10 Players Who Didn't Fulfil Their Potential At Man City

2. Michael Johnson

Michael Johnson joined City in 2006 as a trainee and remained at the club until his release in 2012. He was another young player that was quickly tipped as a potential England regular in the midfield, but unlike the two previous entries on this list, his future in the game cannot be salvaged. He was an attacking midfielder who showed glimpses of brilliance during his time at City, but he was never able to maintain that form and eventually off the field problems took control. It became quickly apparent that Johnson could not cope with the pressures of football at the top level and his mental stability was called into question. He was often found frequenting Manchester's nightclubs and as the picture shows he put weight on and didn't take care of himself in the way that a Premier League footballer should. There were also incidences of mysterious injuries such as abdominal pains that kept Johnson out of the City side. The physios and coaches did not doubt that Johnson was in pain but they could not pinpoint the cause, all adding to the belief that he could not deal with the pressures of Premier League football. Johnson was loaned to Leicester during the 2011/12 season, but made just seven league appearances as he continued to struggle. He was ultimately released quietly by City at the end of 2012, with the club showing great sensitivity and respect to the player. It is a shame that Johnson never was able to maintain the glimpses of promise that he showed, but unfortunately football is extremely tough mentally and not all players can cope with the pressures it brings.