5 Footballers that were supremely talented but never quite made a name for themselves

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Former England and West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has said that Ravel Morrison is the biggest waste of talent that he has ever since.

This made us wonder and we came up with a list of players who promised much but delivers very little.

Here are 5 footballers who failed up to live up to expectations for one reason or the other:

1. Jordi Cruyff

When you are the son of Johan Cruyff and decide to follow the same career path as your father, things can never be that easy. And such was the case with Jordi Cruyff. He was a rather talented youngster who was progressing well in Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy and had even clawed his way up to the senior team. But all this had happened when his father was the manager. Once his father was sacked, Jordi was the next one to go.

The Dutchman joined Manchester United after that but his career never quite took off. He spent four seasons with the Red Devils and then moved on to play for a few other clubs across Europe. But he did not taste even half the success that his father had got.

 

2. Francis Jeffers

Jeffers started his career at Everton’s youth academy just a few seasons before Wayne Rooney and the boy was regarded nothing less than Waza. Jeffers had a wonderful U-21 career for England where he bagged 13 goals in only 16 matches. And then Wenger decided to sign him up for Arsenal in 2001. This was supposed to be the next big step for Jeffers but consistent injuries had other plans for the youngster.

Even when he was fit he found it really difficult to break into the first team due to a certain Thiery Henry. His career never reached great heights and he hung up his boots back in 2013 after playing for a dozen football clubs.

 

3. Bojan Krkic

Bojan was a product of the La Masia and he was tipped to be the next Lionel Messi. A 17-year-old Bojan dazzled everyone with his skills during the 2008 Champions League and the then Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard said that Bojan has a magical touch.

Then Rijkaard parted ways with Barcelona and Pep Guardiola was appointed as the new manager. But things did not quite work out between Bojan and Guardiola and the Spaniard eventually joined Roma. Since then the player has moved around Europe in a series of loan spells. He even went back to Barcelona for a single season but that too did not work out for him – after which he eventually signed for Stoke City in the English Premier League.

4. Jack Wilshere

Arsenal’s homegrown boy who was once touted to be the next big thing for English football was fighting with kids in a U-23 match against Man City a couple of weeks back. Not many young talents have hit such a low.

Back in 2011, a young Jack Wilshere while playing for Arsenal, bossed a Barcelona midfield which comprised the likes of Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez. This prompted Xavi to say that Wilshere was the future of English football. But that has not happened.

Wilshere has spent most of his career in the medical rooms – suffering as much as 11 injuries since that famous day back in 2011. Wilshere spent the whole of last season on loan to Bournemouth but his career does not seem one that is going to recover.

 

5. Duncan Edwards

A lot of people who had seen Duncan Edwards play, claim that he was potentially the greatest footballer that ever lived. Even Sir Bobby Charlton – a teammate of Edwards has said that Edwards was the best player he has ever seen. And let us remind you that Sir Bobby has played with and against some of the legends of world football.

But Edwards did not quite fulfil his potential as just at the age of 21 he lost the life in that fatal Munich Disaster which engulfed most of the United team. Duncan Edwards had a very short but glittering career and was undoubtedly the most talented youngster that Sir Matt Busby had ever curated.

Fun Fact: Edwards actually wanted to give up football at one point in time due to his love for folk dancing. But thank GOD that he chose football over dancing.

You are not alone Ravel Morrison.