The Worst Players ever?

Kleberson...
Actually scrap that.

Fabianski.

There is one goalkeeper who's record is worse in ManchesterUnited History... Massimo Taibi! His badness is the stuff of folklore.

Juan Sebastian Veron also springs to mind, he was just terrible.

In some ways a bit like Diego Forlan then, absolutely abysmal at United but strong overseas. I have actually been at Old Trafford when Forlan scored though and you could see something was there but he just failed to show it most (99%) of the time!

It's hard to narrow it down to just one but the likes of Obertan and Gervinho always gripe me. Remove the pace and what have you got? Nada.

In terms of worst managerial decisions, Terry Venables would regularly play Paul Okon (average at best) ahead of Olivier Dacourt (brilliant at best)in the same midfield role.

Seem to remember Terry V bringing in about 8 unknown loan players from abroad to replace the likes of Ferdinand and Kewell. Leeds were always going down with that 'plan'

Sakho?? Raul Bravo?? That Leeds team had some contenders as well...

Sakho was really lively! On his debut. Then did nothing for the rest of his stay.

I'm sure some other Leeds fans will remember Wesley Boyle as being on the subs bench for about 6 consecutive years only ever making one appearance!

I know it's been touched on but I just want to develop, there's a difference between a poor signing and a poor player. Veron was an international class midfielder, but couldn't adapt to the English game which was faster paced and where he didn't get as much space as in Italy. He was also playing in a team that already had an established midfield partnership in Scholes and Keane and SAF couldn't quite incorporate him into a new system. He started his time at OT well and was a threat from free kicks (though we had Beckham anywway) and did score in that 5-3 comeback against Spurs.

He put some of his best performances in Champions League games, which probably tells you something.

He was known of as one the best midfielders on the continent when signed. There have been far, far worse players than Veron who have pulled on a Manchester United shirt in recent years. The likes of David Bellion, Djemba Djemba (had a good debut though), Liam Miller and Bebe...thought admittedly all of these were young(ish) players at the time.

Oh, and Kleberson wasn't that bad a player. He's a world cup winner, and wasn't a water carrier. He just didn't do well at OT, after a decent (albeit injury stricken) start.

I also don't think Prunier (1995-1996 season iirc) was all that bad. He was just unfortunate in that he was rushed into the team during an injury crises (with no other recognised CB available and Schmeichel also injured iirc). He played two games, and had a really good debut. So that only leaves one bad game He was perhaps a bit past his best by then anyway.



I am also going to defend Forlan here.

Forlan's problem was that he was never given regular first team appearences, as SAF was only playing with the one striker (usually) and we had van Nistelrooy. When RvN was injured, and Forlan had a run of a few games, he showed his ability. Remember that volley against Rangers in Septmeber(?) 2003? That was during a run of four consecutive games when he scored, I think. Then van Nistelrooy recovered from his injury and Forlan was sent back onto the bench.

How can you expect him to score when he usually only came on for the final minutes of a game?

Forlan might not have had a great time at OT but the goals he did score were invariably very important. We may not have won the league in 2002-2003 without the few goals he did score.

It might have been different had he gone to Middlesbrough. An inferior team, yes, but he would have got regular starts.



To be fair Obertain seems to be working on his game and starting to get that final product. He hasn't played badly for Newcastle in a couple of Europa League games this season and had some good moments against Arsenal recently. He's still relatively young so I'd give him a couple more years before making judgement. I can't see him being any better than a mediocre PL player, however.

Mido , Benni McCarthy , Ilan.

Seem to remember Terry V bringing in about 8 unknown loan players from abroad to replace the likes of Ferdinand and Kewell. Leeds were always going down with that 'plan'

Sakho?? Raul Bravo?? That Leeds team had some contenders as well...

My idea of the worst player - Drewe Broughton. Former Franchise Player. Doesn't score goals very often and has no talent what so ever.

In his 459 games (since 1996) - he has scored just 83 goals.