Must have come from a poor background to chase the money at a young age with big potential
Worst career moves in the history of football?
- Thread starter Nick.
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Hulk to Zenit wasn’t a bad move was it? Got paid loads, won it all in Russia and broke the non black policy the Zenit fans demanded. Not forgetting he scored a bundle of goals and knocked Liverpool out with a banger of a goal.
Anelka to Madrid, really looked something special at arsenal and never reached them same heights once his family influenced him to move.
Aquilani from Roma to liverpool, Italians and the premier league dont seem to mix very well.
Aquilani from Roma to liverpool, Italians and the premier league dont seem to mix very well.
Prime Ozil was exceptional. Best number 10 in the world and an assist machine.
In terms of timing it's probably the worst move I can think of because he moved just as Real began dominating Europe and because he was still world class in first 2/3 years with Arsenal. Unfortunately for him he didn't benefit from it but a lesser player like Bale did and will end up with a better legacy club wise.
Neymar. Neymar. Neymar. Automatically wins. On track to rival Ronaldo/Messi and instead hes remembered best now for partying with his sister everytime PSG get knocked out of the Champions League.
Sidwell/Drinkwater to Chelsea.
Rodwell/Sinclair to City. Probably plenty of others you could add here.
Schneiderlinn/Di Maria to United.
Shearer to Newcastle. Think of what he could have won.
Lucas Moura to PSG.
Gazza to Spurs.
Sidwell/Drinkwater to Chelsea.
Rodwell/Sinclair to City. Probably plenty of others you could add here.
Schneiderlinn/Di Maria to United.
Shearer to Newcastle. Think of what he could have won.
Lucas Moura to PSG.
Gazza to Spurs.
I had forgotten how much of a disaster he turned out to be.
Birtles, Davenport, Taibi, Veron to United
Allan Simonsen from Barcelona to Charlton.
Nope. They ended up not getting the job done which meant we had to face them and got spanked.
Mesut Ozil to Arsenal.
Honestly, even if Madrid didn't want him, he could have gone to Bayern or Juventus and torn it up there. He would've had a decent chance at winning the UCL with one of those teams from 2013-2016.
Instead he wasted his career at Arsenal.
Honestly, even if Madrid didn't want him, he could have gone to Bayern or Juventus and torn it up there. He would've had a decent chance at winning the UCL with one of those teams from 2013-2016.
Instead he wasted his career at Arsenal.
To be fair to Kaka, it was quite obvious that Milan/Berlusconi wanted to cash-in on the 'White Smoking Jacket'
A season prior Milan were willing to sell him onto City but Kaka famously rejected the move but the 2nd time around Milan were insistent on bringing in the cash.
Barthez to United. After winning that famous World Cup, he suddenly turned into Taibi.
Pogba back to United. All those glitters ain't no gold.
Pogba back to United. All those glitters ain't no gold.
I agree that his first season was decent(even good-ish), but seeing as how Kagawa's career turned out after the move to Manchester, I think he deserves a mention.
Moyes taking over was catastrophic for Kagawa. I don't think he ever mentally recovered from that year. He was decent back in Dortmund at first, but then he became a benchwarmer, if I'm not mistaken. It's crazy to think that his best season came age 22-23, considering the type of player he is.
Veron to United, - brilliant player but just just didnt fit,
Petit to Barca - awesome player but one of those players that was awesome because of the system at Arsenal, injuries never helped
Balotelli to Liverpool - Gamble that never paid off. Not just form but he was a major disruption
Kaka to Real M - Same as Petit
Worst ever award goes to Shearer - muppet
Petit to Barca - awesome player but one of those players that was awesome because of the system at Arsenal, injuries never helped
Balotelli to Liverpool - Gamble that never paid off. Not just form but he was a major disruption
Kaka to Real M - Same as Petit
Worst ever award goes to Shearer - muppet
Shaun Wright-Phillips to Chelsea. Jose didn't need him as Chelsea had Joe Cole, Duff and Robben already, but Jose only bought him so that Ferguson could not get him, and then proceeded to dump him on the bench for a season.
SWP went from the form winger in the league to disappearing off the face of the earth after. Similar to what Jose was hoping to do with Fred.
SWP went from the form winger in the league to disappearing off the face of the earth after. Similar to what Jose was hoping to do with Fred.
Thats the United fan in ya!
Winning the premier league is not the be all and end all in football. Considering how far off Barcelona we were, I am doubtful of these multiple champions league wins. He won 4 at Real which is more than United's history. They also beat Messi's Barcelona to 2 league titles. United ourselves have only won 2 league titles since he has left and SAF and Gill have gone. In hindsight it was a brilliant decision for him.
in retrospect its probably Emiliano Salah Nantes to cardiff
No doubt you'll get a few smileys but sorry that's fecking sick.
