This thread is about players you once respected but lost your respect for. It could be through a piece of cheating, feigning injury, injuring someone, intent to injure someone, diving, switching to a hated rival club etc no matter the reason, which players fit into this category for you? For me it's this lot. - Paolo Di Canio: When he did that nazi salute at the Lazio supporters he went down in my estimation from quirky, angry little man to unadulterated twat. I'll never look at him the same again. -El Haj Diouf: He was a breath of fresh air at the last WC..then he came to England and his behaviour has been appalling. -Michael Essien: Two career threatening tackles in a time period of 3months. On both occasions after nearly breaking the victim's leg he jumped to the floor feigning injury after his assualts..2career threaening tackles in a 15yr career is a lot, doing it twice in 3months makes me think he's going to be a serial offender until he does break somebodies leg. I hope he believes in eye for an eye, wouldn't surprise me if he gets some of his own treatment somewhere down the line. -David Beckham: When he was at United before the media circus latched onto him he was second only to Roy Keane for hard work and effort, he was a much better player then he has been since and could fairly be called on of the best RM's in the world. Since the fame came he has not only declined as a player, but expects to play in every game however he likes sans managerial briefing. He frustrates me now as I feel he could've been a much better player now if he had the same commitment as he did when he was on the up. I lost a lot of respect for Deco because of his diving antics at Porto and Euro 2004, but since he's gone to Barca he's cut it out and subsquently he's a player I like to watch again. Who are the players you once respected that you no longer can/do?
I lose respect for a player as soon as I see him take a dive. That includes U.S. players, such as Adu. Everytime a player dives I just want to reach through my TV and kick them in the balls just to remind them they have balls and should play like it.
It is a shame that his salablity has him believe that he is above the coach. I am really surprised that he wasn't punished for his actions by Real Madrid (proves what the priorities of the club are). I am losing respect for Real Madrid if anything. It won't be long until Rivaldo's name is listed (although I respect him for all that he did for Brazil).
Cassano - He could become a great player. The problem is he already thinks he is and so he keeps on embarassing himself. Latest example: The penalty against Crvena zvezda (Red Star).
Roy Keane. Of course, its debateable how much respect I ever had for him as a person. It was never a lot. Olivier Dacourt is another.
Reasoning? Alf Inge Haaland - Aside from being grade A Leeds/Man City scum, his various actions towards Keane and subsequent whining for no valid reason means that I have lost all respect for him both as a player and person. If you can't hack it, then don't start shít in the first place. Twat.
Steffen Karl formerly a solid player for Borussia Dortmund, Hertha BSC and FC St-Pauli, accepted €10.000 when he was playing for the Chemnitzer FC for the attempt to manipulate a game against Holstein Kiel. Karl has been German Champion and won the UEFA-Cup with Dortmund, but his involvement with this scandal has ruined his reputation for ever.
No valid reason? Keane actually set out to end his career. No matter if it was actually him that did that or not it was still his intention. It was Keane's own shocking tackle on Halaand that got himself injured in the first place. It's one thing to have a physical feud with someone, it's another matter completly when you deliberately set out to injure an opponent. It just makes Keane a violent thug who can't take it when someone dare challenges him.
or maybe haaland telling him to get up because he' faking..... the tackle wasn't shocking. the second was , and more. i'm sure you'd hold a grudge if you went through rehab after being told to get up because you're faking.
Players say to other players that they're faking all the time. I'm sure Keane has said it plenty of times. It's not as if Haaland caused his injury. Wanting revenge the way Keane did over something so trivial as what Halaand said is just petty. Even if Keane did hold a grudge the way he got his own back was unacceptable, I don't believe in 'an eye for an eye' but this went way beyond that. I wouldn't be so petty as to hold a grudge against someone who shouted something like that at me. What did it matter to Keane that Halaand thought he was faking it? Keane's reaction just sums up what a thug he is, no civilised person would react in such a manner over something so insignificant.
You clearly know nothing of the rivalry between the players and clubs involved, plus all of the background behind the entire situation.
And that gives someone the right to try to cripple a fellow professional? Take your red tinted specs off for a minute and see Keane for the thug he is. Keane did this to haaland, hapened to get a serious injury himself, something Haaland was not to know, he was just angry after getting a kick off the guy. The Keane does this: and writes in his autobiography: "I'd waited long enough. I ********ing hit him hard. The ball was there (I think). Take that you ********, And don't ever stand over me again sneering about fake injuries. And tell your pal Wetherall there's some for him as well. I didn't wait for Mr Elleray to show the red card. I turned and walked to the dressing room." It was the revenge of a thug. There is NO possible justification for a tackle like this, no matter what 'history' there was between the two. A footballer should under no circumstances deliberately try to injure a fellow professional.
I know exactly what happened. That is the game of football. Much worse has occurred, so get off your high horse over one incident. The only thing Keane is guilty of is being honest.
I honestly don't know how you can try and defender a player who tried to end someone's career by injuring them. Keane's a great player, but this incident taints an otherwise respectable career.
at least keane is honest about trying to get people, unlike essien who is denying being a dirty player
Come on Teso. I'm not in the 'Keane is a dirty thug' camp and I've defended him when the hyperbole over the second Haaland tackle goes over the top, but the initial incident is no justification for it. Haaland did nothing to deserve being a marked man for so long.
Cristiano ronaldo- Used to be my favourite payer, but giving the finger to the team's fan's that you grew up supporting was dumb and classless. Totti- Great player, another dumb moment of unsportsmanship
Given the abuse that Ronaldo was given, what else did you expect? No doubt you will all be full of praise the second he pulls on a Portugal strip...
Wait, so you say that a previous poster doesn't understand the rivalry inherent in the Manchester derby, yet are somehow surprised that Benfica fans would abuse an ex-Sporting player?