Author Topic: Wonderkid flops - where are they now? (Read 13066 times)

Shinie · « **Reply #160 on:** August 9, 2012, 05:54:30 PM »

Quote from: filthy1980 on August 7, 2012, 11:30:04 AM

Luc Castignos

absolutely lit up that u17 Euro's move to Inter hasn't quite worked out, still time for him though

He moved back to Twente and he's still 20, so there is plenty of time for him to float or flop.

RedHopper · « **Reply #161 on:** August 9, 2012, 05:56:23 PM »

Something to bear about when talking about african wonderkids like lamptey and many others, is that in many cases they're generally speaking between 3 and 5 years older than they claim, and it shouldn't be much of a surprise if they don't really go on to achieve all that much and struggle to have much of a top flight career beyond their late twenties.

Em5y · « **Reply #162 on:** August 9, 2012, 07:03:17 PM »

Remember Alan Ball signing a lad for Man City called Martin Phillips claiming he'd go on to be the first £10m player. He made 15 appearance and left for £100,000.

Aido LFC · « **Reply #163 on:** August 9, 2012, 07:12:23 PM »

Ali Dia

rafathegaffa83 · « **Reply #164 on:** August 10, 2012, 01:16:57 AM »

I was going through some old boxes the other day and found some Shoot! magazines from the early 90s. Paul McGregor, who played for Nottingham Forest was one of the kids they were hyping up as being talented. He never panned out at Forest ended up retiring at 29 to become a musician in a series of small indie bands.

astowell1 · « **Reply #165 on:** August 10, 2012, 02:08:39 AM »

Quote from: cox3100 on August 6, 2012, 09:35:41 AM

can see alot of the brazilian olympic squad in this thread in 5-6 years.

I'll see them as World Cup winners.

HELLRAZOR · « **Reply #166 on:** August 10, 2012, 09:57:39 AM »

Quote from: Aido LFC on August 9, 2012, 07:12:23 PM

Ali Dia

haha

but to be fair he was never a wonderkid. just someone who was awfully shit.

courty61 · « **Reply #167 on:** August 10, 2012, 01:13:32 PM »

Quote from: HELLRAZOR on August 9, 2012, 05:38:19 PM

remember john welsh

promised 15 games once season by houllier, played about 15 mins

Looked like he enjoyed too many pies and pints if I recall

AHughes1993 · « **Reply #168 on:** August 10, 2012, 02:41:45 PM »

Kleberson, anyone remember the mancs dishin out a hefty sum for him

HELLRAZOR · « **Reply #169 on:** August 10, 2012, 03:29:48 PM »

Quote from: AHughes1993 on August 10, 2012, 02:41:45 PM

Kleberson, anyone remember the mancs dishin out a hefty sum for him

yeah 6m or some such

fergie had a couple of rotten summers

HELLRAZOR · « **Reply #170 on:** August 10, 2012, 03:36:05 PM »

heres a 4 year old article here

one especially harsh inclusion

then 5 others

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/mar/07/1

bsb2002 · « **Reply #171 on:** August 10, 2012, 04:37:05 PM »

Quote from: Dirk18Kuyt on August 8, 2012, 06:51:15 PM

Robinho, then Adriano. The striker, not the one at Barca. (I Think) What even happened to him? Alongside Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka, Baptiste etc they were meant to be the ebst players for the best country in the world at that point, what happened?!

fell into severe depression and alcoholism after his father died and never got out of it - he'd recover for a minute, pull himself together and play a few awesome games and then disappear into booze and depression again. at inter mancini used to have to make up injuries for him when he'd show up to training drunk. sad story

Matt8Pie · « **Reply #172 on:** August 10, 2012, 11:51:24 PM »

Anyone know anything about Ross Barkley? Had a few bitters raving about him recently. I know he's young so can't be called a flop but I didn't know where else to put it. I recall seeing him play once or twice the other season and he looked pretty good, but seen nothing of him since.

Adam_LFC · « **Reply #173 on:** August 11, 2012, 12:37:26 AM »

Quote from: Matt8Pie on August 10, 2012, 11:51:24 PM

Anyone know anything about Ross Barkley? Had a few bitters raving about him recently. I know he's young so can't be called a flop but I didn't know where else to put it. I recall seeing him play once or twice the other season and he looked pretty good, but seen nothing of him since.

He has been hyped beyond belief (better potential than Rooney etc) but yeah he is still ridiculously young.

Danny_ · « **Reply #174 on:** August 11, 2012, 08:19:07 PM »

Quote from: woz92 on August 9, 2012, 12:42:02 PM

What ever happened to that Freddy Adu kid ?

