Quite simple. The greatest ever and the greatest under achievers ever for Player, Club and Country.

Here are my choices:-

Greatest underachievers:

Player: Gazza - Had the potential to be the best ever player for England and could have achieved so much more. Self destructed and was never the same after getting injured in FA cup final.

Club: Rangers - Massive club, so much money but constant failure in Europe. The same could be said for Arsenal with a side of their calibre.

Country: Spain - So many great clubs, lots of excellent players but can never perform when required.


Greatest ever:

Player: - Maradona - Goes without saying. A one man team who's international and club records speak for themselves.

Club: Real Madrid - Trophy cabinet is second to none.

Country: Brazil - No explanation needed.

I'd agree with almost all of those lickszz except for the underachieving country.

Come on it's got to be England.

When Sven came in we had a good side, with Beckham and Owen at their best and we got absolutely nothing.

Same goes with Euro 2004. Our midfield was second to none but yet again we came away with nothing.

My personal choice of greatest ever player would be Pele not Maradaona.

Other than that I agree with Lickzz's other choices.

Nomme

I think the greatest under achievers country wise are Portugal, the golden era has failed in winning any silverware.

Greatest player: Pele

Go with the rest of Likszz list.

I think Arsenal are starting to look like major underachievers. They are probably the best team in Britain, and have been for a few years (Although Chelsea are starting to look on a par) and yet they always seem to struggle in Europe. The will not be considered one of the great teams until they do more in Europe.

I'm of the opinion that it won't be long until Chelsea are the dominating force. The only chance of preventing this IMO is Abramovich getting jailed or simply getting fed up once he has won everything and concentrating on Formula 1 instead.

The biggest underachieving team for me is Blackburn Rovers. This was the club that Jack's millions built , seduced the likes of Shearer at his prime away from the lure of Manchester United. I know they won the Premiership at Man U's expense but it really has been a spectacular slide ever since.

For me, Lee Sharpe is sadly my underachiever of choice. This lad had it all, and was up there with Giggs in the Fergies Fledgings of the early 90's. His career - domestic and International - seemed to fade instantly when he left Man U. I couldn't believe it when I saw his name on the Garforth United team sheet the other week with that aging (shivering) Brazilian bloke. Made me really sad.

Some good points there especially about Sharpe. As a 17 year old he was excellent, I remember him on the left wing causing chaos for teams until for some reason he switched positions for Man Utd and was found playing at full back. I believe he then got a serious achilles injury and lost a yard of pace and never regained the same form.

Originally posted by Lickszz
Some good points there especially about Sharpe. As a 17 year old he was excellent, I remember him on the left wing causing chaos for teams until for some reason he switched positions for Man Utd and was found playing at full back. I believe he then got a serious achilles injury and lost a yard of pace and never regained the same form.

Wasn't that reason called Ryan Giggs? It seemed that Sharp was wonder kid until Giggs came along. I think Darren Huckerby is another under achieving player, showed great promise when younger.

Originally posted by Snook
I think Darren Huckerby is another under achieving player, showed great promise when younger.

With the right team behind him though I think he'd be better.

He got Norwich promoted and is gaining them (few) points this season.

Originally posted by Snook
Wasn't that reason called Ryan Giggs? It seemed that Sharp was wonder kid until Giggs came along. I think Darren Huckerby is another under achieving player, showed great promise when younger.

Partly, though there was another reason aside from Giggs. Sharpe liked to party hard off the pitch and lost focus and ambition. A little bit like Mr Fowler over at Man City.

As for Huckerby, I'm not sure he was ever really any great shakes. Just a kid who is fast and can dribble pretty well; as some pundit once remarked, he's "like a speedboat with no driver".

Originally posted by Snook
Wasn't that reason called Ryan Giggs? It seemed that Sharp was wonder kid until Giggs came along. I think Darren Huckerby is another under achieving player, showed great promise when younger.

May be. However I remember on a few occasions when Giggs wasn't in the team either and Sharpe was at full back. Perhaps Lee Martin was injured or something.

Huckerby had great success at Coventry but when at Leeds was made ot look very average.

i have regularly watched football since 1934and seen many of the old time greats Mathewes Mannion ,Carter but the best exhibition of football i ever saw over one game was by Len Shackleton when Sunderland beat United about 7-2 at the lane shortly after the war in an evening game

Originally posted by kingfisher
i have regularly watched football since 1934and seen many of the old time greats Mathewes Mannion ,Carter but the best exhibition of football i ever saw over one game was by Len Shackleton when Sunderland beat United about 7-2 at the lane shortly after the war in an evening game

1934!??!?! :wow:

How old were you when you started watching football then?