[Archived] What A Waste Of Talent

[neekoy]

After the comments about Jansen and his so close England representation what other players can you remember through blowing chances, injury, bad luck or career decisions has never actually fulfilled the potential that was given to them.

I think of some that still have time on their side to come good Duff and Dunn, those who peaked probably too early and now seem to fall away Ronaldo, Raul, Owen.

The most famous was Best, but I think also of Zola, Le Tissier, Kanchelskis

[Ricky]

I don't think I'd agree with the Zola, Le Tiss and Kenchelskis choices to be fair. They all had fairly long and in some caces extremely succesful careers. I'd probably choose someone like Collymore, all the potential in the world but not the right attitude.

[pleasure]

a couple that spring to mind - Lee sharpe and emile heskey ?

[Ricky]

Micheal Ricketts

[Ozz]

Me. A very promising career in football and cricket foundered somewhat upon discovering birds, booze, birds and drink. In that order.

The sporting worlds loss is my therapists gain.

[cletus]

Lee Sharpe? Nick Barmby? both hailed as future England greats in their early days...now both pottering around the lower leagues.

Gazza? Newcastle,Spurs,Lazio,England, world cup semi-finals....ended up playing for Burnley. A sad sad demise indeed. Just shows what booze can do to you.

[Martin]

Francis Jeffers

[RevidgeBlue]

After the comments about Jansen and his so close England representation what other players can you remember through blowing chances, injury, bad luck or career decisions has never actually fulfilled the potential that was given to them.

I think of some that still have time on their side to come good Duff and Dunn, those who peaked probably too early and now seem to fall away Ronaldo, Raul, Owen.

The most famous was Best, but I think also of Zola, Le Tissier, Kanchelskis

Ridiculous comment about Duff.

Worthington Cup winner and two Premiership titles and still only 27.

[T4E]

How on Earth can Zola be on an underachievers list? The guy was a God amongst men in his time at Chelsea - he'd be up there in the top 5 foreigners ever to play in the Premiership in my opinion.

I'd go for Graham Fenton. I honestly thought he was going to be brilliant.

[OJRovers]

In terms of international under achievement - Cantona is a good example.

[Guest Kamy100]

I would say Stan Collymore he was immense talent, totally and utterly wasted.

[Nate]

Me. A very promising career in football and cricket foundered somewhat upon discovering birds, booze, birds and drink. In that order.

The sporting worlds loss is my therapists gain.

Ditto, but add tight and overprotective parents to the list.

[M-K]

Ronaldo, Raul

Quite a few Champions League finals, World Cup winners medals and World Player of the Year awards between those two wastes of talent.

[FourLaneBlue]

The most famous was Best, but I think also of Zola, Le Tissier, Kanchelskis

I disagree with these as despite not quite doing as well as they could have they were still huge successes. Especially Best...Europea footballer of the year, won everything in the English game, won the European Cup Final etc....so he could have played on for longer but so what? He had already done it all. Le Tissier played in the Prem all his life, Zola...no idea why you picked him, Kanchelskis maybe.

Compare this to some players who did look great but then fell by the wayside...

How about David Prutton...regular for the under-21s and next big thing...no idea where he is now. Grabbi! £6.5million to being worth 6.5p in a few months. Wasn't Matt Dickens supposed to be the bee's knees?

Martin Taylor!

John Curtis!

Marlon Broomes!

Hang on...these actually aren't all that funny remembering how let down we have all been...

[Ozz]

parents

I read that initially as `pants`

[joey_big_nose]

Gazza is the obvious one for me. Arguably the greatest English player produced in the last 20 years (although Rooney runs him close) but somehow managed to come out of it all with few trophies apart from his time at Rangers. A genuine waste that. For example Best, for all of his problems, still hung his boots up laden with medals.

I can't see how Raul, Ronaldo, Zola etc. have wasted anything. Each of them have been outstanding. Sure you can always speculate even more triumph but you do need a little bit of realism in there, everybody screws up a little bit in their career.

[Ricky]

Cieron Donally.

Currently on loan in the Conference (or he was recently) after being one of the FA's Platinum selected players at a young age. He was tipped for greatness but ended up at Blackpool!!!

[broadsword]

Tipped for greatness by none other than Rover6, as I recall.

[LeftWinger]

If you want the answer to this question - search for Gazza on youtube. Quite literally a wasted genius!

[speeeeeeedie]

I'd say that a fair few of the England u-18 team that won the Euro Championship in 1993 should qualify. They were all supposed to go on to big things. Scholes and Fowler did, and I think Gary Neville played too. Names like Jamie Forrester, Julian Joachim, Kevin Gallen, and Chris Casper have fallen by the wayside.

[b12_simon]

I read that initially as `pants`

Which could also apply...

It might be a bit restricting, playing in overprotective pants. Maybe that's why Johanssen was so bloody slow!

Simon

[gazsimm]

some names that come to my mind our

Per Frandsen

Lars Bohinen

Grabbi

Donis

[Pugg]

I think some people are comparing being a wasted talent with winning medals. I don't think Le Tiss was a wasted talent even though he didn't win everything.

If your basing it on that then Shearer was a wasted talent!

Kevin Davis for me. Might not be a wasted talent as he is doing ok for Bolton, but a huge disappointment for us and no were near what his potential as a youngster was.

[Fife Rover]

For me the most wasted talent was Eddie Quigley. He has to be one of the very best inside forwards never to get an England cap. He had one England B cap. This guy had the vision of Tugay, and he could hit a pass of any length with supreme accuracy. He never had an invisble friend. He could spot an opportunity and play his fellow forwards in for them to score. Tommy Briggs owes a lot to Quigs for the many goals he scored. He could also hit them with great power and accuracy and scored loads of goals himself. He was once the English record tranfer fee when he joined PNE from Sheff W. for £26,000 in the late 40's.

Eddie was also a hell of a nice guy and I was proud to be his friend.

[Exiled_Rover]

I'd say that a fair few of the England u-18 team that won the Euro Championship in 1993 should qualify. They were all supposed to go on to big things. Scholes and Fowler did, and I think Gary Neville played too. Names like Jamie Forrester, Julian Joachim, Kevin Gallen, and Chris Casper have fallen by the wayside.

Casper broke his leg at 24 and had to retire, so I'll let him off.