[Zigsuk]

Interesting to read all the hype about Jude Bellingham who is apparently on course to become the greatest English player ever. I can't comment on this as I haven't seen much of him at all. I don't watch England friendlies or qualifying matches. Good luck to him anyway.

What I do know is that he is the latest in a long line of young English players who were predicted to be world beaters in the last twenty years, all of whose careers fizzled out disappointingly.
Theo Walcott was perhaps the most famous and intermittently the most successful but whose career tailed off prematurely and disappointingly. But there was also Jack Wilshere, Jack Rodwell and Ross Barkley. Barkley featured against us a couple of years ago, although by then he wasn't a Chelsea first team regular. Don't know where he or the others are now. I believe Wilshere has retired. None of them fulfilled the massive hype although Wilshere's career was decimated by injury. As for Rodwell whatever happened to him? Did he suffer injuries too?

As I say good luck to Bellingham and I hope he doesn't suffer their fate. Having said that playing regularly for Real Madrid at such a young age gives him a huge start they never achieved.

[JonB]

Bellingham is on a different level to all of those you mention. You also havent mentioned Rooney who burst on to the scene at 16 and i think its fair to say lived up to the hype.

Rodwell and Barkley were victims partly of getting snapped up by big clubs as decent talent then barely playing at the likes of Man City and Chelsea so stagnated. Bellingham was advised properly and made his initial move to Germany instead of festering at a Chelsea or Man U and kept improving. Jaden Sancho is likely another one who has talent, went to Germany and blossomed but then has gone to Man U and its all gone belly up. Talk of him going back to Germnay which is probably for the best.

[Valley Blues]

Regarding Bellingham, a close friend of mine worked closely with him at Birmingham.

His opinion was that his ability was endless but the one thing about him that outshone his ability was his attitude. The most grounded, polite, respectful young lad you’d ever meet with a desire to do everything he needed to reach the top.

When he left Birmingham I teased my mate about them retiring the shirt of a kid who’d effectively done very little.

His response was firstly Dortmund was going to be a stepping stone in his career and retiring his shirt? Watch this space because he’s going to be a genuine England great.

Strong words I thought at the time but I suppose working with him on a daily basis, he saw what we’re all seeing now.

[Zigsuk]

JonB, on 20 October 2023 - 09:28 AM, said:

Bellingham is on a different level to all of those you mention. You also havent mentioned Rooney who burst on to the scene at 16 and i think its fair to say lived up to the hype.

Rodwell and Barkley were victims partly of getting snapped up by big clubs as decent talent then barely playing at the likes of Man City and Chelsea so stagnated. Bellingham was advised properly and made his initial move to Germany instead of festering at a Chelsea or Man U and kept improving. Jaden Sancho is likely another one who has talent, went to Germany and blossomed but then has gone to Man U and its all gone belly up. Talk of him going back to Germnay which is probably for the best.

Yes I was obviously aware of Rooney and didn’t mention him because he did fulfill his potential, at least compared to those I mentioned. Although I recall reading a very perceptive article by a sports journalist (can’t recall who it was) towards the end of Rooney’s career suggesting that whilst it had been very successful ultimately it hadn’t quite fulfilled its early promise and he gave convincing reasons to support this.

Michael Owen was another. Very easy to forget what a fabulous player he was when he burst onto the scene as a teenager and was largely washed up at the highest level when he should have been at his peak. Injuries taking their toll. Owen’s career was ultimately one of the tragedies of modern English football.

Going back to Walcott he was initially described as the new Rooney, suggesting Rooney must have been established by then. Of course he never achieved Rooney’s consistency or success.

[Valley Blues]

Zigsuk, on 20 October 2023 - 10:45 AM, said:

Yes I was obviously aware of Rooney and didn’t mention him because he did fulfill his potential, at least compared to those I mentioned. Although I recall reading a very perceptive article by a sports journalist (can’t recall who it was) towards the end of Rooney’s career suggesting that whilst it had been very successful ultimately it hadn’t quite fulfilled its early promise and he gave convincing reasons to support this.

Michael Owen was another. Very easy to forget what a fabulous player he was when he burst onto the scene as a teenager and was largely washed up at the highest level when he should have been at his peak. Injuries taking their toll. Owen’s career was ultimately one of the tragedies of modern English football.

Going back to Walcott he was initially described as the new Rooney, suggesting Rooney must have been established by then. Of course he never achieved Rooney’s consistency or success.

I’m not sure Michael Owen’s career should be deemed a tragedy of the modern game, should it?

Both domestically and internationally went at very close to a goal every other game with his domestic career spanning well over 300 games all in the top flight.

Not like he showed early promise and faded away.

[Rodney's Moustache]

Evan Ferguson at Brighton going to be a massive star so much natural talent.

[Westbars Spireite]

Owen’s injury robbed him of his main asset, pace. Without that he was just an average centre forward.

[Holmesc1]

Valley Blues, on 20 October 2023 - 11:32 AM, said:

I’m not sure Michael Owen’s career should be deemed a tragedy of the modern game, should it?

