Seasidesage
New member
Me. I was unbelievable when I was 7 scored a shedload in the Brighton Boys Brigade league but then the booze and the women caught up with me...
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[Football] Wasted Talent.
- Thread starter lawros left foot
- Start date
Super Steve Earle
Well-known member
Baker lite
Banned
Colin Kazim Richard is a marvellous talent on his day, seemed to be a clash of personalities with Maggoo when he was with us. Looks like he now has his head in the right place at Derby, hope he kicks on now and realises his potential
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Some of these fall into the 'clubs didn't get the best out of them' category. This includes players who were not coached properly and who took advantage of the opportunity to booze and shag birds (as it was called in the 70s) and were overlooked for internationals because the manager of the time wanted clean-cut robots rather than maverics, so the players got a bit bored and cynical perhaps:
Marsh and Bowles, as above
Tony Currie
Alan Hudson
Frank Worthington
Duncan McKenzie
Charlie George
and the biggest of all, George Best, a man in a fury as the old guard at Man U were allowed to carry on playing well past their sell by date, and then a series of unfit managers were brought to the club, a man who eventually gave up trying.
Then there are those who were happy to stay a big fish in a small pond.
Matt Le Tissier
Er, I can't think of any more. Which is odd as it is a football cliche.
The biggest category of player, especially now, is the man of modest talent who carves out an impressive career by training like a dog, listening carefully to the coaches, and giving the fabled 110% ever week:
This list is far too long to even start
I once read a 20 page article about Frank Worthingtons adventures in Sweden... great read, great personality.
He spent six months on loan at Mjällby, in those six months he produced a kid - "Frank Worthington Junior" - and his teammate Anders Linderoths comment pretty much sums it up:
""He was very, very nice but not too interested in working... When we trained he was laying on the beach. Sometimes he came around in bathing shorts and watched us."
Super Steve Earle
Well-known member
Some of these fall into the 'clubs didn't get the best out of them' category. This includes players who were not coached properly and who took advantage of the opportunity to booze and shag birds (as it was called in the 70s) and were overlooked for internationals because the manager of the time wanted clean-cut robots rather than maverics, so the players got a bit bored and cynical perhaps:
Marsh and Bowles, as above
Tony Currie
Alan Hudson
Frank Worthington
Duncan McKenzie
Charlie George
and the biggest of all, George Best, a man in a fury as the old guard at Man U were allowed to carry on playing well past their sell by date, and then a series of unfit managers were brought to the club, a man who eventually gave up trying.
Then there are those who were happy to stay a big fish in a small pond.
Matt Le Tissier
Er, I can't think of any more. Which is odd as it is a football cliche.
The biggest category of player, especially now, is the man of modest talent who carves out an impressive career by training like a dog, listening carefully to the coaches, and giving the fabled 110% ever week:
This list is far too long to even start
Not so much wasted talent, but talent that was often wasted
(allegedly)
- Jul 10, 2003
- 27,789
Some of these fall into the 'clubs didn't get the best out of them' category. This includes players who were not coached properly and who took advantage of the opportunity to booze and shag birds (as it was called in the 70s) and were overlooked for internationals because the manager of the time wanted clean-cut robots rather than maverics, so the players got a bit bored and cynical perhaps:
Marsh and Bowles, as above
Tony Currie
Alan Hudson
Frank Worthington
Duncan McKenzie
Charlie George
and the biggest of all, George Best, a man in a fury as the old guard at Man U were allowed to carry on playing well past their sell by date, and then a series of unfit managers were brought to the club, a man who eventually gave up trying.
Then there are those who were happy to stay a big fish in a small pond.
Matt Le Tissier
Er, I can't think of any more. Which is odd as it is a football cliche.
The biggest category of player, especially now, is the man of modest talent who carves out an impressive career by training like a dog, listening carefully to the coaches, and giving the fabled 110% ever week:
This list is far too long to even start
SEGW - Big fish, small pond
A little disingenuous to some of those that got 110% out of limited talent, through hard work and application Harry ? I give you
David Beckham
Ashley Barnes
Si Gull
Way Down South
I was at the Reading v Tranmere game where he scored his legendary goal. Edge of the area, back to goal, took a pass on the volley, swivelled and planted it in the back of the net. He was a sublime talent but couldn't fight his demons. A great shame.
hart's shirt
Well-known member
Very often, the player's already risen to some level of success or recognition for us to know about them.
They'll have already forged their careers and made their money. Whether anything after that is a waste or just unfulfilled potential is open to question.
