10 footballers who abandoned a sinking ship

One of the most painful feelings for any football fan is to see their favourite team struggle, losing match after match. The pain deepens at the end of an exhausting season if the team is relegated. And finally, the pain reaches its height if their favourite players leave at that critical point. There have been many instances throughout the history of club football where players, who may have declared their unwavering loyalty to their teams, left at the first sign of danger. It is an act that incurs them the eternal wrath of the fans they have just betrayed.Yet, when we look at it from the perspective of the players, they were just doing what they thought was best for their careers. Some players were even forced to leave due to the precarious financial conditions of their teams.Here are 10 footballers who abandoned a sinking ship.

#1 Charlie Adam - Blackpool to Liverpool

WHEN? – July 2011

WHAT HAPPENED? – Unable to strike down a starting spot at Rangers, Charlie Adam found himself on his way to the English seaside town of Blackpool in January 2009. Adam went on to become a fan favourite, captaining the team to a Championship playoff victory in his first full season and winning promotion to the Premier League for the first time.

The 2010/11 Premier League season, however, would end in heartbreak. Blackpool were relegated after just one season with the big boys. For captain Charlie Adam, it was a sign that this was not the place to be. He had had a good season personally, scoring 12 goals and being nominated for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year. Liverpool came calling in July and he duly left in a £6.75 million transfer.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? – Blackpool replaced Adam with fellow Scot Barry Ferguson. Once again, they reached the Championship Playoff final, where they lost to West Ham United. They are now in League Two – the fourth division.

Adam spent one season at Liverpool, winning the League Cup before being offloaded to Stoke City.

#2 Erik Lamela - River Plate to AS Roma

WHEN? – August 2011

WHAT HAPPENED? – As soon as Erik Lamela stepped into Argentine football, he had started earning comparisons to Lionel Messi. He had come up through the ranks of River Plate’s academy system and there was a lot of expectation around him as he made his debut for the senior team in June 2009.

In 2010/11, Lamela became a regular starter and immediately caught the eye, leading River to an overall sixth place finish. However, according to the league’s rules, which takes into account performances from the last three seasons, the giants were relegated.

Pundits, fans and players were all equally shocked by River Plate’s demise. It was followed by an exodus of players who went in search of top division football, most prominent among whom was Erik ‘the next Messi’ Lamela. As expected, there was a considerable demand for him and he went on to join Roma for a fee of €12 million in August 2011.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? – River Plate bounced back in style to return to the top division the very next season itself. In 2014, they won the Torneo Final, the Superfinal and the Copa Sudamericana.

After two seasons at Roma, Lamela was bought by Tottenham Hotspur in 2013.

#3 Roberto Ayala - Napoli to AC Milan

WHEN? – July 1998

WHAT HAPPENED? – Former Argentina defender Roberto Ayala had a long career in European football and it all started for him in 1995 when he arrived at Napoli. Playing for the Partenopei for three years, Ayala soon became one of Europe’s best central defenders. But despite his good performances, his Napoli team was a mess. It was a slump that started right after Diego Maradona left in 1991.

With the passage of time, Napoli continued to regress despite the occasional Cup runs. Meanwhile, Ayala continued to impress and catch the eye of some of Europe’s top teams. In 1998, Napoli were finally relegated to Serie B after finishing bottom of the table, recording only two wins all season. As the club went down, Ayala jumped to AC Milan.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? – Napoli experienced a turbulent decade thereafter, shifting between different divisions, culminating in bankruptcy in 2004. However, after being refounded, the club has gradually returned to the upper echelons of Italian football. they even won the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana trophies.

Ayala spent two years at Milan after which he left for Valencia. In a seven-season long stint, Ayala became a fan favourite; winning La Liga and the UEFA Cup while also reaching the Champions League final. He then went on to play for Real Zaragoza and Racing Club before retiring in 2011.