Joey Beauchamp from Oxford to West Ham
Beauchamp was sold to Premier League side West Ham United in 1994 for a then club-record (sales) fee of £1.2 million. However, he didn't last long; having not played a single competitive game for the Hammers, Beauchamp decided he couldn't stand the traffic travelling from Oxford each day,[5] and a mere 58 days later he was signed by Swindon for a club-record combined fee of £800,000, which included defender Adrian Whitbread going in the opposite direction. Whitbread was valued at £750,000 in the deal.
I seem to remember a bemused Billy Bonds being interviewed about it. Homesickness can be a thing but not really when you have only moved 70 miles from your hometown.
Beauchamp was sold to Premier League side West Ham United in 1994 for a then club-record (sales) fee of £1.2 million. However, he didn't last long; having not played a single competitive game for the Hammers, Beauchamp decided he couldn't stand the traffic travelling from Oxford each day,[5] and a mere 58 days later he was signed by Swindon for a club-record combined fee of £800,000, which included defender Adrian Whitbread going in the opposite direction. Whitbread was valued at £750,000 in the deal.
I seem to remember a bemused Billy Bonds being interviewed about it. Homesickness can be a thing but not really when you have only moved 70 miles from your hometown.
I don't think Torres belongs here. He was already on the way down at Liverpool, and I don't think he would have done better if he'd stayed.
Though on the other hand, they probably wouldn't have bought Suarez, so who knows what happens to the last ten years without Suarez moving to Liverpool and then Barca.
Neymar has to be the best most high-profile answer. Was on track to be an individual all-time-great, as well as part of one of the best and most balanced attacks of all time (MSN). While he's obviously done well at PSG, his legacy has been permanently damaged, and he's never recovered to the heights of 14/15 in European football.
Though on the other hand, they probably wouldn't have bought Suarez, so who knows what happens to the last ten years without Suarez moving to Liverpool and then Barca.
Neymar has to be the best most high-profile answer. Was on track to be an individual all-time-great, as well as part of one of the best and most balanced attacks of all time (MSN). While he's obviously done well at PSG, his legacy has been permanently damaged, and he's never recovered to the heights of 14/15 in European football.
We were the second best team in Europe and the side of the draws we were on were easier over the next few seasons than the campaigns we had when we got to the final. Hell we reached the final 2 seasons after he left.
We would have been a cert for the final in 2010 as well imo.
Ronaldo didnt reach another final until he was 30 (?)
He could have waited a few more seasons, he left a lot of medals on the table. We had 3 finals in 4 years, with Ronaldo plus reinforcements we could have been Zidanes Madrid before them and then move to Madrid when they were worthy.
Walker, Milner & sterling have all been a success.
I would like to have seen how Ronaldo career would have played out in La Liga rather than going to struggling Inter side
Torres to Chelsea. Still to this day I dont know what the feck happened. He literally forgot how to play football and he never recovered from it only to be a bang average striker for the remainder of his career.
Tbf, I think it was the injury that he picked up the season before that robbed him of his pace rather than the move. Once he lost his pace he was essentially done as he played between the lines and was never a target man or that great with the ball at his feet. Further, by moving he won a CL, EL and FA cup, which is much more than he would've won staying with the Dippers.
Trophies wise brilliant move but as a player he was never the same.
The weird thing is for the first. half of the season with Liverpool he started slow but then got on a really good run scoring 2 vs Chelsea along the way. Then he moves to Chelsea and boom..shite.
You have to spend big money to become Zidanes Madrid and we were not on that train as there was "no value in the market". You live in a fantasy world. Who is to say results would of gone exactly the same and we would play the same teams every campaign? That's not how it works. You don't just assume everything is the same then add Ronaldo. Anyways, who would be our manager in this new age? He picked up a lot of medals off the table and reached a level he could not with United. Multiple CL winners. By 2013 our defence had aged, we had no midfield Tevez was gone, Fergie thinking of retirement. I dunno what hypothetical team you are thinking of.
He had forgotten how to play before the transfer which made the transfer sum more bizarre
I cannot believe that the Torres myth persists. He did not become crap at Chelsea he was already crap for six months before joining them.
Indeed, the really bad career move for him was going to Liverpool to a team that had no way of covering for him if he was injured and who routinely rushed him back. They probably robbed him of what should have been his prime years.
Mendieta to Lazio
Farinos to Inter
Gerard to Barca
Farinos to Inter
Gerard to Barca
I just had the same thought. See you in hell
He didn’t suddenly turn into Taibi.
Barthez was superb in his first season and won the PL, he was incredibly inconsistent subsequently but to infur he was shit after going to Utd just wasn’t true. That first season he continued to be one of the best in the world.
I was thinking of the overall. One good season out of 4 for one of the best Gk in the world before joining Utd.
one great season, and he won 2 PL titles. It didn’t go as well as it should have, but don’t believe it was the transfer that was the issue, and he proved he was a world class keeper at Utd.
Owen to Newcastle.
No world class Gk would be replaced by Roy Carroll on his 3rd season. His top flight career was basically ended after his move to United.
Sterling?
again I completely disagree as proved by his world class first season. Players decline, and sometimes very quickly.
we clearly don’t have the same opinion. So let’s leave it there, no need to go round in circles.