Victims of popular perception

pickarooney

There are a number of players the mention of whose names is consistently met with expressions of contempt - Phil Neville, Titus Bramble... In some cases the mockery is understandable and one really has to wonder what makes a responsible, professional manager stick with a player week-in, week-out when it's obvious to anyone watching that he's just not cutting it. But some players earn a reputation for one bad tackle, dropped cross, a silly haircut or nickname just a face that people can't stand, often even to the detriment of their careers.

David James is one example that springs to mind. One of the better goalkeepers in England in the last decade yet has never made the England number one position his own, largely, I reckon, to do with his playground-level tag of 'Calamity'. I had a few more in mind earlier but seem to have forgotten them.
What players stick out to you as victims of mob mentality or the exaggeration of a minor mistake in the past?

Pighead

Robbie Savage. Ok fair enough it seems that he's past it now but there was a period there of about 6 years were he was extremely effective in midfield yet still got ridiculed by most football fans. Probably because of his flowing long hair and tendency to cheat.

chopperbyrne

Lee Trundle

Soccer AM hyped him up, showing him make a mockery of third division teams every week.

He moved to a club in a higher division and where is the "Human Highlight Reel" now?

armour87

I still think Gary Neville is rubbish.

_blank_

chopperbyrne wrote: »

Lee Trundle

Soccer AM hyped him up showing him make a mockery of third division teams every week.

He moved to a club in a higher division and where is the "Human Highlight Reel" now?

And some deluded ninkimpoops still think he should get a game for Oirland.

Pigman II

Scott Carson is .... not to be included on this list.

Anyone see his latest clanger over the weekend? What a fool. Sort yer teeth out mate.

pickarooney

Yeah, Savage is definitely one. Jean-Alain Boumsong for me also

Spud83

Phil Neville is normally met with contempt in England as he cost them there place in a tournament cant remember which one it was but he conceded a penalty and was hated for ever more. Ask Everton fans about him though and I don’t think you would find too much contempt. Same from Utd fans, he was a great servant but just not good enough for the very top level.

As for Bramble well he is plainly just a terrible player who somehow managed to get a good rep as a kid and therefore some (bad) mangers still believe they can turn him around.

As for James in fairness before this year Robinson was playing extremely well for a club towards the top of the table. Plus he had youth on his side and if he kept up his form then he could have been England number one for over ten years, it was a combination of picking the younger option, and a player playing at a better team and performing well. Before Robinson I believe James got his shot but he was still likely to make a mistake he has only recently cut this out.

I have never heard of people giving out about Robbie Savage as a footballer, more likely is the fact people just hate him as a person. He come across as an arrogant little prick, who has achieved very little in the game yet believes he is some kind of superstar, also the fact he is a dirty little player too. At least players like Keane and Viera were up fornt about there dirtyness to some degree he is more likely to kick you when the ref aint lookin but then drop to ground clutching his face at the slighest bit of contact.

I cant really pick out a player that has been a victim of popular perception, there is always a reason behind these perceptions.

grames_bond

dider drogba!! no metter how clinical a striker he is, he'll always be seen in many peoples eyes as a filthy diver and terrible overacter!

yom 1

grames_bond wrote: »

dider drogba!! no metter how clinical a striker he is, he'll always be seen in many peoples eyes as a filthy diver and terrible overacter!

That's the thing though, you can have sympathy with the likes of James and Robinson. The have the calamity tag from going through a bad patch of form. This happens to everyone. But the likes of Drogba do themselves no favours, by diving/overacting/cheating. Im sure if you did a poll of what grates people most in football this would win it and as such people generally tend to hate players who have been shown time and time to be at this crap. If they are renowned for this, then no matter how good they are they deserve their tag, imo.

astrofool

Jason Lee, never got over his pineapple hairdo

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Lee_(footballer)

Although I see Torres is trying to single handedly bring back the mullet, they were all over the place in the Jervis Centre at the weekend *cringes*.

Charlie

Crouch to an extent has been branded as a lanky streak of pi$$, and perceived that the only talent he could possess is heading a ball (which in fact is one of his weaker abilities). Yet he has a great touch and can hold up the ball really well never mind score some cracking goals. It really baffles me that he gets left on the bench week in, week out, with Pool considering his goal scoring record, and those who are picked ahead of him.

Unearthly

armour87 wrote: »

I still think Gary Neville is rubbish.

Yeah well it wouldn't be a boards.ie football topic without someone making a stupid opinion.