#4 Alan Smith - Leeds United to Manchester United

WHEN? – July 2004

WHAT HAPPENED? – It was a season that saw the fall of a giant. 2003/04 saw Leeds United, one of English football’s legendary institutions, drop down to the Championship (then called the First Division). At the end of a woeful Premier League season, the only consolation for Leeds fans was the continuing rise of hometown kid Alan Smith. The badge-clutching goal celebrations and the never-give-up attitude that he displayed were the only bright spots.

But Leeds’ problems were compounded by financial issues that left them in massive debt. A sale of big players was imminent and Smith was in tears after the final game. Fans knew he was leaving but never in their wildest dreams did they imagine that he would join Manchester United.

Fans immediately labeled him ‘Judas’ although club officials confirmed that it was the club that engineered the move in order to receive much-needed cash.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? – Leeds have not returned to the Premier League ever since. They dropped down to League One and then were back again in the Championship, where they currently are.

Smith’s three-year stay at Manchester United saw him struggle to break into the first team amidst injury problems. He then signed for Newcastle United, playing there for five years and becoming captain. In 2010, he went to MK Dons, before moving to his present club Notts County in 2014.

#5 David James - Portsmouth to Bristol City

WHEN? – July 2010

WHAT HAPPENED? – David James has had a long playing career, appearing in goal for up to 10 different teams. One of them was Portsmouth.

In 2008, James won the FA Cup with Portsmouth and they then went on to play in the Europa League facing teams like AC Milan. Those were good times for the South Coast club but it wouldn't last long.

At the end of the 2009/10 season, Portsmouth were relegated to the Championship. James left the team along with a host of other players such as Kevin Prince Boateng, Tal Ben Haim and Papa Boupa Diop. Absurdly, James' next club was Bristol City, who also played in the Championship and he stated that this move was vital for him to get an England recall!

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? – Portsmouth continued to struggle with financial problems and dropped into third-tier League One in 2012 following which the entire professional squad left the club. A year later, the club was relegated to League Two where they currently play.

James’ later career took him to Bournemouth and Iceland before switching to the Indian Super League.

#6 Michael Owen - Newcastle United to Manchester United

WHEN? – July 2009

WHAT HAPPENED? – Michael James Owen’s career is filled with what ifs. A talent that promised so much could only deliver very little. Owen never had the best of luck when it came to injuries or career choices.

In 2004, after years of stagnation at Liverpool, Owen grew impatient and left for Real Madrid, only to see Liverpool win the Champions League while Madrid faltered. After joining Newcastle United in 2005, he seemed to have returned to his best only for a series of injuries to pull him back.

The Magpies stuck by him each time and even made him captain. But once Newcastle were relegated in 2009, Owen was on his way to Manchester United where he would spend three years, mostly to warm the bench.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? – After leaving United in 2012, Owen moved to Stoke City where he could only play 9 games and score one goal in another injury-plagued season.

Newcastle United returned to the top flight after just one season in the Championship and were mid-table regulars until they were relegated yet again in 2016.

#7 George Best - Manchester United to Stockport

WHEN? – July 1974

WHAT HAPPENED? – This may be a rather controversial entry but it definitely involved a player arbitrarily leaving his club at a low point in its history. George Best loved Manchester United. It was the club that made him into what he was – an icon of the game.

But for all his love for the club, he grew increasingly frustrated in the years after the European Cup win in 1968 and manager Matt Busby’s retirement in 1969. The club seemingly had no real direction and were not competing for the title. Best fell out with Bobby Charlton in this period and also saw an increase in his drinking problems.

By 1973, both Charlton and Denis Law had left the club, leaving Best as the only member of United’s Holy Trinity still at the club. It was not a scenario that he enjoyed. He didn’t like carrying on his shoulders a team which, in his opinion, was simply not good enough. In 1974, United suffered the acrimony of relegation and Best walked away.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? – Best was only 28 when he left United but his later career was relatively low-profile. He turned out for clubs in Scotland, Ireland, the US and Australia; never staying for long at any place before retiring in 1985. Alcoholism continued to plague him until his death in 2005 from multiple organ failure.

