9. Tal Ben Haim
Mike Egerton/EMPICS SportAfter impressing for Bolton Wanderers, Tal Ben Haim arrived at Chelsea in 2007 on a Bosman under Jose Mourinho. Defensive injuries to John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho at the time meant the centre-back had a good run in the side, though his time at the club was cut short by the dismissal of Mourinho and the arrival of Avram Grant. Ben Haim never got on very well with his fellow Israeli and found himself fall out of the side following the return to match fitness of Terry and Carvalho. The defender
blamed Grant for his fall from grace, saying:
"The fact is while Jose was the coach I played most of the games and people who know me know that I would not have come here to be a reserve. I knew nothing good would come for me with Grant as Chelsea coach."
Rather than staying at Stamford Bridge to fight for his place, Ben Haim's comments ultimately let to his move to City in 2008, where he hoped to find regular first team football at the Etihad. Instead, he found himself surplus to requirements and was palmed off to Portsmouth 12 months later. Should have just kept his mouth shut and got on with it.