Which player had the biggest drop off after the amount of potential they initially showed?

[Junior_Arab]

8 minutes ago, Jacky1990 said:

So initially showed the potential to rinse some of the best defenders of the past 30 years and ended up falling away to the point he was in the lower leagues by 30? 

Thats far more of a drop off in standard than some youngsters having a good few games then not kicking on.

Not suggesting he was pish. Far from it.

But he more than fits the category here in my interpretation of it.

He had a good career, but as someone said previously about another player the problem is probably more with the totally over the top initial hype than with the player or their actual career. 
 

I always hear about the time McGeady took the piss out of Maldini so I looked it up. As far as I can see Maldini played against McGeady 3 times in the mid noughties. In those 3 matches Celtic scored a total of 0 goals. I’d imagine Maldini would happily take a “roasting” like that every week if it ended with a clean sheet. 

[Dons_1988]

8 minutes ago, Junior_Arab said:

He had a good career, but as someone said previously about another player the problem is probably more with the totally over the top initial hype than with the player or their actual career. 
 

I always hear about the time McGeady took the piss out of Maldini so I looked it up. As far as I can see Maldini played against McGeady 3 times in the mid noughties. In those 3 matches Celtic scored a total of 0 goals. I’d imagine Maldini would happily take a “roasting” like that every week if it ended with a clean sheet. 

Yeah I think he had the career his ability warranted. I don’t remember ever thinking he was destined for the very elite. 

 

[Stylish Kid]

1 hour ago, Monkey Tennis said:

I'm surprised Mark Burchill hasn't had a mention (unless I've missed it).  

I suspect that in his case, the initial hype was as much the issue, as the career that subsequently transpired.

Ooh good shout. I suspect the latter.

 

I always thought Gary Wales was better, being a Jambo. I later thought that my memories of him were rose tinted, but on reflection he was really good. He said in a recent interview that before his injury that Rangers were looking to sign him. Anyway, his career was never the same after that Arthur Numan tackle....

 

[Derry Alli]

12 hours ago, VincentGuerin said:

and played in a team that took AC Milan to extra time.

Howlin' at this bit.

[Dundee Hibernian]

2 hours ago, Monkey Tennis said:

Psychologically though, it must be a difficult thing to deal with.  Having the career and lifestyle that had looked likely, simply dissolve, must leave you puzzled and probably resentful.

Maybe it's the psychology which causes the dip in levels for some of these players, rather than that being a problem result of the players not making and maintaining the grade?

I'll agree that it must mess with the head not reaching the target which the player thought attainable, but perhaps it's not the ability which dissapates, rather than the mental toughness to make and maintain the top grade.

[Molotov]

Gordon Ramsay.

surprised no one but him has ever mentioned how great he was going to be!  

[accies1874]

16 hours ago, Jacky1990 said:

1) Aiden McGeady.

Was a few years ahead of me at school but was talked up as the next big thing with all the big English clubs and sponsors sniffing around from an early age. Thought he was destined for hige things when he first broke in to Celtics team. Ended up with a mediocre career.

2) John Fleck.

Heard the buzz when he was still only 14 or 15 so was buzzing when this young Scottish starlet started getting game time at 16. From Scottish Wayne Rooney to EFL League One for a large chunk of his career wasnt exactly what was expected.

The fact Fleck had a decent time of it in his late 20s (good Championship midfielder and a very decent debut season in the PL as well as a handful of Scotland caps) and became a bit of comeback story makes me think a bit more fondly of him, but that's definitely not what folk would have expected of him when he was breaking through. If he didn't have that initial hype then not many would've turned their nose up at his career, which is a shame but does make him belong in here. 

3 hours ago, Mitch said:

Jake Hastie. 
Was thrown in by Robinson in Jan 2019 and he had a ridiculous purple patch of a couple of months. Was out of contract in the summer and got a move to Rangers. Can’t blame him for jumping at it as it turns out he isn’t actually very good.

Dont think he ever played a competitive match for Rangers and has had mediocre to dugshit loan spells at Rotherham, back to Motherwell, Partick and Linfield. Now plying his trade as a regular unused sub at Hartlepool. Suspect he will be punted from there soon enough.

Yeah Hastie just wasn't all that good. Can't think of as brief a purple patch resulting in a big move up here. Suggestions welcome. 

