Anderson and John Obi Mikel - destiny's forgotten children

Possessing a physical presence that aided their silky games, they were pushed into unfamiliar roles by two of the biggest names in the game – Sir Alex and Jose Mourinho.

Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho

And before the Manchester United fans claim the injustice of it all, apparently a similar fate awaited Mikel if he had made the move to United – Lyn director Morgan Andersen said that Sir Alex told him that “Mikel would be the next Roy Keane” at one point during those negotiations.

Lyn, of course, was the third club at the centre of the scandal that saw the Premier League rivals tug at each of Mikel’s arms.

But what chance does a youngster have when he is told that he could end up as the “next Roy Keane”? He would be inclined to bow to the judgement of a man who is regarded as possibly the greatest ever club manager.

And who knows, maybe Old Trafford would’ve seen Mikel emerge to be all that Sir Alex predicted.

But to expect a young man to make such a drastic switch in his game, especially when he would be starry-eyed and naive in the role, and on such a big stage as well – seems a tad too much. Mikel need only look as far as Anderson to see that.

Hell, for all we know, the two of them would’ve probably started taking turns to be at the receiving end of every boot Sir Alex kicked in the dressing room, if only to force a move away.

And forcing a move away does seem to be the right thing to do – Mikel is just 26, Anderson 25. They still have at least five good years at the top, and plenty of experience to go with it now. Surviving at these top clubs for this long is no mean feat in itself – a combination of their own undoubted talent and the price tags they came with.

A more advanced role in a lesser club would be the shot-in-the-arm their careers deserve. Anderson, especially, could possibly have made the move a couple of years back, if only to bring himself into contention for the World Cup on his home soil.

Mikel may have enjoyed a prolonged run in the Nigerian scheme of things, but he will harbour strong feelings of regret that may only be assuaged by a more prominent role in a team that recognizes his talent.

Their careers bring to the fore the insurmountable battle that every young player – no matter how talented – faces in the “eat or be eaten” world of football.

They are not the prima donnas like Quaresma or Andy van der Meyde, who have let their egos rule a career that promised so much more. They are the professionals who trusted their managers’ vision and judgement, but still face a career that sees them share a dressing room with youngsters who have overtaken them in the battle to the top. Do you not think they have had moments where they maybe thought – could that have been me?

There have been accusations of excessive partying – but then that is a brush all footballers are tarred with. And one that can be used as a convenient tool – Real Madrid’s pathetic attempt to justify Ozil’s sale is but one example.

Injuries? Yes. But to assume they are solely responsible for the plateauing of these careers that seemed destined to scale the tallest peaks – that seems a little too naive an explanation.

Ultimately, if even colossuses like Sir Alex and Mourinho can unwittingly go wrong, then what can be said about the sheer volume of the nameless, faceless dreamers who had it all snatched away without even a chance?

Football has never been an exact science – there is no mark or cut-off, the like of which we see in athletics or swimming. And in all this glorious uncertainty and unpredictability, thousands fall in at the cracks, while only the chosen rise to the top.

Thankfully, for the duo in the title, redemption could still just be around the corner.