When it comes to making decisions and looking after themselves, modern footballers aren't always the best influence on themselves. That's precisely why the biggest stars - and Nicolas Anelka - surround themselves with the toxic gaggle of advisors, agents, financial assistants and distantly related family members to help guide their careers to the big time. Inevitably, as with any company that tries to rule by committee, a lot of the decisions that result from the consultation period end up being ill-advised - Demba Ba chased Champions League football to Chelsea and was rewarded with a permanent place on the bench after all and he was notoriously assisted by any number of advisors. But it isn't just the outside influences who are a problem: those characters were only able to get a grip on players because on their own they're capable of far worse feats of idiocy. Why else would Paul Merson join Middlesbrough only to come to his senses? Why would Clarence Acuna choose to drink drive dressed as Captain Hook? It might be a cliche to say it, but footballers prove themselves not to be the smartest bunch all too often, and the decisions made by players leaving Newcastle - or those who had already moved on - are astonishingly good at proving just that point...
