As promised last week, we have concluded the final round of voting for the Chelsea Worst XI. Our minions have been busy counting your votes behind the scenes for the past few days and today we shall reveal the first name on the Worst XI teamsheet.
Following the philosophy of building from the back, let’s unveil our goalkeeper first. But before that, let’s have a look at our nominees and their respective vote-shares:
- Mark Bosnich (39%)
- Ross Turnbull (33%)
- Marco Ambrosio (28%)
- Dave Beasant (Clean Sheet – 0%)
Clearly, the Aussie has beaten poor Ross Turnbull to the finish line as he takes up the #1 jersey in the Chelsea Worst XI. But what makes him so special? Let’s find out.
Before The Blues
The young Bosnich’s first English club was Manchester United, which would look nice on his CV if they hadn’t cancelled his contract after just three games. Bosnich returned to Australia for a brief period before Aston Villa gave him a second chance to start his career in England. It took Bosnich a while to become the number one goalkeeper for the Midlands club but within a few seasons, he was considered one of the best ‘keepers in the land. His time at Villa was not without its share of controversy, though. Against Spurs, Bosnich made a grave error of judgment and taunted the Spurs fans with a Nazi salute, resulting in a rap on the knuckles from the FA. But that was just the start of his troubles. Manchester United gave him another try after his Villa contract expired, but his new manager, Sir Alex Ferguson was in for a shock. In his autobiography, Sir Alex calls Bosnich the worst professional he’s ever worked with. Bosnich’s fondness for fast food left him unfit for the most part of his United career. His time in Manchester ended with a whimper as he found himself firmly established as the third-choice goalkeeper and left the club in early 2001.
The Chelsea Years
Despite Bosnich’s reputation as a slacker, Chelsea signed him on a free transfer and proceeded to make an attempt to get him fit before the season ended. Alas, it was not to be. He made his debut the next season but the joy was short-lived. A young John Terry realised all was not well with Bosnich and tried to warn him about the company the Australian had been keeping. However, Bosnich ignored the warnings, carrying on in his ways before it all came to a head. Mark Bosnich had been struggling with a cocaine addiction behind the glamour of a top-flight footballing career, culminating in a failed drug-test in 2002. Chelsea wasted no time in terminating his contract and Bosnich was banned from football for nine months. Bosnich might not have been the most professional or even the most reliable player to put on a blue shirt, but it was a sad end to his career.
Present Day
Mark Bosnich retired from football after being declared bankrupt, starring in a leaked orgy video and after short stints at various clubs in Australia. He now works as a television pundit for Australian television, a career in which he has been much more appreciated than in his playing days. But that’s not enough to save him from being the number one goalkeeper for the Chelsea Worst XI.