10 Newcastle Players Who Really Weren't Worth The Hassle

6. Charles N'Zogbia

Five years ago, when he declared that he had outgrown the Toon Army, he must have envisioned a future where he would be a Champions League regular, instead of stuck on a bench at Aston Villa. Sir Bobby Robson once declared him as 'one of the most naturally gifted teenagers I've ever seen at that age', and touted him to reach the very top. Instead, it was the Frenchman's ego that progressed at a much quicker rate than his ability. It had been a lengthy ordeal to finalise the teenager's transfer from Le Havre in the summer of 2004, with the French side threatening to take the club to court. Eventually, a meeting with the Court of Arbitration for Sport was avoided when Freddy Shepherd agreed to stump up a fee of £250,000 in youth development compensation. He established himself as something of a fan favourite at St. James Park, before the prima-donna lurking within unleashed itself as soon as the club hit a downward spiral. Midway through the club's relegation season, N'Zogbia seized on an opportunity to leave, playing the wounded victim, following manager Joe Kinnear's accidental mispronunciation of his name. Eager to avoid tarnishing his reputation with the supporters, he declared that it simply a lack of respect that meant he must leave. Of course, the Toon faithful weren't fooled by the pitiful antics, with the French winger having already made his intentions to further his ambitions clear before the Kinnear mishap.