Old Codger 3,039 Posted May 17, 2022 Author Share Posted May 17, 2022 Probably before your time, but always thought Charlie George was going to be world class but after his first few years seemed to just phone it in a lot of the time 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Hendrie_7 1,068 Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 Franny Jeffers maybe? He was seen as a bit of a boy wonder at Everton then got his big move to Arsenal and just did nowt, I don't even know where he ended up after them. 3 Link to post Share on other sites
TeaCider24 12,397 Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 (edited) 34 minutes ago, Changing Times said: Regarding Dele Alli, can anyone think of another player who has declined so much at a relatively young age? You see players decline cos of age, and sometimes injuries do for them, but he’s 26 and as far as I’m aware he hasn’t been knackered with injury. He’s basically gone from being a very good player who potentially could have played for anyone to a shadow of himself. I was trying to think of other examples but I’m struggling. Won't say I'd heard of him, because I wasn't born, but Robin Friday. Saw a bunch of Reading fans discussing him on Twitter recently, saying he was one of their best ever players, and he only play 4 years of league football before going off the rails because of his attitude. Obviously it's hard to judge how good he was because it was lower division, but that was the first player that popped in to my head. Link to post Share on other sites
Changing Times 12,211 Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 Just now, Hendrie_7 said: Franny Jeffers maybe? He was seen as a bit of a boy wonder at Everton then got his big move to Arsenal and just did nowt, I don't even know where he ended up after them. I don’t know whether he’d got to the level Alli had though. I don’t even remember him being that good really, just did a bit as a youngster and then got a big move. Did arsenal sign Richard Wright about the same time and his career nosedived as well? Link to post Share on other sites
Changing Times 12,211 Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 4 minutes ago, TeaCider24 said: Won't say I'd heard of him, because I wasn't born, but Robin Friday. Saw a bunch of Reading fans discussing him on Twitter recently, saying he was one of their best ever players, and he only play 4 years of league football before going off the rails because of his attitude. Obviously it's hard to judge how good he was because it was lower division, but that was the first player that popped in to my head. I read a book about him years back. Interesting character 🙂 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Old Codger 3,039 Posted May 17, 2022 Author Share Posted May 17, 2022 Perhaps Stephen Bell.. amazing player but got no help from club when his partner's health deteriorated and was more or less done by the age of twenty Link to post Share on other sites
Changing Times 12,211 Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 14 minutes ago, Old Codger said: Perhaps Stephen Bell.. amazing player but got no help from club when his partner's health deteriorated and was more or less done by the age of twenty I thought he was a victim of the booze? Link to post Share on other sites
samboro 10 Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 What about Joe Hart. Was top keeper and Englands number one and then found himself 3rd choice at Burnley. Link to post Share on other sites
Old Codger 3,039 Posted May 17, 2022 Author Share Posted May 17, 2022 in the end , yes but he was all about confidence and when he needed an arm around his shoulder, it wasn't there . his mates were a dodgy bunch and took a lend of his inability to see through them. Wouldn't have put it past them to pull things on him "for a laugh", Always saddened me that he had Allison for a manager.. Rioch might have saved him. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Old Codger 3,039 Posted May 17, 2022 Author Share Posted May 17, 2022 https://footballpink.net/2018-10-25-tropic-of-boro-the-stephen-bell-story/ 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Changing Times 12,211 Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 6 minutes ago, samboro said: What about Joe Hart. Was top keeper and Englands number one and then found himself 3rd choice at Burnley. Yeah I suppose his career did seem to fall away quite quickly. Link to post Share on other sites
Weasel 965 Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, Changing Times said: Regarding Dele Alli, can anyone think of another player who has declined so much at a relatively young age? You see players decline cos of age, and sometimes injuries do for them, but he’s 26 and as far as I’m aware he hasn’t been knackered with injury. He’s basically gone from being a very good player who potentially could have played for anyone to a shadow of himself. I was trying to think of other examples but I’m struggling. He's definitely dropped off massively and a lot of that's on him, but he's not entirely to blame. He played an insane amount of football from a young age so his peak probably isn't the same age range as the average footballer. A good graphic from louorns on twitter, makes Sterling's career look even more impressive: Link to post Share on other sites
tmcc 583 Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 3 hours ago, Neverbefore said: His last good season was in 17/18, he had had 2 good seasons before that. He's had 4 rubbish ones since that. Class isn't always permanent, not when you've had more bad seasons than good in your career, and none of the good ones have been in the last 4 years. last good season was 17/18? he got 5 goals and 3 assists in 25 games in 18/19 and he got 8 goal with 4 assists in 25 games in 19/20. 8 in 25 is pretty decent by any midfield standard. So realistically he's had two bad seasons, i just don't see how that forces him into the championship so soon.Especially when he only went on loan 6 months with a transfer fee added of 40 million. No championship side could afford him even he was willing to move down. Also, he's only 26 and had 37 caps for England. Those facts coupled with his early career ability will probs lead to plenty of clubs well above championship level to be willing to take a punt on him. Link to post Share on other sites
PsychFur 128 Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 1 hour ago, Changing Times said: Regarding Dele Alli, can anyone think of another player who has declined so much at a relatively young age? You see players decline cos of age, and sometimes injuries do for them, but he’s 26 and as far as I’m aware he hasn’t been knackered with injury. He’s basically gone from being a very good player who potentially could have played for anyone to a shadow of himself. I was trying to think of other examples but I’m struggling. I think David Bentley runs him close. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Changing Times 12,211 Posted May 17, 2022 Share Posted May 17, 2022 6 minutes ago, Weasel said: He's definitely dropped off massively and a lot of that's on him, but he's not entirely to blame. He played an insane amount of football from a young age so his peak probably isn't the same age range as the average footballer. A good graphic from louorns on twitter, makes Sterling's career look even more impressive: I suppose but if his decline started say 2 years ago then you’re talking about him being finished at 24. None of the others on that list have that issue? Interesting though. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
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