Steve Phillips

[BCFC.Ady65]

Can somebody please explain as to why last season steve phillips was classed as the best keeper in the division, has played well this season even though he hasn't had much in front of him but gets dropped after a couple of mistakes that didnt really have an outcome on the final score of the games. Are we still going to see Brasso in between the sticks again or is GJ going to come to his senses and put the best keeper we have got back where he belongs, in goal in the first team

[Guest Ronmeister]

is GJ going to come to his senses and put the best keeper we have got back where he belongs

After hearing what I've heard recently, definately no.

[Maltshoveller]

Can somebody please explain as to why last season steve phillips was classed as the best keeper in the division, has played well this season even though he hasn't had much in front of him but gets dropped after a couple of mistakes that didnt really have an outcome on the final score of the games. Are we still going to see Brasso in between the sticks again or is GJ going to come to his senses and put the best keeper we have got back where he belongs, in goal in the first team

(a) He has played OK ish

(b)His mistakes HAVE cost us points

I am sorry but Phillips has to be the most

over rated player at this club

Good i will give him

Great not in a million years

[kiwicolin]

if steve phillips can't cope with a bit of competition then he

has to grow up.

yes he is a very good keeper hence he has been in goal

for a very long time but now he has someone wanting his

place , he throws the rattle out.

this is the time he should get stuck in at training and fight

for his place back.

to be honest it doesn't matter who is in goal.the defence

needs to sort themselves out first.

competition is good for each player and should make them

more hungrier to get back in.

will steve phillips stay or go , who knows.

[dagest]

What is with the Phillips fan club on here? He made some bad errors and was dropped. That's it.

[Simsey]

Can somebody please explain as to why last season steve phillips was classed as the best keeper in the division, has played well this season even though he hasn't had much in front of him but gets dropped after a couple of mistakes that didnt really have an outcome on the final score of the games. Are we still going to see Brasso in between the sticks again or is GJ going to come to his senses and put the best keeper we have got back where he belongs, in goal in the first team

Well said Mate, I totally agree with you.

If johnson doesn't come to his senses and put our best keeper (Phillips) back in goal where he belongs for the next league game then its clear to me that he hasn't got a clue as Basso is rubbish and doesn't have the quality which Steve Phillips has.

[JudgeRed]

I realy think SP would do his career no harm at all by leaving Bristol City. He could do alott better than playing for Bristol City.

If you do go Steve the very best of luck mate. I just hope the Yeovil keeper that is coming next summer can settle in pretty quick. Ho damn have i just let the cat out of the bag Ooooop's sorry.

[Alex_BCFC]

free transfer in the new year

I'm not sure we would get that much for him!

[Tunley Legend]

Whatever you think about Steve Phillips, he has never been the type of player to let the club down. No manager has ever publicly criticised him for lack of effort. He has never been sick on the pitch (remind you of anyone?). Never been arrested for bar brawling to anyones knowledge. On the few occasions I have seen him down town he has been drinking with his mates and not led unconscious on the floor. OK he is not the best keeper with the ball at his feet and he doesn't come for all of the crosses we would like. But as a shot stopper he has proven he can do alright against Premiership players and is easily good enough for second and third division football. Therefore if he never had the other two faults he would have left us years ago. But he will easily find a Championship club if/when he finally goes. He seems to me and many others to be a good professional. So why all of a sudden should he be disillusioned with things. Has he been dropped before? Yes. Did he throw his toys out of the pram then? Not to my knowledge.

There are a lot of noises coming out of this football club from players - many of us are hearing it at first hand. One of the most common things is that Johnson has got a little bit too much "mouth" for his own good. Yes, players must take criticism but no adult person will be spoken to like a CHILD in their work environment. Particularly if you are a Senior Professional who has played under far superior managers than Gary Johnson (who might that be?)!! If your boss told you that you were not part of his plans and to bugger off ASAP, how would you react in your notice period?

But perhaps, if he is being treated shabbily by Johnson, he is in a position to have the last laugh. He can pick up his money next year as he is still under contract AND rake in all his testimonial cash before buggering off to the best offer the season after. And this will also mean that Johnson can only bring in one keeper due to budgetary restrictions.

[BCFC.Ady65]

Well said Mate, I totally agree with you.

If johnson doesn't come to his senses and put our best keeper (Phillips) back in goal where he belongs for the next league game then its clear to me that he hasn't got a clue as Basso is rubbish and doesn't have the quality which Steve Phillips has.

