Phil Thompson
Philip " Phil" Bernard Thompson ( born January 21, 1954 in Liverpool ) is a former English footballer. He was active as a defender in the successful team of FC Liverpool in the 1970s and 1980s, and oversaw the club later than Kotrainer.
Career as a football player
Thompson was in his youth supporters of Liverpool FC, in 1971 became part of the professional squad and made his debut in the first team a year later. In 1973 he won with his club double in the English Championship and UEFA Cup and was instrumental in both successes share. Over the subsequent season, he had his nearest rivals Larry Lloyd from the team and Tommy Smith replaced the full-back positions and formed from now on with the team captain Emlyn Hughes an effective partnership in central defense.
3-0 final victory in the FA Cup against Newcastle United in 1974, he took the opposing center-forward Malcolm Macdonald through consistent man coverage from the game and was two years later became part of the team that won the UEFA Cup and the English Cup again. In the same year, Thompson was also the first time called into the England team. During a mini-tournament in the U.S., he came here in the summer when game against Italy for his first hit.
This was followed in 1977 one of the most successful seasons in the history of FC Liverpool, Thompson, however, suffered a long injury break. Although he came up with a sufficient number of games to get the medal for the English league title, the injuries prevented his participation in the crucial stage of the FA Cup and the European Cup of Champions. Liverpool lost with veteran replacement for Thompson, Smith, the first FA Cup final, but was just a day later in Rome win the national champion trophy against Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Thompson recovered from his injury and returned in the subsequent season in the defensive Liverpool's back. The team reached the finals here for the first time in the League Cup, a competition which the club had not been taken very seriously. After a goalless draw at Wembley against Nottingham Forest they met again at a repetition game in which Thompson a foul against John O'Hare, Striker Forest, committed suicide, the team of Brian Clough that led to the decisive penalty and the victory gave. In retrospect, it was found, however, that the foul was committed outside the box and a free kick instead of penalty kick, should have led. Also in the championship Liverpool lost the title race against Nottingham, but was able to repeat the success in the European national champion competition, with the finals, now with Thompson in their own ranks, FC Bruges was defeated.
With Alan Hansen as a new partner Thompsons in central defense to Liverpool took the 1979 British Championship back. As late Hughes then left the club in the direction of Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1979, Thompson was appointed as the new team captain and raised in 1980 in this function, the English championship trophy in the air. In the national squad played Thompson regularly and qualified for the European Championships in Italy in 1980, the first tournament for England for ten years, but in which one retired early.
The most successful time during Thompson's captain phase then took place in 1981, when he accepted after a playoff victory in the European Champion Clubs' Cup against Real Madrid, the now third overall success of Liverpool, the trophy. In addition, he still won the League Cup, which the team won after a victory in the replay against West Ham United, who also a four-year winning streak Liverpool in this competition initiated.
There were a few disagreements with coach Bob Paisley, who forwarded the captaincy to Graeme Souness, although Thompson still regularly came to the defense for use in 1982 and 1983 and again won the English championship. When winning the League Cup in 1982, he was also in the team, but missed the following year the new Final victory due to injury.
In 1984 Thompson's perspective deteriorated significantly in Liverpool after Hansen with the young Mark Lawrenson got a new regular defensive partner. Liverpool won both the Cup, the League Cup and the national champion competition, but Thompson could not contribute to this success.
Career as a football coach
Thompson was in 1985 sold to Sheffield United, where he does not prevail there, and ended at the age of only 31 years, his active football career. He was then obliged by Liverpool's new manager Kenny Dalglish as Kotrainer. As " Dalglishs right hand", he supervised the team that has now led by Hansen as captain, in the next four years and won with them in 1988 and 1990, the English championship and the 1989 FA Cup. A well-known picture shows Thompson during the final minutes of the FA Cup final against Merseyside rivals Everton, when he was feverish sweating heavily opposed in a suit and tie Ever toner scoring opportunity. Everton scored in this phase, the equalizer that forced overtime. However, Liverpool won then.
When Souness, who had already replaced Thompson as team captain, returned to Liverpool to now take over the coaching reins of Dalglish later in 1991, were also counted Thompsons days and he left the club at the same time.
In the following years, Thompson operated mostly as a football expert in the English public until then Gérard Houllier 's new coach in Liverpool was established in 1998. Houllier needed after the departure of Roy Evans a veteran connoisseur of the Liverpool scene and offered Thompson to return to his old job. Thompson accepted the offer and was followed by a second, very eventful era. His quarrel with the popular striker Robbie Fowler has been generally assumed that the main reason for the transfer Fowler to Leeds United. In addition, he took over with some success the sole care of the team, when Houllier had to undergo heart surgery.
When Houllier left the club in 2004, did him Thompson to this. Today he is again as an expert on the road and mainly engaged regularly for Sky Sports.
Achievements
- European Cup Winners ' Cup: 1977, 1978, 1981
- UEFA Cup winners: 1973, 1976
- English Champion: 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983
- FA Cup Winners: 1974
- English League Cup winners: 1981, 1982, 1983
- Community Shield winner: 1974, 1976, 1977 *, 1979, 1980, 1982 * ( shared title )