The conquerors of Championship Manager who faded in reality. Featuring Derby County in-game legend Tonton Zola Moukoko, Everton striker Ibrahima Bakayoko and Millwall nearly-man Cherno Samba

Even before they’ve kicked a ball at senior level, some players are seemingly destined for the top.

Plucked from a local club to shine at a higher level, the potential of some youngsters is hyped to a greater level than even Sky Sports could manage. Some of these kids make the grade and go onto fulfil their promise, but some…

Sonny Pike is someone who was lauded from a young age and failed to make the grade, but thanks to the passing of time, he has been able to gently ease from public view and into the memories of a few who watch too much football.

However, some aren’t afforded this luxury of privacy. The potential of some players is recorded and etched into the memories of fans of a certain age thanks to the game Championship Manager.

For those who spent a part of their youth hidden from the glare of the sun, hunched over a computer creating teams in their own image, then a few names will instantly spring to mind.

Obviously I was a cool kid at school (false), but I also found time to devote myself to the game and there were a certain number of players in the many editions of the game that were stuffed full of potential and if bought would go on to in-game greatness, but their careers in reality have been far from glittering.

Here are a few such players of promise, who failed to match their virtual selves.

Tonton Zola Moukoko (AM/F C)

A snip at a mere few hundred thousand from Derby reserves, who seemed determined not to cash in on his potential and play him, he would score goals with the same frequency that us mere mortals breath.

Moukoko was the all-conquering king. The mac daddy. An untouchable genius. He was Elvis, Bond and Tony Montana - ruthless, clinical and the undisputed ruler of the game, despite facing strong competition from a host of more illustrious names.

His ability on the pitch didn’t mirror his image on screen though. A desire to study while at Derby created a rift with the management, a personal tragedy and a brief spell away from the game all combined to scupper his career and he is now playing for Finnish club Atlantis FC.

His influence on those who spent many late nights crafting him into a virtual behemoth can still be felt, as some serious man-love is present here.

Ibrahima Bakayoko (AM/F C)

The Ivorian wasn’t cheap at around £10m, but his ability to find the net in the 97/98 version of the game was astounding. Whether he was marooned in the relatively deep lying central midfield role, on the wing, behind the striker or upfront the goals would flow effortlessly from him.

Many a night come morning were lost thanks to this man, as I watched him repeatedly devour opposition and in the process help Doncaster to their second successive Champions League final with a hat-trick against Hibernian in the semis.

In reality he wasn’t quite so prolific. Upon signing for Everton in 1997/98 for the bargain price of £4.5m, many apparent professors of the game muttered confidently that he would instantaneously take to the English game, despite having never seen him play and basing their opinion on a virtual impression of the player. He managed just four goals in 24 games, which earned the nickname Baka-joke-o.

His flame is still burning, but not so brightly these days. He currently plays for newly promoted PAS Giannina in Greece.

Cherno Samba (S C)

Millwall’s Samba was just 13 when he began to attract the attentions of Liverpool and United with his amazing feats of goalscoring, which saw him notch 132 goals in 32 games when he was just 13. This was also duly noted by the makers of the game, who created a monster of a striker that made Ronaldo (the Brazilian one) in his pomp look like a pale imitation of himself, in anticipation of his looming greatness.

However the fairytale fizzled out. There was no ascent to anything close resembling the top. His promise diluted and the highest height he’s reached is playing for Plymouth and worse still he’s only managed to appear in 27 games since turning pro in 2002, scoring once. He now plays for Panetolikos in Greece.

Tommy Svindal Larsen (M LC)

The Norwegian was available for around £250k from Stabaek, but his relatively minuscule fee was not a reflection of the player you would get. Inexplicably cheap the midfielder would seemingly dominate games whether he was deployed on the left or in the centre and he’d happily weigh in with a few goals to boot.

Away from the game, Larsen remained in the bargain bin of European football though, as despite winning 24 Caps for Norway he failed to make his mark on the rest of the continent. A four year spell at 1. FC Nuremberg passed without fireworks and he is now plying his trade for Odd Grenland (pictured hidden behind his own stats on the club’s website).

Mark Collis and Ferrah Orosco (AM C & D RC)

If you could put yourself in a game you would. The opportunity to live your life vicariously through the life of an all-singing all-dancing hero in a virtual world would be too tempting. That’s what these guys did for the 93/94 edition of the game and unsurprisingly they were shit hot.

Another sheltering from reality was one the game’s Portuguese scouts Tó Madeira, who transformed himself from an appreciator and watcher of the game into a fearsome striker. It’s unclear whether he still works for the company, but his achievements prove that there’s still hope for us all to make our mark on the beautiful game.

Tags: Championship, Championship Manager, Cherno Samba, Derby County, Everton, Ibrahima Bakayoko, Premier League, Tommy Svindal Larsen , Tonton Zola Moukoko