Where did my career go (the Francis Jeffers Story)

flyswatter

Good idea for a thread, but a bit disappointed as I was expecting a story from Jeffers himself on how he sees his career.

Vicente mentioned earlier was a fantastic player, nearly world class I'd say. Probably still is very good. How he is at Brighton is baffling to me.

Thatsfootball

Have a look at the "obscure 00 footballers" page on facebook lads! Some great memories there!

mike65

MrMatisse

Michael Tonge, Touted for a move to Liverpool after one FA cup run with Sheffield Utd

Jon Stead

Michael Chopra

Florent Sinama Pongolle

Anthony Le Tallec

Mendieta ( How did he end up at Middlesbrough !)

Ahem......Ravel Morrison.....

Juwwi

Graham Barrett.

Father Damo

Paul McShane :pac:

Seriously, it seems an awful long time ago that after his first match vs the Czechs he became a national hero for a brief period! The papers were sending journos to his hometown to get the lowdown on who this new star was and all that shabang! He really did seem to be on the cusp of something.

iregk

Kerrydude1981 wrote: »

Probably the strangest career of them all was the career of Winston Bogarde

Not really. If you read his book where he talks a lot about his upbringing it actually makes perfect sense what he did at Chelsea. Not to defend him in anyway.

Someone mentioned Jermaine Jenas? Really? A consistently, if utterly useless, playing central midfielder in the premiership for the past 10 years! No he's not very good but I'd put him way further into the punching above his weight category rather than a where did my career go one.

Also someone mentioned Torres which I assume is a Liverpool fan having a cheeky dig. Joint 2nd top scorer in prem for the team that's currently sitting on top of the table and joint top scorer at the recent euros. Champions League and European Championship winner in the same season. Where has his career gone indeed. Poor bloke.

Father Damo

iregk wrote: »

Also someone mentioned Torres which I assume is a Liverpool fan having a cheeky dig. Joint 2nd top scorer in prem for the team that's currently sitting on top of the table and joint top scorer at the recent euros. Champions League and European Championship winner in the same season. Where has his career gone indeed. Poor bloke.

Liverpool nearly ended his career. I lost most of my liking for them after that.

wandatowell

Helix wrote: »

The word is he invested most of his income in south American produce

There's always money in the Banana stand

iregk

Actually Robbie Fowler as someone in the office here shouted.

Nalz

TaosHum wrote: »

Jermaine Jenas also promised much, signed for Newcastle when he was 18/19 for 5m, where he did well to his credit. Went to Spurs then for 7m, where thing didn't work out for him. Now on-loan from Villa to Forest.

I think he went on loan to Villa, back to Spurs and then on loan to Notts Forest

Kerrydude1981

Trilla wrote: »

I think he went on loan to Villa, back to Spurs and then on loan to Notts Forest

When he told people that they had the wrong pronunciation of his second name it was all downhill from there on

klose

iregk wrote: »

Also someone mentioned Torres which I assume is a Liverpool fan having a cheeky dig. Joint 2nd top scorer in prem for the team that's currently sitting on top of the table and joint top scorer at the recent euros. Champions League and European Championship winner in the same season. Where has his career gone indeed. Poor bloke.

Probably it was and tis bollocks even mentioning him but he's had a serious fall from grace at Chelsea as a player. He seems to be finding form lately ill give him that but he was fairly awful for the most part of his career there so far. And as for joint top scorer two of them where against us in the euros :pac: ****e point I know...

Father Damo wrote: »

Liverpool nearly ended his career. I lost most of my liking for them after that.

I know people say this a lot but....


Ah heeeeeryor, leave it ouuut

Gringo180

Steve Marlet. I think Fulham paid something like 12 million for him :eek:

Sergei Rebrov is another, he was fantastic up front with Shevchenko for a quality Dynamo Kiev side. Went to Spurs and the West Ham but was never the same player.

Kleberson
Marcelino
Poborsky
Alves

starviewadams

Mark Burchill,young striker for Celtic back in the 90's.Touted as the Scottish Michael Owen for a while.