[central staggie]

Big Connor Gethins 

[LiviLion]

On 24/12/2022 at 11:29, FreedomFarter said:

Matthew Knox. It wasn't that he failed to build on promising early performances for Livi because there weren't really any. It was that he failed to justify the transfer interest he'd received from major clubs. There must've been an element of social contagion that happened with him. Once one big club's interest became known, they all thought they better have a look. Then although he went on trial at Liverpool and Man Utd, among others, I think only Rangers made a concrete transfer bid in the end.

His was the first name I thought of when I saw the thread title. Made his debut for us a couple days after turning 16, trials with Liverpool, Man Utd, Tottenham, Everton, and Rangers. Pretty sure his agent was his dad (and a massive *** - which is why his name was always in the papers alongside the one photo of him in Rangers gear). Think Sunderland put in a couple bids for him as well.

Now playing for Musselburgh Athletic. 

[Juantwothree]

On 24/12/2022 at 19:01, Lyle Lanley said:

Alex Harris. 

Just dont

[lennyzer0]

On 24/12/2022 at 08:26, Dons_1988 said:

James Wilson was another one for us. 

You could see in flashes he was a hugely talented guy but it was all too seldom. His fall from prospect at man United to whatever non league side he’s at now was quite impressive. 

At Port Vale in League One and making a more than decent way for himself.

[Jinky67]

John Paul McBride comes to mind. What a talent he was, potential to probably go anywhere had he not been an absolute car crash of a person.

Ended up playing for Wishaw some years back and last I heard he was caught for possession of drugs. 

[ConcernedReferee]

Craig Beattie had a really promising start at Celtic - done by his mid 20's 

 

 

[invergowrie arab]

Scott Allan was to be the next one from the United Academy and meant to be streets ahead of Gauld, Armstrong and Robertson.

More clubs than Tiger Woods and at a part time club at the prime of his career.

 

[RH33]

Steven Watt.

Went to Chelsea but hampered by injuries.

[VincentGuerin]

44 minutes ago, invergowrie arab said:

Scott Allan was to be the next one from the United Academy and meant to be streets ahead of Gauld, Armstrong and Robertson.

More clubs than Tiger Woods and at a part time club at the prime of his career.

 

Allan's a decent shout.

Obviously had talent, and was talked up for years, but never seriously impressed at any level higher than the Scottish Championship.

Now he's thirty-one and until I saw this post I couldn't have told you who he was playing for now if you'd put a gun to my head.

 

[LIVIFOREVER]

Dunno if Rory McAllister qualifies for this, showed early potential at Inverness then dropped down to lower leagues, where he was scoring for fun at Brechin and Peterhead. Stuck with PT football to do his apprenticeship as a plumber, then was making as much money with plumbing & PT football than he would as a FT footballer, knocking back an offer from Dundee Utd. Football being a short career he pretty much had his future sorted when he was done playing football.

Seems a shame not seeing what his potential could've been had he stuck playing FT football and played in the top flight, big strong striker with plenty of goals in him. played 439 league games scoring 219 goals, and a total of 539 games scoring 278 goals.

[CityDave94]

7 minutes ago, LIVIFOREVER said:

Dunno if Rory McAllister qualifies for this, showed early potential at Inverness then dropped down to lower leagues, where he was scoring for fun at Brechin and Peterhead. Stuck with PT football to do his apprenticeship as a plumber, then was making as much money with plumbing & PT football than he would as a FT footballer, knocking back an offer from Dundee Utd. Football being a short career he pretty much had his future sorted when he was done playing football.

Seems a shame not seeing what his potential could've been had he stuck playing FT football and played in the top flight, big strong striker with plenty of goals in him. played 439 league games scoring 219 goals, and a total of 539 games scoring 278 goals.

Nah I saw McAllister a few times and he was too slow for the top flight a bit like Kenny Deuchar but perfect for the lower leagues, scoring for fun.

I remember Chic Charnley was flying at Hibs during the first part of 1997/98 , supporters called for his inclusion in the Scotland side and then his form dropped off massively and so did Hibs right into relegation to the 1st. 

[Flybhoy]

On 23/12/2022 at 17:12, Sortmeout said:

His debut was against Kilmarnock. He was hopeless and you lost.

Hope this helps.

His debut was a midweek 3-1 win at home against Hearts a week or so before the game we lost down at Rugby Park 

[Sortmeout]

7 minutes ago, Flybhoy said:

His debut was a midweek 3-1 win at home against Hearts a week or so before the game we lost down at Rugby Park 

I stand corrected.