Unfulfilled Potential

Friend of mine showed this link the other morning:

http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/fulham/178016/back-in-2007-daily-mail-predicted-their-england-team-of-the-future.html

The above is an article the Daily Mail had written about what the future England XI could be. Of the eleven, Theo Walcott & Micah Richards are the only two that have really made any impression on the Premier League. Of the other nine, the biggest name is Scott Sinclair with the rest making careers in the Championship or lower.

Had me thinking, which other players (English or non-English) didn't live up to the potential that many believe they would fulfill?

For me, and probably a little controversial, it's Jack Wilshere. His potential has been stunted by injuries but when he first burst into the Arsenal there was genuine talent there that could make him one of the most naturally gifted English midfield players since Gascogine. However, as previously mentioned, his injuries have caused him to stagnate. There is still loads of time for him to come good and fulfil that potential but for the moment, he has yet to convince me.

Francis Jeffers, maybe? Before Rooney, Everton had another boy wonder who looked set for great things. Flopped at Arsenal and never really recovered.

I remember back in 2000/2001, when he was probably Blackburn's Player of the Season as they got promoted back up to the Premiership, there was a lot of talk that Matt Jansen would / could be an England regular in the future, and that his versatility meant that he could also solve that left-midfield problem we had back then. Never quite happened like that and of course he had a bad run of luck with his injuries / health which basically saw him done as a top level player by the time he was 27 or so.

Going back a bit further there's Lee Sharpe - yes he had a few England caps and won plenty of honours with Man U, but he was only really the first choice left winger for one season before the emergence of Giggs and his own injury problems limited him to a squad player role. For someone who made his England debut before the age of 20, he really didn't go on to have the career expected.

David Dunn as another who has had a good career but not quite what was predicted - 'the new Gazza' never quite lived up to the tag, in part because of niggly injuries throughout his career (he has only played 40+ games in a season once in a 15 year career).

Lee Trundle

Jermaine Pennant. Scored a hat-trick on his league debut, but went downhill after that, despite being given an opportunity at Liverpool to resurrect his career. Couldn't keep himself out of trouble of the pitch, and blamed all his issues on everyone else.

CFCNick wrote:Lee Trundle

Seriously? Started in non league before his move to Wrexham, I watched him for a number of years and he was a selfish player who thought he was a lot better than he was. I'd say he got more out of the game than most players with his ability.

Was cracking for Swansea

Jack Rodwell. Is he even still alive these days?

Niel Ranger.

If he wasn't a mental looney, he would be playing Premiership football for sure.

Dean Ashton but that was down to injuries unfortunately

David Bentley. Richard Wright. Micah Richards. Michael Owen (to an extent). Joe Cole (could have been so great).

Hopefully I won't be adding Oxlade/Walcott/Sterling/Wilshere/Barkley/Shaw and the like in the years to come - lots of potential exists there.

Duty

I did think about saying Michael Owen - certainly he only occasionally reached the heights that were suggested by his goal against Argentina and his career was blighted by the world's dodgiest hamstrings.

Not sure Joe Cole really fits on the list - perhaps if he wasn't English he'd have played a bit more internationally, but he's had plenty of chances and hasn't been a big success at the very highest level. The sort of player who looks great for West Ham but not so great when surrounded by the better quality of Chelsea or Liverpool.

Micah Richards is still just about young enough to fulfil his potential, but he must move away from City to get more game time.

My feeling is Wilshere is heading towards the unfulfilled list - plenty of early hype and then a spell of injuries slowing his progression. Needs to get both his body and mind properly ready for the next season or two, otherwise he will find himself slipping down the pecking order for both Arsenal and England.

Duty,
Not happy that 50% of your question marks are ex-Southampton Academy.
Do I sense a prejudice?
And is that positive??
Or negative???

Agree with dummy on Wilshere, and I, for one apparently, still have question marks against Barkley.
He's been in the Everton squad for three years now, and is still not an everyday player.
Should one read between the lines?

kwinigolfer wrote:Duty,
Not happy that 50% of your question marks are ex-Southampton Academy.
Do I sense a prejudice?
And is that positive??
Or negative???

Agree with dummy on Wilshere, and I, for one apparently, still have question marks against Barkley.
He's been in the Everton squad for three years now, and is still not an everyday player.
Should one read between the lines?

Barkley's been on loan a lot, and Moyes was hardly renowned for giving youth teamers many chances at Everton

Olly,
I wasn't born yesterday.
But: He's still not an Everton regular and he's almost 3 years removed from his first Prem game. He'll be almost 21 by the time next season starts.
Perhaps there are issues? Or he's too one-dimensional.
And: Last time I checked he'd only played a dozen and a half games on loan, Moyes had left Everton and some guy called Robbie had been manager for a season. A little odd that he's still not a first-team regular.

