Wasted youth? Whats gone wrong...jack rodwell, jose baxter and victor anichebe....

[Noble Savage]

I knew a bloke who played against Billy Kenny back in the day and he said he was one of those players who just glided across the pitch . He was sure he was going to outgrow us before the decade was out .
Baxter was a shame too . Had a great swagger about him . Both of these players have told their sad tale . Hopefully it's taken on by lots of today's overpaid youth .

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Victor wasa just hitting top form when Kevin Nolan half killed him and paid compensation in the same game Arteta got his stoods caught in the turf, and his achilles tendon went - both of them never the players after that.......

Some of the goals Vic scored in our European campaigns were genuinely top drawer. At his best he was bullying defenders, but he never seemed able to put it together consistently.

 

[Tel001]

Ronaldo brilliance meant that rooney had to be a team player, he really needed to be the star of the show. He played his best games for England as an Everton player

This... Rooney was so unselfish as a player and would playa nowhere and although he became a better allround lkayer under Ferguson he did lose that something special he had a little bit. Don’t get me wrong , was a world class player but he really could have been a Ronaldo type if he was more selfish and demanding from his manager imo

 

[Bluebonic]

This.

Married with a kid when they should be having fun with me.

Speaking of which did you see Coverntry’s ‘two-tone’ away kit?? utterly boss!

 

[Bluebonic]

Some of the goals Vic scored in our European campaigns were genuinely top drawer. At his best he was bullying defenders, but he never seemed able to put it together consistently.

True this, if had been a little more naturally aggressive, he would have terrified every defender he played against. I remember Cyril Regis had to be wound up by Ron Atkinson before every game as he was too nice and gentle a person. Vic always struck me as being a similar personality.

 

[barneygumble]

I think there’s so many answers which are way off the mark here.

You can’t be all blessed with being Rooney levels of brilliant.

So what do Players like Baxter, Rodwell have in common compared to the likes of Osman and Milner? They didn’t want it enough.

Osman is literally the prime example of a footballer who shouldn’t make it, good composure, but weak and slow, but worked hard, grafted and put the hard yards in, and made a premier league footballer for 10+ years.

I still think the problem is they’re throwing money at the kids way too young nowadays. Baxter was arrogant, and couldn’t be bothered, Rodwell was open about not really enjoying being a footballer, and was very much in it for the money.
Some players just need a little bit of a run... if we kept Lundstram for 3 years more, he’d be in league two or something now. I remember going to a Yeovil game away at Reading, and he let the ball strickle through his legs on the goal line and scored an own goal. He was a wreck.
He went away, got lucky to have a brilliant manager in Wilder and has pushed on the be a revelation. We can’t take any “what’s ifs?” About him, he’s done it all through hard work.

you either have the hunger or youdon’t and there’s not many players who lack hunger who you’ll see in the Premier League.

 

[msb]

Truth is that none of them were good enough. All shone briefly all were not quite good enough for the premier league.

We have had decades of this, players look boss and end up being average at best.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

True this, if had been a little more naturally aggressive, he would have terrified every defender he played against. I remember Cyril Regis had to be wound up by Ron Atkinson before every game as he was too nice and gentle a person. Vic always struck me as being a similar personality.

There were times when he looked like he could develop into a Drogba style monster, but a career return of just 40 goals is pretty awful (DCL has got more than that already, for instance).

 

[Lloydystark]

Some of the goals Vic scored in our European campaigns were genuinely top drawer. At his best he was bullying defenders, but he never seemed able to put it together consistently.

2009 europa league I remember thinking we’d win it with vic looking like a powerhouse of a striker

 

[Lloydystark]

I knew a bloke who played against Billy Kenny back in the day and he said he was one of those players who just glided across the pitch . He was sure he was going to outgrow us before the decade was out .
Baxter was a shame too . Had a great swagger about him . Both of these players have told their sad tale . Hopefully it's taken on by lots of today's overpaid youth .

Wow how have I only just discovered billy kenny? Just read few interesting articles on him. I started supporting Everton in 95/96 when I was a kid and must of just missed the billy kenny times. So sad to read about wasted talent especially if it’s natural talent, I think players who have to train harder or haven’t got that natural talent are more likely to succeed as they show the discipline the others lack

 

[Exeter_Gently]

Can't say I lose much sleep over the players above.

 

[Jt5688]

2009 europa league I remember thinking we’d win it with vic looking like a powerhouse of a striker

That game we lost 2-3 at home to Chelsea (2006 I think) to wonder strikes from Lampard and Drogba, Anichebe was the best player on the pitch. Boulahrouz (sic?) should have seen red for multiple yellows against Vic, having also given away a penalty, and was subbed early as Mourinho knew he was going to walk if he stayed on. That game also remains arguably the best I've ever seen Everton play in a defeat.

Vic was always very harshly treated by our fans. Something about our own youth players makes the crowd extra critical. No "one of our own" style chants for Everton players. Even Hibbo and Osman used to get far more criticism then other players and only garnered full respect from the crowd once they were into their 30s. Davies gets it now too and Ross got it horrifically. I don't think that's necessarily why some haven't progressed as we wished, but I think it does often cloud fans' opinions of their achievements, as they remember all the moaning and groaning in which we so specialise.

 

[Lloydystark]

That game we lost 2-3 at home to Chelsea (2006 I think) to wonder strikes from Lampard and Drogba, Anichebe was the best player on the pitch. Boulahrouz (sic?) should have seen red for multiple yellows against Vic, having also given away a penalty, and was subbed early as Mourinho knew he was going to walk if he stayed on. That game also remains arguably the best I've ever seen Everton play in a defeat.

Vic was always very harshly treated by our fans. Something about our own youth players makes the crowd extra critical. No "one of our own" style chants for Everton players. Even Hibbo and Osman used to get far more criticism then other players and only garnered full respect from the crowd once they were into their 30s. Davies gets it now too and Ross got it horrifically. I don't think that's necessarily why some haven't progressed as we wished, but I think it does often cloud fans' opinions of their achievements, as they remember all the moaning and groaning in which we so specialise.

I loved Ross and I really don’t get why the fans targeted him? I’ve said before that we should give our youth players more of a chance, there our own academy products and should be looked after better (not money wise) but player management. Unless the lads are thick skinned at a young age the boo boys will ruin them early

 

[The binman chronicles]

Give me a few million quid and my desire to work will drop off considerably. If you have the talent and can keep pushing and end up in a team that win trophies then the performances and mind will probably not switch off.

If you find yourself at say a city and the players around you are way above your level then the cruel reality is you're going to have to accept being a bit part player or you drop down to play but are unlikely to win anything. If you are only playing for money or the glory of being the best and fulfilling dreams of scoring a hat trick at Wembley to lift the cup then you may decide to coast. Only natural.

 

[davids]

Anichibe assaulted by Nolan and never the same afterwards.