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

[Molotov]

1 hour ago, approximately dave said:

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. 

Chic Charnley had superb natural talent but was a complete waster.

Sacked by St Mirren after spitting on an opponent at Somerset Park IIRC.

 

[Melanius Mullarkey]

Stephen Payne at Aberdeen early 2000s. “The next David Beckham”.

Fucked off to QOS.

[Kapowzer]

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

If its to play in the dark blue, I'd say Aiden McGeady closely followed by the Cumdog .....

[Flybhoy]

Steve Fulton broke into the Celtic side in 1989 and, after a pretty impressive first few showings was rather unfortunately compared to Roberto Baggio by Billy McNeil. 

A decent player who had a good few seasons with Hearts after a spell in England, unsurprisingly never scaled the heights of his Italian counterpart, the Baggio comment did him no favours and, from my recollection became a bit of a joke throughout his career, a rather unfair one in all honesty. 

I suppose the modern day equivalent at Celtic of unfulfilled potential would be Karamoko Dembele, being put into the reserve team aged 13 was, in my opinion not the wisest decision, purely based on the fact it threw unnecessary spotlight and pressure on him that was too much for a young kid, albeit one or two injuries on his young, developing body didn't help either  in particular a broken leg sustained by a ridiculous challenge in a pre season friendly against Charlton a couple of years ago.  The kid is young enough to still have a decent career hopefully so, will be interesting to see how he progresses. 

[coprolite]

43 minutes ago, Melanius Mullarkay said:

Stephen Payne at Aberdeen early 2000s. “The next David Beckham”.

Fucked off to QOS.

Would he have played with "Scotland's Michael Owen?"

[Flybhoy]

2 minutes ago, coprolite said:

Would he have played with "Scotland's Michael Owen?"

Seem to recall that moniker being applied to Mark Burchill who burst onto the scene about the same time as Michael Owen. 

Another one who was a decent player but overhyped by certain elements of the support and the SMSM.

A wee sidenote, the aforementioned Celtic striker is the nephew of Simple Minds guitarist Charlie Burchill  

[Kapowzer]

7 minutes ago, Flybhoy said:

 

A wee sidenote, the aforementioned Celtic striker is the nephew of Simple Minds guitarist Charlie Burchill  

 

"Don't you ..... dah dah de dah dah dah .... forget about Cha-leeeeeee"

[coprolite]

6 minutes ago, Flybhoy said:

Seem to recall that moniker being applied to Mark Burchill who burst onto the scene about the same time as Michael Owen. 

Another one who was a decent player but overhyped by certain elements of the support and the SMSM.

A wee sidenote, the aforementioned Celtic striker is the nephew of Simple Minds guitarist Charlie Burchill  

It might well have been but it was equally inaccurately given to Darren Mackie. Mackie however has no place on this thread as he had a remarkably consistent career despite never really showing any serious potential. 

I think it was Drew Jarvie (possibly another coach) who made the comparison. I just found a Herald article from 2002 with Ebbe's take on it. "He's not as good as Michael Owen." and " Michael Owen went through a spell where he couldn't score. "

I do love Mackie though. And Michael Owen is a fanny. 

[Stylish Kid]

13 hours 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....

 

[Stylish Kid]

25 minutes ago, coprolite said:

 

I do love Mackie though. And Michael Owen is a fanny. 

I loved him too. Mainly for the annual meltdown on Dons' message boards over over whether he was any good or not

[Flybhoy]

4 minutes ago, Stylish Kid said:

I loved him too. Mainly for the annual meltdown on Dons' message boards over over whether he was any good or not

This will never cease to be cringeworthy and hilarious in equal measure. 

 

 

 

[gannonball]

13 hours 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.

Fair enough but think getting over a decade at a decent level for a guy who relied on his pace kind of fits in with a drop off for me, a lot of wingers fall off a cliff late 20s in terms of level/contribution. It’s strange for me to be defending him tbh as I didn’t really like him as good as he could be for us.

Edited December 27, 2022 by gannonball

[tamthebam]

I remember Tommy Harrison being touted as the next big thing for Hearts and he made 9 first team appearances in 4 years- scored a goal though.

His best stats over a nomadic career were a season with Clyde and a season with Montrose after which he dropped out of Scottish league football at 27.

His sister worked for a barbers in St Leonard's and once cut my hair which is why he comes to mind.

 

[Dundee Hibernian]

There will be plenty players right now and in the future that show potential and drop off, United have sold a few to the riches of the English Leagues like Ali Coote who went to Brentford and is now at Bohemians on Dublin at the age of 24.

More recently Kerr Smith was sold for a large fee plus add ons to Aston Villa around a year ago, and he's just turned 18 this month.

The drift I'm labouring to make: any potential comes cheap to the clubs down south, and I'm sure most supporters could or will make the same point as the financial gap becomes greater in time. 

[Tony Wonder]

56 minutes ago, Stylish Kid said:

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....

 

Wales was excellent before his injury and never the same player after. I think Levein taking a dislike to him never helped as he never really got the chance to play regularly and play himself back into form.

[Bogbrush1903]

There was a young lad in the late 1980s, early 1990s called Bogbrush1903, had it all, wing wizardry, a vulture's instinct in front of goal, 20/20 vision and could find a pass to feet from 40 yards but he traded it all in for wine, women and song...well probably more just wine and song...

Will we ever see his like again?

[gannonball]

14 hours 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.

Yeah nearly mentioned him himself. Think he got quite a bad knee injury on loan and didn’t quite seem to have the same burst of pace once back. Think the comparisons to Michael Owen didn’t help either.

6 hours ago, ConcernedReferee said:

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

 

 

Cracking Beattie was more of a grafting player for me and I don’t think his technical ability was ever held in high regard. Think quite a few fans were surprised at the cash we got for him at the time.

Edited December 27, 2022 by gannonball

[VincentGuerin]

1 hour ago, Stylish Kid said:

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....

 

I had a mate at Accies at the same time as Gary Wales. Well, a mate's big brother. He was absolutely raving about him, even before Hearts signed him. Everyone in their set-up was sure he'd go on to play for Scotland and have a great career.

He was a really good striker pre-injury. Sadly, we'll never know. A shame what happened to him.

[VincentGuerin]

14 hours 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.

Fair enough, and agree to disagree and that. But he became a 9.5 million pound player, played in the latter stages of the Champions League twice, and played at two Euros.

He's no Scott Allan!

You're a tough task-master imo.

[Micky]

The one that sticks out in my mind for us was Norrie McWhirter. Broke into the side about the same time as his good pal Paul Lambert and was sensational.
 

Brilliant reader of the game , lightning fast, hard as nails, could pass as well as anyone. Not the tallest but could play centre half, right back, midfield or his best position as a sweeper.
 

Sadly he got back to back brutal injuries and his trademark pace disappeared.
 

He’d been linked with Aberdeen prior to his first serious injury and I honestly believe he’d have been a good successor to Miller and would have played for Scotland. 
 

He ended up staying with us his whole career and still looked excellent in various horrific Saints lineups but the lack of pace was always a problem. 
 

He was a big Saints fan and a good bloke by all accounts and it saddens me I never got to see him in dark blue after his brilliant start.

Also on Jinkys post..I remember seeing JP McBride playing in a Scotland international at Under 16s or maybe 17s. He was so far ahead of everyone on the pitch it was ridiculous. Set up a hatful of goals in that game. Sadly yet another to join the list of utter wasters in Scottish fitba.