I hate being that guy, but it sounds like one of those stories that have been significantly embellished over time. He made his debut in the first division at 17. There is no world in which that happens to a player who was not considered a great prospect at 15-16.
Anyway, it’s kind of interesting that this piece would exist. He has developed a reputation as someone determined to leave his football life in the past. He has often seemed to speak almost resentfully about that part of his life whenever it’s been raised to him. I met him a few times in our local Irish pub here in Orlando and he was always decidedly uneasy about being recognized as that famous footballer. Hopefully whatever was going on that made him want to bury that part of his life he has come to terms a bit better with these days and can take heart in the joy he gave to so many of us.
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Yeah gathered there was more than a little air of romance about the story but what I took from it was the sheer determination. Ok partly he was a victim of circumstance (one way ticket etc. ) but actually working on the problem and addressing the weaknesses is pretty impressive for a 16-17 year old. I bet he was shit scared that first night.
He then carried that same determination into the development of the football boots etc.
You could actually see that determination in his play come to think about it.
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He talks about it in his biography back in 1990 and it was just after he first arrived at Boro, and only stayed for 6 months before returning to Aus then having a 2nd crack at England a year later.
Other players and coaches from Boro at the time have also remaked on Jack saying that so there seems to be some creedence to the story
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For subscribers obviously, but this was a brilliant Q&A (picked the best from fans to Brucie).
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It’s Spurs matchday! Co-incidence?
Happy to see this does not seem to have had a huge impact.
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I wonder what Ki-Jana Hoever is thinking now. He has managed 31 minutes of football since leaving for Wolves and likely would have been ahead of Rhys Williams in the CB selection.
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Not sure. In a 3 at the back system? Maybe. But in a two, not so sure. I think we didn’t think he was ready enough to compete at CB. While at RB we had Trent and also Neco appeared pretty much out of nowhere. He also spoke something about our style, maybe it was all starting to be too much for him and different to what he was used to in Holland. Not to say Wolves don’t play with intensity, they do. But maybe he felt he’s got more of a chance at a somewhat lower level, different formations used, etc. I’m not surprised if he didn’t play much football yet. It’s the LCB and LB/LWB area where I think Wolves are struggling a little bit. People like Saiss still playing a lot of football, Jonny not being replaced properly since he got injured.
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Would love Xabi as our manager in the future.
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Very hard to know (for us fans at least) how well he’s doing before he’s in one of the first European leagues. Potential is there, but he’s still got work to do.
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Don’t care how he is doing - Xabi was always my man crush 
I want him back 
Jokes aside I think Pep Lijnders will take over after Klopp.
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We’ll see, 4 years is a long, long time in football. If Klopp gets there. I think he will want to leave us a “new” team, not leave a mess like Ferguson did by staying an extra year after the Aguero goal in 2012. Plenty of options are open, there might be some new names when it happens.
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there might be some new names when it happens.
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Like Jordan Henderson being fast tracked…!
320 games
18 goals
5 assists
League Cup 2012
