The New Jimmy Phillips
Posted by Ratbert in Bolton | 22 March 2006
Jiminho. Jimmy Phillips. Born in Bolton, ever present in the 90s, a 100% trier but always with that little bit of ineptness that meant his comedy moments outweighed his good ones. Does anyone remember him single-handedly demolishing Aston Villa in 1998? No. It’s the clumsy tackles, ball-watching and bad positioning that always come to mind when asked to recall him.
Fast forward to Bolton Wanderers, 2006. Nicky Hunt (Nickinho?) – born in Bolton, with wobblier legs than a new-born antelope, the ability to cross his legs mid-kick and the positional sense of John F Kennedy in Dallas 1963. Yet, like Jimbo, he tries his little heart out and every so often has a bit of a blinder. But last week against West Ham, it was the crack shot that bounced of Jussi that was always going to linger in peoples’ memories – and not the many fine tackles he got into the advancing Hammers afterwards.
In some ways I feel sorry for Nicky. He’s not that bad – he’s come through the junior ranks to the first team, one of the privileged few to have achieved this, has grabbed more than one England U21 cap, and was born in Bolton. But if the fans need a scapegoat, it’s always him. “He hoofs the ball”, “he’s got no pace”, “he falls over”, “get off, you useless stump.” Yet, he has moments of brilliance. Generally, Nickinho can tackle and stop people in their tracks. He can get forward quickly and send good balls in to the front players.
But mud sticks, and Nicky’s got far too much on him at the moment. Perhaps he deserves a re-appraisal? But that will only come from a sustained run in the side, which means forcing out the arguably far more impressive Joey O’Brien. Looking like an Irish wolfhound (and occasionally playing like one – that is walking backwards and wagging his head) doesn’t help.
In the meantime, Nicky will continue to be an amusing enigma to Bolton fans. By turns brilliant and crap, with no way of knowing the way the footballing wind will blow him next.
