Falls from grace in football

Guffy

Freddy adu... after all the hype

LiamoSail

Dempsey wrote: »

Stig Tofting I think

Didn't he witness his father murder his mother or something like that, ended up in jail himself

SweepTheLeg

SureYWouldntYa wrote: »

How has Fernando Torres not been mentioned ? Gone from one of the most feared strikers, to well Torres

Still playing Premiership football. Won the CL, Europa, Euro 2012 whilst picking up the golden boot for that. Will probably win the Fa cup and the league this season.

Hardly comparable to players falling into non league teams.

The_Kew_Tour

Strongbow10 wrote: »

what was the tweet?

LiamoSail wrote: »

Something along the lines of Karen Brady congratulating him on signing for Birmingham and him in turn congratulating her for signing such a good player

That is the one. I google it but shocked did not pop up. I search around see if can find it in hibs forum later.

retalivity

Adrian mutu
That fella from everton from 10 urs ago who is now in jail...branch?

Dempsey

LiamoSail wrote: »

Didn't he witness his father murder his mother or something like that, ended up in jail himself

Father murdered his mother and then shot himself, imagine any kid coming home to that! :eek:

Done jail time for nutting someone!

LiamoSail

retalivity wrote: »

Adrian mutu
That fella from everton from 10 urs ago who is now in jail...branch?

Mark Ward?

Moneymaker

kryogen wrote: »

Kaka had a fall from grace of sorts

You seen any Milan games lately?

He's the one shining light in a very, very dark period in Milan's history.

Chazz Michael Michaels

A lot of very, very short falls being posted here.

Vinz Mesrine

retalivity wrote: »

Adrian mutu
That fella from everton from 10 urs ago who is now in jail...branch?

Michael Branch

Iused2likebusts

I am pie wrote: »

Didn't Neil Webb end up being a postman, lost the lot.

he always had a great delivery could never stamp himself on a game though.:pac:
Kevin Doyle has fallen from grace of late. There was talk of him going to some top 6 teams a few years back.

onemorechance

George Best; left United at around the same age as Beckham did, 27, and that was pretty much his career over, despite about 15 clubs over the next ten years from almost every continent bar Africa I think!

Dempsey

Andy Van Der Meyde is another substance abuser who's life quickly spiralled out of control

SweepTheLeg

kryogen wrote: »

Kaka had a fall from grace of sorts

Not having that. Injury halted his career, unlike most of his Brazillian team mates, he's heavily religious and doesn't drink.

Great to see him comeback strong for Milan.

eh i dunno

Branch and Ward both had stints in jail. Branch is still behind bars

What about Phil Brown? Talking himself up for the England job at one stage....now manager of Southend.

artanevilla

Nii Lampty

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/448663-a-tragic-career-the-tale-of-nii-lamptey

Blatter

Michael Owen had a pretty big fall from grace, mainly due to injuries.

GTR63

SweepTheLeg wrote: »

Not having that. Injury halted his career, unlike most of his Brazillian team mates, he's heavily religious and doesn't drink.

Great to see him comeback strong for Milan.

Wish Balotelli would follow his example but I already gave up on that.
I'd bring up Robinho out of anyone at Milan. Michael Owen fair fizzled out too, anyone remember him doing anything at Stoke?
Besides being insulted by the dull Alan Hansen.

Moneymaker

Albert Luque.

kryogen

Moneymaker wrote: »

You seen any Milan games lately?

He's the one shining light in a very, very dark period in Milan's history.

Thats why I said of sorts, he is returning to form after a pretty torrid time at Madrid, went there as one of the top players in the world, he wasted away there. The move back to Milan has rejuventated him some what.

Hes not the only shining light either by the way

kryogen

SweepTheLeg wrote: »

Not having that. Injury halted his career, unlike most of his Brazillian team mates, he's heavily religious and doesn't drink.

Great to see him comeback strong for Milan.

So Kaka didnt go from being one of the best in the world to being on the peripheral at Madrid?

Dunno how else you define that is not a fall from grace of sorts!

Chazz Michael Michaels

Starting to get a bit lame now.

Kolo Toure. Used to play for table topping Man City, now plays for Liverpool in lowly fourth.

Oh, the shame...

Speak Now

George Weahs erm...cousin.

Fr Tod Umptious

Dempsey wrote: »

You not thinking of Poyet @ Brighton by any chance?

Nope, that was to recent.
I just checked it and it was actually Gregory who I was think of
He was sacked from Derby in 2003 for misconduct, resulting court cases meant that he could not manage other clubs for a number of years after the event.

GTR63

kryogen wrote: »

Hes not the only shining light either by the way

???

SweepTheLeg

kryogen wrote: »

So Kaka didnt go from being one of the best in the world to being on the peripheral at Madrid?

Dunno how else you define that is not a fall from grace of sorts!

He was good for Madrid when he played, being injured months at a time would of course affect him. But hardly a fall from grace now he's back to playing his best football again.

GLaDOS

Not quite the same level as some mentioned but John Paul "Joxer" Kelly.

Was well thought of as a youth in Liverpool but left due to supposed homesickness.

Joined Bohs back in Ireland and was a regular in our double winning season in 08.

However was released at the end of the season and joined Drogs, where he left 12 games into the season.

Doesn't play football anymore (he's 26 now) and by all accounts has trouble with drink/drugs.

Real talent wasted.

yabadabado

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

That is the one. I google it but shocked did not pop up. I search around see if can find it in hibs forum later.