But its not just phillips though is it, thinking about it how many others is GJ going to p##s off, it seems to me that whoever said about the 'irratating little dwarf' when he was appointed was right , i don't think he has the right man management

[Chappers]

I really wonder what some fans are expecting. At this Level, Phillips is about the best keeper in the Country, and yet there are moans. Basso is OK, but I certainly don't rate him as highly as Phillips. As for his mistakes, against Southen, Skuse gave the ball away, the defence stood and watched Eastwood, but GJ, rather publicly slags off Phillips. Notts County was a one off, possibly due to an erratic ball.

One question - the Keeper position was not a problem, so why make a change? Phillips is a very good keeper, deserves better, and I will fully support his Testimonial. If he leaves, I hope he does well, his treatment has been really shabby and unwarrented.

Personally, I hope that if Warnock joins Pompey, Sheff Utd look our way for their new Manager......

[Maltshoveller]

But its not just phillips though is it, thinking about it how many others is GJ going to p##s off, it seems to me that whoever said about the 'irratating little dwarf' when he was appointed was right , i don't think he has the right man management

GJ has said he wants players at this club

with good character

GJ has slaged alot of them off

and the way the players have responded

shows that they don't have the characteristics hes looking for

ie Heart and Passion.

If they cant take gj slaggings

what chance 10,000 (I said a naughty word) of city fans on a saturday??

[Dan Of The Dolman]

Johnson is trying to motivate players but does it the wrong way and he is paying for it! telling them that they was all going and to phone their agents in the dressing room after a match was the final straw I think. The players are just sticking two fingers up at Johnson but at the fans at the same time.

[Frank Reynolds]

I really wonder what some fans are expecting. At this Level, Phillips is about the best keeper in the Country, and yet there are moans. Basso is OK, but I certainly don't rate him as highly as Phillips. As for his mistakes, against Southen, Skuse gave the ball away, the defence stood and watched Eastwood, but GJ, rather publicly slags off Phillips. Notts County was a one off, possibly due to an erratic ball.

One question - the Keeper position was not a problem, so why make a change? Phillips is a very good keeper, deserves better, and I will fully support his Testimonial. If he leaves, I hope he does well, his treatment has been really shabby and unwarrented.

Personally, I hope that if Warnock joins Pompey, Sheff Utd look our way for their new Manager......

Becoming a common occurance, me and you agreeing!

I agree with everything you said there. The pros of having Steve Phillips in the first team, certainly outweigh the cons in my mind. I think that only Pogliacomi and Konstapoulapadopolopoudas or whatever his name is from Hartlepool are as good, or better. At this level players make mistakes, otherwise they wouldn't be at this level.

I agree with Greebo, Phillips isn't a troublemaker, he isn't someone who lets the team down either through his conduct on or off the pitch. His loyal service is rewarded with a testimonial, which shows that he wants to play for this club.

I think Mr. Johnson is a manager whose methods aren't as revolutionary as we all though, and it appears to me that he is bullying Phillips and forcing him out of the club; along with a couple of others.

I hope to God that Phillips stays, because the club will be poorer without him.

[Bristol Boy]

Phillips will leave the club in Jan or at the end of the season.IMHO

[Frank Reynolds]

GJ has said he wants players at this club

with good character

GJ has slaged alot of them off

and the way the players have responded

shows that they don't have the characteristics hes looking for

ie Heart and Passion.

If they cant take gj slaggings

what chance 10,000 (I said a naughty word) of city fans on a saturday??

Or maybe professional adults don't appreciate being humiliated on a weekly basis.

They certainly shouldn't be immune from the criticism is deserved at the moment, but nor should they be a device used by Johnson to deflect blame from himself.

I would be humiliated by the comments that Johnson makes, and as a fan I'm annoyed at the clubs continual inept media performances. Maybe Johnson doesn't have the attributes that the players, and I as a fan, require?

[claloudav]

Adriano Basso is not an experienced player in our current league. Correct me if I'm wrong but he;s only ever had a proper (as in lots of appearances) spell in English football with Woking? He'd probably improve if given the chance - but in our current state I don't think we have spare games to hand out to him.

I'd play it safe with Phillips at the moment, he might not be the Phillips we seen against Everton last year, BUT

he's always been reliable for us in the long run and is committed to Bristol City. He always seems to keep his head down and get on with things and in my opinion is one of the best goalkeepers in our current league.

[exiledinwatford]

As our most consistent player in recent seasons he should be in the first team - the best shot stopper in the division.

[JudgeRed]

Personally, I hope that if Warnock joins Pompey, Sheff Utd look our way for their new Manager......

I agree to that comment. I was overjoyed to see GJ coming at the start. Now i'm not so sure if he is good enough.

[Guest Ronmeister]

GJ has slaged alot of them off

and the way the players have responded

shows that they don't have the characteristics hes looking for

ie Heart and Passion.