To be fair Kwini he's made 32 league appearances this year, I expect we'll see him in the starting line up even more next year.

Yeah, But not all as a starter and many of the games he's started he's been subbed - it's not as if he's 18 after all.
I'm not denying he's a fine talent, so was Michael Johnson, just saying it's surprising that he's not a 90-minute player.
'Course, Rodwell was the next great Goodison star and look at him.
And I love Everton!

If Barkley has a stormer this weekend I'll be happy to eat my words, but I'd bet against him even playing 90 minutes - if he even starts.

Hope I'm wrong.

Martinez loves to tinker with his attacking players, so obviously he's gonna miss some games depending on what Martinez does, the kids a huge talent, he's only 21!

kwinigolfer wrote:Yeah, But not all as a starter and many of the games he's started he's been subbed - it's not as if he's 18 after all.
I'm not denying he's a fine talent, so was Michael Johnson, just saying it's surprising that he's not a 90-minute player.
'Course, Rodwell was the next great Goodison star and look at him.
And I love Everton!

If Barkley has a stormer this weekend I'll be happy to eat my words, but I'd bet against him even playing 90 minutes - if he even starts.

Hope I'm wrong.

Is not better to have Barkley play less games, and become the athlete necessary to become a top EPL player or throw him in at the deep and have the same happen to him that happened to Wilshere? Wilshere played way too many games at the highest level too early and is now paying for it.

I'm fine with that Steve, but don't let's big him up as an England player until he's proved himself at club level.
Hope both he and Wilshere stay at home this summer and let their bodies heal.

Duty281 wrote:David Bentley. Richard Wright. Micah Richards. Michael Owen (to an extent). Joe Cole (could have been so great).

Hopefully I won't be adding Oxlade/Walcott/Sterling/Wilshere/Barkley/Shaw and the like in the years to come - lots of potential exists there.

Richard Wright, was there really any expectations for him?  

Touted as Seaman's long-term successor, all those years ago.

dummy_half wrote:
Not sure Joe Cole really fits on the list - perhaps if he wasn't English he'd have played a bit more internationally, but he's had plenty of chances and hasn't been a big success at the very highest level. The sort of player who looks great for West Ham but not so great when surrounded by the better quality of Chelsea or Liverpool.

Not having that. Joey was fantastic, but should never have played in a Mourinho side. Technically beautiful, inventive, passionate, hes the best player I've seen for us and he was young. Thats best player over Tevez as well as the Ferdinand's, Carrick's etc. Just as its a huge shame for this country that Fergie never signed Gazza, I think its damn annoying he never signed Joey too. He by no means failed at Chelsea, scored some wonderful and important goals (I remember performances in big games against Man United where he looked so good), but it was a little bit against his natural game. So often the standout player for England as his teammates floundered too.

Of course the greatest English player to not fulfill his potential was Duncan Edwards, but for more tragic reasons obviously

NickisBHAFC wrote:

Duty281 wrote:David Bentley. Richard Wright. Micah Richards. Michael Owen (to an extent). Joe Cole (could have been so great).

Hopefully I won't be adding Oxlade/Walcott/Sterling/Wilshere/Barkley/Shaw and the like in the years to come - lots of potential exists there.

Richard Wright, was there really any expectations for him?  

Richard Wright was superb for Ipswich

What about Joey Barton? He's a good player but an absolute thunderc*nt of a person.

kwinigolfer wrote:Duty,
Not happy that 50% of your question marks are ex-Southampton Academy.
Do I sense a prejudice?
And is that positive??
Or negative???

Positive, of course. I'm saying all those players aforementioned are a credit to the Southampton Academy, and have huge potential; I'm merely hoping they go on to fulfill it, and not fade away into the murky mists as some players of the English past have done.

The Special Juan wrote:What about Joey Barton?  He's a good player but an absolute thunderc*nt of a person.

He's an alright player, nothing more nothing less

I really don't think Barton is that much of a cu*nt anymore, when he was younger he was, seems to of grown up a bit i also think he is pretty funny. Class player as well, way way too good for the Championship. Easily top half prem standard.

Hes not that good really though. Hes not England quality and never really has been. He's a differend kind of Kumquat these days. Thinks hes some sort of genius. His arrogance is disgusting

Agree with you DZ about Barton, but I'd rather he speak nonsense on Twitter than beat up 16 year-olds outside of McDonalds.

I find it funny the amount of bites he gets on twitter. At the AMEX kept on doing the simple things to wind everyone up, moving the ball out of the corner circle, laughing at the fans in response. However was funny when he was looking at the north stand, and the player he was suppose to be marking scored from the corner   

Good lad is Joey, would never be an England international never, but easily a good standard Premiership player.

NickisBHAFC wrote:Good lad is Joey

Are you taking the gypsies?