Players who failed elsewhere but became great

[keep the faith]

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Matt Doherty! Absolutely strolling the championship with Wolves...

Was good for us too. His attitude less so....

[The_Exile]

Didn’t Thierry Henry have a bit of a nightmare at Juventus before he switched to Arsenal?

Coutinho also was a bit part player a Inter before being loaned to a fairly average Spanish team before going to Liverpool.

[My_Wife_Camille]

Diego Costa. Farmed out on loan for 5 of his 6 seasons at Atlético before having a wonder season and signing for Chelsea

Diego Forlán. A major flop at Man United and went of to have a pretty decent career elsewhere

[The_Horde]

Big Freddie Kanoute. Flopped in England and bossed it in Spain.

Paulinho at Barcelona right now, one of the best in the world at what he does but flopped at spurs.

[My_Wife_Camille]

Mark Oxley. Flopped (or should that be flapped) up here but doing ok for himself down in England

[Fisherrow Harp]

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With respect, that's pish

With respect. You are right!

[Dashing Bob S]

Larry Kingston

[hibs#1]

Dennis Bergkamp

[Viva_Palmeiras]

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I risk being called a cynic, but I'm finding it a bit difficult to fully embrace the heady optimism which the arrival of Scott Allan has engendered.

Suddenly, a player who has failed to consistently impress anywhere in his career, is a "good fit" at Hibs and, for the first time ever, is in line for international honours. He's a luxury, an enigmatic pickpocket who needs to be indulged.

Well, maybe he is, I certainly hope so, but my past memory of players with "complicated" careers, is not particularly positive.

For example, Liam Miller started well and offered great hope under Yogi, but fell away badly.

Because of a shocking disciplinary record
which really should have ended his career years earlier, Chic Charnley came to Hibs on a pay as you play deal.

He did quite well at first. He was very skilful and good to watch to the extent that there were calls for him to be called up for Scotland. What happened? He got sent off again for fighting with a teammate.

Even Anthony Stokes brought trouble to the dressing room the first time he was at Easter Road, and we all know how his Hibs career ended.

So, my experience of footballers is that they don't readily change, but I'm open to the possibility that there are exceptions.

Are there many examples of players who have settled down and proved the doubters wrong by achieving their potential?

Boyle?

[Viva_Palmeiras]

Stevenson (cue 10+ pages...)

[Michael]

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Diego Costa. Farmed out on loan for 5 of his 6 seasons at Atlético before having a wonder season and signing for Chelsea

Diego Forlán. A major flop at Man United and went of to have a pretty decent career elsewhere

Forlan was incredible at the 2010 World Cup. I'd also say that 'major' flop is a bit strong as he still made almost 100 appearances for them.

[Hibbyradge]

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With respect. You are right!

With respect, you misunderstood my point.

[Robinho08]

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I understand why you say that, but his career has actually been fairly linear.

He didn't make it at Wolves, but he's been successful everywhere else.

He scored 12 in 26 appearances. He was more unsettled than didn't make it. He's scored goals at every team he's played for.

[FilipinoHibs]

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Diego Costa. Farmed out on loan for 5 of his 6 seasons at Atlético before having a wonder season and signing for Chelsea

Diego Forlán. A major flop at Man United and went of to have a pretty decent career elsewhere

Forlan great at Athletico and besf player of a World Cup. Absolute taliisman and heart of a lion.

[jgl07]

Paul Pogba. Did nothing at United and went to Juventus where he looked a world beater, Came back to United and struggles to get a start.

[snooky]

Supermac was the opposite. A scoring machine at Newcastle but did nothing much at Arsenal, IIRC.

[McD]

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Paul Pogba. Did nothing at United and went to Juventus where he looked a world beater, Came back to United and struggles to get a start.

In fairness, he was a teenager when he left Man Utd

[Mibbes Aye]

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I risk being called a cynic, but I'm finding it a bit difficult to fully embrace the heady optimism which the arrival of Scott Allan has engendered.

Suddenly, a player who has failed to consistently impress anywhere in his career, is a "good fit" at Hibs and, for the first time ever, is in line for international honours. He's a luxury, an enigmatic pickpocket who needs to be indulged.

Well, maybe he is, I certainly hope so, but my past memory of players with "complicated" careers, is not particularly positive.

For example, Liam Miller started well and offered great hope under Yogi, but fell away badly.

Because of a shocking disciplinary record
which really should have ended his career years earlier, Chic Charnley came to Hibs on a pay as you play deal.

He did quite well at first. He was very skilful and good to watch to the extent that there were calls for him to be called up for Scotland. What happened? He got sent off again for fighting with a teammate.

Even Anthony Stokes brought trouble to the dressing room the first time he was at Easter Road, and we all know how his Hibs career ended.

So, my experience of footballers is that they don't readily change, but I'm open to the possibility that there are exceptions.

Are there many examples of players who have settled down and proved the doubters wrong by achieving their potential?

Steve Bruce was turned down by several clubs when he tried to turn pro and was on the verge of quitting and taking up a trade when he got offered a trial with Gillingham. He went for it and got offered a deal and ended up having a successful time with them. That resulted in his move to Norwich where he won silverware and subsequently to Man Utd where he won multiple trophies in the first great Ferguson team.

The best bit of this story is when Brucie went down to Gillingham for his trial, he didn't go alone. Another young lad called Peter Beardsley went with him but the Gills told him they weren't interested

[My_Wife_Camille]

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Forlan was incredible at the 2010 World Cup. I'd also say that 'major' flop is a bit strong as he still made almost 100 appearances for them.

He was incredible at the World Cup 6 years after he flopped at United. It took him 27 games to score his first goal and 35 before he scored in the league. He's he racked up a reasonable number of games but of the 98 he played he only started about 30 of them and averaged 5 goals a season. If we're counting appearances as a measure of success that I shudder to think of some of the 'successful' players we've had at the club

The laddie flopped at United and then went on to become great, that's what the thread title has asked.

[Hibbyradge]

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He scored 12 in 26 appearances. He was more unsettled than didn't make it. He's scored goals at every team he's played for.

Good point 👍