Jeremie Aliadiere at Arsenal,one of my friends used to rave about him years ago,haven't heard anything about him in years.

smackbunnybaby

All these lads mentioned so far ended up at Sheff Wed for a period of time.

Others to include, 1 who was also at Sheff Wed:

Michael Reddy (Falklands rumours going around)
Darren Caskey
Nicky Barmby (although around, got ****)

I saw Collins John pop up at Barnet at the weekend.

looder

starviewadams wrote: »

Mark Burchill,young striker for Celtic back in the 90's.Touted as the Scottish Michael Owen for a while.

Jeremie Aliadiere at Arsenal,one of my friends used to rave about him years ago,haven't heard anything about him in years.

Aliadere is playing in France now in Ligue one so not really a fall from grace totally. I got his team one day playing a friend in Fifa. We were randomising teams. Aliadere scored an 89th minute screamer so I've a bit of a soft spot for him

LiamoSail

Gringo180 wrote: »

Steve Marlet. I think Fulham paid something like 12 million for him :eek:

Sergei Rebrov is another, he was fantastic up front with Shevchenko for a quality Dynamo Kiev side. Went to Spurs and the West Ham but was never the same player.

Kleberson
Marcelino
Poborsky
Alves

Poborski ended up spends a few years with lazio and I think benfica. Hardly franny Jeffers style

Rikand

iregk wrote: »

Actually Robbie Fowler as someone in the office here shouted.

Career did tail off a bit alright at the end, but he's hardly a francis jeffers 4th top goal scorer in the premier league's history and no matter where he went, continued to score goals at an impressive rate

On top of that, he's got a massive property portfolio now and is a multi multi millionaire, so he's probably done alright for himself

Kerrydude1981

Rickylovesuall wrote: »

Career did tail off a bit alright at the end, but he's hardly a francis jeffers 4th top goal scorer in the premier league's history and no matter where he went, continued to score goals at an impressive rate

On top of that, he's got a massive property portfolio now and is a multi multi millionaire, so he's probably done alright for himself

Remember that sketch that Soccer AM used do about Fowler and McManaman
used always end with the line "want to buy a house"

iregk

Rickylovesuall wrote: »

Career did tail off a bit alright at the end, but he's hardly a francis jeffers 4th top goal scorer in the premier league's history and no matter where he went, continued to score goals at an impressive rate

On top of that, he's got a massive property portfolio now and is a multi multi millionaire, so he's probably done alright for himself

Oh absolutely I'm sure he isn't short of a few bob. Of course you can't rule out his record but if you look at it through his career it does read for a slowly degrading career when really we should be looking at Robbie Fowler as one of the all time greats. For those of us that saw him at his peak (early years) he was one of the best pure finishers we've ever seen.

His career:
Tore it up for Liverpool until the age of 26
Also had a good rate for Leets until 28 then he started his collapse.

Should be at his peak now but had a below average spell at city until 31.

Returned to Liverpool for a frankly waste of time spell other than a great bout of nostalgia and amazing shirt sales.

Then dwindled down Cardiff, Blackburn and Australia (clubs obviously) not really scoring and piling on weight.

Given his talent he should have been doing a Batistuta and banging them in until well into his 30's! When he should have been at his peak he started his (to quote sickboy) "uninterrupted downward trajectory!"

meriwether

Here is the Arsenal squad form Olympiakos CL match 2009 - we had top spot sorted so he sent out a young team. It was:

21 Fabianski - current squad member and injured
18 Silvestre - retired, mercifully.
34 Bartley - sold this summer
36 Cruise - on loan, then sold.
42 Gilbert - sold
14 Walcott - Walcott is Walcott
16 Ramsey - first teamer
17 Song Billong - Barcelona
19 Wilshere (Sunu 77) - Wilshere is first teamer but injured. No idea what Sunu is at.
32 Merida yellow card12 Vela - both gone
Substitutes24 Mannone, - current starter
37 Eastmond, - loan
46 Ayling, - no idea
35 Coquelin, -squad member, pushing on door for team spot, won't make it.
48 Randall, - no idea
51 Sunu - as above.

