Mifsud wouldn't be that great in this style either-his first touch had deserted him and Championship defences had him entirely figured out: just stand off him whilst he knocks it 5 yards in front of himself to run onto, then take it off him. Simples. That or make a scary face and "grr!" noise like you're about to tackle him, and he'll duck out of the challenge before it's even been made. Nevermind that I wouldn't want the greddy so-and-so back after the way he left-including a distinct lack of effort in his final 4 months in the side.
Phillips can undoubtedly score goals at this level if his legs haven't gone, but I heard a whole bunch of Blues fans on 606 last season saying that they had. Not saying he couldn't do a good job, but I can't see him playing Saturday/Tuesday/Saturday too often. Given Lukas' suspect stamina levels, can we afford to have 2 strikers on the pitch who need subbing around the hour mark? Unless that is the masterplan-tire out the first two, then send on Super Roy to tear it up with his pace!?! Whatever, Phillips is hardly what you'd expect from a Thorn signing (young, cheap, relatively unkown and someone we can improve as a player), and I still see the ghost of Tim Sherwood in my nightmares..
Oh and I think we're getting a little over-excited by this "Franchise Player" tag. There is no such thing in English football-it's an American term for American sports. Brody only used the term because he knows U.S./Canadian sports jargon rather than British. Maybe "an X-Factor Signing" would be the way to put it better over this side of the pond. I'm sure if you asked Thorn, he'd say we're in the market for "a very good footballer", end of story. Off the pitch/marketing/face of the club stuff is just baloney that will never happen in English football. We are not in the MLS and we are not looking for a Beckham-type signing. Nor do we need a new star quarter-back or power hitter! (Clingan is
our quarter-back)