10 Sunderland Players Who Really Weren't Worth The Hassle

6. Pascal Chimbonda

It probably comes as no surprise that a footballer who played a full 90 minutes with a transfer request down his sock didn't have the most professional of attitudes. Indeed, Pascal Chimbonda - a member of France's 2006 World Cup squad - pulled that very stunt on the final day of the 05/06 season at Wigan Athletic, much to the disgust of then-manager Paul Jewell. Roy Keane should have been warned. There is no doubting that on his day, Chimbonda was a very capable right-back. Solid in the tackle, pacy and buccaneering on the right flank, there is a reason why he has a France cap to his name, and earned himself a move to high-flying Spurs in 2006. At Sunderland, however, he was a waste of time. Arriving as part of a trio swoop from White Hart Lane, alongside Teemu Tainio and Steed Malbranque, Chimbonda churned out 13 apathetic and lazy performances for the Mackems. As soon as new boss Ricky Sbragia assumed the reigns of control from the outgoing Roy Keane, the writing was on the wall for the future Market Drayton Town full-back.

''A few players had just come in and I knew for a fact I had to get rid of them, simple as that, because they weren't for me. I wanted to get in the players I wanted. One of the biggest things in any club is your dressing room. It has to be right and it just didn't feel right at the time.'' - Ricky Sbragia, January 2009.

He needn't have sold his house in London, as he was back at Spurs by the end of the month.