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

[Skeeve]

That's the biggest flop in thread titles over the last 10 years.

Peon does seem like a fitting title for some of those suggested in here.

[Skeeve]

Everton FC

That does seem like the right answer to the question, spent so much to do so little (and all of it going backwards), although obviously they'd be confused by the word Europe.

[Barneylfc∗]

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.

[De La Goal]

Bojan Krkić

Beat me to the punch with this - definitely the first player who came to mind.

Has anyone mentioned Freddy Adu yet? Supposed to be the first US football superstar. Ended up in the Swedish third division, via failed spells at Benfica, Monoco and an abortive trial with Blackpool.

Edit: yes they did - in 2010, in the midst of a series of loans from Benfica. It didn't get better from here.

Freddy Adu.

[mattD]

Got to be Balotelli. Highly rated, flashes of genius, would have been world class with a different attitude. But he never did it at one club. It was only ever flashes, nothing consistent.

Controversial take, but we could also put Gascoigne there too? Similarly, was it not flashes of genius rather than outright greatness? He was most constantly brilliant at Rangers but this was the SPL we are talking about (albeit not as poor as it is today). If he didn’t have his demons, and had the professional attitude with high fitness, he would have been one of the greatest.

[slaphead]

I thought Bojan was going to be phenomenal when be came through. I listened to a good interview with him recently though where he talked of his mental health and the impact it has on his career, when you hear that you understand why he never fulfilled what was expected of him.

[ScouserAtHeart]

Who needs Zidane when you've got Bruno Cheyrou

[Nobby Reserve]

I thought Bojan was going to be phenomenal when be came through. I listened to a good interview with him recently though where he talked of his mental health and the impact it has on his career, when you hear that you understand why he never fulfilled what was expected of him.

Going to Stoke can't have helped

[Crosby Nick]

Got to be Balotelli. Highly rated, flashes of genius, would have been world class with a different attitude. But he never did it at one club. It was only ever flashes, nothing consistent.

Controversial take, but we could also put Gascoigne there too? Similarly, was it not flashes of genius rather than outright greatness? He was most constantly brilliant at Rangers but this was the SPL we are talking about (albeit not as poor as it is today). If he didn’t have his demons, and had the professional attitude with high fitness, he would have been one of the greatest.

Gascogne obviously never fulfilled his potential. Injury and all the issues you care to list. Suppose he did do well at two major tournaments though so when fit he could do it at a high level. Career petered out after 96 though. Spells at Boro and Everton, deary me.

[slaphead]

How about Adel Taarabt. This is probably quite telling from Darren Bent on him

"I know some players who I played with, who I know really well that were playing in London, they had no interest whatsoever in leaving London.

"I'll give you a prime example, Taarabt. Was on an absolute King's ransom at QPR, thought he was on a bucket full of money. I think he was getting linked to a couple clubs up north, bigger clubs as well.

"I think Liverpool maybe were linked with him for a little bit clubs like that, and I said to him, 'What are you thinking?' He went, 'I'm not leaving London, I don't care how much'.

"I go, 'Yeah but look at the size of the club', and he was like, 'Benty, no.' This is what he said to me, he went, 'Benty, everyday I train, I finish, [claps] King's Road, shisha'. That's what he said to me, 'everyday'

"I said, 'But Liverpool, big club', and he goes 'Benty, I don't want to leave London.'"

[Clint Eastwood]

Although his hype falls outside the 10 year window, Bojan is the one I think. If I recall it wasn't even hype per se, more of an acceptance that he would be brilliant and was destined for greatness.

The story of Alexandre Pato is similar.

If we're factoring in transfer fees, it is hard to look past Coutinho. Up to £142m we got for him. An extremely damaging transfer for club and player, a huge success for us.

[Iska]

I thought of Pato, but checked just now and was amazed to find his numbers are decent and he’s even still going. No memory of him at Chelsea whatsoever.

[Max_powers]

I thought of Pato, but checked just now and was amazed to find his numbers are decent and he’s even still going. No memory of him at Chelsea whatsoever.

His problem was just injuries. Despite the injuries, he was still really good for a while when fit. A very similar career to Sturridge.

[Caligula?]

Bebé?

Was coming on here to post just that.

Also Freddy Adu came to mind. Hyped up to ridiculous levels but ended up being absolutely shite. He was probably never even 14 to begin with when he broke out all those years ago.

[MonsLibpool]

Pound for pound, it has to be Coutinho:
- Cost £140m
- Never really fit into the team
- Long injury layoffs
- Poor relationship with the fans

Bonus point- Played for Bayern in the 8-2 game and scored twice.

[Terry de Niro]

Pound for pound, it has to be Coutinho:
- Cost £140m
- Never really fit into the team
- Long injury layoffs
- Poor relationship with the fans

Bonus point- Played for Bayern in the 8-2 game and scored twice.

Even bigger bonus point for him was, we got Big Virg and Ali off the back of that sale.