I agree with Crouch, don't know why people keep saying he ir rubbish, always looked like a decent pro to me.

Pigman II

astrofool wrote: »

Jason Lee, never got over his pineapple hairdo

I think the problem with him was not just that he had a pineapple haircut but also that he appeared to play like a pineapple.

If he had actually been any good he could have worn his hair like Marge Simpson and nobody would have cared.

LuckyLloyd

charlie mchugh wrote: »

Crouch to an extent has been branded as a lanky streak of pi$$, and perceived that the only talent he could possess is heading a ball (which in fact is one of his weaker abilities). Yet he has a great touch and can hold up the ball really well never mind score some cracking goals. It really baffles me that he gets left on the bench week in, week out, with Pool considering his goal scoring record, and those who are picked ahead of him.

The perception that all big men should be clumsy and ooafish and be unable to control a ball is one of the funniest footballing perceptions.

I always lol when people say that Quinn / Koller / Crouch / Carew / Flo etc, etc "have a good touch ya know!" like it is something that should illicit shock and awe from us and is a point that has to be laboured constantly. OF COURSE THEY HAVE A GOOD TOUCH - THEY PLAY FOOTBALL AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL!!

Charlie

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

The perception that all big men should be clumsy and ooafish and be unable to control a ball is one of the funniest footballing perceptions.

I always lol when people say that Quinn / Koller / Crouch / Carew / Flo etc, etc "have a good touch ya know!" like it is something that should illicit shock and awe from us and is a point that has to be laboured constantly. OF COURSE THEY HAVE A GOOD TOUCH - THEY PLAY FOOTBALL AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL!!

You'd be surprised at how many Prem footballers don't have a good touch, can't flick a ball on with one touch passing, and can't keep a ball at their feet for the lay on. Honestly, watch MOTD and you will see countless number of players who frequently give the ball away, can't perform a one two etc. etc.

The England national team got schooled in this recently by Croatia, and its probably the weakest area of the English game in general.

So I am more than happy to praise footballers who do possess this skill, especially those who are perceived as lanky heading machines, devoid of any technical ability.

aidan24326

pickarooney wrote: »

There are a number of players the mention of whose names is consistently met with expressions of contempt - Phil Neville, Titus Bramble... In some cases the mockery is understandable and one really has to wonder what makes a responsible, professional manager stick with a player week-in, week-out when it's obvious to anyone watching that he's just not cutting it. But some players earn a reputation for one bad tackle, dropped cross, a silly haircut or nickname just a face that people can't stand, often even to the detriment of their careers.

Phil Neville has been a solid pro over the years and is still holding his place in a good Everton team. Titus Bramble is a player who has been sh1t for several years and is somehow still playing at the top level.

Agree with Pighead that Robbie Savage always got a raw deal. A decent player and not as much of a diver/cheat/arrogant twat etc as he was made out to be.

Drogba deserves the criticism because he IS a diving person, and it's the one thing that really gets up everyone's nose when you see a player falling over like he's just been shot when he hasn't even been touched.

Dida made a complete fool of himself at Celtic and went down in my estimation after that incident. Same goes for Rivaldo when he tried to get the Turkish player sent off that time. Ball hits him on foot he goes down clutching his head in need of urgent medical attention. That sort of nonsense should see the acting/cheating player get a straight red.

LuckyLloyd

charlie mchugh wrote: »

You'd be surprised at how many Prem footballers don't have a good touch, can't flick a ball on with one touch passing, and can't keep a ball at their feet for the lay on. Honestly, watch MOTD and you will see countless number of players who frequently give the ball away, can't perform a one two etc. etc.

The England national team got schooled in this recently by Croatia, and its probably the weakest area of the English game in general.

So I am more than happy to praise footballers who do possess this skill, especially those who are perceived as lanky heading machines, devoid of any technical ability.

Meh, I was at Citeh / Spurs over the weekend and the one thing that stood out was the general level of technical competence and athletic dynamism. You forget that these things are all relative. But most big men who operate at the top level in the game are there because their level of skill is much, much higher than the big men at the lower levels. Think about the abillity levels of the likes of Vieri and Toni to name another two. You should expect that a big striker at the top level is competent to exceptional in terms of touch and technique. Not the other way around.

pd101

The first one that comes to mind is Crouch. I think its starting to happen to Stephen Hunt recently though.

MrJoeSoap

chopperbyrne wrote: »

He moved to a club in a higher division and where is the "Human Highlight Reel" now?

I take it you don't follow the Championship so? Bristol City are 2nd.