Eric Cantona, Luis Suarez, Mario Balotelli… As bad-boy M’Baye Niang joins Watford on loan, take a look at 13 other controversial figures
French forward was handed a suspended 18-month jail term back in 2014 after he crashed his Ferrari into several cars
WATFORD made something of a controversial splash in the January transfer window when they swooped for the loan signing of AC Milan forward M'Baye Niang.
The French forward, 22, was handed a suspended 18-month jail term back in 2014 after he crashed his Ferrari into several cars and then a tree.
His antics have seen him likened to another ex-Milan forward - Italian Mario Balotelli - as his string of controversial antics overshadow his on-pitch headlines.
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But new Watford man Niang is by no means the only footballer to make news for his off-pitch, bad-boy routine.
Here, we take a look at 13 others to make waves for all the wrong reasons...
DENNIS WISE
LONG before Luis Suarez was on the scene, there was another biting scandal... surrounding ex-Chelsea man Wise.
During the 1999 Cup Winners' Cup, the pint-sized hard-man was charged with getting his teeth into Real Mallorca defender Elena Marcelino.
LUIS SUAREZ
SPEAK of the devil... Suarez may now be a seemingly changed man at Barcelona, it's not always been the case for the ex-Liverpool striker.
The Uruguayan has been caught biting THREE times, once at Ajax, once for Liverpool and another for his country against Italy at the 2014 World Cup - while he also 'cheated' Ghana out of the 2010 tournament, with his outrageous on-the-line handball.
BRUNO TELUSHI
ALBANIAN defender Telushi may be little-known over in England, but he has quite the reputation on the continent.
In fact, back in 2015 the midfielder was banned for five games for punching Silverster Shkalla.
ERIC CANTONA
THIS chap needs no introduction as his career was littered with a bizarre combination of spectacular goals and on-field issues.
Most famous of course was his kung-fu kick on a Crystal Palace fan back in 1995, for which he was fined, banned and sentenced to two weeks in prison, later reduced to 120 hours of community service.
PAOLO DI CANIO
SOME say brilliant, others say crazy, the former West Ham and Lazio man endured a career blotted by controversy.
As well as his 'salute' during a Rome derby and brawling with fans, don't forget he also shoved referee Paul Alcock and was banned for 11 games while at Sheffield Wednesday.
JOEY BARTON
ARGUABLY modern football's best known 'bad-boy, Barton has even spent 74 days in jail for a brawl in Liverpool.
The now-Burnley midfielder has been convicted on charges of violence twice, in fact, as well as a host of on-field and training ground bust-ups... Not to mention his Twitter spats.
NICKLAS BENDTNER
WHILE mostly remembered for his drab spell at Arsenal, let's not forget the now-Nottingham Forest man's not-so-finest moment.
As his Gunners team-mates were being knocked out of the Champions League, the Dane had a 'psychopathic' moment with a taxi driver, which resulted in him dropping his trousers and rubbing himself all over the car, while screaming 'I will f***you' and calling him a 'little b****'.
VINNIE JONES
EX-hard-man turned actor Jones may not have been much more than an on-field hacker, but he was in trouble with footballing authorities frequently during his career.
As well as persistent tough-tackling, booking and sendings-off, Jones was once given a suspended six-month ban for released a video including advice for budding 'hard-men' in football.
MARIO BALOTELLI
ANOTHER on this list who needs no introduction, it's Mario 'Why Always Me?' Balotelli.
We could talk all day about the Italian's indiscretions, but throwing darts at youth team players, a fight with Roberto Mancini and setting off fireworks in his own bathroom more than some up Super Mario.
MAXIM MOLOKOYEDOV
BACK in 2010, Russian forward Molokoyedov was not only banned from football, but sent to prison for three years.
The then 23-year-old was caught with six kilograms of cocaine on his person in Chile.
ADRIAN MUTU
A REAL Chelsea flop, Romanian forward Mutu was banned for seven months back in 2004 for failing a drugs test for cocaine.
On his attempt to make a comeback he was then caught again, this time for a hunger stimulant.
FRANK LOBOS
FORMER Chilean footballer Lobos was handed one of the longest bans in football history back in 2006.
The midfielder was handed a TEN-YEAR ban from all footballing activity for a serious act of bribery, related to match-fixing.
RENE HIGUITA
EVERYONE remembers the wacky Colombian for his spectacular, albeit wholly unnecessary, Scorpion Kick save against England at Wembley.
But did you know he was jailed for several months back in 1993 for playing a role in a kidnapping and extortion racket?
