Thoms Brolin

[Dillenger]

Am I alone in thinking that he gets unjustifiably villified about his time at the club ?

Allright, he was unfit, and on a few occasions pretty awful (Man Utd at home springs to mind). But he did a job for us, and always seemed to try.

Thinking back we really needed an extra option at the time, and he at least gave us that.

I think the public perception of him came from his time at Leeds, but the media seem to think (or more to the point, like to think) he was the same here.

Any opinions on the matter ?

[James TaylorNye]

Originally posted by Dillenger:
Am I alone in thinking that he gets unjustifiably villified about his time at the club ?



Yep!

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CPIFC No.1

Please, Please, Please don't buy Harrison

[This message has been edited by James TaylorNye (edited 29 August 2000).]

[Fester]

At the risk of being ridiculed by all who know me, I would agree with your comments. His reputation as a fat, lazy bar steward preceded him (as did his stomach as he walked round corners etc etc) but there were several games at the start of his Selhurst spell where I felt that he was one of the more industrious and successful players on the pitch. Some people, who I felt at the time had been blinded by the media, could not see past the 'media image' and no matter what he did duing the games, he was often the object of vilification following defeat.
There, I feel better now.

[Strathclyde Eagle]

Was useful on occasions (I remember him being applauded off on a stretcher at Anfield) but earned himself a contract from two good performances when all our strikers were injured. Was rubbish after that.

Personally, and call me cynical, but I think the English press were out to get him following him scoring the goal which knocked us out of Euro '92.

Ready to be shot down in flames!

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Ciao member Toneboy7 (http://www.uk.ciao.com/bin/uk/Register.po?refBy=85890)
Strathclyde Eagles homepage (http://home.clara.net/tartan/palace/index.htm)

[Dan Dare]

I can remember him playing a blinder for us up at Newcastle in a defensive role and generally I think he did do a decent job for us.

Also don't forgot that he formed part of the Laurel and Hardy management team with Atillio.

[Dillenger]

Originally posted by Dan Dare:
Also don't forgot that he formed part of the Laurel and Hardy management team with Atillio.

To be fair, that was the media misinforming people, presumably in the intention of making the story 'funnier' (and making us more of a laughing staock).

Brolin was never an assistant, or had any role other than player at the club.

The fact was that Lombardo (bless him) couldn't speak English and Brolin translated for him.

[henryhallandhisbasque]

The media were out to get us that season, remember Brian Woolnough aka Mr Punch, saying on Sky, he couldn't wait to see us get relegated, that the club was rotten and quote: "Good Riddance" unquote.

Brolin got caught up in the hate campaign. I think given his circumstances, (about 2 stone overweight, and out of the game for months) he did very well for us, in a generally bad team.

I remember him getting a head wound in one game, and having a rather ill fitting bandage put over it. He seemed to be giving his all that day, and carried on playing even as the wretched thing (not Brolin) kept falling down.

[Chester]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article2025420.ece

I see that today Mr Brolin comes at no.2 in the Times´50 worst footballers.

I think Micky Droy is in there at no. 11 for Chelsea as well

[hilairehair]

Originally posted by henryhallandhisbasque


I remember him getting a head wound in one game, and having a rather ill fitting bandage put over it. He seemed to be giving his all that day, and carried on playing even as the wretched thing (not Brolin) kept falling down.

Wasn't that the leeds home game when it seemed to 'explode' off his head at one point?

[SpikeyMatt]

Originally posted by Chester
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article2025420.ece

I see that today Mr Brolin comes at no.2 in the Times´50 worst footballers.

I think Micky Droy is in there at no. 11 for Chelsea as well

This one tickled me...

7. Li Wei-Feng (Everton)

Arrived as part of the same strange deal which brought the not-too-bad Li Tie to Goodison in 2002. Why? Perhaps he came free, like the prawn crackers we get in our Chinese takeaway when we spend more than a tenner.

:D

[Boyandy]

7 ex Palace players in that 50!

[bern5161]

Originally posted by hilairehair
Wasn't that the leeds home game when it seemed to 'explode' off his head at one point?

