[Football] Players who have maximised/wasted their natural ability

[A1X]

Might be controversial but I think currently maximising their ability is Solly March, he's really made the LWB position his own and the determination to come back from his injuries etc. is all part of that.

 

[madinthehead]

Got to agree with this. Some of the real "greats" stuck with their club through thick and thin. Maybe they didn't get the recognition they fully deserved at the time (International call-ups etc), but their iconic status survives.
I'm thinking of Le Tiss, Steve Bull and, even Lewis Dunk might come into this category.

As I stated later, to clarify, I was more referring to the international side, than the fact he stayed at #ateamlikeSouthampton..
Maybe I should have added more to my original post..

And FWIW I agree with you re Bull and maybe even DUnk, although he still has time

 

[Washie]

Might be controversial but I think currently maximising their ability is Solly March, he's really made the LWB position his own and the determination to come back from his injuries etc. is all part of that.

Fantastic call. Rather limited in terms of natural skill, but he has worked so hard to go from a good championship midfielder to a good Premier league wing back. He could have easily stopped trying, but has improved and improved.

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[Postman Pat]

Oh go on then as no one else has said it Wilf Zaha - binned his opportunity at Man Utd and ended up back at Palace via sitting on the bench at Cardiff. Obviously a very good footballer and probably going to end his career winning nothing of note.

 

[Giraffe]

Maximised - Crumplin, Hart, Storer, Big Dan Burn, Dunk, Kuipers,

Completely wasted - Codner, Ince, Brooker, Buckley, Bridcutt (in the end),

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

At least Locadia scored some goals, Thomas was an absolute piss taking disgrace for us and brought nothing, as he was normally back in Wales on match days

Guess my memory has faded [emoji2]


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[albionfan37]

El abd never looked up to much until poyet turned him into a decent player definitely maxed his ability

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

El abd never looked up to much until poyet turned him into a decent player definitely maxed his ability

Great call


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[Icy Gull]

Guess my memory has faded [emoji2]


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No you just had an agenda against Locadia

 

[Shirty]

Who was that young striker at WBA a few years back ? Scored a few, thought he was billy big-potatoes, pushed for a move (to Spurs ?) but the owner wouldnt let him leave. Threw a strop, went on strike etc etc, and when he eventually did get a move (Stoke ?) couldnt hit a barn door with a banjo. Anyway, whatever his name was - him.

 

[Bracknell_Gull]

Who was that young striker at WBA a few years back ? Scored a few, thought he was billy big-potatoes, pushed for a move (to Spurs ?) but the owner wouldnt let him leave. Threw a strop, went on strike etc etc, and when he eventually did get a move (Stoke ?) couldnt hit a barn door with a banjo. Anyway, whatever his name was - him.

Saido Berahino

See also, Peter Odemwingie

 

[warmleyseagull]

Lionel Messi - underwent growth hormone treatment; guess many would say he was far too short even after....

Gazza - was a legend, could have been an all-time great.

 

[Hampster Gull]

Does he come under " Maximised " or " Wasted" ?

Maximised

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Beckham

Not sure I agree with Beckham. I take maximised potential to be players who weren't particularly good, weren't stand out players at any age but through sheer hard work carved out a decent career for themselves. Someone like Oh Gary Hart.

I don't think Beckham fits that category. He undeniably worked his arse off but he was starting from a position of being a very talented player.

If Beckham is fair then I reckon you can chuck in any number of top level players. Lampard? Gerrard? Neville(both)?

Ronaldo too. He went from being a talented showboating winger to an absolute beast of a player for over a decade, one of the all time greats.

 

[razer]

The most obvious player to me who maximised his talent was Glen Murray. Nowhere near technically gifted but knew where the back of the net was throughout his whole career.

 

[WhingForPresident]

Who was that young striker at WBA a few years back ? Scored a few, thought he was billy big-potatoes, pushed for a move (to Spurs ?) but the owner wouldnt let him leave. Threw a strop, went on strike etc etc, and when he eventually did get a move (Stoke ?) couldnt hit a barn door with a banjo. Anyway, whatever his name was - him.

Just looked Berahino up, he is now on loan from a mid-table Belgian Pro League side to a slightly worse mid-table Belgian Pro League side and is still only 27. Unbelievable considering Spurs were ready to spank £30m odd on him a few years back. Definitely falls into the wasted talent category.

 

[B-right-on]

Just looked Bevyrahino up, he is now on loan from a mid-table Belgian Pro League side to a slightly worse mid-table Belgian Pro League side and is still only 27. Unbelievable considering Spurs were ready to spank £30m odd on him a few years back. Definitely falls into the wasted talent category.

Blimey. Serious waste of talent. He made it into the England squad I remember.

 

[Pevenseagull]

Tony Adams really upped his game under Wenger. Showed what was possible


anyway


Could Darren Currie have found a way to be just a little bit quicker? Could Gross find a way to speed up a bit, prove that pace is a luxury that we couldn't afford? (Gross + a turn of speed = 'bigger' club) . nit picking, great players, I don't know how it works with elite sportsman ... but .... chop chop now

Gary Hart always looked like he always put all the meat on the barbeque ... always ... Good effort son.

BDB is graft personified and I ****ing love him.

as for wasters ... **** 'em, they're not worth it.

 

[Pevenseagull]

go on then


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onandi_Lowe

 

[Springal]

Liam Bridcutt. Good enough for Real Madrid. Now captain of Lincoln