Unfulfilled Expectations

It feels like there have been quite a lot of players recently who have promised so much but, for whatever reason, just haven't turned into what we'd hoped.

In the last 2 or 3 seasons alone we've had the following disappointments:

Richard Sadlier - injury
Sean Thornton - p1ss head
Liam Miller - badly advised move
John O'Shea - lack of confidence? Not good enough for MUFC?
Steven Reid - injury / crap manager in Souness
Colin Healy - injury
Thomas Butler - went mad
Paul Tierney - never even made the first team despite all our hype
Graham Barrett - scored on his Irish debut
Joe Murphy - Not good enough? Great start at Anfield but then...
Alan Lee - 15 goals in one season in Div 1 but nothing since
John Thompson - great year at Forest when they nearly went up. Nothing since.

All but Tierney & Thornton have senior caps.

Who else is there?

There's also a whole load of players who have figured in the Irish underage sides who have been released or dropped down to the basement divisions to play.

Personally I still think O'Shea, Miller & Reid could come good. Less so Thornton despite all his talent. Healy - who knows?

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Personally I still think O'Shea, Miller & Reid could come good. Less so Thornton despite all his talent. Healy - who knows?

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Ferguson said yesterday that the future of Man United was going to be built around Rooney, Ronaldo, Fletcher (??) and O'Shea. While it is encouraging to see O'Shea mentioned in that list, you'd wonder why the likes of Smith or Ferdinand did not merit a mention, and also the glaring omission of Miller.

You could add Richie Partridge and Stephen Bradley to that list too Stuttgart.

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Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Ferguson said yesterday that the future of Man United was going to be built around Rooney, Ronaldo, Fletcher (??) and O'Shea. While it is encouraging to see O'Shea mentioned in that list, you'd wonder why the likes of Smith or Ferdinand did not merit a mention, and also the glaring omission of Miller.

You could add Richie Partridge and Stephen Bradley to that list too Stuttgart.

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Miller hasnt turned into a bad player overnight, he has produced MOM performances in the CL so he's got the talent. Would love to see him go on loan somewhere decent, rebuild his confidence etc.
Steven Reid will be a big player for Blackburn next season if he can stay injury free.
Barrett, Murphy, Lee-I dont think they ever showed us the sort of class to expect them to reach the top, I think they are good lower league players and thats it.
It will be interesting to show how Healy returns from injury but I wouldnt be optimistic, also Partridge needs to get first team action somewhere quick or its curtains for him too.
For me the biggest disappointment is McPhail, he was a crucial player for leeds when they were challenging in the EPL and CL, showing vital goals (distinctly remember 2 against chelsea) unfortunately he seems to have fallen off a cliff.

you could throw in Alan Mahon,,,,,

Yeah, Stephen McPhail, he was bloody fantastic that one season for Leeds before his legs collapsed. It's a pity Mick didn't utilise him enough as he was setting the Premiership alight at the time. For about 18 months he looked like a young Liam Brady.

Alan Quinn, Michael Reddy, had high hopes for both of them

ger crossley anyone?

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Originally Posted by beautifulrock

Alan Quinn, Michael Reddy, had high hopes for both of them

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Agree with you on Reddy, but Quinn hasn't done too badly for himself.

A lot from the U-16 and U-18 European Championship winning teams, I suppose. Some have made it, but then there's the likes of Liam George, Kevin Grogan, Daryl McMahon, David Freeman, etc. Also a couple from the U-20s - Barry Quinn, Ger Crossley as mentioned, Robbie Ryan, Neale Fenn, etc.

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Agree with you on Reddy, but Quinn hasn't done too badly for himself.

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True, but would prefer if he was still playing in the premiership.

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Originally Posted by SaucyJack

you could throw in Alan Mahon,,,,,

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Isnt Mahon with Wigan now-as far as I know he was in first team for most of the season too so we may see him in the premiership next year

will also throw in Keith Andrews....at one point at Wolves, he got the "Roy Keane-esque" tag, think he's with Bury or Preston now.....also John Burns at Forest in the mid-90's got that tag and dissapeared altogether from Forest and lets not forget Keith Foy....and Rory Ginty at Palace...

dunno if he was mentioned but sean malee

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Originally Posted by SaucyJack

will also throw in Keith Andrews....at one point at Wolves, he got the "Roy Keane-esque" tag, think he's with Bury or Preston now.....also John Burns at Forest in the mid-90's got that tag and dissapeared altogether from Forest and lets not forget Keith Foy....and Rory Ginty at Palace...

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Andrews has moved to Hull which is a good move for him, he has done quite well on loan at a few Championship sides - he is certainly good enough at that level but looks to be a bit short of top flight quality.

All the Irish kids are 'highly rated' which has become such a meaningless phrase, unless you regularly watch reserve games you have no idea of how they really are or what level of professionalism they have. It's tough at the top, you have maybe 1 or 2 seasons to make the grade before you are replaced with the next crop of 'highly rated' hopefuls.

The attrition rates are to be expected, it all a matter of numbers. I'm surprised we don't see more kids go the route of Foy and ( too early to say perhaps ) Thornton. They have the technical ability but just lack the attitude.

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Thomas Butler - went mad

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:confused:
What did he do?

Sean Byrne At West Ham seems to have disappeared

Byrne was at Dublin City last year! :eek: Left after a few games - anyone know where he went to after that?

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Originally Posted by superfrank

:confused:
What did he do?

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Picked up a knee injury while at Sunderland, ran into family issues, left the club, nearly gave up football at one point. He's at Hartlepool at the moment, played in the play offs. Some lower league football might give him some time to recover and become the player he was showing all the signs of becoming.

A mate of mine from home, Brian O'Callaghan, who was in the team when they won the European Championships, has just signed a one year deal with Notts County.

Andy Turner once of Spurs - a shooting star in the firmament except it didn't give off much light. One of my friends swore he would be the man one day :(

You could add to the list Gareth Farrelly and Jason Gavin - these guy played quite a few times for Permiership clubs, Farrelly even scored the goal that kept Everton up. Somehow neither could hack it in the Championship and ended up in the the eL. What happened? neither player was great but if they were as ordinary as their careers now seem to suggest, why did Everton and 'Boro keep them so long?

The reality I suppose is that few players really make it, so maybe it is more like 'unfulfilled unrealistic expectations'!