When O'Connor joined Blues in 2007, then-chief executive Karren Brady told him, "Congratulations on signing for the club". Modest Garry replied: "No, congratulations to you. You've got one hell of a player."

pickarooney

Ronaldinho's suposed to be signing for Besiktas today.

Agueroooo

Gary Gillespie for me.

Skylinehead

SweepTheLeg wrote: »

But hardly a fall from grace now he's back to playing his best football again.

A fall doesn't mean you can't get good again, but it's still a fall.

Chazz Michael Michaels

Skylinehead wrote: »

A fall doesn't mean you can't get good again, but it's still a fall.

Nasri used to play for table topping Arsenal, now he has fallen to Man City, in second.

Still a fall. Same as Gregory.

Kerrigooney

Don't think anybody has mentioned Maradona yet.

Dozen Wicked Words

Aidy Boothroyd.

Managed in the top division with Watford, touted as being one of best young managers in England and ambition to be England coach.

Fast forward a few years and a couple of sackings.

Sacked by team bottom of football league after dismantling an average team and making it worse.

fullstop

Vinz Mesrine wrote: »

Danny Higginbotham, one time a premier league player. Now a defender for Altrincham and strangely Gibraltar.

He's 35 and played in the Premier League with Stoke until 33/34. That's like saying Teddy Sheringham or someone used to be a Premier League player but isn't now.

SweepTheLeg wrote: »

Royston Drenthe.

Playing for the mighty Real Madrid at only 20, spending 3years there. Now at 26 he's playing league cup games with Reading against Peterborough.

I remember seeing him in the U20 world cup, after which Madrid signed him and thinking he was unreal.

dreamers75

major bill wrote: »

Keith Fahy maybe...back in Ireland even though he could still offer clubs in the UK something

Championship to no football to Champions league ???

mikeym

El Hadji Diouf had a great world cup in 2002, his career went downhill when he joined Liverpool.

Alan Smith Having been tipped for International and Premier League success, Smith’s career was on the up during Peter Risdale’s era of overspending at Leeds United. Despite earning 19 England caps and reaching a UEFA Champions League semi-final, Leeds were relegated in Smith’s final year and he controversially joined rivals Manchester United. After struggling upfront at Old Trafford, Sir Alex Ferguson moved the tough tackler back into centre midfield but a change of position failed to rekindle any sort of form and Smith has barely scored a career goal since. A broken leg hastened his departure from Old Trafford but after an ill fated spell at Newcastle United.

Zico

LOL DFX Aye Alan Smith was an example of how Alex Ferguson could destroy a player.

Andrei Shevchenko at Chelsea was one of the greatest flops in history and it had a ripple effect on Mourinho. How could something so good go so badly?

Dempsey

I knew a lad that went from playing in the Tipp South League to the Tipp North League. He learned all about farmers fields then!

Will I Amnt

What the hell is LOL DFX?

GLaDOS

Will I Amnt wrote: »

What the hell is LOL DFX?

Seems to be at the start of all his posts from the last 2 hours or so

fullstop

Will I Amnt wrote: »

What the hell is LOL DFX?

A mild form of tourettes, apparently!

Guy:Incognito

Vinz Mesrine wrote: »

Danny Higginbotham, one time a premier league player. Now a defender for Altrincham and strangely Gibraltar.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/25668040

irish bloke

Gaizka Mendieta.
Was one of the most sought after midfielders in Europe and went to Lazio for over €45m in 2001. Was one of the most expensive transfers of that time.

Ended up on loan at Middlesbrough 2 years later

LiamoSail

irish bloke wrote: »

Gaizka Mendieta.
Was one of the most sought after midfielders in Europe and went to Lazio for over €45m in 2001. Was one of the most expensive transfers of that time.

Ended up on loan at Middlesbrough 2 years later

Didn't Claudio Lopez & Ivan De le Pena go there at a similar time and suffer similar falls from grace? I know De le Pena went back to Espanyol and did well, strange all the same though

intellectual dosser

Denilson comes to mind, however I'm not sure he ever had a pedestal to fall from, at least not the one that was portrayed.

Worlds most expensive player in 1998 and the disappeared in smoke. I remember all the kids in the school yard talking about him when he signed for Betis and then within a year no one knew where he was or what he was doing.

dreamers75

intellectual dosser wrote: »

Denilson comes to mind, however I'm not sure he ever had a pedestal to fall from, at least not the one that was portrayed.

Worlds most expensive player in 1998 and the disappeared in smoke. I remember all the kids in the school yard talking about him when he signed for Betis and then within a year no one knew where he was or what he was doing.

More to do with the buyout clause then anything.

remember at the time thinking what happens if they get relegated......1 year later.....

efb

Jimmy from fair city

RossieMan

pickarooney wrote: »

Ronaldinho's suposed to be signing for Besiktas today.

He signed a contract extension with Mineiro i believe. pure speculation in the papers, as always.

Quaresma should be mentioned really, once dubbed to be the next best thing, as good if not better than Ronaldo when he was young.
went to Barcelona from Sporting, fell out with rijkaard at the time.
went to Porto, 2 great seasons.
transfer to Inter where he quickly fell out of favour with Mourinho.
Loaned to Chelsea, played decent in a game but very little else.
Went to Turkey and Besiktas, had a decent spell but was overshadowed at the end.
Off to UAE and Al alhi where he was again let go after only about 9 games.

Resigned at Porto there at the start of Jan, hoping for better things.

Such a talent, his youtube videos alone are very good watches.

DazMarz

Completely forgot about Quaresma. God, if ever there was a case of the ego ruining it more than anything... He could have been brilliant. But his head was way too far up his own arse...