A pretty poor attrition rate for some young players who have played in the CL (and played well that night too).

meriwether

Arsenal:
Fabianski,
Hoyte,
Djourou,
Song Billong (Lansbury 70),
Gibbs,
Randall,
Ramsey,
Merida (Coquelin 71),
Wilshere,
Bendtner (Simpson 71),
Vela.Subs Not Used:
Mannone,
Emmanuel-Thomas,
Ogogo,
Frimpong.

Goals: Bendtner 31, 42, Vela 44, 50, Wilshere 57, Vela 87.

The above is the squad Arsenal had in 2008 when they hammered full strength Sheffiel;d United 6-0 in the Carling cup (SU were relegated from Premiership the previous summer).

I started to get really, really excited abiut the future that night. Oh well.

I bolded the players (Vela, JET, Merida and Djourou) who I thought had super careers ahead of them.
All have been disappointing. It just shows how difficlult it is to make it.

Ashbourne hoop

meriwether wrote: »

Here is the Arsenal squad form Olympiakos CL match 2009 - we had top spot sorted so he sent out a young team. It was:

21 Fabianski - current squad member and injured
18 Silvestre - retired, mercifully.
34 Bartley - sold this summer
36 Cruise - on loan, then sold.
42 Gilbert - sold
14 Walcott - Walcott is Walcott
16 Ramsey - first teamer
17 Song Billong - Barcelona
19 Wilshere (Sunu 77) - Wilshere is first teamer but injured. No idea what Sunu is at.
32 Merida yellow card12 Vela - both gone
Substitutes24 Mannone, - current starter
37 Eastmond, - loan
46 Ayling, - no idea
35 Coquelin, -squad member, pushing on door for team spot, won't make it.
48 Randall, - no idea
51 Sunu - as above.

A pretty poor attrition rate for some young players who have played in the CL (and played well that night too).

Gilbert was at Shamrock Rovers this year. Truly awful footballer. He had no first touch, which amazed me as he played CL football. One of the worst I've ever seen in a hoops jersey, and I've seen some duds.

Kerrydude1981

Michael Ricketts was another who looked like he was going to be a top player in his younger days with Bolton,for one reason or another he cant seem to stay at any club for a long period of time and ended up with Tranmere who released him,I think he is retired now.

iregk

Ashbourne hoop wrote: »

Gilbert was at Shamrock Rovers this year. Truly awful footballer. He had no first touch, which amazed me as he played CL football. One of the worst I've ever seen in a hoops jersey, and I've seen some duds.

He was awful. You're right, no first touch, no positional awareness, turned inside out way too easily. Amazing given how bad he was for us that he was a CL group stage player. The only thing he had in his locker was pace.

meriwether

Kerrydude1981 wrote: »

Michael Ricketts was another who looked like he was going to be a top player in his younger days with Bolton,for one reason or another he cant seem to stay at any club for a long period of time and ended up with Tranmere who released him,I think he is retired now.

Also went to Shamrock Rovers IIRC.

As did Graham Barrett. Perhaps a hoop can confirm this. But Im pretty confident I saw Barrett in Tallaght a few years back - either 1-0 against Bohs, or 2-2 against Dundalk.

iregk

meriwether wrote: »

Also went to Shamrock Rovers IIRC.

That was Rohan Ricketts. Different people.

You are correct about Barrett however he did come to us for a bit. Was both good and terrible and didn't score a lot.

Kerrydude1981

meriwether wrote: »

Also went to Shamrock Rovers IIRC.

As did Graham Barrett. Perhaps a hoop can confirm this. But Im pretty confident I saw Barrett in Tallaght a few years back - either 1-0 against Bohs, or 2-2 against Dundalk.

That was Rohan Ricketts,

Blazer

Kerrydude1981 wrote: »

Probably the strangest career of them all was the career of Winston Bogarde

From wiki...in fairness I'd have told the club the same..