[slaphead]

Wasn't Bebe just shite though?  I don't remember a lot of hype about him or people talking about him before he made any appearances like some of the others.
Bit closer to home, Danny Cademarteri. He was the next best thing according to some blue noses

[Terry de Niro]

Wasn't Bebe just shite though?  I don't remember a lot of hype about him or people talking about him before he made any appearances like some of the others.
Bit closer to home, Danny Cademarteri. He was the next best thing according to some blue noses

Pretty much big up every player they sign
Usually always compare to our players.
Jelavić = Better than Surez.
The Yak= Better than Torres.  etc, etc...   

[slaphead]

Pretty much big up every player they sign
Usually always compare to our players.
Jelavić = Better than Surez.
The Yak= Better than Torres.  etc, etc...   

That's true.
James Rodrigues = Better than Salah
Pickford = Better than......nah they didn't go that far did they ?

[Terry de Niro]

That's true.
James Rodrigues = Better than Salah
Pickford = Better than......nah they didn't go that far did they ?

[De La Goal]

Going to Stoke can't have helped

Eh, well - The Cube? Though one could also argue that he never fulfilled his potential.

Only played 45 games for us in 3 years; previously struggled to break through at Inter and Bayern; definitively flopped at Lyon after leaving LFC; now at Chicago Fire. 114 national caps and 27 international goals, mind.

Also from our own ranks: Lazar Markovic. People in Serbian football who know a thing or two thought he was going to be "white hot", and he was up for the 2014 Golden Boy, along with Sterling and Origi. Big transfer fee for the time, to boot.

[Persephone]

Eh, well - The Cube? Though one could also argue that he never fulfilled his potential.

Only played 45 games for us in 3 years; previously struggled to break through at Inter and Bayern; definitively flopped at Lyon after leaving LFC; now at Chicago Fire. 114 national caps and 27 international goals, mind.

Also from our own ranks: Lazar Markovic. People in Serbian football who know a thing or two thought he was going to be "white hot", and he was up for the 2014 Golden Boy, along with Sterling and Origi. Big transfer fee for the time, to boot.

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.

[De La Goal]

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.

He was tanatalising though, wasn't he? You always felt there was so much there, and sometimes he showed it.

The Barca semi-final was his Liverpool career in microcosm. Poor first half, crucial assist in the second. Just needed an inexplicable long-term injury to polish it off. Feelings which were probably also familiar to fans of Inter and Bayern.

"Flop" might be unfair (Lyon would argue, mind) - but not reaching his potential, perhaps?

 

[darragh85]

Beat me to the punch with this - definitely the first player who came to mind.

Has anyone mentioned Freddy Adu yet? Supposed to be the first US football superstar. Ended up in the Swedish third division, via failed spells at Benfica, Monoco and an abortive trial with Blackpool.

Edit: yes they did - in 2010, in the midst of a series of loans from Benfica. It didn't get better from here.

Adu was quality though. He should have been left alone until he in his late teens. He was destroyed from being overlook aded with pressure.

[Alf]

Always expected more from Stevan Jovetić blew us to pieces in Florence, went to Man City then disappeared to several clubs around Europe without ever really setting the world alight.

[Ravishing Rick Dude]

Pound for pound, it has to be Coutinho:
- Cost £140m
- Never really fit into the team
- Long injury layoffs
- Poor relationship with the fans

Bonus point- Played for Bayern in the 8-2 game and scored twice.

Agree. Coutinho for Barca is the ultimate flop, considering everything.

[Tobelius]

Seeing John Bostock play for Notts County piqued my curiosity in his career path.  Made his Palace debut at 15.  Moved to Spurs and was their youngest player ever.  Ended up with a series of loans.  Ended up being released after those spells and played in the Belgium second division and French second division.  Did have a stint at the top level in Turkey and France before eventually ending up back in England.

Good pick!
Remember a fair few being gutted Spurs got him,one of the reminders of how hard it is to predict at that age how a players career will end up.
We hardly remember the legion of past wonderkids that straight up fail or if not exactly,go on to have unspectacular careers for one reason or another.
T'is an interesting thread. 

[Flaccido Dongingo]

I know it's way longer than 10 years ago, but Nottingham Forest signed some Italian lad called Andrea Silenzi to replace Stan Collymore, and he was an absolute donkey!

[darragh85]

Jovetcic was ruined by injury.

[rhysd]

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.

Oh my...

[Kalito]

Jovetcic was ruined by injury.

Always played a blinder against us though (even for Man City)...

Even in a friendly match a year or two ago he bagged 2-3 goals against us!

[B0151?]

Pound for pound, it has to be Coutinho:
- Cost £140m
- Never really fit into the team
- Long injury layoffs
- Poor relationship with the fans

Bonus point- Played for Bayern in the 8-2 game and scored twice.

