Good call, he and Odegaard were signed at similar times as well if I remember correctly and both were 16. Had similar hype.
Last edited:
Touted wonderkids who made no impact in football
- Thread starter SambaBoy
- Start date
-
In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) and Jamie (@Vault Dweller) review both the Everton and Bodø/Glimt victories at Old Trafford. Listen to the guys discuss 2 wins and 7 goals in the last week, analyse of the Amorim formation, focus on Amad and how he is playing, and also take a look at Hojlund, Rashford & Zirkzee – who starts v Arsenal?
Good call, he and Odegaard were signed at similar times as well if I remember correctly and both were 16. Had similar hype.
Nii Lamptey - was supposed to be the next Pelé
Richie Partridge - was always spoken about as the coming thing in Irish football and in Liverpool's academy when I was growing up but never fulfilled his potential along with other top Irish prospects like WIllo Flood and John Paul Kelly. Married Michael Owen's sister though.
Jean Carlos Chera - One of the first youtube videos I ever watched was a compilation of the then 12 year old Jean Carlos Chera. He was so good that I was certain I was seeing the next Maradonna. Never amounted to anything.
Richie Partridge - was always spoken about as the coming thing in Irish football and in Liverpool's academy when I was growing up but never fulfilled his potential along with other top Irish prospects like WIllo Flood and John Paul Kelly. Married Michael Owen's sister though.
Jean Carlos Chera - One of the first youtube videos I ever watched was a compilation of the then 12 year old Jean Carlos Chera. He was so good that I was certain I was seeing the next Maradonna. Never amounted to anything.
Fabio Paim. Touted to be better than Ronaldo by Ronaldo himself but ended up getting arrested for drug peddling and also did a few adult movies.
I would say Bebe, but the meme power is too strong.
Ryan Tunnicliffe
Davide (the next Totti) Petrucci
Nick Powell
Davide (the next Totti) Petrucci
Nick Powell
I have like Fleck in the past. I liked his dad as a player too. However, last season he was fairly average. He didn’t play much and when he did his effort was low.
He had a bit of resurgence at the time that was posted in 2020.
Funnily enough Gauld is now having the same resurgence at a similar age as he's back in the Scotland squad.
Funnily enough, Bebe made a decent career in football for himself. Obviously didn't live up to the hype but he is someone who spent a decade playing for a top 4 league. That's farther than most players go.
Last edited:
That Chelsea lad who went on loan with a Scottish name
Josh Mceachren?
He was at Brentford for a few years and moved around a few Championship/league one clubs.
He's at Oxford in the championship now. Proper journeyman career so far. He's 31.
Martin Odegaard.
Really high rated kid who but ended up at a second rate London club, winning feck all so far.
Really high rated kid who but ended up at a second rate London club, winning feck all so far.
Freddie Adu
He did made one decent impact that i can remember.. i don't know, a certain goal or something like that.
That's the one. Didn't realise he was a boffin
I remember reading about some 8 year old kid in the national papers in the early 2000's, and I remember his name as it was wonderfully shite. Rocket Pele (actual name) and he was scoring like 300 goals a season in the U9's teams in London and he'd been linked with Arsenal. I always expected him to pop up at some premier league team, but I never heard of him ever again. And when I google "Rocket Pele" now I just get loads of hits about restaurant salads, a film company and Rocket League shite.
David Gill's son quit football to go to university didn't he?
Sonny Pike. Used to be put on TV shows in his Ajax kit doing keepy ups. Always been rumours about him playing under false names but he clears it up in this very open interview
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.th.../25/sonny-pike-football-prodigy-head-finished
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.th.../25/sonny-pike-football-prodigy-head-finished
Last edited:
Has anyone mentioned Charlie Musonda Jr?
Gael Kakuta.
Denilson
I am not sure how highly rated Jordi Mboula outside La Masia but he was a highly rated talent at the time within the club and did well in the UYL but we faced an uphill battle trying to renew him as he felt he was ready for first-team football. Monaco at the time offered him first-team football but his time there was dismal as he wasn't rated by any of the coaches and struggled with injuries before being sent out on loan hell and eventually establishing himself as a Journeyman after he left Monaco.
People who followed the Youth teams a lot expected him to end up how Yamal is now or Fati not to long ago before his injuries.
People who followed the Youth teams a lot expected him to end up how Yamal is now or Fati not to long ago before his injuries.
