Rejected
Talent: Future Stars, not good enough at youth level
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When
one looks at a top Football Player, logically the assumption is that they were
exceptional talents as youth. In most cases that’s accurate, as one would have
to possess gifts at a very young age to make it as a professional.
However,
throughout Football history, there have been players whose gifts were not
self-evident or were judged inadequate to succeed as professionals.
French
Legend Michel Platini is such a case. Though he performed impressively as a 20
year old for his club Nancy, it is astonishing that Lorraine neighbors FC Metz
rejected him.
There
are two stories about this great oversight. In one version it was Metz’s Team
Doctor, after a number of physical tests, judged Platini not adequate to
succeed as a professional. In another version, Platini would only join if his
father Aldo was also part of the package with a job (which he got at Nancy).
 |
Photo
From: Mondial, old series, issue 27, February 1979
(Michel Platini with Nancy, 1978/79) |
Another
technically gifted French Talent from the 1980s and 90s, David Ginola was
turned down by OGC Nice. He had to make his name with Toulon before starring
for Paris St Germain and Newcastle United later in his career.
Other
French Internationals who had to take different routes to stardom include long
time goalkeeper Joel Bats who was barred as a youth at Sochaux by the more
experienced Albert Rust and had to go to Auxerre and also striker Xavier
Gravelaine, a contemporary of Didier Deschamps as a youth at Nantes, who was
also shown the door and had to make his way through the lower divisions before
eventually playing for sides like Paris St Germain and Olympique Marseille.
 |
Photo
From: Mondial, new series, issue 71, March 1986
(France goalkeeper Joel Bats) |
In
the early 1990s, Croatia’s Robert Prosinecki was considered to be one of the
greatest young talents of World Football and was an International for
Yugoslavia in his early 20s.
As
a youth he was coached by future Croatia National Team Manager Miroslav
Blazevic at Dynamo Zagreb. Blazevic was so unconvinced by his talents that he
went on to declare that if Prosinecki ever became a good player he would tear
off all his diplomas.
 |
Photo
From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 28, May 1991
(Robert Prosinecki with Red Star Belgrade,
1990/91) |
When
it comes to Germans, Bayern Munich is a difficult place to break through, some
of the notable casualties include future West German and Stuttgart defender
Bernd Forster (brother of Karl-Heinz) and future Bordeaux defender and Manager
Gernot Rohr. Both failed to make the grade in a team full of Internationals.
There
is the peculiar case of Italian defenders Giuseppe Bergomi and Franco Baresi.
Each player was rejected by one of the Milanese clubs to serve their entire
career with the other Milanese club, Bergomi with Inter and Baresi with AC
Milan. Incidentally, Franco Baresi’s brother Giuseppe was accepted by Inter.
 |
Photo
From: Calcio 2000, Issue 16, February 1999
(Internazionale Milano’s Giuseppe Bergomi) |
Future
Juventus defenders (both capped by Italy), Sergio Porrini and Gianluca Pessotto
started at AC Milan’s youth teams but were released before making their
breakthroughs at smaller teams.
Similarly
another future Juventus and Italy International, midfielder Angelo Di Livio
failed to make the grade at AS Roma and had to start out at the lower leagues.
Future
Italy and AS Roma midfielder Luigi Di Biagio actually started at cross town
rivals Lazio, but failed to make the grade.
Future
Italy goalkeeper Francesco Toldo’s path was blocked at AC Milan, he therefore
had to work his way up the lower leagues as well.
Defender
Roberto Tricella was once seen as Gaetano Scirea’s heir apparent as Italy’s
Libero under Enzo Bearzot; however, he was also rejected as a youth at
Internazionale Milano before making a name for himself at Verona.
Similarly
young Lazio striker Marco Di Vaio’s path was blocked by such talents as Signori
and Casiraghi, therefore he had to work his way up the lower leagues as well.
When
it comes to the British there are also many interesting cases. Future England
Captain David Platt was rejected as a youngster at Manchester United. He had to
go to Crewe and Aston Villa to achieve stardom.
 |
Photo
From: World Soccer, February 1994
(David Platt st Sampdoria, 1993/94) |
Welsh
International, the controversial Robbie Savage is another of Manchester
United’s famous failures.
Scottish
legend Kenny Dalglish was rejected as a trainee at West Ham United for reasons
that only they would know.
 |
Photo
From: Onze, Issue 22, October 1977
(Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool, 1977/78) |
Liverpool
itself is also a tough place to break through especially during the competitive
Shankly and Paisley eras. Future England International defender Dave Watson
could not make it. He had to go through Norwich to eventually play for cross-town
rivals Everton.
Republic
of Ireland Midfielder Kevin Sheedy and Northern Ireland midfielder Jim Magilton
were also released during this era. Sheedy eventually made his name at
cross-town rivals Everton, while Magilton starred for Southampton.
Arsenal
under George Graham was guilty of dispensing prolific striker Andy Cole and
International defender Martin Keown. Though, Graham bought back Keown some six
years later.
In
Spain, Real Madrid is a tough jungle and many talented players had to make
headway elsewhere blocked by International quality stars.
Hipolito
Rincon is such a case, unable to make the first team; he joined Real Betis and
was one of Spanish Leagues best goalscorers of the 1980s.
The
list goes on: Ismael Urzaiz, Alvaro Negredo, Roberto Soldado, Alfonso Perez,
Dani Garcia, Miguel Pardeza, and Sebastiano Losada.
These
young Spaniards had to succeed away from Real’s tough environment.
I
presume the lesson to be learned is to never give up after initial rejection.
Even
the experts can be wrong or perhaps players need the right environment to
flourish.
They
need the less pressured atmosphere of a smaller club where they will get
playing opportunities rather than being confined to the bench, way behind the
pecking order.