Names that come to mind here are Lee Sharpe (once more highly regarded than Giggs) and Jermaine Pennant (joined Arsenal at 15 for £2m).
Others who made it at professional level, but could've used more application and professionalism might include Stan Collymore and Jody Morris.
As for injuries and accidents 'wasting' talent, Edwards and the Busby Babes, but also Matt Jansen (motorbike accident and 6 day coma) and Paul Lake of Man City.
Capped at U21 level, Lake's story is a catalogue of errors by the club which helped to ruin one of their greatest ever young talents.
Despite being only 30 years ago, it was a different time with regards to player welfare.
From Wiki:
"On 11 March 1989, he came close to death when he was knocked unconscious during a match against Leicester City and subsequently suffered with a blocked airway whilst lying on the ground. It had taken some minutes for the City doctor to make his way from the director's box to the pitch and as a result of the incident the Football Association changed their rules to ensure that club doctors must remain at pitch-side during games. He played in every outfield position throughout the 1988–89 campaign as City secured promotion out of the Second Division with a second-place finish.
He was appointed as club captain for the 1990–91 season and was given a new five-year contract. However three games into his captaincy he picked up an injury against Aston Villa. An initial X-ray showed no broken bones and he was told it would take six weeks for the injury to heal. However, he broke down after initial straight line running work stepped up to include twisting and turning.
He was declared fit to play again in June 1991 following months of recovery time at Lilleshall Hall. He re-ruptured his ligaments during pre-season training and had to undergo the knee operation for a second time, despite the fact the initial operation did not appear to have worked as expected. He spent the 1991–92 season back at Lilleshall, and by the end of his time there he had spent more time at the medical centre there than any other footballer.
He returned for pre-season training in June 1992, and he played in a number of pre-season friendlies without incident, though his knee still required a lengthy period of rest after matches. He started the opening Premier League game of the 1992–93 season on 17 August, a 1–1 draw with Queens Park Rangers, but was substituted 60 minutes in after feeling pressure in his knee. Despite still feeling that his knee needed rest he went on to play against Middlesbrough at Ayresome Park two days later. Ten minutes into the game his ligament snapped for the third time and he was substituted off.
Six weeks later he travelled to Los Angeles to see an expert on cruciate ligament injuries. Before going on the trip he told The Sunday People that the club and chairman Peter Swales had not handled his injury in the correct manner and left him feeling like "a piece of meat" as players at other clubs received specialist treatment straight away and received appearance and bonus pay during long-term absences. Despite Lake being alone in America, the club refused to pay for his girlfriend to fly out to LA to be with him during his recovery from surgery, and so Niall Quinn and Peter Reid organised a whip-round to pay for her flight tickets. The lack of leg room on the economy flight back to the UK also damaged his knee, though the club had flown the fully fit club physio back to England in business class.
As the injury saga continued he began to suffer from depression, and he was put on a course of anti-depressants for a number of years. After years of operations his knee had numerous screws inserted and he needed surgery to re-straighten his leg; he remained on a lifelong prescription for anti-inflammatory painkillers. He retired from the game at 27."
There's a happy end to his story.
After football, Paul Lake became a physio, worked with City as a Club Ambassador and last year joined the Premier League working with club academies.
After his experiences, he deserves every success.
And to his credit and in spite of everything, he still obviously loves the beautiful game.
They'll have already forged their careers and made their money. Whether anything after that is a waste or just unfulfilled potential is open to question.
Names that come to mind here are Lee Sharpe (once more highly regarded than Giggs) and Jermaine Pennant (joined Arsenal at 15 for £2m).
Others who made it at professional level, but could've used more application and professionalism might include Stan Collymore and Jody Morris.
As for injuries and accidents 'wasting' talent, Edwards and the Busby Babes, but also Matt Jansen (motorbike accident and 6 day coma) and Paul Lake of Man City.
Capped at U21 level, Lake's story is a catalogue of errors by the club which helped to ruin one of their greatest ever young talents.
Despite being only 30 years ago, it was a different time with regards to player welfare.
From Wiki:
"On 11 March 1989, he came close to death when he was knocked unconscious during a match against Leicester City and subsequently suffered with a blocked airway whilst lying on the ground. It had taken some minutes for the City doctor to make his way from the director's box to the pitch and as a result of the incident the Football Association changed their rules to ensure that club doctors must remain at pitch-side during games. He played in every outfield position throughout the 1988–89 campaign as City secured promotion out of the Second Division with a second-place finish.
He was appointed as club captain for the 1990–91 season and was given a new five-year contract. However three games into his captaincy he picked up an injury against Aston Villa. An initial X-ray showed no broken bones and he was told it would take six weeks for the injury to heal. However, he broke down after initial straight line running work stepped up to include twisting and turning.