Both domestically and internationally went at very close to a goal every other game with his domestic career spanning well over 300 games all in the top flight.

Not like he showed early promise and faded away.

He was a failure to me, once he hit 25 he went to crap, was a dud at Newcastle and the little **** had that big a ego he would rather be a bench warmer at man u than a regular at a bottom half club. Why man u bought him from newcastle is a mystery, one of the biggest wastes of money ever seen at newcastle

Francis jeffers about 20 year back, anyone remember him? So much hype and did nowt

[Valley Blues]

Westbars Spireite, on 20 October 2023 - 11:43 AM, said:

Owen’s injury robbed him of his main asset, pace. Without that he was just an average centre forward.

Owen was one of the best finishers there’s been in the PL.

It seems harsh to refer to a 300+ top flight striker who went at only slightly over a goal every other game as either average or crap.

This post has been edited by Valley Blues: 20 October 2023 - 12:48 PM

[calvin plummers socks]

Valley Blues, on 20 October 2023 - 12:44 PM, said:

Owen was one of the best finishers there’s been in the PL.

It seems harsh to refer to a 300+ top flight striker who went at only slightly over a goal every other game as either average or crap.

He was incredible - unique in many ways in that he injured almost every possible part of his (lower) limbs!

[JonB]

Zigsuk, on 20 October 2023 - 10:45 AM, said:

Yes I was obviously aware of Rooney and didn’t mention him because he did fulfill his potential, at least compared to those I mentioned. Although I recall reading a very perceptive article by a sports journalist (can’t recall who it was) towards the end of Rooney’s career suggesting that whilst it had been very successful ultimately it hadn’t quite fulfilled its early promise and he gave convincing reasons to support this.

Michael Owen was another. Very easy to forget what a fabulous player he was when he burst onto the scene as a teenager and was largely washed up at the highest level when he should have been at his peak. Injuries taking their toll. Owen’s career was ultimately one of the tragedies of modern English football.

Going back to Walcott he was initially described as the new Rooney, suggesting Rooney must have been established by then. Of course he never achieved Rooney’s consistency or success.

Walcott is only 3 years younger than Rooney so they were around about the same time.

[Valley Blues]

JonB, on 20 October 2023 - 12:56 PM, said:

Walcott is only 3 years younger than Rooney so they were around about the same time.

Rooneys following a similar ageing process as Mason Bennett.

[Benno Spire]

I remember a wonder goal for England U/16 for Paul Rideout in the 80,s and he was going to be a top player , think it was Swindon he played for in the end

[Alice Cooper]

Benno Spire, on 20 October 2023 - 01:26 PM, said:

I remember a wonder goal for England U/16 for Paul Rideout in the 80,s and he was going to be a top player , think it was Swindon he played for in the end

He did indeed finish his playing career at Swindon Benno although during his career he played and scored goals for the likes of Everton, Aston Villa, Glasgow Rangers and Bari in Italy amongst others so he didn't do too badly for himself. Also he was educated at Priestlands School. The same school as the great Joe Quiqley was! I can remember Rideout scoring that wonder goal you mentioned at Wembley against Scotland I think it was. I also remember him playing for Swindon against us at Saltergate one wet rainy Tuesday night years ago.

This post has been edited by Alice Cooper: 20 October 2023 - 03:35 PM

[clarevoyant.]

Is Joe Rowley still classed as young?

[calvin plummers socks]

I thought Jamie Burt would one day be the greatest player of all time

[Siberian Spireite]

Paul Rideout has an FA Cup winning goal to his name.
Jude Bellingham’s dad had an outrageous scoring record in non-league.
Going back a bit but Paul Moulden was tipped as a future star when scoring 340 goals in a season as a 14(ish) year old. He had a respectable career but the fact he wasn’t top notch illustrates how players develop at different rates.
Tonton Zola Moukoko, Cherno Samba, Freddie Adu, Nii Lamptey etc.

[Valley Blues]

Valley Blues, on 20 October 2023 - 01:14 PM, said:

Rooneys following a similar ageing process as Mason Bennett.

Mason Bennett is probably another example.

He was in Derby’s reserves at 14 and made his first team debut at only just 15 with huge potential.
All the ‘big’ clubs were tracking him but he never even secured a place in Derby’s side.

Can’t remember if injury effected him or he just didn’t progress?

[Johnnyspireite7]

Valley Blues, on 20 October 2023 - 04:58 PM, said:

Mason Bennett is probably another example.

He was in Derby's reserves at 14 and made his first team debut at only just 15 with huge potential.
All the 'big' clubs were tracking him but he never even secured a place in Derby's side.

Can't remember if injury effected him or he just didn't progress?

May have had something to do with his drink driving conviction in 2019.

[Siberian Spireite]

Johnnyspireite7, on 20 October 2023 - 05:09 PM, said:

May have had something to do with his drink driving conviction in 2019.

He was well off the boil already by then. Came to us on loan with a great reputation and did naff all in 2014. He scraped back into the Derby team after a while but was never seen as threatening to fulfil his early promise.