In brief
Even though they are unquestionably talented, not every Premier League player gives it their all.
Tevez, Hazard, and Ozil are among the ten indolent players that are notorious for their lack of effort both on and off the pitch.
Despite their reputation for being lazy, players like Berbatov excelled because of their astute approach to the game.
When it comes to a football player’s ascent to the top, the adage “hard work beats talent” is accurate. However, given that some of the greatest English football players were notoriously lazy, it would be unrealistic to claim that every Premier League player gave it their all.
Some specific troublemakers have expressed their distaste for running during football games, whether it’s by not bothering to track back during a game or by treating training with a casual attitude. Surprisingly, they were not motivated to work more even with the largest pay cheque.
However, some players have thrived on their distinctive and controversial characters, so an easy playstyle hasn’t always been a bad thing. We selected the ten most indolent players to ever play in the Premier League, ranging from Eden Hazard of Chelsea to Mesut Ozil of Arsenal.
Factors that rank
The amount of effort they put forth on the football pitch
Training: did they bother to make an effort to warm up?
Comments made by their own supervisors and colleagues regarding their indolence
10.
Adebayor, Emmanuel
Crystal Palace, Tottenham, Manchester City, and Arsenal
Emmanuel Adebayor has a respectable goal scoring record for some of the biggest clubs in British football history, if you take a broad look at his career. Fans started to notice his lack of effort during games, even if there’s no denying that he was a good striker on his day.
Adebayor believed that his role as a 6′ 3′ forward was to win aerial combat after aerial duel and simply cause trouble up front. His lackadaisical approach to football began to irritate both Harry Redknapp and Roberto Mancini, who frequently benched him.
Love Hangeland's quotes about Adebayor… pic.twitter.com/1YZRDPAHGZ
— Chris Tilly (@TillyTweets) January 27, 2017
9Adel Taarabt
Queens Park Rangers, Tottenham and Fulham
Fans were captivated by Adel Taarabt’s superb footwork and arsenal of tricks. Although Taarabt’s compilation appears stunning, he wasn’t the most complete football player and will be remembered for his unrealised potential. After a promising transfer from RC Lens, he failed to make an immediate impression at Tottenham, where he made his Premier League debut.
But later in his career, the Moroccan found the keys to success when he moved to Queens Park Rangers, and he succeeded. In addition to experiencing magical moments, Loftus Park bore the full weight of Taarabt’s refusal to follow up and exert pressure. During his time in West London, Harry Redknapp, who was unable to get away from these footballing slackers, criticised the midfielder for being too overweight.
He stated:
“I could have run a little bit more than [Adel Taarabt] did during a reserve game the other day. I can’t defend those who are around three stone overweight and don’t want to run and workout.”
8 Carlos Tevez
West Ham, Manchester United, and Manchester City
When all was said and done, Carlos Tevez wasn’t the most lazy football player. However, his childlike manner came through when he was angry or disturbed. His skill was obvious, and no sluggish football player gets a huge move to Juventus, Manchester United, or City.
The Argentine striker’s shortcomings were in the training sessions. On and off the pitch, he was reportedly a very different person. He shown guts and drive during games, but he didn’t want to participate in training when those cones were set up on the surface. Rio Ferdinand, a former Manchester United teammate, disclosed Tevez’s propensity to disappear when the players were instructed to warm up.
He stated:
“Carlos has a fascinating personality. He didn’t really go overboard at training when he was at United; instead, he reserved all of his energy for the games.
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7. Marko Arnautovic
West Ham and Stoke City
Marko Arnautovic, who was once called “the worst player in Europe,” began to establish himself while he was a Stoke City player. He established himself as a dependable forward for the Potters, who were frequently struggling to stay afloat at the Premier League’s basement.
But once more, his unwillingness to put in the necessary effort eclipsed his talent pool. The Austrian’s behaviour on the pitch upset Mark Hughes and David Moyes, as evidenced by his subsequent transfer to Shanghai Port FC, a Chinese team, which revealed he lacked the greatest enthusiasm for the English game.
"Why don't you just run about Marko?"
How David Moyes' simple advice reinspired Marko Arnautovic at West Ham.
