Topic: Biggest flop In Europeon football over the last 10 years.

[has gone odd]

Pogba for sure, closely followed by Maguire. Both heaps of utter utter dung.

At Liverpool, though he didn't break the bank, Ballotelli was also extremely useless, pound for pound.

[disgraced cake]

I think Shaq had a very reasonable career, 2 CL titles and a couple of league titles plus playing for two of the biggest Clubs in the world. He can retire a very happy man and I'm sure many would take the career he's had...looking at the likes of Sir Harold of Kane.

Two European Cups and league titles in Swtizerland, Germany and England. He's had a career some could only dream of and it's a shame for him that it's sort of fizzled out in the last few years when he probably still had a lot more to offer. In terms of success though a brilliant career, a proper winner. Really liked him and thought it was a shame he didn't play more in our title winning campaign.

Always been a huge player for his country too.

[Terry de Niro]

See also: Stan Collymore - had the lot, and blew it.

He was immense for a couple of seasons with Fowler for us.
Mental illness is a twat.

[A Red Abroad]

He was immense for a couple of seasons with Fowler for us.
Mental illness is a twat.

Yes he was.

And... yes it is.

[De La Goal]

Two European Cups and league titles in Swtizerland, Germany and England. He's had a career some could only dream of and it's a shame for him that it's sort of fizzled out in the last few years when he probably still had a lot more to offer. In terms of success though a brilliant career, a proper winner. Really liked him and thought it was a shame he didn't play more in our title winning campaign.

Always been a huge player for his country too.

Well, Scott Carson's just won the treble. 

But sure, I really liked Shaq too - and it was a pity we didn't see more of him.

[rob1966]

See also: Stan Collymore - had the lot, and blew it.

I said a week or so back that I don't agree Stan was a flop, it was his mental problems. 1996, him and God were unbelieveable, they destroyed teams for fun, I remember that cross on the run Stan whipped in for Robbie to head home v Blackburn, his debut goal v Sheff Wed, his winner v Newcastle and many many others.

One name I heard on the radio today was Tom Ince, now thats a flop, caused by bad advice from his Dad. He's just signed for Watford from Reading.

[rob1966]

Well, Scott Carson's just won the treble. 

But sure, I really liked Shaq too - and it was a pity we didn't see more of him.

Got two European Cup winners medals now

[A Red Abroad]

I said a week or so back that I don't agree Stan was a flop, it was his mental problems. 1996, him and God were unbelieveable, they destroyed teams for fun, I remember that cross on the run Stan whipped in for Robbie to head home v Blackburn, his debut goal v Sheff Wed, his winner v Newcastle and many many others.

One name I heard on the radio today was Tom Ince, now thats a flop, caused by bad advice from his Dad. He's just signed for Watford from Reading.

I didn't say/write he was a flop Rob.

I was putting him in a similar 'pity he never kicked on' category to Dele Ali if you see the post I replied to.

And yeah, I had a season ticket at that time - he and Robbie were great together.

 

[ScouserAtHeart]

Got two European Cup winners medals now

Beat an Inzaghi brother each time as well

[rob1966]

I didn't say/write he was a flop Rob.

I was putting him in a similar 'pity he never kicked on' category to Dele Ali if you see the post I replied to.

And yeah, I had a season ticket at that time - he and Robbie were great together.

 

Sorry mate skim reading while I'm supposed to be working   Stan was something else wasn't he, cracking player that could and should have been so much more. With the modern way we look at mental health and the club having used Steve Peters, Stan would have got all the help he needed to sort his demons and kick on.

Yeah, there's a few, Stan, Ballotelli, Dele Alli etc who had the talent but for one reason or another didn't make the most of their gift.

[A Red Abroad]

Stan was something else wasn't he, cracking player that could and should have been so much more. With the modern way we look at mental health and the club having used Steve Peters, Stan would have got all the help he needed to sort his demons and kick on.

I'd like to think so, these days.