It's in the first post of the thread! He reached the heights of playing for Philadelphia, not even that well. Don't think our very own Pongolle was mentioned yet. He's playing in Portugal now - not bad but not exactly what we were all expecting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florent_Sinama_Pongolle

Sindri · « **Reply #175 on:** August 11, 2012, 08:30:51 PM »

Quote from: Danny_ on August 11, 2012, 08:19:07 PM

It's in the first post of the thread! He reached the heights of playing for Philadelphia, not even that well. Don't think our very own Pongolle was mentioned yet. He's playing in Portugal now - not bad but not exactly what we were all expecting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florent_Sinama_Pongolle

Didnt do half bad a Recreativo, did he?

Adeemo · « **Reply #176 on:** August 11, 2012, 08:34:58 PM »

Quote from: Sindri on August 11, 2012, 08:30:51 PM

Didnt do half bad a Recreativo, did he?

Then he made a poor decision to join Atelti when they already had plenty of great attacking options like Forlan, Aguero, Maxi and Simao, so therefore never got the run of games he did at Recreativo. Had he made a wiser move to a slightly better team where he'd be guaranteed regular starts, he probably would've carried on improving.

Rossie · « **Reply #177 on:** August 11, 2012, 08:35:41 PM »

They were showing LFC v Leverkusen from the run to Istanbul on LFC TV earlier, young Darren Potter, an Irish u-21 player came on late on for Milan Baros. Anybody know where he ended up?

Adeemo · « **Reply #178 on:** August 11, 2012, 08:37:39 PM »

Quote from: Rossie on August 11, 2012, 08:35:41 PM

They were showing LFC v Leverkusen from the run to Istanbul on LFC TV earlier, young Darren Potter, an Irish u-21 player came on late on for Milan Baros. Anybody know where he ended up?

Now at MK Dons, doing alright for himself I think. He was never ever going to be good enough for us and we ended up selling him to Wolves after he impressed on loan there.

Rossie · « **Reply #179 on:** August 11, 2012, 08:39:59 PM »

Quote from: Adeemo on August 11, 2012, 08:37:39 PM

Now at MK Dons, doing alright for himself I think. He was never ever going to be good enough for us and we ended up selling him to Wolves after he impressed on loan there.

Cheers mate.

lamonti · « **Reply #180 on:** August 12, 2012, 06:52:45 PM »

Quote from: Phil M on August 9, 2012, 05:16:54 PM

Champions League winner May 2005 - Fact.

What a motley crew!

KevLFC · « **Reply #181 on:** August 12, 2012, 08:49:56 PM »

Quote from: The Jackal on August 5, 2012, 09:28:29 PM

Anthony Le Tallec - the new Zidane apparently.

Currently playing for Auxerre in Ligue 2.

I always thought he couldnt turn into a half decent player

KevLFC · « **Reply #182 on:** August 12, 2012, 09:02:46 PM »

Tonton Zola Moukoko
Luke Chadwick
Those players Chelsea tapped up from Leeds?

oddball · « **Reply #183 on:** August 12, 2012, 09:31:32 PM »

Quote from: KevLFC on August 12, 2012, 08:49:56 PM

I always thought he couldnt turn into a half decent player

Youre not alone mate. Him and his cousin. Suppose its on of them...had he been at say a Bolton/Wigan and gotten the games he needed at a young age, it could have been a different story to them both stagnating at us.

HELLRAZOR · « **Reply #184 on:** August 13, 2012, 02:08:35 PM »

Quote from: KevLFC on August 12, 2012, 09:02:46 PM

Tonton Zola Moukoko

on championship manager 2001-2 he was absolute class. think a page was even set up on the web in tribute to that

stoa · « **Reply #185 on:** August 13, 2012, 02:12:39 PM »

Quote from: lamonti on August 12, 2012, 06:52:45 PM

What a motley crew!

The thing is, if they made a film out of our season (especially the CL-run and final) people would say how unrealistic the story about some misfits winning the biggest prize in football is...

Vidocq · « **Reply #186 on:** August 13, 2012, 02:17:13 PM »

its too early to say Lukaku?

HELLRAZOR · « **Reply #187 on:** August 13, 2012, 02:20:51 PM »

Quote from: Vidocq on August 13, 2012, 02:17:13 PM

its too early to say Lukaku?

yeah cos were playing him on saturday

Phil M · « **Reply #188 on:** August 13, 2012, 02:40:23 PM »

Quote from: Vidocq on August 13, 2012, 02:17:13 PM

its too early to say Lukaku?

Yes, he's only 19 and has 14 caps for Belgium already. Still learning, WBA move could be the making of him.

Vidocq · « **Reply #189 on:** August 13, 2012, 03:06:33 PM »

oh ok then...