:D remember that well

[racehorse-80s]

who was the other player who scored against England when Turnip head was in charge i vaguely remember the swedish fans singing brolin plus the other guys name to the tune of rawhide .

brolins Honours are quite impressive

Club
UEFA Cup: 1

1994-95
European Super Cup: 1

1993
UEFA_Cup_Winners'_Cup: 1

1992-1993
Coppa Italia: 1

1991-1992

Country
FIFA World Cup 3rd place: 1

1994

[Jason]

Originally posted by Dillenger
Am I alone in thinking that he gets unjustifiably villified about his time at the club ?

Allright, he was unfit, and on a few occasions pretty awful (Man Utd at home springs to mind). But he did a job for us, and always seemed to try.

Thinking back we really needed an extra option at the time, and he at least gave us that.

I think the public perception of him came from his time at Leeds, but the media seem to think (or more to the point, like to think) he was the same here.

Any opinions on the matter ?

Have to agree. While patently unfit, at times he showed a class that only Lombardo of the players at the club at the time could better. Had we not been in such a mess, and been able to use him in a way appropriate to his circumstances (IE coming off the bench for the last 20 mins of games initially, and building from there), I can't help feeling that the story of Brolin at Selhurst might have been very different.

[Matt Jansen]

I remember Brolin being class for his first few games as Selhurst and I was very pleased we'd got him.

I think he hit the woodwork a number of times in those same matches. I remember Leicester (?) at home in the FA Cup where Bruce Dyer somehow scored 3. Brucie was on a mission not to pass that day and there were a number of occasions when he could've squared it to Brolin for an easy goal.

The head injury v Leeds was just comical. The guy who put the bandage on clearly had no medical training. And for it to keep falling off in front of the fans of your old club as they chanted about what a fat b@stard you are was unfortunate.

[New LP]

That lists rubbish, there have been far worse players, I can think of loads who were at Palace alone.

[DrRock]

I always felt that the abuse levelled at Brolin was unfair.
During his time at Palace, he never really looked fast enough to score himself, but I remember skilful control and he was always looking to make the killer pass.
He was overweight and patently unfit, but in fairness, CP knew what they were getting when they signed him.
His career had really been destroyed at Leeds (as was the case with many players in the past) where George Graham took against him.
I liked him though - a genuine eccentric, who could only have gone to us.
:D

[Buglebob]

His name crops up regularly in the "past their best" thread, which is fair. That some people describe him as lazy though is just plain barmy; he always gave 100%.

I felt sorry for him in that Leeds game with the bandage incident. He never stopped trying, giving everything to try and shut the Leeds fans up, but everything seemed to go wrong, culminating in a Leeds defender blasting a clearance straight at his injured head, resulting in the bandage popping off right in front of the Leeds fans. It was pretty bizarre as it came off in one piece as I remember, rather than unravelling as you would expect.

[917L]

Originally posted by Chester
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article2025420.ece

I see that today Mr Brolin comes at no.2 in the Times´50 worst footballers.

I think Micky Droy is in there at no. 11 for Chelsea as well

That is a really really poor list, how is Charlie Nicholas in the worst 50?, Brolin isnt even close to it (and yes he was far better here than most give him credit for)

[screamingalice]

People seem to forget that he only came to Palace to train at Steve Coppells suggestion to try and get fit. Then due to our terrible injury list he agreed to fill in for a few games which turned into a fair few.

For one I am proud to say he played for Palace, yes he was well past his best despite his still young age, but at times he showed pure class and a glimpes of the World Class player he had been. That game at Anfield he was fantastic and I am sure if those dirty scouse BastaXXs had not crocked him we may well have won that game.

Would love to see him back at Selhurst one day just so that we could show him that despite the stupid childish comments from the gutter press, Palace fans do appreciate what he tried to do for us at a time when he perhaps would have been better off out of the limelight trying to get fit again.

[Neil the Eagle]

Originally posted by screamingalice
For one I am proud to say he played for Palace, yes he was well past his best despite his still young age, but at times he showed pure class and a glimpes of the World Class player he had been. That game at Anfield he was fantastic and I am sure if those dirty scouse BastaXXs had not crocked him we may well have won that game.

With you there, fella...

[Cake and Eat It]

I agree too, he played his heart out in a few games for us, and deserved credit for that.

[Budgie Byrne]

Thomas is due to play for the rest of the World eleven at the Alan Ball memorial match on July 29th at the new MK Dons Stadium

[stupalace]

Originally posted by Dan Dare


Also don't forgot that he formed part of the Laurel and Hardy management team with Atillio.

