Marquee players are brought in to help A-League sides become more successful but in some instances, they do the exact opposite.
Throughout A-League history there has been a wealth of quality marquee players gracing our shores. From Dwight Yorke to Thomas Broich, these players managed to increase the quality of our league to something we have never seen before.
Unfortunately not all big-name marquee signings go to plan and live up to their quality, often disappointing fans and their respective clubs.
Below is a list of high profile marquee signings that did not bring their club success.
William Gallas (Perth Glory – 2013/14)
Playing for the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham, William Gallas was quite a coup for Perth Glory in 2013.
Unfortunately the former French international did not quite live up to his name as he only made 15 appearances for the Glory. He made his debut in round six against Adelaide United but suffered a calf injury which ruled him out for several weeks.
He would play the last 12 games as a starter but only managed the one goal and could not use his experience to lead the Western Australian side to the finals.
Keisuke Honda (Melbourne Victory – 2018/19)
One of the more notable marquee names in the last few A-League seasons, Keisuke Honda seemed like the signing that would see Melbourne Victory go back to back.
The Japanese international started the season in red hot form but suffered a hamstring injury which had him on the sidelines for a handful of weeks.
When he returned from injury Honda seemed like a different player and did not have the same impact on Victory as he had before the injury.
His last game for Victory was the 6-0 thrashing by Sydney FC in the semi-final. His contract was not renewed by the club.
Alessandro Del Piero (Sydney FC – 2012/13 & 2013/14)
Arguably the most high profile player to have featured in the A-League, Alessandro Del Piero played for Sydney FC across two seasons.
He may have scored an iconic free-kick against Newcastle Jets and scored four goals in a game against Wellington Phoenix, but the World Cup winner only ever played in one finals series game for the Sky Blues.
He had a great first season however, he could not continue his form into season two. Age looked to have caught up to the Italian as he was a lot slower on and off the ball.
He may have put bums on seats for Sydney games, but he could not bring any silverware to the club.
Éric Bauthéac (Brisbane Roar – 2017/18 & 2018/19)
A player that had a vast amount of Ligue 1 experience with OGC Nice, FCO Dijon and LOSC Lille, Éric Bauthéac unfortunately, could not live up to his status at Brisbane Roar.
The Frenchman never found consistency in his first season down under, only managing two goals and four assists.
His second season was an improvement as he was one of the better players in a very poor Brisbane side. Despite his skill and quality, Bauthéac just never really got going in the A-League.
Ross McCormack (Central Coast Mariners – 2018/19)
Central Coast Mariners showed they meant business when they announced the loan signing of Ross McCormack.
The Scottish forward, who had a stellar half-season with Melbourne City the season before looked like the signing the Mariners needed.
Unfortunately, it did not pan out like the club wanted to. The striker looked slow and uninterested in the game.
He went on to make five appearances and score one goal before being sent back to Aston Villa in January.
Feature image credit: Melbourne Victory
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