Aug 18

Aug 18 5 English Wonderkids Who Flopped

Top 5 English Wonderkids Who Flopped

For every young football player that reaches their potential, there are dozens that fall short.

But who are these wonderkids? The Sporting Blog looks at 5 young English players destined for greatness - and exactly why they flopped!

Izzy Brown, Jose Baxter, Reece Oxford and James Vaughan made their Premier League debuts at the young age of 16 but they didn’t become the world-beaters that many tipped them to be – only Oxford is at a top-flight club (Augsburg).

Wayne Rooney and James Milner were 16-year-old debutants that did deliver on their early promise, but they’re surrounded by wonderkids who did not realise their full potential.

Statistically, most youngsters won’t spend their careers in the top flight or at the club they developed at.

But which English players were hyped the most, only to fall short? Which wonderkids were tipped for greatness and didn’t deliver?

The Sporting Blog has compiled five names from the history books who were meant to be football stars!

Michael Johnson

Once called a ‘better youngster than Steven Gerrard’
He made 54 appearances for Manchester City
He became a landlord - but he could have been a great footballer

Michael Johnson was regarded by Dietmar Hamann as a ‘better youngster than Steven Gerrard’ but would retire from football at the age of 24 after struggling with injuries and bad mental health.

The former box-to-box midfielder rose through the youth ranks to Manchester City’s first-team in 2006, making 54 appearances in all competitions, but he didn’t represent the Sky Blues beyond 2009/10 after falling down the pecking order.

Johnson was highly-rated in his early years at City while playing for England at U21 level, but his career was over after just two years.

He went from making 10 appearances in his debut season (2006/07) and having 25 appearances in his second campaign (2007/08) to making eight appearances in 2008/09 while having only two appearances in 2009/10.

Some bad decision-making and mental health struggles resulted in City releasing Johnson in 2012.

After hanging up his boots years later, Johnson moved into the property industry as a landlord, but he could have been a great footballer.

Josh McEachran

He spent his youth career at Chelsea
He made just five appearances in 2011/12
He now plays for Oxford United, after leaving MK Dons

McEachran joined Oxford United this summer after leaving MK Dons, but it’s a far cry from being at Chelsea.

The central midfielder is now 30 years of age, playing outside of the Premier League and Championship, so it’s certainly not what was expected when he burst onto the scene 13 years ago.

McEachran spent his entire youth career at Chelsea and was promoted to the first-team by Carlo Ancelotti in 2010/11, making 17 appearances across the board.

He was named Chelsea’s Young Player of the Year but struggled for opportunities the following season after Andre Villas-Boas took charge.

Villas-Boas compared McEachran to Luka Modric, Jack Wilshere and Samir Nasri but handed the former England U21 international just five appearances in 2011/12.

That would be the last time he played for Chelsea despite being on the books for another three years.

McEachran was loaned out to Middlesbrough (2012/13), Watford (2013/14), Wigan Athletic (2014) and Vitesse (2014/15) before being sold permanently to Brentford in 2015. What could have been…

Ravel Morrison

He was a product of Manchester United’s academy
He experienced problems off the field
Sir Alex Ferguson named him as one of the best young players he’s managed

Morrison currently plays for DC United in the MLS – the 13th club of his nomadic career – and it’s a sharp contrast from where he began his career.

The Jamaican international was a product of Manchester United’s academy and was regarded by Sir Alex Ferguson as one of the best young players he’s managed, but Morrison never kicked on due to off-field problems.

He made only three appearances for United before being sold to West Ham (2012 - 2015) in 2012 and spent more time on loan than playing for the Hammers – Birmingham City (2012/13), Queens Park Rangers (2014), Cardiff City (2014) - so it didn’t work out in London either.

Morrison was surprisingly signed by Lazio (2015 - 2019) but made eight appearances in four years and was again loaned out to other clubs - QPR (2017) and Atlas (2017/18).

The attacking-midfielder would go on to have short-lived stints at Osterlund (2019), Sheffield United (201920), Middlesbrough (2020), ADO Den Haag (2020/21) and Derby County (2021/22) before his MLS switch, so he hasn’t managed to settle since leaving Man Utd.

He was considered one of the most talented players in his youth, but Morrison couldn’t stay out of the headlines enough to prolong his Old Trafford stay – he was charged with witness intimidation, abusive language online and common assault.

Jack Rodwell

His career unravelled after joining Manchester City
He experienced constant injury problems
He now plays football in Australia

Rodwell is now 32 years of age and playing for Sydney FC of the Australian A-League, so it’s fair to say he fell short of expectations as a youngster.

Rodwell made his Premier League debut at 16 for Everton and was tipped for greatness after becoming a regular in his teens, but his career would unravel after joining Manchester City.

The England international signed for the Premier League defending champions in 2012 and was reportedly on their radar for years, so City should have been the making of Rodwell.

Injuries kept him sidelined, however, and played havoc with his form. Rodwell was one of the brightest young talents in the country but lost the faith of his manager as he couldn’t stay fit.

He was eventually sold to Sunderland in 2014 and spent four years at the Stadium of Light before leaving when his contract expired in 2017/18.

Rodwell barely played in his final season with the Black Cats but turned things around at Blackburn Rovers (2018/19), earning himself a Premier League move when Sheffield United came calling.

Rodwell managed only two appearances in as many seasons for the Blades, however, so he went to Australia – Western Sydney Wanderers (2021/22), Sydney (2022 - present).

Francis Jeffers

He made it to Everton’s first-team in 1998 - he made his debut at age 16
In 2001, he moved to Arsenal - his time here was plagued by injuries
He had a nomadic career, before eventually retiring

The ‘fox in the box’ was meant to be an Arsenal star upon his 2001 move from Everton, but Jeffers struggled with injuries and consistency in North London, ultimately failing to realise his potential.

Jeffers rose through the youth ranks to Everton’s first-team in 1998, making his debut at the age of 16, and going on to score 20 goals in 60 games for the Toffees.

Arsenal came calling but couldn’t get the best of Jeffers.

He scored only eight goals in 39 games, spending lots of time on the treatment table while being loaned back to Everton (2003/04) before his eventual sale to Charlton Athletic in 2004.

Jeffers would have a nomadic career, playing for Rangers (2005), Blackburn Rovers (2006/07), Ipswich Town (2007), Sheffield Wednesday (2007 - 2010), Newcastle Jets (2010/11), Motherwell (2011), Floriana (2012) and Accrington Stanley (2013) before retiring.

Have we missed anyone from our list? Tell us in the comments!