by : Paul Grech
Sometimes players make career moves that are so obviously wrong that you have conclude that it was either overconfidence or, more cynically, greed to make more money that made them think that everything was going to work out well.
Three years ago, Johan Vogel was at the heart of the excellent PSV side that should have made it to the final of the Champions League (and would had it not been for a last instant goal by Massimo Ambrosini). Alongside Mark Van Bommel he formed one of Europe’s finest central midfield pairings that combined creativity with hard work.
But, in that same summer, with their contracts coming to an end Van Bommel moved to Barcelona whilst Vogel joined AC Milan. Both would turn out to be bad moves. Yet whereas Van Bommel had the not so minor consolation of winning the Champions League before moving on to a prominent role with Bayern Munich, for Vogel the past two years have been a complete write off.
Stuck behind the various talents of Rino Gattuso, Clarence Seedorf and Andrea Pirlo, Vogel hardly got a look in at Milan. Within the space of few months he moved on to Real Betis where he floundered in a side lacking quality and direction. On the verge of moving to Everton in the summer, the transfer failed to go through when the Spanish club kept asking for a fee.
Moving to Blackburn will see Vogel play not only for his fourth club in as many years but also in the fourth different league. Talk about globetrotters.
His international experience will certainly help them and his presence adds depth to Mark Hughes’ side. In a midfield that is sorely lacking players of his abilities, it looks as if he's finally made the right choice.
