Worst debuts?

[Alabaster Codify7]

Taibi was awful overall but he was awarded Man of the Match on his debut despite an early mistake.

Everyone seems to remember the Le Tissier goal but that wasn't his debut: his first appearance was at Anfield, in the game where Jamie Carragher seemed determined to score as many own goals as we need to win.

I might start a thread on here to do with 'false memories' because a lot of people state that Taibi was disgraceful from day one. Not quite true. Taibi's debut was somewhat uneventful and he looked okay. His second game, I think he had an absolute stinker but i still say to this day that selling him after two games was harsh. Think how many shocking performances we saw after that from United goalkeepers, let alone other PL keepers.

Another one, WIlliam Prunier. Scored on his debut, no? Flying header? Then had an absolute 'mare and same situation, sent packing again.

 

[Chipper]

I don't remember specific mistakes as it was a while ago, but I've never been so certain that a player wouldn't make it at United after watching Donald Love for the first time. I just remember him looking extremely out of his depth in general.

 

[Red Storm Rising]

Don't know if a tryout counts, but Ray Parlour has just come out with this about Kolo Toure...

“I remember the ball was rolled into Thierry Henry and Kolo Toure, from nowhere, smashed into him from behind,” said Parlour.

“It was a terrible tackle, a red card in a normal game, and our best player was rolling around.”

“Wenger was shouting: ‘Kolo, what are you doing? Don’t tackle!’ The next minute, the ball was into Dennis Bergkamp and Kolo did exactly the same … Anyway, Wenger said: ‘No more tackling’.

“So next thing you know, Kolo Toure took him [Wenger] out with a two-footed tackle! All you could hear was Wenger screaming.

“Kolo was nearly in tears, his big day ruined. I went into the medical room and there was Arsene with an ice pack on his ankle. I said: ‘I don’t think he meant it.’ He told me there and then: ‘We’re signing him tomorrow. I like his desire.’”

 

[diarm]

Me.

My debut for a side in the Cork shipping leagues. I'd joined about 4 months previously in horrific physical condition, worked really hard and steadily improved in training until I earned a spot on the bench. Sat on it for another 3 or 4 games before finally being brought on at right back at 60 minutes while we were 1-0 up.

Not really sure what the thinking was behind this decision as I've only ever played left wing, left wing forward or occasionally as an attacking midfielder but mine was not to question why. I trot on, smile sheepishly at my team mates and almost immediately put our right winger in behind their defence with a ball I had 100% intended to play to the left wing. Easy.

30 seconds later and their Swedish attacker (who I reckon was born of a gazelle and an antelope) turns me inside out on the edge of the box and without me having a notion of where the fecker was, goes over my outstretched knee and the whistle goes for a penalty. 1-1.

Coach is screaming at me now, orders the right winger to switch with me and tells me to stay the feck away from our penalty area. I find myself on the edge of the circle as the whistle goes to restart the game. With blood and steam coming out of my ears in some enraged quest for redemption, I reach the Swedish 100m sprinter almost before the ball is passed the 12 or 13 inches from the centre spot and leave him in an almighty heap of long legs and broken shin pads.

The referee marches me over to the our coach and tells him he knows this is my first outing and under any other circumstances I'd be off. Suggests that either I calm the feck down or get subbed back off because the next time I breath on someone it's red.

Game gets back underway with a freekick to them on the halfway line. Which they play long into the box and score from. Game finished 1-2 and I didn't play again for an other 2 months.

 

[Iceicebaby]

The “English Messi” Joe Cole for Liverpool.
Huffed and puffed for 45min on his league debut vs arsenal and then got send off.
Missed a penalty in his next game.

 

[Merlin 1975-78]

For us, Evra comes to mind.
We’ve had some shitty buys in the last 30 years or so and he looked right up there.

Thankfuly, Evra improved so much & many of us(myself included) ended-up eating humble pie!

 

[AltiUn]

Didn't Ferdinand have an absolute mare on his debut for Leeds?

 

[Merlin 1975-78]

Clean sheet on his debut against Notts County. He did have some problems at the beginning, though, I think against Wimbledon away (who didn't, mind).

If I remember rightly, Shmichael was at fault for the goal conceded at home to, Leeds in Aug 91 & that would have been only his 4th appearance, but thankfuly he was another one that soon eased our early concerns by putting in some convincing great displays.

 

[Dancfc]

I can't really think of anyone who has had a particularly bad debut for Chelsea. Del Horno had a bit of a shocker in a match we won anyway but bar that I can't really think of any. Our flops usually dupe us by starting fairly well, even our banter signings of 2017 all had top debuts.

 

[MrVolley]

I saw a match I think around 15-20 years ago and a young defender was making his debut for Real Madrid.

He was around 18 years old.
He was awful and was brought off (possibly in the first half).
This player broke down in tears and was distraught.

Does anybody know who they player was?

 

[Strelok]

There was a guy that Souness picked for Southampton I think - made out he was related to an awesome player (mind escapes me the name now).

But he got a game and was never seen again.

Ali Dia

Souness got a call from a supposed George Weah saying his nephew is somewhat a prodigy. Souness signed the nephew without any background checking or even see him playing.
Turned out the call was from a faked Weah and of course the prodigy had never played football

 

[Siorac]

I might start a thread on here to do with 'false memories' because a lot of people state that Taibi was disgraceful from day one. Not quite true. Taibi's debut was somewhat uneventful and he looked okay. His second game, I think he had an absolute stinker but i still say to this day that selling him after two games was harsh. Think how many shocking performances we saw after that from United goalkeepers, let alone other PL keepers.