Craigeth · « **Reply #190 on:** August 13, 2012, 03:10:00 PM »

Anyone mentioned Giovanni Dos Santos?

stoa · « **Reply #191 on:** August 13, 2012, 03:20:52 PM »

Quote from: Craigeth on August 13, 2012, 03:10:00 PM

Anyone mentioned Giovanni Dos Santos?

Quote from: stoa on August 9, 2012, 03:31:31 PM

Giovani dos Santos is another one. When he was with Barcelona he was supposed to be a world-class talent. Now not so much...

MagicHat · « **Reply #192 on:** August 13, 2012, 05:27:25 PM »

Dos Santos is a weird one for me. Can't get into club sides but as soon as he puts on the Green of Mexico, he looks a very useful playmaker.

MBL? · « **Reply #193 on:** August 13, 2012, 05:54:50 PM »

Anderson.

conman · « **Reply #194 on:** August 13, 2012, 06:32:41 PM »

Adrian Doherty

Flop is the wrong word, but he never made it due to injuries & unfortunately his life ended too soon

El_Pistolero · « **Reply #195 on:** August 13, 2012, 06:37:56 PM »

If Bojan's getting mentions then Canales needs one too. Both do still have time on their side though.

d gorgeous one haz spoken · « **Reply #196 on:** August 13, 2012, 07:56:14 PM »

Quote from: Shinie on August 9, 2012, 05:54:30 PM

He moved back to Twente and he's still 20, so there is plenty of time for him to float or flop.

Most funny thing about that transfer is that Inter somehow made profit on him.

He was bought for 3m and sold for double that amount.

Xxavi · « **Reply #197 on:** August 14, 2012, 03:11:43 AM »

Quote from: El_Pistolero on August 13, 2012, 06:37:56 PM

If Bojan's getting mentions then Canales needs one too. Both do still have time on their side though.

Canales is younger, and also has been unfortunate with a serious injury. He made a dumb choice by going to Real Madrid, but he started looking good again for Valencia. He still has ingredients to become a very good player.

Bojan is pretty good, too. But I think he is incredibly small and weak for a striker. He has to find another position for himself to excel. I think he can become a useful player, but not what we expected him to be...

Suspect Package. · « **Reply #198 on:** August 14, 2012, 04:00:07 AM »

Quote

Pedro Botelho departed Arsenal this week in the same way in which he arrived – as a virtual unknown, with serious question marks over his commitment and attitude.

Botelho signed for Arsenal five years ago, joining from Brazilian Série A side Figueirense, after the club had lost out on another South American flyer – Ángel di María. An outlandish character from the streets of party town Salvador, Pedro had been a beach footballer until six month previously, but had finally got his big break.

His tale is one which Arsenal have, and will, learn from. Five years on loan, no first-team appearances, little support and then allowed to return to Brazil for a nominal fee – he was very much an expensive experiment that went badly wrong.

Botelho arrived in England with little hope of a work permit, and was immediately loaned to Spanish Segunda side Salamanca, as part of a link the two clubs enjoyed. But due to FIFA regulations, he couldn’t even be registered to play for six months, and when he did, failed to break into the lineup.

A second season brought more expectation, but despite a number of promising performances, Botelho’s party boy life style slowly took over. He skipped English lessons arranged by Arsenal, training with Salamanca to take his friends to watch Real Madrid, and was eventually kicked out of the club for smashing the vice-presidents car, in a moment of anger.

Celta Vigo came calling a year later, but that deal too ended up in divorce, after Botelho threatened the manager, following a disagreement over a substitution. He moved onto Cartagena, where under the guidance of former Gunner Pascal Cygan, the tide began to turn.

Botelho played some of his best football yet at Cartagena, but turned down the opportunity to stay, to move to La Liga side Rayo Vallecano last summer. Arsenal backed it, but his time in Spain was about to turn sour, once again. Rayo cancelled the loan deal in January, when the player was arrested for a hit and run incident whilst drunk.

He was clearly out of control.

Botelho finished the season with Levante, but Arsenal were eventually fed up. They opted against trying to earn him a work permit, and having had to subsidise his wages during all of his loan moves, eventually accepted a nominal fee from Atlético Paranaense last week.

Now 22, Pedro is back at square one. His story is one of disappointment – a talent who, left to his own devices, has pressed self destruct on what initially promised to be a bright career.

Girls, partying, fighting, fines and crimes – few fit such a collection into a lifetime.

http://younggunsblog.co.uk/2012/07/arsenal-finally-part-company-with-troubled-pedro-botelho/

Vidocq · « **Reply #199 on:** August 14, 2012, 07:29:40 AM »

what about Baerke van der Mey? VVV Venlo signed him when he was 1year old, now he's probably three and havent done shit