Think of the last 10 years it does have to be him

Pepe to Arsenal at 70mil is a bad one. But that feels more like a terrible transfer than a flop as they should never have been paying so much for him. Coutinho was our best player and while we did rinse Barca , I thought he would be great there.

Going back further,  Shevchenko to Chelsea is the one I always think of. For sure he was 30 and Abramovich wanted him a lot more than Mourinho, injuries etc. But British record signing and arrived with such pedigree and hype. Utterly flopped.

[B0151?]

Think of the last 10 years it does have to be him

Pepe to Arsenal at 70mil is a bad one. But that feels more like a terrible transfer than a flop as they should never have been paying so much for him. Coutinho was our best player and while we did rinse Barca , I thought he would be great there.

Going back further,  Shevchenko to Chelsea is the one I always think of. For sure he was 30 and Abramovich wanted him a lot more than Mourinho, injuries etc. But British record signing and arrived with such pedigree and hype. Utterly flopped.

Just read the OP, didn't realise was an old thread. I'll have to think.

[The North Bank]

Sancho, Antony, Ndombele (60m), Richarlison (60m) 1 league goal all season and lots of chicken celebrations ruled out by var. Mudryk (90m) 1 assist. Kepa(worlds most expensive keeper), Koulibaly (like most recent chelsea signings ). Maguire (80m). Pepe seems the go to guy, probably because unlike other clubs arsenal cant afford such mistakes so they get highlighted more.

[Jwils21]

I’ll always put Balotelli in the “what could’ve been” category.

Massive potential in his Inter days (and some clashes with Mourinho), then moved to City where under Mancini he had everything set up for him to grow into a world class forward. He had a decent enough goal return but his disciplinary record was shite and everyone bemoaned his lack of effort in training.

Moved to AC where the slower pace seemed to suit him and he clocked decent goal numbers again, then came the bizarre decision to bring him to the reds. 4 goals, a lack of any real desire and more criticism of poor training later and he was back at Milan on loan. Klopp essentially exiled him and that was that.

He’s had six different clubs since 2016, with a steady decline, now at Sion at 32.

It’s telling that he’s never managed 100 league appearances at any club, despite always having a relatively sound goal return. Except for us of course, where he will most famously be remembered for being part of our dreadful 2014/15 season.

[Persephone]

He was tanatalising though, wasn't he? You always felt there was so much there, and sometimes he showed it.

The Barca semi-final was his Liverpool career in microcosm. Poor first half, crucial assist in the second. Just needed an inexplicable long-term injury to polish it off. Feelings which were probably also familiar to fans of Inter and Bayern.

"Flop" might be unfair (Lyon would argue, mind) - but not reaching his potential, perhaps?

I'd definitely go with not reaching his potential. Oh Lord that Barca semi where he passed the ball directly to the opposition leading to two attacks, had me hyperventilating only for him to pop up with that great cross for Gini. He was worth the money for that instant pass to Mo for that wonder goal against West Ham(?)

[rob1966]

Sancho, Antony, Ndombele (60m), Richarlison (60m) 1 league goal all season and lots of chicken celebrations ruled out by var. Mudryk (90m) 1 assist. Kepa(worlds most expensive keeper), Koulibaly (like most recent chelsea signings ). Maguire (80m). Pepe seems the go to guy, probably because unlike other clubs arsenal cant afford such mistakes so they get highlighted more.

Nah Maguire has been the success story of the past 10 years, absolutely dreadful footballer who somehow gets paid £170,000 a week, stuff of dreams

[lamonti]

Pogba and Kepa, pound for pound.

[Iska]

I’ll always put Balotelli in the “what could’ve been” category.

Balotelli is a good shout. He definitely has that early hype needed before you can become a flop. And he genuinely could be brilliant - I’m thinking of the Euro 2012 semifinal where he battered Germany. But he just never had it mentally. I’m a bit surprised to see he’s still pulled out a decent career, if a nomadic one. I guess he found a level he could operate at.

Guys like Dele Alli are far more intriguing. Genuinely brilliant player and by most accounts a nice, thoughtful fella - but who then go to zero and you never find out why. David Bentley was another one at Spurs. You hope these guys pull through alright because the reasons could be horrible ones. Not sure if anyone like that has ever done an autobiography but it be fascinating reading.

[A Red Abroad]

Balotelli is a good shout. He definitely has that early hype needed before you can become a flop. And he genuinely could be brilliant - I’m thinking of the Euro 2012 semifinal where he battered Germany. But he just never had it mentally. I’m a bit surprised to see he’s still pulled out a decent career, if a nomadic one. I guess he found a level he could operate at.

Guys like Dele Alli are far more intriguing. Genuinely brilliant player and by most accounts a nice, thoughtful fella - but who then go to zero and you never find out why. David Bentley was another one at Spurs. You hope these guys pull through alright because the reasons could be horrible ones. Not sure if anyone like that has ever done an autobiography but it be fascinating reading.

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