The following article is a useful summary of his career to date and what he might bring to City: http://www.norwich.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=377948 I'd sum up his qualities as a very good knowledge of the game, determination, creative and challenging training sessions and hopefully a good motivator and man-manager. What do the rest of you think?
i've always remembered him mainly for a surging run down the flank in the last minute of a game away to millwall in the late 80s when both sides were at the top of the old first division (yes, that's right, norwich and millwall!). he put in the most dreadful cross, it looked like the chance had gone to pinch the winner but as the ball deflected up in the air, he beat his marker to a header and the ball dropped to robert fleck who smashed in a spectacular, unstoppable volley into the top corner to win the game 3-2, send us into raptures and take us clear at the top of the division. still, to my mind, the best goal i've seen scored by a norwich player during my time watching. phelan was a cracking player - probably should have played more than the once for england. oh, and the fact he used to live near me
I remember that goal very, very well and agree that it was also one of my all-time favourite goals from a city player. Didn't get to see it in the flesh unfortunately and had to watch it on the telly - your parents must have been good to you to let you go to Cold Blow Lane and all the delights that used to bring at such a young age. One of my most memorable games from my childhood that one, always remember Teddy Sheringham and Gunny having a tussle for the ball after Millwall's equaliser as Sheringham was trying grab the ball from out of the back of the net for a quick re-start. Didn't Culverhouse score in the first minute? I know we were 2-0 after about ten minutes.
Here we go, 2:23 in (the rest is well worth a watch as well, brilliant memories and some of the football/goals we scored were magnificent!) [video=youtube;U_VhNoLKX8U]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_VhNoLKX8U&index=90&list=PLFB7D0CE46DD4A3B4[/video]
Yep, cracking game, it was televised too. Wasn't it around Christmas time or is my memory playing tricks?
That was great to watch. What a fab team we had, the memories just came flooding back, no super stars just a good honest hard working bunch.
That one passing move against Liverpool was beautiful to watch, haven't seen us play anything like that in years! What a midfield we had then with Townsend, Phelan, Chippy, Putney and Disco Dale - Flecky was my hero back then though (as he should have been, brilliant player he was) Always remember the win at Anfield that season, I went to that game as a treat for my 13th birthday - despite the fact I was riddled with chicken pox and had bits of calamine lotion soaked lint stuck all over me! Our coach had a police escort out of the area that day and one of the other coaches had a window smashed by scousers chucking bricks - never been good losers that lot!
Some of those saves from Gunny were breathtaking as well, I sometimes forget just what a great keeper he was for us - oh how we could do with him at his prime right now. Wonder how many of our current team would have got in that side? Howson maybe, and possibly Jerome for Rosario, but certainly nobody else for me.
As pleasant as the trip down memory lane is, I sort of thought we might discuss what Phelan might bring to the club in his coaching role.
You'll have to be patient until Saturday, Rick. Then, once we've whooped Reading 5 - 1 all will have been revealed
Difficult one this because it has got all the fans talking but NCFC can't really be seen to be giving him a big welcome. Should they do so (i.e. TV/Radio Presser etc.) it would then appear to undermine the manager in a strange sort of way if you get my meaning ?
He has to be a very valuable asset. A decent coach with a good pedigree plus his contacts in the game might come in handy but, even more important, he is the experienced football person to replace Joe Royle.
Phelan certainly came through positively in the press conference yesterday: “The idea of coming here is to start afresh. It’s not to look back on what’s happened, nobody can change that. For me it’s all about looking forward, getting to know the players, trying to put different things together if possible, working with new staff and realising the expectations here. I’m here to try and make progress, and work with these guys to try and make that happen. My season starts this weekend. The players seem very keen and eager to do well." The players seem to have responded positively to his appointment, so we'll just have to see where we go from here.
