The talk about Connolly on another thread got me wandering through YouTube. I came across this little video which seems to be featuring strikers who didn't quite succeed at Feyenoord, I think that's what it is anyway. It shows a few missed chances from Connolly but also a couple of big goals in a match away to Ajax, which they won 4-3 to almost guarantee automatic CL group stage qualification. This match is from around 1:10 in the video, both goals are Michael Owen-esque I think, particularly the first one.
Connlly would have broken the scoring record of Quinn's if a certain Robbie Keane wasn't around.
Here they come! It’s the charge of the “Thanks” Brigade!
Probably rightOriginally Posted by Kingdom
Shouldn't have moved back to England.
He was playing third division in Holland
Second tier, not third tier. (There wasn't a third tier in Holland at the time really; just regional leagues with no promotion/relegation)
I read before that he said before he left for Feyenoord he was Keeping Kevin Phillips out of the Watford team. Imagine a sliding doors moment where Connolly moved to Quinns Sunderland in ‘97.
That was because he got into a massive bustup with Leo Beenhakker and was farmed out to Feyenoord's feeder team in the Dutch second division, where he scored goals for fun.
After Beenhakker was sacked, the new manager (Van Marwijk) brought Connolly back into the Feyenoord team. Connolly was a revelation, getting goals and assists. Including his demolishing of Ajax. He left at the end of the season on a free transfer, to live the dream of playing for Wimbledon. Feyenoord went on to win the UEFA Cup the next season. Wimbledon, well, we know how that turned out.
Should have signed on for another couple of seasons with Feyenoord.
Yes I remember keeping an eye on him at Excelsior and he’d often score 3 or 4 goals in a match.
He wanted to be highest paid at Feyenoord and so they let him go. Silly boy.
Always liked him though. He’d run all day. Played a cracker of a game against Turkey in a crazy friendly where Dunne scores the equaliser.
Just couldn’t play beside Robbie really.
Well, he could have played on the wing for us I think.
4-3-3 with Duff-Keane-Connolly up front.
Not sure I can say I always liked Connolly. Petulant aggression in Brussels cost us dear.
Nah not a winger. He was a poacher. Unfortunately blew very hot and cold when it came to his finishing
He was 19 at the time though.
I remember Robbie getting booked in 1st leg against Turkey in play off for Euro 2000 for whinging at the ref. Put him out of the return leg.
Robbie was probably 19 then too
Big difference! He got his second yellow of the campaign very harshly. He kicked the ball into the ad hoarding rebounding it into play exactly where the free kick he was angry about was to be taken. Petulant but equally jobsworthy of the ref I thought. His first yellow was 8 or 9 games earlier. Connolly stood on a bloke's head!
His head shouldn't have been there.
[/shearer defence]
I actually thought he threw him a little dig. I can’t remember the incident exactly and there’s no evidence of it on YouTube.
But, my point was, a lot of young players do stupid things. Roy Keane was always getting sent off when he was a nipper. Remember him against Romania kicking the lad from behind? And he was well in his 20s at that stage.
i could never criticise Connolly for sticking the boot in in Brussels because I felt exactly the same.
I wish Andy O’Brien had actually planted that Israeli keeper and I really wish Neil Lennon had stuck the boot into the Porto keeper in the UEFA cup final
Could be our 'Zapruder Film'!
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