Bogarde signed for Chelsea in 2000–01, after following the advice of compatriot Mario Melchiot to join him at the London club.[3] He was signed when Gianluca Vialli was manager — although the latter had no idea the transfer was happening, it arguably being conducted by director of football Colin Hutchinson.[4] Emerson Thome, also a centre-back, was shipped off to Sunderland.[5] Only weeks after signing his contract with the club, newly-appointed manager Claudio Ranieri wanted the player to leave.[6]
According to Bogarde, it would be next to impossible to find a team that would offer him a contract comparable to the one he had at Chelsea; he was astounded at the salary the club had agreed on, as his value depreciated severely due to lack of first-team action. He decided to stay at Chelsea honouring his contract to the letter (as he could not get a similar salary anywhere else) and appearing to training every day, but only played for the team very sparingly.[7] Of his contract he said, "Why should I throw fifteen million Euro away when it is already mine? At the moment I signed it was in fact my money, my contract." In the end, he only appeared eleven times during his four-year contract, reportedly earning £40,000 a week during this period. Furthermore, Chelsea won a domestic trophy during this period triggering a bonus payment in agreement with his contract, despite Bogarde not featuring at all for Chelsea that season.[8]
After playing as a substitute against Ipswich Town on Boxing Day in 2000,[9] Bogarde only made one more appearance for Chelsea's first team before his contract expired in July 2004; it was also made from the bench, against Gillingham for the season's League Cup, on 6 November 2002.[10]
During his period at Chelsea, the club repeatedly tried to offload Bogarde because of his inflated wages. When there were no takers, Chelsea demoted him to the reserve and youth teams in an effort to force Bogarde to leave. He also became a figure of ridicule in the English press for his alleged selfishness.[11] Of the derision he received at the hands of the press, Bogarde responded, 'This world is about money, so when you are offered those millions you take them. Few people will ever earn so many. I am one of the few fortunates who do. I may be one of the worst buys in the history of the Premiership but I don't care

GavRedKing

Just on that Bogarde piece, currently Malouda is doing the same.

Wasnt offered a new contract with us and had a year left on his contract, reportedly between 80-90k a week, he didnt accept a lower salary to play in Brazil so hes seeing out his final year in the youths/reserves.

TBh, I'd do the exact same if I was in my 30's and was been offered considerably less money to move half way across the world, it maybe a baad attitude to have but put yourself in his shoes, imagine coming home to your wife telling her you're moving the whole family to brazil for 40k a year when you were earning 80k where you were.

Wexfordboy89

darren potter 5caps for ireland played in champions league for liverpool.think hes a millwall or mk dons now.might have been mentioned already but Keith O'Neill 13 caps 4 goals for ireland had too retire because of some degenerative bone condition

meriwether

GavRedKing wrote: »

Just on that Bogarde piece, currently Malouda is doing the same.

Wasnt offered a new contract with us and had a year left on his contract, reportedly between 80-90k a week, he didnt accept a lower salary to play in Brazil so hes seeing out his final year in the youths/reserves.

TBh, I'd do the exact same if I was in my 30's and was been offered considerably less money to move half way across the world, it maybe a baad attitude to have but put yourself in his shoes, imagine coming home to your wife telling her you're moving the whole family to brazil for 40k a year when you were earning 80k where you were.

Do you have a job Gav?

If you were offered twice your salary to move to the competition, would you go? Of course you would.

So would I, and I don't expect any less of Winston Bogarde, or any other human (of which soccer players mainly are).

I don't expect players to not be motivated by money, but when the occasional one turns up who isnt, they deserve credit.

GavRedKing

meriwether wrote: »

Do you have a job Gav?

If you were offered twice your salary to move to the competition, would you go? Of course you would.

So would I, and I don't expect any less of Winston Bogarde, or any other human (of which soccer players mainly are).

I don't expect players to not be motivated by money, but when the occasional one turns up who isnt, they deserve credit.