United achieved promotion in their first attempt and then spent a decade trying to get back to former heights until the arrival of Sir Alex Ferguson in 1986 changed everything.

#8 Brian Laudrup - Fiorentina to AC Milan

WHEN? – July 1993

WHAT HAPPENED? – Danish midfielder Brian Laudrup was a young up-and-coming talent in the summer of 1992. Yes, he was known but his country’s surprise triumph in Euro ‘92 gifted him even more fame.

Then playing at Bayern, Laudrup was not entirely happy in Germany. He criticized club executives Franz Beckenbauer and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge while also missing out on a considerable part of the season through injury. But in the summer of 1992, he was hot property and Fiorentina brought him to Serie A.

However, it would only be another unhappy stay for the Dane. A team full of talents somehow ended up being relegated and Laudrup left Fiorentina after just a solitary season while teammates such as Gabriel Batistuta stayed.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? – Laudrup then played for a host of top European clubs including Milan, Rangers, Chelsea and Ajax. While at Rangers, he played some of his best football and earned legendary status among the fans.

Fiorentina immediately returned to Serie A under the guidance of Claudio Ranieri. In 2002, the club was declared bankrupt and re-established in Serie C2. The club has since managed a remarkable turnaround to return to Serie A.

#9 Lukas Podolski - FC Koln to Arsenal

WHEN? – July 2012

WHAT HAPPENED? – Lukas Podolski owes a lot to FC Koln. He signed for the club at the age of 10 and progressed through its youth system to make his debut as an 18-year-old who scored 10 goals in his debut season. He stayed with the team when they dropped to the second division and was part of the team that won promotion the next year, top scoring with 24 goals.

By 2006, Podolski had become a much sought after target for many clubs. When German giants Bayern Munich tabled an offer, Podolski decided to move. Obviously, it was a difficult moment for both club and player but the move went ahead. However, Podolski’s time in Munich would prove to be disappointing. With limited opportunities to play, he pushed for a move back to Koln and it materialised in July 2009.

Three years later, Koln were relegated once again and once again Podolski moved – this time to Premier League giants Arsenal. It was perhaps a sign of the good relationship between Podolski and Koln that he is still welcome today with open arms.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? – Podolski has had ups and downs during his time at Arsenal. Despite being a regular starter in his first season, his appearances reduced towards the end of his stint in north London. He eventually moved to Turkish club Galatasaray after a poor third season with the Gunners.

Koln spent two years in the 2. Bundesliga before winning promotion in 2014. An elated Podolski was at the stadium to watch their promotion clincher.

#10 Fabio Cannavaro - Juventus to Real Madrid

WHEN? – July 2006

WHAT HAPPENED? – The Calciopoli match-fixing scandal is a dark spot in the history of Juventus. Keep aside being stripped of two league titles and the demotion to Serie B, Juve’s biggest problem was the mass exodus of its players. Leading the queue was Fabio Cannavaro, a fan favourite and newly crowned World Cup champion.

Juventus fans found it hard to come to terms with the departure of players like Lilian Thuram, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Patrick Vieira, Gianluca Zambrotta and Emerson but Cannavaro’s exit to Real Madrid was particularly tough. They had accepted him as one of their own even if he was from Naples and had only been at the club for two years.

Cannavaro won two league titles at Real Madrid, but his form started to decline by his third season in the Spanish capital. Surprisingly, a move back to Juventus was worked out in the summer of 2010.

His fractured relationship with fans hurt by his Madrid move, was damaged even further by his poor form in 2010/11. Juve finished 7th and Cannavaro’s one year contract wasn’t renewed.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? – Cannavaro is now the manager of Chinese club Tianjin Quanjian. Earlier, he had finished his playing career at Al Ahli Dubai.

Juventus recruited Didier Deschamps to manage the team in Serie B and were promoted the next season itself. Five years after their return, the Bianconeri won the Serie A title and have won it every year since 2012.