Yeah I mean he’s one of our better players on his day. When he hit his purple patch under Pulis? And was assisting or scoring every game he was very good. I do worry about his injury record and that he can’t seem to last more than an hour each game though.
Another thought, what sort of wage do you think he’s managed to secure by signing his contract now rather than in the Premier League? I can only imagine he’s got a clause in there for an increase if we get promoted, which at least gives him something to really play for.
No idea, but I doubt he has taken a pay cut to stay and I am guessing his wages would rise on promotion in the way they fell when he was relegated.
The infamous purple patch is now 3 years old and very rarely has he got close to those heights and at 28 I doubt he will now. Contracts are not rewards for past achievement but a commitment to the future. In Phillips case that future is unlikely to be better than the his current level of performance.
In theory he should be absolutely unplayable at Championship level. He isn't nor was he at QPR. He does not score enough goals does not have a trick to beat set defences and is heavily reliant on his diminishing pace.
The fact that at times he could be legitimately labelled as one of our better players based on an 8 weeks purple patch and not much else is an indictment of the state of the squad and how badly it's age profile has been managed. This looks like another mistake in this regard.
p.s. Fully expect him to score a hat trick of worldies today just to make me look foolish and I would be happy with that outcome