Exactly, if I was offered 25% of my wages I'd move, so I can understand both Malouda and Bogarde's situation.

If someone is silly enough to give you stupid money for 3/4 years then thats their problem in the first problem.

I think Luque at Newcastle was the same a few years ago, he met the club officials and asked for a ridicolous amount of money not expecting to get it and it was given to him to his surprise.

Quazzie

GavRedKing wrote: »

imagine coming home to your wife telling her you're moving the whole family to brazil for 40k a year when you were earning 80k where you were.

For most people that'd be the case but the figures quoted are weekly wages. Try for a second to comprehend how much money that is over a year. Tis madness.

Wexfordboy89

keith foy scored the winner against italy in u16 euro champs final in 1998 went to england a year or two later to play for Notts Forrest and Doncaster rovers last i heard about him he was at monaghan united a few years ago

GavRedKing

Quazzie wrote: »

For most people that'd be the case but the figures quoted are weekly wages. Try for a second to comprehend how much money that is over a year. Tis madness.

Oh I know, totally.

For footballers, especially a guy like Malouda who has probably already earned himself millions from his career it shouldnt matter to much but it probably means he cant give money to charity that he usually does then he'll sit on his inflated wages for another year.

gnfnrhead

meriwether wrote: »

Arsenal:
Fabianski,
Hoyte,
Djourou,
Song Billong (Lansbury 70),
Gibbs,
Randall,
Ramsey,
Merida (Coquelin 71),
Wilshere,
Bendtner (Simpson 71),
Vela.Subs Not Used:
Mannone,
Emmanuel-Thomas,
Ogogo,
Frimpong.

Goals: Bendtner 31, 42, Vela 44, 50, Wilshere 57, Vela 87.

The above is the squad Arsenal had in 2008 when they hammered full strength Sheffiel;d United 6-0 in the Carling cup (SU were relegated from Premiership the previous summer).

I started to get really, really excited abiut the future that night. Oh well.

I bolded the players (Vela, JET, Merida and Djourou) who I thought had super careers ahead of them.
All have been disappointing. It just shows how difficlult it is to make it.

Gibbs, Ramsey, Wilshere and Mannone are all match day players now. Gibbs and Wilshere starters and Mannone presently a starter (I still think Szczesny is number 1). Djourou, Coquelin and Frimpong are just outside the match day squad. Last season Song was one of the first names on the team sheet. That's eight players (including Song) who have made it either to the first team or are close to it. Not a bad return imo, especially considering they were all youngsters at the time. Not everyone makes it.

meriwether

gnfnrhead wrote: »

Gibbs, Ramsey, Wilshere and Mannone are all match day players now. Gibbs and Wilshere starters and Mannone presently a starter (I still think Szczesny is number 1). Djourou, Coquelin and Frimpong are just outside the match day squad. Last season Song was one of the first names on the team sheet. That's eight players (including Song) who have made it either to the first team or are close to it. Not a bad return imo, especially considering they were all youngsters at the time. Not everyone makes it.

Granted, but my point was that the potential stand out stars (Jack excluded) didn't really make it (notably JET).

Gibbs was getting the odd game in the senior team, at that stage too.

meriwether

GavRedKing wrote: »

Oh I know, totally.

For footballers, especially a guy like Malouda who has probably already earned himself millions from his career it shouldnt matter to much but it probably means he cant give money to charity that he usually does then he'll sit on his inflated wages for another year.

There's no such thing as too much money.

It might be a hell of a leap from us guys on our wage to what Winston was pulling in, but Winston doesn't see it that way. His 'new norm' was 40k a week. He got used to it. Just like mwe get used to our new wage when we get a payrise, then go about seeking how to get more.

razorblunt

Ian Selley - first player I heard about having a dreaded leg break, think it was in an FA Cup game or something.

Kerrydude1981

Wexfordboy89 wrote: »

keith foy scored the winner against italy in u16 euro champs final in 1998 went to england a year or two later to play for Notts Forrest and Doncaster rovers last i heard about him he was at monaghan united a few years ago

Shaun Byrne the captain of that side now plays with Slough Town,heres where the rest of the team finished up with their club from 1998 in brackets
Surely someone on here knows if Keith Foy and Brendan McMahon are still stuck in football playing at some level?


