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OT - Wasted Potential... The Biggest Underachievers

Dicko

Dicko

Edgar Davids
I'm sure we probably had one these threads a long while back but after seeing in the transfer thread that we made a late deadline day bid for Alexandre Pato someone in there mentioned he was one of those that promised a lot but hasn't really delivered.

Who's the first player you think of that you thought would be huge but was a complete underachiever?

Mine was Denilson...the guy looked like he was gonna take the world by storm and become a superstar with his magic step-overs when he moved to Betis for a world-record transfer fee (£21.5 million) in 1998. But as the stats suggest, he failed to deliver big-time on that early promise.

1994–1998 São Paulo 50 (4)
1998–2005 Betis 186 (13)
2000–2001 → Flamengo (loan) 11 (3)
2005–2006 Bordeaux 31 (3)
2006–2007 Al Nassr 15 (3)
2007 FC Dallas 8 (1)
2008 Palmeiras 30 (3)
2009 Itumbiara 0 (0)
2009 Xi Măng Hải Phòng 1 (1)
2010 Kavala 0 (0)
Total 332 (31)
 
Does Kaka count? His move to Real Madrid should have launched him to the stars, instead his career never really developed in part due to injuries.
 
Not exactly a Galactico name, but Ricardo Fuller. Quite unbelievable ability. Just a bit lacking between the ears.
 
Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Was outstanding at Emirates Marketing Project leaving many with the impression that he was a shoe in for the England team. His finest season was 2004/05 which resulted in some of the biggest clubs circling round him. Eventually he went to Chelsea and it literally went all down hill from then on, yes he won a few trophies there but he never was able to live up the billing of his £21m price tag, since then all I have seen is glimpses of the player I once dreamt of Spurs buying after Jol admitted he was an admirer whilst on MOTD's live coverage of an England friendly.

Edit: Saw this on Wikipedia just now

His first goal for the club came in a 2–0 Champions League win over Levski Sofia on 5 December 2006, almost 17 months after his transfer.
Click to expand...

For any winger, let alone one that cost that amount, that is bordering shameful.
 
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spurs' magna carter said:
Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Was outstanding at Emirates Marketing Project leaving many with the impression that he was a shoe in for the England team. His finest season was 2004/05 which resulted in some of the biggest clubs circling round him. Eventually he went to Chelsea and it literally went all down hill from then on, yes he won a few trophies there but he never was able to live up the billing of his £21m price tag, since then all I have seen is glimpses of the player I once dreamt of Spurs buying after Jol admitted he was an admirer whilst on MOTD's live coverage of an England friendly.
Click to expand...

SWP should be the poster child for stupid moves just for the money. It's the 2-3 years of bench at Cheat$ki that destroyed his development.

Unfortunately a bunch of other idiots have done the same move, to the same club.
 
Raziel said:
SWP should be the poster child for stupid moves just for the money. It's the 2-3 years of bench at Cheat$ki that destroyed his development.

Unfortunately a bunch of other idiots have done the same move, to the same club.
Click to expand...

tickle my balls with a feather.

I remember at the time Ian Wright was co-presenting Drive Time on Talksport and everyone kept asking him where his son was going because Arsenal were also heavily linked with him. At the time I remember thinking to myself 'why does he HAVE to move to a bigger club?' Felt that he would actually be better off staying at City, rest is history.
 
Paul Gascoigne should have more than a solitary FA Cup winner's medal to his name.
 
dingdongo said:
I'm sure we probably had one these threads a long while back but after seeing in the transfer thread that we made a late deadline day bid for Alexandre Pato someone in there mentioned he was one of those that promised a lot but hasn't really delivered.

Who's the first player you think of that you thought would be huge but was a complete underachiever?

Mine was Denilson...the guy looked like he was gonna take the world by storm and become a superstar with his magic step-overs when he moved to Betis for a world-record transfer fee (£21.5 million) in 1998. But as the stats suggest, he failed to deliver big-time on that early promise.

1994–1998 São Paulo 50 (4)
1998–2005 Betis 186 (13)
2000–2001 → Flamengo (loan) 11 (3)
2005–2006 Bordeaux 31 (3)
2006–2007 Al Nassr 15 (3)
2007 FC Dallas 8 (1)
2008 Palmeiras 30 (3)
2009 Itumbiara 0 (0)
2009 Xi Măng Hải Phòng 1 (1)
2010 Kavala 0 (0)
Total 332 (31)
Click to expand...

Jesus, I never saw much of him but Betis forked out that much for him and he had scored only 4 goals in 50 games for Sao Paulo. I know he was a winger but f**k me. He was also 21 when he joined and only played 50 games. Not a huge amount at all even for one so young. I know hindsight is a wonderful thing but what a dumb deal.
 
Isn't it obligatory to mention Rebrov. He and Shevchenko had such a fantastic partnership at Kiev and when the partnership was broken it went downhill for him. I can't believe the partnership can be put down all to Shevchenko, especially as he also flopped in England.

An honorary mention for Anelka. He was set at Arsenal and he let his agent brothers turn his head. He can't be called a failure, but I think he underachieved on his potential. Worse still, he he stayed Arsenal may not have signed Henry.
 
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Giovani. Annoying how it never worked out for him here, has started well for Villarreal this season though.
 
Ginola. Should have been a regular for France. Cruelly left out over a stupid spat. such a Talented played to hardly play for the national team.
 
Stan Collymore - could have been one of England's greatest players. Certainly had the talent for it.
 
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