Unemployed Footballers
By: Daryl
| September 7th, 2007
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There are plenty of poor starving professional footballers out
there, without a club willing to put their skills to use. And it
doesn�t matter that the
transfer window is closed, because the back door is still open for
these jobless fellas as unattached (read: unemployed) players can
sign for anyone at anytime, provided someone wants them.
It�s a little bit
like rooting around in the bargain bin at your local supermarket,
where everything�s a bit
out of date but probably still edible and very very cheap. Believe
it or not, there�s a
list
of more or less every unattached professional footballer in the
world on the internet. A few choice picks
below�
Didier Agathe, age 32
French right winger or right full back who had a good spell at
Celtic under Martin
O�Neill. His former boss
brought him to Villa Park last season, but that
didn�t go so well. Could
do a job for any Championship club, and would also be a good
signing for any MLS club in need of a solid right back.
Fabien Barthez, 36
The accident prone but brilliant French keeper has been in and out
of retirement more times that Frank Sinatra.
He�s out again now, but
without a club. Struggled for Nantes in Ligue 1 last season so
could be looking for something a little easier. If he
doesn�t find himself a
club soon he may accidentally find himself retired for good.
Quinton Fortune, 30
Former Atletico Madrid and Man Utd left mid and left back. He spent
last season at Bolton Wanderers and is now out of work.
Matt Jansen, 29
Jansen was on the fringes of the England squad in 2002 when he was
in a motorcycle accident that nearly killed him. He survived but
it�s been a long hard
road back to fitness, with spells at Blackburn, Coventry and
Bolton. He�s apparently
training with his original team Carlisle United in an effort regain
form and fitness. If anyone deserves a bit of luck at this point,
it�s Jansen.
Seth Johnson, 28
Former England international left midfielder, albeit briefly. I
always felt Johnson was unlucky to be so associated with Leeds
United�s financial
collapse. Apparently he and his agent went to see Peter Ridsdale,
hoping for �13,000 a
week. Ridsdale opened with
�I�m
sorry but I can only offer you thirty thousand a
week�.
Johnson�s agent looked
shocked at the amount, and so Ridsdale said
�Alright, thirty-eight
thousand then.� This
story probably isn�t
true, but it hasn�t
helped Johnson�s career
any. More pertinently Johnson injured his knee playing for Derby
County at the end of last season and
hasn�t been offered a
new contract yet, though that may change once he regains fitness.
But technically another club could sneak in, make an offer and sign
him this very day.
Andy Legg, 41
He may be old, but this former Birmingham City Welsh defender is
famous for having the longest throw in in football. Surely that
must be useful to someone?
Savo Milo�ević,
34 (pictured)
Serbia�s all time
leading international goalscorer was laughed out of Aston Villa,
despite a respectable scoring record of 29 in 90 appearances
(that�s very nearly one
in three folks.) He went on to be more successful (and better
loved) in Spain with Zaragoza and Osasuna, but now finds himself
without a club. Another one
who�d do well in MLS
without demanding a DP salary.
John O�Brien, 30
Talented and versatile American midfielder who spent several
seasons with Ajax, but so often injured that he makes Jonathon
Woodgate look a picture of health. Most recently with Chivas USA in
MLS but only played one game.
There�s speculation that
he�s finished, but if
JOB could get healthy
he�d be a fantastic
signing for someone.
Alessandro Pistone, 32
The Italian left back has played for Inter, Newcastle and Everton
but is currently without a paycheck. Word is that
Pistone�s been on trial
at Middlesbrough and Gareth Southgate is taking his time deciding
whether to sign him.
Roque Junior, 31
Former Brazil and AC Milan defender, but another one whose
reputation was ruined by his time at Leeds United. Although in
RJ�s case his reputation
suffered because he was absolute pants on the field. Has been
without a club since his Bayer Leverkusen contract expired in the
summer.
David Thompson, 29
Great little English right midfielder
who�s played for
Liverpool, Coventry, Blackburn, Wigan, Portsmouth and Bolton. Used
to be a great player to have in your fantasy team. But not now, as
he�s unemployed.
Hatem Trabelsi, 30
Awesomely pacy and powerful Tunisian right back who spent many
productive years at Ajax. But a move to Man City went a bit wrong
and he was released in the summer. Amazing that this guy
can�t find a club
though, he�s got the
lot.