He was declared fit to play again in June 1991 following months of recovery time at Lilleshall Hall. He re-ruptured his ligaments during pre-season training and had to undergo the knee operation for a second time, despite the fact the initial operation did not appear to have worked as expected. He spent the 1991–92 season back at Lilleshall, and by the end of his time there he had spent more time at the medical centre there than any other footballer.
He returned for pre-season training in June 1992, and he played in a number of pre-season friendlies without incident, though his knee still required a lengthy period of rest after matches. He started the opening Premier League game of the 1992–93 season on 17 August, a 1–1 draw with Queens Park Rangers, but was substituted 60 minutes in after feeling pressure in his knee. Despite still feeling that his knee needed rest he went on to play against Middlesbrough at Ayresome Park two days later. Ten minutes into the game his ligament snapped for the third time and he was substituted off.
Six weeks later he travelled to Los Angeles to see an expert on cruciate ligament injuries. Before going on the trip he told The Sunday People that the club and chairman Peter Swales had not handled his injury in the correct manner and left him feeling like "a piece of meat" as players at other clubs received specialist treatment straight away and received appearance and bonus pay during long-term absences. Despite Lake being alone in America, the club refused to pay for his girlfriend to fly out to LA to be with him during his recovery from surgery, and so Niall Quinn and Peter Reid organised a whip-round to pay for her flight tickets. The lack of leg room on the economy flight back to the UK also damaged his knee, though the club had flown the fully fit club physio back to England in business class.
As the injury saga continued he began to suffer from depression, and he was put on a course of anti-depressants for a number of years. After years of operations his knee had numerous screws inserted and he needed surgery to re-straighten his leg; he remained on a lifelong prescription for anti-inflammatory painkillers. He retired from the game at 27."
There's a happy end to his story.
After football, Paul Lake became a physio, worked with City as a Club Ambassador and last year joined the Premier League working with club academies.
After his experiences, he deserves every success.
And to his credit and in spite of everything, he still obviously loves the beautiful game.
Frankworthington
Well-known member
Thanks for posting.
NorthLainer
Well-known member
Adnan Januzaj too. Recent article on The Athletic about him yesterday. Played against United last night and didn't tip up any trees from the report I read.
https://www.offside.org/portratt/frank-worthington/
Paywalled unfortunately... once I find myself 39 kronor I will sign up and translate it.
Taybha
Whalewhine
The first time I saw Olli Burke I thought bloody hell this lad is going to be fantastic.
2 years have gone by and whilst he still manages a few games in the top flight now and then , the only visible difference is that he loves the gym .
To me he's a player with incredible potential but hasn't been either managed properly or simply just isn't interested in becoming a better player .
I'd push the boat out to sign him and six months with Potter would tell if he could be a special player i think he could be .
Absolutely wasted at Sheffield Utd at the moment , certainly a player I'd love to see play for us .
2 years have gone by and whilst he still manages a few games in the top flight now and then , the only visible difference is that he loves the gym .
To me he's a player with incredible potential but hasn't been either managed properly or simply just isn't interested in becoming a better player .
I'd push the boat out to sign him and six months with Potter would tell if he could be a special player i think he could be .
Absolutely wasted at Sheffield Utd at the moment , certainly a player I'd love to see play for us .
Cowfold Seagull
Fan of the 17 bus
- Thread starter
- #35
Can we include Mika Richards in this thread?
A brilliant 18 year old, England international, and even player of the year at full international level. I really thought he would have a mega career.but whether due to injury or something else his career kind of petered out.
Not many defenders mentioned on here
A brilliant 18 year old, England international, and even player of the year at full international level. I really thought he would have a mega career.but whether due to injury or something else his career kind of petered out.
Not many defenders mentioned on here
OK I'll bite:
Gareth Barry
Craig Johnston
Owen Hargreaves
Jamie Carragher
Adama Traore
Craig Mackail-Smith
James Milner
Jordan Henderson
Quite a lot of Liverpool in there
As for big fish in a small pond, I'm not sure that Zaha is really a big fish, and allegedly, unlike Le Tiss, he wants to leave his club but can't
Assuming you include injuries as a reason well as off field stuff - Will Buckley.
Last edited:
scooter1
How soon is now?
I read an interview with Micah and his knee was well and truly goosed by the time he was forced to retire. Not a wasted talent, but a very bad knee
scooter1
How soon is now?
Did Paul Gascgoine ever really fulfil his potential?