Although, the likes of the Toney gambling thing suggests things could be better still.

Don't work too hard.

[Statto Red]

Pogba for sure, closely followed by Maguire. Both heaps of utter utter dung.

At Liverpool, though he didn't break the bank, Ballotelli was also extremely useless, pound for pound.

I do wonder if Balotelli signing was one of those vanity signings by the transfer committee, & Rodgers never really wanted Balotelli but went along with it?

[Too early for flapjacks?]

I do wonder if Balotelli signing was one of those vanity signings by the transfer committee, & Rodgers never really wanted Balotelli but went along with it?

I think Rodgers wanted Wilfried Bony as his first choice? And I think he said in the end he was left with the choice between Eto'o and Balotelli. He definitely hinted that it was a signing pushed by the transfer committee even though he signed-off on it.

[Iska]

fwiw I didn’t want to suggest Dele Alli as a flop, he was a genuinely brilliant player for a few years. I only mentioned him as another example of guys undone by something mental, though for Balotelli that appears to have been simple brainlessness, hence him seeming to find a comfortable level only a couple of steps down.

For flops I’m looking for players who never reached their supposed heights at all.  Another kind might be players who made bad moves so we’ll never know how good they were. Axel Witsel, he looked amazing but he chased the money and then never played for an elite team afterwards. Probably plenty of guys who moved to City or Chelsea and got buried.

[jacobs chains]

Sorry mate skim reading while I'm supposed to be working   Stan was something else wasn't he, cracking player that could and should have been so much more. With the modern way we look at mental health and the club having used Steve Peters, Stan would have got all the help he needed to sort his demons and kick on.

Yeah, there's a few, Stan, Ballotelli, Dele Alli etc who had the talent but for one reason or another didn't make the most of their gift.

Back then people laughed at a millionaire footballer having depression. Thank fuck we've moved on.

[Statto Red]

fwiw I didn’t want to suggest Dele Alli as a flop, he was a genuinely brilliant player for a few years. I only mentioned him as another example of guys undone by something mental, though for Balotelli that appears to have been simple brainlessness, hence him seeming to find a comfortable level only a couple of steps down.

For flops I’m looking for players who never reached their supposed heights at all.  Another kind might be players who made bad moves so we’ll never know how good they were. Axel Witsel, he looked amazing but he chased the money and then never played for an elite team afterwards. Probably plenty of guys who moved to City or Chelsea and got buried.

Dele Alli was tipped for great things when he first broke through into the Spurs first team, makes you wonder should he moved from Spurs earlier than he did do, [& not to Everton], Mourinho's time as Spurs manager seems to have affected Dele Alli a lot.

[Bobinhood]

Bebe was a homeless beach player, was he not, that showed some degree of talent and then Rednose bought him and it was all highly suspicious money changing hands that was never properly explained, well before such things became so popular as today. That's how i remember it anyway. He cant be the biggest flop because he clearly was never of the standard in the first place. strangest transfer of Fergusons tenure.

shaq shouldnt be in the conversation nor even balotelli although he well under performed his potential he still did some things sometimes. Ali ony had the one decent year hes maybe a viable candidate, Nabys time with us was pretty dismal imo, but its got to be Pogba's man u adventure, he was supposed to be the very best in the world and he was lazy and complete shite for 5 full years. Proud to say i called it early at the time 

[Bobinhood]

I do wonder if Balotelli signing was one of those vanity signings by the transfer committee, & Rodgers never really wanted Balotelli but went along with it?

It was more of an artur type panic thing, we missed all our targets and ran out of time and were about to start the season with nobody up front. Rodgers literally was taken aback by and then laughed off the suggestion just a month earlier. 

[De La Goal]

Is it too early to add Ansu Fati to the list?

The Barcelona wunderkind's loan to Brighton is emanating distinct Bojan to Stoke/Kluivert to Newcastle/Falcao to Man Utd - or indeed Balotelli to Liverpool - kind of vibes...

