Many of football’s greatest talents have graced the top flight of English football in the past, but not all have managed to maintain a similar stature throughout their career. A single bad season can tarnish a player’s reputation and result in him either departing the club or spending the rest of his career on the sidelines. In the past, long-term injuries were another reason that resulted in players being forced to make do with a bench role.
With new and exciting talent being discovered every year in England, it is also quite common for many of the Premier League veterans to fade out of the limelight, in order to allow more youth to develop.
More and more players tend to leave England towards the end of their careers in search of more playing time, while some choose to fight for their place. We look at some of the current players that are struggling to find playing time but are still very much part of the Premier League.
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#1 Stephen Ireland (Stoke City)
Stephen Ireland has been playing football in England ever since joining Manchester City’s youth setup in 2001. After progressing through the club’s ranks, Ireland was called up to the first team in 2005 and made an instant impact. He went on to score 23 goals in more than 150 appearances for The Sky Blues before transferring to Aston Villa in 2010.
Disappointing spells with The Villans and Newcastle saw Ireland move to Stoke City under former manager Mark Hughes, where he started off well. But a combination of poor form and badly timed injuries has led to the 30-year-old making just over 30 appearances in all competitions since the start of the 2014 campaign.
The midfielder is yet to make an appearance this season after breaking his leg in training, at the end of the last campaign. Ireland might still have a few years left in him in top flight football, if he manages to regain and maintain his fitness.
#2 Paul Robinson (Burnley)
At one point in his career, Paul Robinson was considered the top goalkeeper in England. He was even the regular choice in goal for the England National team from 2004-2007.
After coming through the Leeds United youth ranks, Robinson was drafted into the first-team squad for the 1997-98 season. Although it took him a while to hold down a regular starting XI spot, he made a name for himself in his final two seasons at Elland Road.
The now 36-year-old then moved to Tottenham where he enjoyed the best spell of his career with both club and country, before spending eight seasons at Blackburn Rovers.
Robinson’s career might have turned out differently had he not been so error prone, especially when on duty for the National team. In the twilight of his career, the former England stopper has more use as a back-up keeper than a frontline one, and has yet to appear for latest club Burnley since joining them last season.
#3 Fabio da Silva (Middlesbrough)
Fabio arrived in England to join Manchester United, along with twin brother Rafael in 2008. The twins were held in high regard and had enjoyed nearly identical careers until then. Fabio looked the more likely to succeed in the early stages at Old Trafford but his game time was limited due to injuries and suspensions, while Rafael gained confidence in the full-back position.
After five seasons at United, Sir Alex Ferguson sent Fabio out on loan to get more playing time under his belt, with the Brazilian joining Queens Park Rangers. After suffering relegation in his very first season with the Hoops, he moved to Cardiff City where he once again failed to avoid relegation in his first season. Following a couple of seasons in The Championship, the 26-year-old returned to the Premier League with newly promoted Middlesbrough at the start of the current campaign
Despite a promising start, Fabio failed to make his mark in the Premier League; he is only seen as a fringe player under Aitor Karanka and is yet to nail down a place in the starting XI for Boro. Still only 26, the defender still has time to resurrect his career in England.
#4 Darron Gibson (Everton)
Darron Gibson started his career after coming through the Manchester United development teams. He debuted for the Red Devils first team in 2005 under the watchful eye of Sir Alex Ferguson, but never really looked like breaking into the starting XI. He moved to Everton in search of more first-team football and enjoyed a good start with The Toffees in his first two seasons at the club.
Following a nasty knee injury, Gibson could not return to his best and has since struggled to make appearances for Everton, only managing to feature 28 times in all competitions since the start of the 2013/14 campaign.
On his day, Gibson is a powerhouse in midfield, who possesses strong defensive as well as attacking attributes. The 28-year-old is also well known for his excellent long-distance shooting ability, but is struggling to convince Ronald Koeman to allow him more game time.
#5 Mathieu Debuchy (Arsenal)
Mathieu Debuchy was a regular starter in the French National team when he arrived in England. The defender moved to Newcastle after a long spell with his boyhood team Lille and was quick to become a favourite with the Newcastle fans. Less than two seasons and a number of impressive performances later, Debuchy was transferred to Arsenal in 2014, to fill in the vacant right-back spot.
But frustrating injuries coupled with the outstanding form of Hector Bellerin saw Debuchy struggle to find any game time, and he has only appeared on 12 occasions in the league since joining the Gunners. The 31-year-old is still a very capable defender and could be a valuable asset for most Premier League teams, but for now he remains on the Arsenal sidelines.
