Add to that earning millions on his way. Seems like his career has been fairly decent so far. He doesn't really compare to someone like Francis Jeffers in that regard.
Well, going by trophies, no, not at all, but he has definitely not fulfilled his potential as a player. We're talking about a lad who was being hyped as one of the future greats when he was 18, and compared to a young Ronaldinho.
Gago's 26.
Man I used to love me some Recoba, what a player he was at one stage. Recoba at one stage was simply sensational (highest paid player in the world at one point) and he was stopped from going to the next level by injuries and his mentality. I'll never forget that goal against Lecce, simply jaw dropping at the time (number 3 on this list for anybody that hasn't seen it, skip to 11:38).
Probably the best shout in this thread so far actually. As brilliant as he was at one point, he's somebody that could of been regarded as possibly the best at one point. Not a great looker though
Can Sergio Canales be added to the list?
The Real move really fecked him over. And he's struggled to make an impact at Valencia.
The Real move really fecked him over. And he's struggled to make an impact at Valencia.
Anyone (of a certain age) remember Jim Baxter? Played for Rangers and Scotland and was blessed with a wonderful talent. I remember him taking the micky out of England's defenders at Wembley in 1967. His biggest flaw was his inclination to showboat. In that game, he infuriated his team mates by juggling the ball up and down the touchline while Denis Law was unmarked and screaming for a cross. Like so many others of that era, he left Scotland to try his luck in England. Took to the bottle in a big way and was never at his best for either Forest or Sunderland. He faded into obscurity but people north of the border, and quite a few south of it, still speak of Baxter as one who might have been one of the greats. He passed away in 2001.
Uhhhhhh...............what?
Not one of those is a wasted talent. Christ
Similar baffled expression here.
How about Ljajic? I know he is still young but he doesnt appear to be making any noise in Italy except for fighting with his manager.
Currently, appears injury prone but we'll see. He's got a Puyol way about him but, personally, I don't have a lot of confidence in him as a defender. I like Bartra more with Bagnack not too far behind
Way too young to consider yet.
But in any case, he is looking a lot better under Montella. Starting to have an end product, something he badly lacked last season.
Waaaaay too young to tell in my opinion. I mean many young players find it hard and then eventually hit peak and this may happen for him still. Some young players (Ravel M, Kerlon etc.) you can sort of put in the list due to their injuries, personal lives etc, but even that's a risk.
Montella. There was a player!
Marching might disagree, but I'm inclined to add Duncan McKenzie to the list.
My mistake, I had Redondo in my head.
On that kind of theme, what about Elvir Baljic?
Sonny Pike