[Duffle Coat]

Brolin's early career was quite simply stunning capped by his performance in the 1994 World Cup. His later career was downhill from the time when he suffered a terrible knee injury trying to turn on sixpence and cross the ball in a Swedish international match. He was never the same after he returned. Sometimes I see him on Swedish television, most recently commenting on the CL final. I would imagine he wants to be remembered as a footballer at the height of his career rather than having that bandage whacked off his head by the Leeds player at Selhurst Park to the jeers of the away support. We did not get the true Brolin but Steve was desperate for anyone who could inject a bit of life into a team adrift. It was worth a gamble I suppose but it didn't work. No way.

[Mickey Gilley]

Originally posted by screamingalice
People seem to forget that he only came to Palace to train at Steve Coppells suggestion to try and get fit. Then due to our terrible injury list he agreed to fill in for a few games which turned into a fair few.

For one I am proud to say he played for Palace, yes he was well past his best despite his still young age, but at times he showed pure class and a glimpes of the World Class player he had been. That game at Anfield he was fantastic and I am sure if those dirty scouse BastaXXs had not crocked him we may well have won that game.

Would love to see him back at Selhurst one day just so that we could show him that despite the stupid childish comments from the gutter press, Palace fans do appreciate what he tried to do for us at a time when he perhaps would have been better off out of the limelight trying to get fit again.

Good thread/post! I remember him having a couple of really good games for us when he must have been running on nothing else other than the adrenaline of being back playing again. Unfortunately he wasn't able to keep it going!

Its a shame that very few people remember that for a couple of weeks we had this World Class player putting in good performances and trying his heart out for our club. it's not something that happens every day!

[xab]

Originally posted by screamingalice
People seem to forget that he only came to Palace to train at Steve Coppells suggestion to try and get fit. Then due to our terrible injury list he agreed to fill in for a few games which turned into a fair few.

Wasn't aware of that at all. Although, to be fair, I think my brain has done it's best to blank that season out...

[Herr Colonpharter]

I remember he's debut, he was like a man possessed, ran himself stupid and did everything but score, and I thought afterwards we might have got ourselves a good'un. But then soon afterwards we played Leeds and before the game I was chatting to some yorkies that a friend knew and they thought he was a joke and that it was comical that he could find another premier league club prepared to take him.

But he was still one of ours at the time! :p

[Maidstoned Eagle]

Originally posted by screamingalice
For one I am proud to say he played for Palace, yes he was well past his best despite his still young age, but at times he showed pure class and a glimpes of the World Class player he had been. That game at Anfield he was fantastic and I am sure if those dirty scouse BastaXXs had not crocked him we may well have won that game.


He ran the midfield that day, was absolutely superb.

[PalaceSi]

He tried his best for us in very trying circumstances and wasn't even getting paid for it at the beginning. The media never forgave him for that Euro goal and an unfit him playing for us was an easy target. He certainly doesn't deserve to held in anything other than high esteem by us.

[Roadblock]

Originally posted by racehorse-80s
who was the other player who scored against England when Turnip head was in charge i vaguely remember the swedish fans singing brolin plus the other guys name to the tune of rawhide .


Martin Dahlin was his name. Seem to remember Blackburn bought him.

[Golf Boy]

Great player. He was a little bit slow due to the injury. Being slow is not good when surrounded by Palace players. You have to be half a yard quicker to get to the innacurate passing.

[Mickey Gilley]

Originally posted by Golf Boy
Great player. He was a little bit slow due to the injury. Being slow is not good when surrounded by Palace players. You have to be half a yard quicker to get to the innacurate passing.

Good point!

It reminds me of how I was always impressed by Lombardo's ability to keep his cool when a team mate had failed to make a simple pass to him for the tenth time in a game.

[Selhurst300]

Originally posted by Dan Dare
I can remember him playing a blinder for us up at Newcastle in a defensive role and generally I think he did do a decent job for us.

Also don't forgot that he formed part of the Laurel and Hardy management team with Atillio.

Was that the 2-1 win, with Lombardo and Jansen scoring?

[917L]

Originally posted by Selhurst300
Was that the 2-1 win, with Lombardo and Jansen scoring?

Certainly was

http://www.soccerbase.com/results3.sd?gameid=249573