I vaguely recall Dave Beasant Sons being hyped up quite a bit, Nick and Sam, Sam had a decent lower league career with Cambridge etc but both started at Chelsea I believe
Possebon wasn’t overhyped; he was doing really well until that fateful night when that twat, Pogatetz effectively ruined him. He lost his nerve completely after that
Did an interview a few years ago when he said each of his major injuries just took away a little bit from his game until he wasn't good enough any more. Said he'll still be very proud to tell his kids about his two Liverpool appearances.
Ended up becoming a physio working in football.
Yes. He was a decent player but wasn't going to make it at United. He could have had a good career just not at the level he wanted.
Barca have had a few - as above, and also Bojan Krkic and Ansu Fati.
Our own Ravel Morison and Nick Powell fall into this?
Francis Jeffers was supposed to be the next big thing when Arsenal bought him. And not forgetting Kerlon!
Our own Ravel Morison and Nick Powell fall into this?
Francis Jeffers was supposed to be the next big thing when Arsenal bought him. And not forgetting Kerlon!
FM legend for me, him and Daniel Friedhem Holm were my go to in the Norwegian leagues.
I posted the below about Daniel Opare in the 'misleading first impression' thread, but it works here as well...
He was an absolutely outstanding attacking RB for Ghana at the 2007 U17 World Cup, where they reached the SF's. He looked to have everything a modern full back needs, and was a superb and pacy attacking threat.
I thought he really could be one of the best full backs of the upcoming generation, and wasn't at all surprised to see him raved about (as a potential wonderkid), and see Real Madrid sign him soon afterwards. However he only played for their Castilla team, and has spent much of his senior career in the Belgium top flight without really settling anywhere.
He played 18 times for Ghana's senior national team, but spread over 8 years so was never a regular and hasn't featured for them since 2018.
He turned out to just be a pretty average player, but he really looked like he could be something special at youth levels and when he was signed by Real Madrid.
He was an absolutely outstanding attacking RB for Ghana at the 2007 U17 World Cup, where they reached the SF's. He looked to have everything a modern full back needs, and was a superb and pacy attacking threat.
I thought he really could be one of the best full backs of the upcoming generation, and wasn't at all surprised to see him raved about (as a potential wonderkid), and see Real Madrid sign him soon afterwards. However he only played for their Castilla team, and has spent much of his senior career in the Belgium top flight without really settling anywhere.
He played 18 times for Ghana's senior national team, but spread over 8 years so was never a regular and hasn't featured for them since 2018.
He turned out to just be a pretty average player, but he really looked like he could be something special at youth levels and when he was signed by Real Madrid.
Daniel Braaten is another, although in his case he was always a bit too aloof to grow into his massive potential.
Hachim Mastour
James Garner was supposed to be the new Carrick.
I remember watching Bruno Gama about 20 years ago in a youth tournament for Portugal and thought that he was going to be a hell of a player.
He's written himself into Utd folklore permanently. Not even close to "no impact".
Also...
Yeah it's just not true.
I followed reserve and youth footballer extensively at that time and possebon was never this great midfielder with massive potential people on here will have you believe. He was a sideways passer who didn't really excel in any aspect of the game but has a nice name and heritage.
And that injury whilst looked awful, he was literally back a month later. It most definitely wasn't this career ruiner people say it was, he just wasn't that good to begin with. If he had half the amount of talent people claim he did, he'd have had a much better career.
Tom Davies did well as a teen when he broke through but then got worse. 26 now playing for Sheffield United as a an occasional sub, did score yesterday mind you
Patrick Roberts, now 27 playing for Sunderland. He is a starter, missed a penalty yesterday. But miles from the hype he had as as youngster going to City
Patrick Roberts, now 27 playing for Sunderland. He is a starter, missed a penalty yesterday. But miles from the hype he had as as youngster going to City
He looked genuine class. Played like a Robben regen.
Didn't he also get a really bad injury in one season and never seemed to recover after?
I imagine when Odegaard was coming through he was billed as "the best thing since Skjelbred".
Rhain Davis.
There was another in the 90/00s, who was meant to be better than Joe Cole etc, but had awful professionalism. Can’t remember his name and there were doubts back then if he really existed or if he was a myth
There was another in the 90/00s, who was meant to be better than Joe Cole etc, but had awful professionalism. Can’t remember his name and there were doubts back then if he really existed or if he was a myth