Adel Taarabt had cemented his name as a wonder kid at the tender age of 15 Lens even when he had yet to play a game for the French side, he was quickly snapped up by Tottenham FC who cashed in on a player whose ability was above the ordinary.
Upon some brilliant displays and dribbles the player did not quite live up to his reputation as his emotional nature got the better part of his professional career, he was soon fighting with Dimitri Berbatov and Jermain Defoe for a starting place.
He will join Championship side Queens Park Rangers who perhaps got the better part of the player but at a price they will never forget.
Neil Warnock his former coach at QPR spoke his displeasure of the player because of his attitude.
“I just think the lads here know what Adel is. I don’t think anybody else can be like that,” Warnock said in the aftermath of the incident. “Adel is Adel and we’ll accept what he is. Sometimes you don’t realise what you’ve got until you lose it and you should be careful what you wish for… It will be very interesting to see where he is in five years. I have my own ideas. But he doesn’t affect our spirit – it would do if it was only a Joe Bloggs. But all the group that have built up in the last 18 months accept him for what he is.”
This perhaps is a symbol of the players who were too good on the pitch but fell to their ego and emotional state to the extent that they never dominated the world of football and became in oblivion.