5 players who forced their way back after being frozen out
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These five managed to regain their place
After enduring a torrid time at Everton, Oumar Niasse is finally beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Ronald Koeman didn’t want the striker so he didn’t receive a squad number last season, his locker was taken away and he was demoted to the Under-23 squad.
However, the club’s failure to sign a replacement for Romelu Lukaku and poor start to this campaign has given Niasse a chance to impress.
The Senegal international scored in the Carabao Cup win against Sunderland. Then he came off the bench to score both goals in Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Bournemouth.
He’s had to bide his time and is now making the most of his chance.
Niasse isn’t the only player that’s had to prove their manager wrong in recent years. The Coral News Team have taken a look at five others who fought their way back in after being frozen out…
Yaya Toure
Yaya Toure had worked with Pep Guardiola during their time together at Barcelona. But the City boss didn’t show any sentimentality when dealing with Toure and his agent Dimitri Seluk last season.
Seluk claimed that Guardiola had “humiliated” his client by leaving him out of City’s Champions League squad.
Guardiola then insisted that the 34-year-old wouldn’t play for the club again unless Seluk apologised for his comments.
The former Barca boss was true to his word – Toure didn’t feature at all until he said sorry on behalf of his agent last November.
The midfielder scored twice on his comeback appearance against Crystal Palace and clearly impressed his manager during the rest of the campaign – he was the only one of six players out of contract to be given a new deal at the Etihad Stadium this summer.
David Beckham
On 11th January 2007, David Beckham dropped the bombshell that he would leave Real Madrid at the end of the season to sign for LA Galaxy.
Two days later, Madrid manager Fabio Capello said that the midfielder had played his last game for Real Madrid, doubting his focus and commitment.
Beckham’s exile only lasted a few weeks.
Speaking in early February, Capello said: “He has behaved like a great professional. I have seen that he is committed and that is why I have recalled him.”
After returning to the team, Beckham helped Madrid to win the La Liga title on the last day of the season.
Carlos Tevez
When Roberto Mancini asked Carlos Tevez to warm up so he could come on during a Champions League tie against Bayern Munich, it looked like the then-Manchester City striker refused.
Tevez later claimed he was already warmed up and ready to play but it didn’t make a difference. Mancini wanted him out.
When asked if he would ever pick Tevez again, the Italian said: “No. If we want to improve like a team, like a squad, Carlos cannot play with us. With me, no – it is finished.”
Of course, Tevez did eventually get back into the team. After a two-week suspension and four months of golf in Argentina, he apologised for his behaviour.
He played in each of the last ten league games of the season on City’s way to their first Premier League title.
David de Gea
It seemed that David de Gea’s move to Real Madrid was virtually inevitable in the summer 2015 transfer window.
The Manchester United goalkeeper was left out of the team for the first game of the season against Tottenham Hotspur by Louis van Gaal.
When it seemed like a deal was edging closer, the Spain international was made to train with the reserves.
A deal wasn’t agreed until the final day of the transfer window, when the infamous fax machine meant that it didn’t go through in time. De Gea stayed at Old Trafford and was back in the starting XI for the next game.
The 26-year-old has continued to excel for United and there’s been talk recently that the club want to tie him down to a new deal.
Emmanuel Adebayor
Emmanuel Adebayor was a devastating striker at his best but he had a tendency to fall out with managers.
Adebayor scored 17 league goals during his first season at Tottenham Hotspur but eventually clashed with Andre Villas-Boas.
He was made to train with the youth sides and didn’t feature in the first 11 games of 2013-14. He was then selected for a game against Man City. Spurs lost 6-0 and he never played again under AVB.
Tim Sherwood didn’t have much success as Villas-Boas’ successor but he did bring Adebayor back into the fold. The Togo international responded with 11 goals in 20 league games.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
