[Football] Players who have maximised/wasted their natural ability

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A1X

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 1, 2017
20,544
Deepest, darkest Sussex
Might be controversial but I think currently maximising their ability is Solly March, he's really made the LWB position his own and the determination to come back from his injuries etc. is all part of that.
 




madinthehead

I have changed this
Jan 22, 2009
1,771
Oberursel, Germany
Got to agree with this. Some of the real "greats" stuck with their club through thick and thin. Maybe they didn't get the recognition they fully deserved at the time (International call-ups etc), but their iconic status survives.
I'm thinking of Le Tiss, Steve Bull and, even Lewis Dunk might come into this category.

As I stated later, to clarify, I was more referring to the international side, than the fact he stayed at #ateamlikeSouthampton..
Maybe I should have added more to my original post..

And FWIW I agree with you re Bull and maybe even DUnk, although he still has time
 


Washie

Well-known member
Jun 20, 2011
6,054
Eastbourne
Might be controversial but I think currently maximising their ability is Solly March, he's really made the LWB position his own and the determination to come back from his injuries etc. is all part of that.
Fantastic call. Rather limited in terms of natural skill, but he has worked so hard to go from a good championship midfielder to a good Premier league wing back. He could have easily stopped trying, but has improved and improved.

Sent from my SM-G781B using Tapatalk
 


Postman Pat

Well-known member
Jul 24, 2007
6,973
Coldean
Oh go on then as no one else has said it Wilf Zaha - binned his opportunity at Man Utd and ended up back at Palace via sitting on the bench at Cardiff. Obviously a very good footballer and probably going to end his career winning nothing of note.
 


Giraffe

VERY part time moderator
Helpful Moderator
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Aug 8, 2005
27,229
Maximised - Crumplin, Hart, Storer, Big Dan Burn, Dunk, Kuipers,

Completely wasted - Codner, Ince, Brooker, Buckley, Bridcutt (in the end),
 














Shirty

Daring to Zlatan
Who was that young striker at WBA a few years back ? Scored a few, thought he was billy big-potatoes, pushed for a move (to Spurs ?) but the owner wouldnt let him leave. Threw a strop, went on strike etc etc, and when he eventually did get a move (Stoke ?) couldnt hit a barn door with a banjo. Anyway, whatever his name was - him.
 


Bracknell_Gull

Active member
Jul 4, 2011
190
Bracknell
Who was that young striker at WBA a few years back ? Scored a few, thought he was billy big-potatoes, pushed for a move (to Spurs ?) but the owner wouldnt let him leave. Threw a strop, went on strike etc etc, and when he eventually did get a move (Stoke ?) couldnt hit a barn door with a banjo. Anyway, whatever his name was - him.

Saido Berahino

See also, Peter Odemwingie
 








Garry Nelson's Left Foot

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
13,527
tokyo

Not sure I agree with Beckham. I take maximised potential to be players who weren't particularly good, weren't stand out players at any age but through sheer hard work carved out a decent career for themselves. Someone like Oh Gary Hart.

I don't think Beckham fits that category. He undeniably worked his arse off but he was starting from a position of being a very talented player.

If Beckham is fair then I reckon you can chuck in any number of top level players. Lampard? Gerrard? Neville(both)?

Ronaldo too. He went from being a talented showboating winger to an absolute beast of a player for over a decade, one of the all time greats.
 




razer

Well-known member
Mar 10, 2019
800
Ormskirk, Lancashire
The most obvious player to me who maximised his talent was Glen Murray. Nowhere near technically gifted but knew where the back of the net was throughout his whole career.
 


WhingForPresident

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NSC Patron
Feb 23, 2009
17,268
Marlborough
Who was that young striker at WBA a few years back ? Scored a few, thought he was billy big-potatoes, pushed for a move (to Spurs ?) but the owner wouldnt let him leave. Threw a strop, went on strike etc etc, and when he eventually did get a move (Stoke ?) couldnt hit a barn door with a banjo. Anyway, whatever his name was - him.

Just looked Berahino up, he is now on loan from a mid-table Belgian Pro League side to a slightly worse mid-table Belgian Pro League side and is still only 27. Unbelievable considering Spurs were ready to spank £30m odd on him a few years back. Definitely falls into the wasted talent category.
 


B-right-on

Living the dream
Apr 23, 2015
6,726
Shoreham Beaaaach
Just looked Bevyrahino up, he is now on loan from a mid-table Belgian Pro League side to a slightly worse mid-table Belgian Pro League side and is still only 27. Unbelievable considering Spurs were ready to spank £30m odd on him a few years back. Definitely falls into the wasted talent category.

Blimey. Serious waste of talent. He made it into the England squad I remember.
 


Jul 20, 2003
20,681
Tony Adams really upped his game under Wenger. Showed what was possible


anyway


Could Darren Currie have found a way to be just a little bit quicker? Could Gross find a way to speed up a bit, prove that pace is a luxury that we couldn't afford? (Gross + a turn of speed = 'bigger' club) . nit picking, great players, I don't know how it works with elite sportsman ... but .... chop chop now

Gary Hart always looked like he always put all the meat on the barbeque ... always ... Good effort son.

BDB is graft personified and I ****ing love him.

as for wasters ... **** 'em, they're not worth it.
 






Springal

Well-known member
Feb 12, 2005
24,785
GOSBTS
Liam Bridcutt. Good enough for Real Madrid. Now captain of Lincoln
 


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