Joe Murphy : Coventry City (Tranmere Rovers)
John Thompson : Mansfield Town (Home Farm)
Keith Foy : ???? (Nottingham Forest)
Jim Goodwin : St Mirren (Celtic)
John O'Shea : Sunderland (Waterford Bohs)
Andy Reid : Nottingham Forest (Nottingham Forset)
Shaun Byrne : Slough Town (West Ham)
Brendan McGill : Free Agent (Rivervalley Rangers)
David McMahon : ???? (Newcastle Utd)
Liam Miller : Perth Glory (Celtic)
Graham Barrett : Retired (Arsenal)

Blazer

GavRedKing wrote: »

I think Luque at Newcastle was the same a few years ago, he met the club officials and asked for a ridicolous amount of money not expecting to get it and it was given to him to his surprise.

Man...I was so excited when we signed him...he was bloody awesome and a goal machine....... in Football manager...unfortunately our scouts and bloody coaches must have been playing it as well when they signed him

Kerrydude1981

Blazer wrote: »

Man...I was so excited when we signed him...he was bloody awesome and a goal machine....... in Football manager...unfortunately our scouts and bloody coaches must have been playing it as well when they signed him

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvjI1J0ezcI

dreamers75

Foy was manager of one of Kilnamanaghs teams after he left Sligo.

Paully D

Father Damo wrote: »

Paul McShane :pac:

Seriously, it seems an awful long time ago that after his first match vs the Czechs he became a national hero for a brief period! The papers were sending journos to his hometown to get the lowdown on who this new star was and all that shabang! He really did seem to be on the cusp of something.

Should have seen his debut for Sunderland against Spurs mate, he was an absolute rock. I honestly thought we'd pulled off a huge coup by getting him in for £2.5m. Then we played Everton a few weeks later and he was at fault for around 5 of their 7 goals and the rest is history! :pac:

Wexfordboy89

owen garvan seems to have lost his way a bit ok hes only 24 and at crystal palace but 4 or 5 years ago he was being talked about being the next bit thing in irish football.and the young lad from dublin who was team mate at Ipswich town played in goal think he retired to be a chef or some thing.think the dublin senior football team wanted him to play for them this year.

Sgt Pepper 64

meriwether wrote: »

Do you have a job Gav?

If you were offered twice your salary to move to the competition, would you go? Of course you would.

So would I, and I don't expect any less of Winston Bogarde, or any other human (of which soccer players mainly are).

I don't expect players to not be motivated by money, but when the occasional one turns up who isnt, they deserve credit.

Matt Le Tiss!

dreamers75

Wexfordboy89 wrote: »

owen garvan seems to have lost his way a bit ok hes only 24 and at crystal palace but 4 or 5 years ago he was being talked about being the next bit thing in irish football.and the young lad from dublin who was team mate at Ipswich town played in goal think he retired to be a chef or some thing.think the dublin senior football team wanted him to play for them this year.

Goalie went to waterford and then wanted to play GAA.

Cant remember his name but he trained with St Pats at the start of the season and we didnt sign him.

Jason Todd

Wexfordboy89 wrote: »

owen garvan seems to have lost his way a bit ok hes only 24 and at crystal palace but 4 or 5 years ago he was being talked about being the next bit thing in irish football.and the young lad from dublin who was team mate at Ipswich town played in goal think he retired to be a chef or some thing.think the dublin senior football team wanted him to play for them this year.

Oh yeah, Owen Garvan, I had forgotten about him. I was sure he would be a regular in the national team by now. If Ipswich were on TV I'd leave it on to have a look at him, always very composed and good on the ball and liked a tackle iirc. Didn't he captain Ipswich for a time? Or am I thinking of Irish Under 21's or something? Pity he never made the next step up anyway although he's still doing alright if he's at Palace.