The 50 Worst Players in Premier League History

[hellava_tough]

You're definitely not confusing him with Dumitrescu?

Just days after Dumitrescu becoming a Tottenham Hotspur player, British tabloid newspaper News of the World wrote an article about Dumitrescu chasing the services of prostitutes.[citation needed] The story later proved to be untrue, but Tottenham were unwilling to play Dumitrescu during the scandal and he was loaned out to Sevilla FC, with the La Liga side given an option to buy him during the loan.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilie_Dumitrescu#Club_career

I did not know that

 

[Dougal]

I have very fond memories of a winner against the Arse.

 

[Pellshek]

You're definitely not confusing him with Dumitrescu?

Nope. Dumistrscu was a chancer who happened to have one amazing World Cup in an excellent team. But Popescu had genuine talent, it's just he couldn't be arsed sticking with it at Spurs. 23 games! I'm genuinely surprised so many seem to have positive memories of him. It's undeserved.

 

[isaac94]

Not sure the list is right for ability wise, for example based on performance wise was someone like Diao or Falcao worse than someone like Paolo Tramezzani, Toda, Blondel or Doherty

 

[hellava_tough]

Not sure the list is right for ability wise, for example based on performance wise was someone like Diao or Falcao worse than someone like Paolo Tramezzani, Toda, Blondel or Doherty

I do wonder sometimes how these sorts of players would have faired in a stable team, with good coaching and management.

Fitness, work-rate and tactical preparation for games is more than half the battle. I'd be surprised if someone like Toda couldn't put a defensive-midfield shift in, if he put his mind to it (or was forced to).

I'm not saying that these sorts of players would hit the heights of our current squad, but I wonder if they'd be remembered as a Palacios or a Wimmer; decent enough players who did a solid job when they were called upon.

 

[hellava_tough]

Not sure the list is right for ability wise, for example based on performance wise was someone like Diao or Falcao worse than someone like Paolo Tramezzani, Toda, Blondel or Doherty

Bit harsh to put him in the list

He was basically an injury plague kid, who left Spurs when he was 20/21

There have probably been hundreds (or thousands) like him over the last 20 years

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Blondel

 

[rossdapep]

Nope. Dumistrscu was a chancer who happened to have one amazing World Cup in an excellent team. But Popescu had genuine talent, it's just he couldn't be arsed sticking with it at Spurs. 23 games! I'm genuinely surprised so many seem to have positive memories of him. It's undeserved.

He doesn't deserve to be elevated to legend status or anything like that because as you rightly point out, he didn't want to hang around and there was certainly commitment issues. But from what I recall was an excellent player who made us a much better team.

 

[sebo_sek]

I do wonder sometimes how these sorts of players would have faired in a stable team, with good coaching and management.

Fitness, work-rate and tactical preparation for games is more than half the battle. I'd be surprised if someone like Toda couldn't put a defensive-midfield shift in, if he put his mind to it (or was forced to).

I'm not saying that these sorts of players would hit the heights of our current squad, but I wonder if they'd be remembered as a Palacios or a Wimmer; decent enough players who did a solid job when they were called upon.

When we got Palacios he was a rock. It only later turned out he had knees which could have mae him team captain for the Honduras paraolympics team.

 

[danielneeds]

He was amazing before he came to Spurs, and adequate after he left - Wiki tells me he played 68 league games for Barca - but while he was with us he was an absolute disgrace.

That's rubbish. He was OK for us. Ultimately his best position was a sweeper in a back three, and he played holding mid while here, while still trying to adapt to the league, firstly under Ossie's loopy system and then a rubbish manager like Francis.

Decent player, but we just couldn't get the best out of so many in those days because our structure was all wrong.

 

[danielneeds]

Not sure the list is right for ability wise, for example based on performance wise was someone like Diao or Falcao worse than someone like Paolo Tramezzani, Toda, Blondel or Doherty

The list isn't really about the worst players ability wise though, it's more of a mix of poor ability and those who performed so much more worse than expectations.

 

[RichieS]

Bit harsh to put him in the list

He was basically an injury plague kid, who left Spurs when he was 20/21

There have probably been hundreds (or thousands) like him over the last 20 years

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Blondel

He went on to be rather good as well I think. Pleat has an eye for a player.

 

[isaac94]

He went on to be rather good as well I think. Pleat has an eye for a player.

Not really, just spent his career playing for Brugge, Belgium league isn't too strong especially in the early 2000's

 

[Marty]

When we got Palacios he was a rock. It only later turned out he had knees which could have mae him team captain for the Honduras paraolympics team.

Wilson was also never the same player after his brother was kidnapped. That was undoubtedly as much of a factor as his knees getting Ledley'd.

 

[BehindEnemyLines]

I have very fond memories of a winner against the Arse.

Yes, scored a fantastic winner against the Arse!

 

[Armstrong_11]

No.1 on the list claims to be George Weah 's cousin? Didn't arse also have someone like that? Christopher Rey or something? He was rubbish too right?

 

[Flynn]

Yes, scored a fantastic winner against the Arse!

I was in Copenhagen that night. Glorious.

 

[Dougal]

Yes, scored a fantastic winner against the Arse!

I remember singing ‘chimchimenny chimchimenny chimchim cheroo, Nayim from 50, Popescu from 2’ but that doesn’t make sense for a penalty...

 

[Flynn]

There is only two west ham players on the 50 worst !?!

 

[spursfan77]

There is only two west ham players on the 50 worst !?!

You could realistically make a top 50 worse strikers from the lot they've bought during the premier league era!

 

[NinjaTuna]

You could realistically make a top 50 worse strikers from the lot they've bought during the premier league era!

A winner rating from me to whoever is willing to do this