subject: The Top 5 Worst Premier League Imports... Ever [print this page] The Top 5 Worst Premier League Imports..The Top 5 Worst Premier League Imports... Ever
Foreign internationals have made the Premier League what it is today - a truly cosmopolitan football league. However, there have been some truly awful imports - and while we've spoken at length about the best, we forget those who were really, truly shocking. Here's my look at the worst five foreign imports...1. Tomas BrolinThe podgy Swede was brilliant in the 1994 World Cup, and to be fair, had excelled for many years in Serie A. His reputation had grown so much that cash-rich Leeds (well, initially), splashed the cash and brought him over for a pop at the league title. It wasn't happening, though. Brolin, fattened by food and cash at the same time, had exploded. He was, to be frank, awful, and will always be remembered by Leeds fans for taking more money than anyone of them could earn in a year, in a week. He only played a handful of games, and he disappeared after that.2. Per KroldrupDavid Moyes has earned a reputation for finding bargains, but Kroldrup remained a mystery. Signed from Serie A, the Dane was heralded as the classy centre-back Everton fans had been craving since the retirement of Dave Watson. However, he barely played a game. Everton fans were confused - every week, Kroldrup would be on the bench, and he wouldn't start. Rumours went around that Kroldrup couldn't even head the ball - a strange accusation for a 5m defender. He lasted a few months before being farmed out to Fiorentina, where he continued to show his class. A total mystery.3. Jean-Alain BoumsongAnother centre-half who was hailed as the next big thing, Boumsong was quickly found out. On a regular basis, Alan Hansen had him circled on Match of the Day, pointing out that the 8m Newcastle Utd defender was out of position, off the pace and woefully inadequate. Bizarrely, he went to Juventus afterwards. Another mystery - a player whose reputation abroad could never be matched in the Premier League.4. Ali DiaIt's rather harsh to put Ali Dia in this pantheon of the hopeless, because he didn't last very long on the pitch. In fact, if anything, it's manager Graeme Souness at whom we should be laughing, for he was the one caught out. Ali Dia, it turns out, called the Southampton Manager claiming to be the cousin of George Weah, and that he had found the next Pele. Or something. He's called Ali Dia. Do you see what's coming up? Well, Souness picked him, brought him on after an hour, and took him off after ten minutes. Commentators called him "bambi on ice" - he wasn't a footballer at all. What's funny was that Souness didn't even look at Ali Dia in training sessions, he just brought him on. So actually - well done, Ali Dia. You had guts.5. Marco BoogersAnother man who barely played at all, but he tarnished the wheeler dealer image of Harry Redknapp, who brought him to West Ham in 1995. Boogers literally attacked Gary Neville, almost breaking his leg. An instant red card saw Boogers leave the field, leave the ground, and retreat to a caravan park in the Netherlands. Bye bye Marco, one of the Premier League's most ridiculous imports.So, there's my top 5 - or worst 5. What about yours? Which Premier League foreigners were the worst you've ever seen? Over to you...