[DiggerJohn]

£200m record previous 89m my vote is Neymar wasted his incredible talent.

[PeterTheRed ...]

£200m record previous 89m my vote is Neymar wasted his incredible talent.

Neymar has won a lot of silverware. He could have achieved more, but he is very far from being a flop ...

[WhereAngelsPlay]

Neymar has won a lot of silverware. He could have achieved more, but he is very far from being a flop ...

Spends most of his time pretending that he's injured & partying.

[PeterTheRed ...]

Spends most of his time pretending that he's injured & partying.

He is 31 already.

Still, 295 goals in 498 games on club level, plus 77 goals in 124 games for Brazil, are hardly the numbers of a flop ...

[Black Bull Nova]

Is it too early to add Ansu Fati to the list?

The Barcelona wunderkind's loan to Brighton is emanating distinct Bojan to Stoke/Kluivert to Newcastle/Falcao to Man Utd - or indeed Balotelli to Liverpool - kind of vibes...

Too early, lad played 51 times for Barca last year, going to Brighton is usually something that perks you up, they made Maupay look good for a time.

[elbow]

Kai Havertz. Has he played a decent game since moving to England?

Apart from Ten Hag, I doubt anybody rated Anthony in the first place, but by god he's shite.

[Barneylfc∗]

Kai Havertz. Has he played a decent game since moving to England?

Apart from Ten Hag, I doubt anybody rated Anthony in the first place, but by god he's shite.

The reason I bumped the thread was to mention Kai Havertz, but didn't actually say it because it doesn't fit the criteria the OP wanted.

But I'm putting him in anyway. He's stealing a living. Very good for Leverkusen, but should have stayed at that level.

[ScouserAtHeart]

didn't he score the winning goal in a Champions League final?

[Statto Red]

Man Utd could fill 2 squads with all the expensive flops they've signed over the last 10 years.

[Knight]

Benzema will be that kind of a player. He has flopped big in the La Liga and will not be any better anywhere else.

In other words, he's shite.

hehehe, didn't realise this thread was so old. The above is the 2nd post. I'd of said the exact same thing at the time but what a difference 13 years makes!

[Mister Flip Flop]

Pogba

[kaesarsosei]

The new Sancho story is only getting started and we don't know what's going on at United, but he is very much on the right track to deserve a mention in this thread.

[The North Bank]

Uniteds 6 most expensive signings.  Lukaku, di maria, pogba , Antony, Slabhead, and Sancho.

All epic failures

[I've been a good boy]

Havertz is shite just like Mudryk. I remember when our fans were up in arms because we let him and Werner go to Chelsea when apparently we should've been all over it. Same thing when Lacazette and Aubamayang went to Arsenal.

[Oldmanmick]

It's harder to name new players that have actually been a success at United over the past 10 years.

[Alan_X]

Havertz is shite just like Mudryk. I remember when our fans were up in arms because we let him and Werner go to Chelsea when apparently we should've been all over it. Same thing when Lacazette and Aubamayang went to Arsenal.

I was thinking the same at the weekend.

[The North Bank]

Havertz is shite just like Mudryk. I remember when our fans were up in arms because we let him and Werner go to Chelsea when apparently we should've been all over it. Same thing when Lacazette and Aubamayang went to Arsenal.

The bullet we dodged with Mudryk hit us with Havertz.

Auba and lacazette were decent for us, at times very good even.

[De La Goal]

Too early, lad played 51 times for Barca last year, going to Brighton is usually something that perks you up, they made Maupay look good for a time.

Fair enough. But we're talking about the heir to Messi's jersey and the great hope for Barca's future. And he was, as you note, a first time regular. Loaning him to a club of Brighton's pedigree (no disrespect - they may have been decent in the past season or so, but their long-term track record is "and Smith must score") is an augury that he may follow the downward path of previous boy wonder, Bojan.

It seems it's not Fati's fault - his meniscus injury was apparently not well managed by Barca.

Not looking good for Havertz, is it?