Peter Crouch has bemoaned Adel Taarabt’s inability to discover his full potential during his time at Tottenham.
The now 30-year-old spent three seasons with Spurs between 2006 and 2009, but made just 16 appearances for the club.
Since then, he’s had spells at QPR, Fulham, AC Milan, Benfica and Genoa, but he has failed to hit the heights that many perhaps felt as though he could reach during his career.
Crouch has echoed that sentiment as he recalled his time when Taarabt was at Spurs and outlined where he felt as though the youngster went wrong at that stage of his career.
“I was with him at Tottenham when he was a young lad and while he had all the tricks and skills, he was more interested in trying to nutmeg a defender than play the sensible pass. He had so much ability but never put it together.”
Daily Mail
Given Crouch has had a well-travelled career which in turn has led him to come across all sorts of characters in different situations, it takes some doing to be one of the top players he saw in training who couldn’t deliver on the pitch.
Taarabt claimed at the time of signing for then-boss Martin Jol that he had rejected both Arsenal and Chelsea to join Spurs, as per Sky Sports, but unfortunately for all concerned, the move never worked out.
Also, some statement to say Ronaldo made Giggs and Scholes look average. Both were world class for a long period of their careers.
Lampard played in the FA Youth Cup final v Liverpool and he wasn’t even the best in his own team, Rio Ferdinand was. Playing for Liverpool was Carragher and Owen, both were ahead of Lampard at that age, which is my point about development. The expectation around Owen was amazing. Lampard was good, all those lads were, but no one expected Lampard to do what he did in the game. If you did you must do well in the Bookies. Same with Ronaldo, he was very good, but after his first two to three years at Utd for someone to say he’d be mentioned in the same terms as Di Stefano, Pele, Cruyff, Maradona, Zidane and Gary Brooke I’d have disagreed. The lad James, currently at Utd is exceptionally quick and has scored some great goals already but are we seriously going to predict him as a future GOAT? By the time Ronaldo got to the last two years at Utd he was a completely different player. Some players stay the same, our very own Aaron Lennon never improved his end product, as a fan that is frustrating. Ronaldo changed lots about his game, notably his physique and decision making all improved. Giggs, Ferguson and Neville have all said Ronaldo’s dedication and professionalism were phenomenal. I’d say the same about Lampard and the stories I have heard about him, an outstanding professional. I agree with you about Kane having a similar ethic. As a Spurs fan I would love Dele to make that next step and play like an adult. The cynic in means tells me not to hold my breath, but I want to be proven wrong.
Nothing wrong with Dele. He was injured, repeatedly. After working back
into reasonable shape, he was played out of position, constantly – even
sitting in a double pivot at times, on the left in 4231, etc. We all
know he’ most effective as an inside fwd/AM behind the striker. His
best spell was in a 3421 playing in the 2. He had a decent spell when
Jose arrived, because he was getting into those positions again, and
came pretty close to scoring a few more shortly before the season halted
– missing a couple easy headers iirc. Given the full picture, and not
some cherry picked bad moments, I think Dele is just fine. People
moaning to sell him, I don’t get it.
I disagree completely Lampard was a gifted youngster. English schoolboys and the cenetenery shield is a non event in this country. Most of those won’t become top pros, the kids showing quality beyond their age are given trials and places at all the top clubs long before english schools. Snapped up at 12 13 14 yrs old. Most of those wont make it too… Lampard played for england under 21s. He scored a few, goals only bettered by shearer and francis jeffers who were strikers. No way was there ‘better and more talented’ than him. Only stevie g but him and lamps were world class…. Joe cole looked like he was going to be another gazza, he was good but not in the same breath as lamps and gerrard. Never reached his potential in a superstar chelsea set up plus his injuries…. They all work hard at the top man or else they wouldnt be there.. And we all saw ronaldo at manure, so we all foresaw he was going to be the worlds best. He was off to madrid in no time. Sir alex struggled to get that last year out of him. He made giggs scholes and carrick and co look average. Golden boot. His goals were worldy every time. His pace and stepovers and skill silenced the crowd…… You also put marcus edwards and dele in the same breath…. Dele hit 50 goals in the prem before lampard hazard scholes and gerrard. He is spurs and england first choice/regular… Marcus edwards has done nothing I’m afraid.
I think you misunderstood. Lampard was not the most gifted youngster, I don’t think he was England schoolboy for instance. Don’t get me wrong, he could play as a kid, but there were better, more talented players than him. Joe Cole for instance, a youngster every club in the country wanted. Now, Joe did well in his career but Lampard will be remembered more. Likewise, Joe Cole will be remembered more than Marcus Edwards, two similar youngsters. The application of hard work and having that mental fortitude over a sustained amount of time is what sets these players apart. Ronaldo was a very good youngster, but he worked very hard on his game and his athleticism, still does. I don’t think anyone foresaw that Ronaldo would become one of the best of all time.
I know dele has been off the boil for a while. But the whole spurs team have been. I fully expect the lad to bounce back.. Dele managed to hit 50 goals in the prem faster than Hazard, Lampard, Gerrard and Scholes.. He has already proven he is far far better than taarabt.. Give the lad credit where its due…. Marcus edwards would be a fairer comparison.
Mentality is everything.
Lampard had loads of talent, as a skinny undeveloped teen, old Harry Redknapp chose to play him at spam over seasoned pros, ruffled a few feathers he was only just turned 16. Schnapps was right about him though…. Kane is a good example, and ronaldo of course but again he had the talent as a teen he breezed into manures first team.
Keegan and more recently Lampard are two players who reaped the benefits of hard work. They were never the best as young players but they certainly rose above the rest. Christiano Ronaldo showed what a talented player can become through hard work. Compare that to Marcus Edwards and Dele.
Talent a small part of the mix. I remember Kevin Beattie a wonderful Ipswich player from the seventies and eighties saying something along the lines that there were twenty more talented players at the club than him, but they never made it.