The Premier League has had some great football talent in recent years, and some aggressive sports managers have made some great money. But, like America’s NFL, the Premier League has its share of bad boys and its share of players who turned out not to live up to the expectations their teams had of them. Here’s a look at five footballers from the Premier League you might not want to represent after you get your sports management degree.
1. Titus Bramble – Though his record has improved in recent years since joining Wigan Athletic, Bramble still comes up on the “worst lists” as voted by fans of the sport. The memory of his horrible playing during his tenure at Newcastle is one fans can’t seem to shake.
2. Massimo Taibi – This Italian goalkeeper was voted the worst goal keeper to ever play in the Premier League by fans of the sport. He played just 4 short games with Manchester United, but his performance was so poor in those four games that it essentially ruined his career. He later went on to play for Reggina, Atalanta and Torino before settling for a Serie B team, Ascoli. Today, he’s back in his hometown of Palermo, Italy, helping coach their team.
3. Joey Barton – Joey Barton is a talented player, whose game has improved as he’s progressed with his team, Newcastle United, for whom he’s played tackle since 2007. He’s described as one of the best tacklers in the league. However, his personal life has caused him many issues, including a stint in jail for 77 days for an assault outside a McDonald’s restaurant. He later received a suspended sentence for assaulting a former teammate during a training ground procedure. Years earlier he was charged with assault on another player at a Christmas party where he is said to have stuffed out a cigar in the man’s eyes. The player suffered permanent scarring, but Barton was never convicted in the incident.
4. Lee Bowyer – Another of football’s bad boys, Bowyer currently plays for Birmingham City. He’s another competent player who can’t seem to keep his name out of the headlines. He has twice been charged with assault, and was fined four weeks pay by the Football Association for violating their code of conduct. He has also been cited for doping offenses for using marijuana.
5. Li Wei-Fang – This guy’s reputation takes a double whammy. He’s known for controversy, allegedly forcing out the team’s manager at one point, and for making some serious mistakes on the field, too. He was thrown off the Chinese National Football team in 2006 for hitting a player and earning his sixth red card in 14 months.
We’ve all got to earn a living, and it’s for certain somebody had to, or will have to, manage these guys and their tumultuous careers. But, there are certainly easier Premier League players to manage, so you’re wise to steer clear of these guys if possible.
Ellen Ward writes about how to search for sports management degrees.
