I do like Lee Trundle, he has such a bad reputation from his time at City but he was completely misused by the manager at the time, who was completely unfair to him too if you believe Trundle's book. I'd say he was less of a striker than an attacking midfielder/forward really, he had fantastic finesse and flair which was best utilised in a roaming free role or in 'the hole', just outside of the area. It's not surprising that his goal against Palace came from this exact spot. Top player, but misused and the wrong signing for the wrong playing style. Playing him on the left was nothing short of daft.
What about Evander Sno - played for Ajax and Celtic in the Champions League. He came to us and GJ played him wide left - to accommodate a 'favourite'. No wonder it went t"ts up for GJ.
I loved Trundle and his goal against Palarse will live on in folklore forever. However I can’t help wondering if he pissed his unquestionable talent up against the wall in the lower league playing for Swansea. There, he was a superstar and idol - doing wonderful tricks and turning the lower league opponents inside out - on the ‘Showboat’ nearly every week - a big fish in a small sea. When he came to us he suddenly found himself up against a far better standard of opposition, the likes he wasn’t used to. He suddenly didn’t have the time to do his tricks and also, whilst always well-liked, didn’t have the hero status that he had enjoyed with Swansea up to that point. Added to this he was 30 and carrying a bit of weight too - nothing that couldn’t be sorted, but something that needed extra attention and effort at a time when he was missing his old club and the fans who adored him and the slower defenders that afforded him the time to show off his tricks. If he was really that good, to use an example often quoted in reference to LJ as a player, then why didn’t another ‘bigger’ Championship club (or ANY championship club for that matter) go in for him? As soon as he left us he returned to the comfortable folds of the lower leagues to graze his days out as a superstar again. Like I said, I loved old ‘Magic Daps’ and he still gets in the news now on occasion doing a little bit of magic with the ball and I wish him the very best. Thanks for those Palarse memories!!
Well said- I'll never forget that goal vs Palace, I was dead level with the post on the side he bent the ball into the net - fantastic. I got knocked over the row of seats in front in the chaos that ensued, but well worth it.