Another one, WIlliam Prunier. Scored on his debut, no? Flying header? Then had an absolute 'mare and same situation, sent packing again.

His first game wasn't uneventful, he made several good saves after an early mistake. And he played four games, he wasn't immediately sent home after the Le Tissier goal. The 5-0 drubbing at Chelsea ended his United career.

 

[Jeppers7]

Gary Pallister.

 

[Lay]

I saw a match I think around 15-20 years ago and a young defender was making his debut for Real Madrid.

He was around 18 years old.
He was awful and was brought off (possibly in the first half).
This player broke down in tears and was distraught.

Does anybody know who they player was?

Pavon vs Sevilla. Reyes turned him inside and out

 

[VJ1762]

I can't really think of anyone who has had a particularly bad debut for Chelsea. Del Horno had a bit of a shocker in a match we won anyway but bar that I can't really think of any. Our flops usually dupe us by starting fairly well, even our banter signings of 2017 all had top debuts.

Was Bertrand's debut the 2012 CL final? He had a very good game IIRC.

 

[VJ1762]

I don't remember specific mistakes as it was a while ago, but I've never been so certain that a player wouldn't make it at United after watching Donald Love for the first time. I just remember him looking extremely out of his depth in general.

It's tyler blackett for me. Whatever happened to him?

 

[duffer]

Was Bertrand's debut the 2012 CL final? He had a very good game IIRC.

Was his European debut but still a hell of a game to do it in!

 

[VJ1762]

Was his European debut but still a hell of a game to do it in!

I think he would have been fine as a squad option at Chelsea. Did he leave for gametime?

 

[duffer]

I think he would have been fine as a squad option at Chelsea. Did he leave for gametime?

I'd love to have kept him personally but yeah, he wanted to play and the club preferred to replace him with Baba Rahman.

 

[VJ1762]

I'd love to have kept him personally but yeah, he wanted to play and the club preferred to replace him with Baba Rahman.

Well, atleast he can call himself as a European champion.

 

[Alabaster Codify7]

His first game wasn't uneventful, he made several good saves after an early mistake. And he played four games, he wasn't immediately sent home after the Le Tissier goal. The 5-0 drubbing at Chelsea ended his United career.

Feck, another false memory! I swore he played twice and that was that.

 

[MrMarcello]

His first game wasn't uneventful, he made several good saves after an early mistake. And he played four games, he wasn't immediately sent home after the Le Tissier goal. The 5-0 drubbing at Chelsea ended his United career.

I vaguely remember that match. Butt sent off early, Berg was shit that match, etc.

How bad was Taibi that match? I seem to recall he was left out to dry by the outfield.

 

[Bocca9978]

Clean sheet on his debut against Notts County. He did have some problems at the beginning, though, I think against Wimbledon away (who didn't, mind).

Keepers can struggle for a bit, same with many.
Wish I could be half as good.

 

[Gio]

I vaguely remember that match. Butt sent off early, Berg was shit that match, etc.

How bad was Taibi that match? I seem to recall he was left out to dry by the outfield.

He came a long way for Poyet's header and missed the ball. The other four goals were the fault of the defence in front of him though.

 

[Loon]

Recall some mentioned Prunier in past threads.

On his debut, we were chanting sign him up believe it or not. It was away from home at Spurs he imploded.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

He got a lovely assist on his debut. If the memory serves it was Wolves away. There's a common myth that he was as bad as Evra at the beginning, probably because they both came in the same January window.

Could be. I seem to recall they were both terrible in the match vs City that was Evra's debut and probably mistakenly believe both players debuted there.

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

Gary Pallister.

Saw thread and was going to post him.

Seem to remember he had a poor debut (penalty against, OG?) and we lost... but that season was a poor start, probably as integrating new players.

Papers quickly went on about his transfer fee. Turned out to be a bargain.

 

[TheReligion]

Worst debuts? Any of that Liverpool side tonight

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

On his debut, we were chanting sign him up believe it or not. It was away from home at Spurs he imploded.

yes, he was terrific in his debut, and I can remember MOTD focussing on him and saying how well he did. Obviously went downhill...

A little like Taibi, whose debut I think was Liverpool and he was really bloody good, and then it all went very pear shaped.

 

[Sassy Colin]

Worst debuts? Any of that Liverpool side tonight

 

[stubie]

Gary Pallister had a shocker against Norwich after becoming the most expensive player in Britain

 

[The Brown Bull]

Gary Pallister.

Agreed. He had been a record signing and stank the place out on his debut V
Boro. Think it was Boro anyway. Conceded a pen and we lost.

 

[The Brown Bull]

Gary Pallister had a shocker against Norwich after becoming the most expensive player in Britain

Correct. It was Norwich, signed from Boro.

 

[Jeppers7]

Correct. It was Norwich, signed from Boro.

Yeah had a shocker. Went on to be a top player.

 

[lemmiwink]

Fernando Torres Chelsea debut against Liverpool was awful.

I remember not being impressed with Lindelof against Real Madrid. I agree with most of the other entries here.