Or they're scared shitless of him and tired of his ramblings

[Frank Reynolds]

I agree to that comment. I was overjoyed to see GJ coming at the start. Now i'm not so sure if he is good enough.

We all were, based on circumstances at another club, which is fairly reasonable.

What we should have done is done our homework before we hailed him as the next Messiah, because more and more negative aspects of his management career and style have been coming out of the woodwork.

What I'd like to ask to all of those who support GJ totally blindly, is what they are basing it on?

[CITY BOY DAVE]

With what i've heard GJ has picked his favorites and steve phillips is not on his list

[Chappers]

The other point is that the Keeper and defence work as a team, so surely it makes sense to have continuity, especially as the defence is ever-changing. 'Continuity' is not a word in GJ's vocabulary!

[JudgeRed]

With what i've heard GJ has picked his favorites and steve phillips is not on his list

Agreed!!! Becuss this is his favorite keeper is Chris Weale profile and he WILL!!!! be Bristol City's main keeper in the new year.

[Guest Harry Dolman]

Why is it that every time a player gets dropped we invent a conspiracy theory ??

Undoubtedly Phillips is a good shot stopper. Equally undoubtedly he is poor at taking crosses/commanding his box.

It was obvious from day 1 that Johnson wanted him to command the box better & it was noticable that Phillips was coming for more crosses (with variable results). Whenever he came for a cross & did reasonably well there was a very loud (I.E I could hear it in the stand) "well done Stevie" coming from Johnson. Was this a klandestine form of bullying that was too subtle for me to spot ??

The team was conceding a lot of goals - usually when this happens the keeper loses confidence, makes mistakes & gets dropped (the same thing has happened to th highly rated Kelvin Davis @ Sunderland). It is a fact that keepers mistakes are more in the spotllight, however Phillips error v Southend was a howler - yes skuse lost the ball in the middle - no we didn't close the guy down. However he then hit a fairly tame shot from at least 20 yards, straight into Phillips midrift - the ball was spilled & Eastwood scored. In the following game Phillips got beat by a freekick from about 35 yards which went it straight down the middle. He didn't exactly help his cause by then saying it was due to the ball (Q. How many other clubs/keepers blamed the FA Cup ball that weekend.......).

Ok so you're Johnson. You have a team that near capitulates on conceding a goal, for years they have failed miserably to defend high balls/set plays (with, interstingly enough the same keeper almost ever present), then silly mistakes start creeping into the keepers game which are directly resulting in goals......

What most managers will do at that point is drop the keeper. Johnson went public & said something along the lines of "Steve is a good keeper, he will bounce back & he will come again".

From the outside looking in, it does appear a touch that Phillips enjoyed being untouchable as No 1, and rather than fight for his place back has thrown a bit of a hissy.

[Swindon Hater]

Everyone says Basso is crap and has no experience.

I don't tink he has done bad at all, infact I can't blame him for any goals he has conceded, unlike Mr. Phillips who has conceded too many soft goals and cost us points.

People need to realise that being a great shot stopper is nothing if you can't catch a cross and command your area, the defender need to have faith in the keeper and I don't know if Phillips has that faith.

Give Basso a chance, Arsenal wanted to sign him but he didn't have a passport, can't be that bad, and as I said, he dosen't look it so far.

[BrotherErnieFromBarrowGurney]

After talking to Steve Phillips on Monday night, he said he wasn't bothered about the consecutive record of appearances, he just wanted to play 500 games for City so he could become one of our legends in the future. Sadly this doesn't look like happening now as Gary Johnson doesn't fancy him and it looks like he will be moving on in January. Steve seemed very sad about this situation, it seems such a shame after so many years of great service.

[Guest Harry Dolman]

After talking to Steve Phillips on Monday night, he said he wasn't bothered about the consecutive record of appearances, he just wanted to play 500 games for City so he could become one of our legends in the future. Sadly this doesn't look like happening now as Gary Johnson doesn't fancy him and it looks like he will be moving on in January. Steve seemed very sad about this situation, it seems such a shame after so many years of great service.

Hi Ern, hope you're ok in the land of the roundabout.

A lot of people seem to think, from talking to the players, that a significant % don't like Johnson - was that your opinion too ?

[BrotherErnieFromBarrowGurney]

They all seemed very down, although that might have been having to chit chat with old codgers like me. Yes, my impression was that the players have not responded well to GJ's management style. Who's fault that is only they know but I'm certain that this atmosphere has contributed to the poor run of results.

[budbcfc]

what ever happens it looks like they will be jelling in cc2 next season.