Football's Greatest Journeymen?

[vata84]

Dear all,

Inspired by an article read about a Ghanaian playing in, and now for, the post-Soviet forgotten state of Kyrgyzstan, it made me think about the term 'football journeyman'. Here is link:

http://futbolgrad.com/david-tette-and-the-asian-challenge-cup/

Having a rather nomadic lifestyle myself, my dreams of becoming a footballer always meant playing in different leagues, learning new languages, and becoming aware of the world, whilst earning my crust from football. Sadly the football part didn;t happen.

But who are footballs greatest journeymen? Perhaps this is devised by playing int the most amount of leagues? Or travelling the furthest from one league to the next? I am curious. Brits have show so much reluctance to leave. Do we have such a good thing going or is this an island mentality? Rohan Ricketts, ex-Spurs, is one such who has moved around quite some bit, from Moldova to Canada, Hungary and so on.

I am fascinated with this topic, and would be grateful for some views and suggestions...

Cheers
Vata

[Jimmy Bignutz]

Football's Greatest Journeymen?

This guy made a career of it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutz_Pfannenstiel

[Tubby Isaacs]

Football's Greatest Journeymen?

Frank Worthington.

[Cesar Rodriguez]

Football's Greatest Journeymen?

Tubby Isaacs wrote: Frank Worthington.

Not sure he meets the criteria, a journeyman is by definition a player who is reliable and consistent but not outstanding.

[Cal Alamein]

Football's Greatest Journeymen?

Gotta nominate Rudi Gutendorf for biggest journeyman manager.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21636939

[ursus arctos]

Football's Greatest Journeymen?

There was never any question that Germans were going to win this thread.

[vata84]

Football's Greatest Journeymen?

Tubby, you make a v good point. I guess the popular understanding of this term in the footballing context is one who travels, or makes frequent journeys, in order to forge out a professional football career.

[vata84]

Football's Greatest Journeymen?

Excellent example. I remember reading about this guy. Even ended up in Albania!

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iqoRvCOMj0IJxp1TE6r8TdXiVFwA

[Stumpy Pepys]

Football's Greatest Journeymen?

ursus arctos wrote: There was never any question that Germans were going to win this thread.

But a special mention for former SpVgg Unterhaching favourite Darlington Omodiagbe, currently on his tenth club.

I met him once--he was very nice.

[Stumpy Pepys]

Football's Greatest Journeymen?

But doesn't Steve Claridge own this thread? Although Christian Vieri probably runs him close.

Not that they were in the same class. One man's nomad is another man's journeyman.

[KGR]

Football's Greatest Journeymen?

In England only - Trevor Benjamin.

Current players? Guy Branston.

Are there any good Scottish journeymen out there? Have played for 10+ of the current 42 SPL and SFL clubs, for example?

[Kowalski]

Football's Greatest Journeymen?

Last week I had a great journey man, thanks for asking man!

[Bill Bones]

Football's Greatest Journeymen?

Kryvbas Gripper Rih wrote:
Are there any good Scottish journeymen out there? Have played for 10+ of the current 42 SPL and SFL clubs, for example?

Jim Hamilton comes to mind. Described as "much travelled" by Wikipedia, he played for 12 different clubs.

Apparently this goal was voted as the SPL's Goal of the Decade.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Football's Greatest Journeymen?

Rivaldo has played in four continents.

[Nefertiti2]

Football's Greatest Journeymen?

Stumpy Pepys wrote:

There was never any question that Germans were going to win this thread.

But a special mention for former SpVgg Unterhaching favourite Darlington Omodiagbe, currently on his tenth club.

I met him once--he was very nice.

How do you get to be called Darlington? parents studied in the North East? Does he have a brother called Hartlepool?

[Antepli Ejderha]

Football's Greatest Journeymen?

Have we not done this thread before?

I think the criteria was ten or more clubs in more than four countries and was used by someone in their blog.

[Glass Half Empty]

Football's Greatest Journeymen?

John Burridge - 29 clubs I think.

[beak]

Football's Greatest Journeymen?

Antepli Ejderha wrote: I think the criteria was ten or more clubs in more than four countries and was used by someone in their blog.

I thought the criteria were have-boots-will-travel?

[Kevin S]

A nice time-sucking blog post on how brilliant Vieri was.

https://www.unibet.co.uk/blog/footba...time-1.1010138

[Giggler]

Wayne Entwistle played for eight clubs who have won the FA Cup.

[sw2borshch]

Nef, perhaps his parents met in the Bar Darlington in Orleans?

I could believe that someone has Stockton as a forename.

[Capybara]

If he has a brother then the brother will also be called Darlington. One for old-time electronics enthusiasts, there.

[Stumpy Pepys]

There are several Evertons out there--Everton Weekes for example.

It's a question for African and West Indian parents I fancy.

[ursus arctos]

Darlington Nagbe is one of the best US-eligible players in MLS at the moment.

His father was the captain of the Liberian national team and played for at least eighteen professional clubs, none of which were in England.

If and when Timothy Weah plays for the senior US national team, he and Nagbe will become (I believe) the first pair of senior internationals whose fathers played together for a different senior international side.

[Various Artist]

A nice time-sucking blog post on how brilliant Vieri was.

https://www.unibet.co.uk/blog/footba...time-1.1010138

Loved it Kev, a great read, thanks for linking. Always liked Vieiri, perhaps because he was, as the article references, that "most British of Italian players" in his bulldozing centre-forward style.

I had no idea of his Australian hinterland, though, somehow. This is a great quote, near the start of the story:

Despite being more interested in cricket - Vieri was a left-handed batsman who idolised Allan Border rather than Paolo Rossi - the teenager was encouraged to take up football to keep him out of mischief.