📻- https://t.co/0kUniWPgQm pic.twitter.com/k5Y08SZkA7
— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) January 23, 2019
6David Ginola
Newcastle United, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Everton
David Ginola was not best friends with running. After stints of success at Tottenham and Newcastle United, the Frenchman found the concept of going back and supporting his side alien. Despite winning the PFA Player of the Year title in North London, his teammates continued to criticise him for not doing enough work off the ball.
He didn’t need to be criticised for being lazy because of his talent, but moving to Aston Villa changed that. Ginola was publicly humiliated by manager John Gregory when he referred to him as “Mr. Blobby.” This led to a discussion concerning the winger’s lack of fitness and sincere desire to play in the Premier League.
5 Nwankwo Kanu West Brom, Portsmouth, and Arsenal
It seems unfair to call Nwankwo Kanu, a member of Arsenal’s “Invincibles” team, a player who lacked genuine fighting spirit on the pitch. But there was a reason why Arsene Wenger only used Kanu as a member of the squad, and fans began to recognise that his careless style of play was hurting the team.
Kanu’s decision to become a walker instead of a sprinter resulted in unsuccessful transfers to Portsmouth and West Brom. Since his hold-up play is a crucial part of his game, supporters found it tough to condemn his slow pace due to his 6′ 6″ stature.
Fourth, Mesut Ozil Arsenal
On Sky Sports, Arsenal supporters were seen bouncing up and down outside the Emirates after the club set a new record by acquiring Real Madrid midfielder Mesut Özil. In addition to entertaining fans with some outstanding performances, the German finished third with 19 assists in a single Premier League season, only surpassed by Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne.
Ozil never had the best body language; instead of appearing at least a little energised, he frequently sagged around the pitch. Fans began to criticise their star player and doubt his passion on the pitch as Arsenal’s performance began to deteriorate. Gary Neville criticised Ozil for putting forth no effort during the 2018 Carabao Cup final against Manchester City, exposing his style of play.
He stated:
“Ozil is moving. Avoid walking. At Wembley, avoid walking. Run.
3. Eden Danger
Chelsea
One of the greatest wingers in Premier League history is without a doubt Eden Hazard. Supporters were rarely accustomed to witnessing him sprint at the opponent and frighten defenders while maintaining the ball at his feet.
But his talent was accompanied by the awful trait of disinterest. Being a terrible trainer seemed to be his strange secret to winning Man of the Match every single week. John Obi-Mikel, his Chelsea teammate, provided a candid assessment of the Belgian and disclosed that he had never witnessed a player of Hazard’s calibre on the pitch:
“Eden Hazard was the only player I watched who did it and got away with it. I’ve never seen a more lazy football player in my life. However, he would be Man of the Match and produce it on the weekend.
2Mario Balotelli
Manchester City and Liverpool
“Why is it always me?” You have to take a step back and enjoy Mario Balotelli’s haughtiness. That someone so self-assured had such a casual attitude towards football was strange. He didn’t approach it like a job, which is probably what someone making £120,000 a week should do.
Depending on his desires, Balotelli would showboat, shoot, and pass whenever he pleased. In a preseason match against LA Galaxy, Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini embodied his sloth. The ball drifted wide of the post after the Italian made the most ridiculous backheel attempt while he was one-on-one with the goalie. After only half an hour, Mancini became enraged and threw the striker off the pitch.
1Dimitar Berbatov
Manchester United, Tottenham and Fulham
In the modern game, many players lack the swagger that Dimitar Berbatov possessed, making him an effortless football player. The Bulgarian’s dislike of hard effort was well known, and he seldom ever ran or pressed during his tenure as a striker. But that doesn’t mean he wasn’t contributing to his teams’ success; in 299 Premier League appearances, Berbatov scored 94 goals.
It was difficult for fans to mock his indolence when he was scoring extraordinary goals and creating amazing link-up play for his teammates, so they started to tolerate it. Berbatov refuted claims that he never put out much effort, pointing out that his lack of effort was really shrewd.
He stated:
“If you were to rank the players who would run for my Tottenham squad, I would name Robbie Keane and Jermaine [Defoe] first, followed by most likely everyone else, with me in last. But I was thinking about it.”
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