Bit of an odd topic but one which should get people engaged, who is the most frustrating player to have ever played for Gillingham? Is it someone who came with a massive pedigree but never showed glimpses of their fomer lives. Someone in the Lomas or Tommy Johnson mould? Was it someone who had class but spent more weeks on the treatment table than you can remember? Rod Wallace or Amine Linganzi etc Or was it a player who had so much potential but only showed it occasionally, maybe due to their ego? Luke Rooney or Antonio German. Well put your thinking caps on chaps and chappettes. Let's get as many opinions and thoughts on this topic as we can.
Be careful - by mentioning Lomas & Wallace, this thread could easily transform into the most 'rubbish' player ! In the era of the above two you'd have to add Iwan Roberts ( 3 goals in 22 ) and Steve Claridge ( 2 games before retiring to do TV work ). These 'players' were very responsible for our descent from the Championship - giving virtually no return for what was their last 'big' pay day -- and, of course the biggest 'offender' as far as it concerns 'value for money' has to be a certain Mr.McCammon.
Paul Shaw... One game in every five he looked like a world beater, two in five he would look average and the other two he was absolute pony
Gary Breen, played for 3 top flight teams and at the world cup finals but for us he always had a mistake in him and never really lived up to the hype, but it transpired that there was a good player in there we just didn't see it (maybe playing alongside the likes of Paul Hague dragged him down)
BSG and Bristol I'm shocked at your Answers! Paul Shaw was our best player for about 3 years (not the first Championship season) and Guy Ipoua had a great couple of seasons or so, and scored some memorable goals (a late winner at the Den springs to mind). In a way Shaw was frustrating - in that it was frustrating when he left, and we then immediately plummeted towards the bottom of the Championship. My nominations: - Efe Sodje - one of the great lower league defenders, but never really turned up for us. - Simon King! Could have been one of our all-time greatest players if it wasn't for that fateful match in Calais (have I got that right or was it a different friendly?). So dissapointing that he never fully recovered from that injury. We would have stayed up in 09-10 if we'd had him fit for the season - scoring goals was not a problem for us that season. - Andy Thomson - legend because of that goal, but his Gills career could have been even more legendary. Started the 00-01 season really well, but in the end it was a case of too many strikers (Asaba, King, Shaw, Onuora) and he dissapointingly left... and continued to bang them in for QPR. - Gavin Tomlin - scored 7 goals in 7 games or something in his brief spell with us, but then for some reason we couldn't keep hold of him and he went elsewhere.
Depends what you mean by frustrating Steve, the players you mention never generally stayed long at the club despite their obvious talents. But for my comment I chose chose Shaw because he did not produce what he was capable consistantly. Yes he was very good at times, but too often he was found wanting. When you know a player can change a game to see him wondering around the pitch like a little lost lamb, not performing to his ability that can be frustrating
Frustrating player, not really sure who i would throw into this category. I used to think Mel Sage was frustrating but I think that was more the Steve Bruce influence.
Steven Gregory more recently would often make frustrating decisions. Could easily make a forward pass but would normally unnervingly pass a ball sideways to the full backs. Even more frustrating though probably was seeing Dennis Oli trying to take a shot. Dear or dear that was bad. I understand BSG's take on Paul Shaw being a frustrating player, but I would say he justified his ability by keeping us in the championship, probably single handedly in his last year with us.
Dennis Oli for me a clear winner. Could be a game changer one week then injured then rubbish for weeks
