Former Sky Blue-Cobi Jones (1 Viewer)

Yank · Mar 15, 2023

Hey all and mods feel free to move this if it needs to go somewhere else but just wanted to tell ya'll a story about former player Cobi Jones. I actually met Cobi a couple months ago at a US National Team alumni signing/fan event and got to talk to him for a few minutes. Of course, talk eventually got around to his time here at the Sky Blues when I told him I was a fan haha, and he went on and on how great of a time he had here, how great the fans were to him, and he wished he had been here longer but the manager decided to release him.Is that accurate? Just curious. Also, he said he remembered one time right before a game, Dion Dublin took a massive number two and he almost passed out from the smell haha.

He,along with Tim Howard and Damarcus Beasley, are my 3 favorite US players of all time so was cool too meet and talk with him. He even gave me twenty bucks when I was short on this signed ball I wanted to buy haha.

Any stories about him from those who saw him play in person here?Would have liked him to stay longer? Know he was only here for one season, but just curious.

Hopefully we get some more American internationals to don the Sky Blue in the future. And I need to find this shirt somewhere:

Sick Boy · Mar 15, 2023

I was probably about 10 or 11 when he played for us and to honest he wasn’t great. He did inspire me to get a high zero undercut to go with my curtains though.

Sky_Blue_Dreamer · Mar 15, 2023

I quite liked him, even though he didn't have the impact we'd have liked. An ex of mine REALLY loved him! Her favourite city player of all time, though I feel pretty certain thats not due to what he achieved on the pitch!

Is he still the U.S. record cap holder?

Yank · Mar 15, 2023

Sky_Blue_Dreamer said:
I quite liked him, even though he didn't have the impact we'd have liked. An ex of mine REALLY loved him! Her favourite city player of all time, though I feel pretty certain thats not due to what he achieved on the pitch!

Is he still the U.S. record cap holder?

Haha and yeah he still is. Will be hard for anyone to catch him.

Calista · Mar 15, 2023

Sky_Blue_Dreamer said:
I quite liked him, even though he didn't have the impact we'd have liked. An ex of mine REALLY loved him! Her favourite city player of all time, though I feel pretty certain thats not due to what he achieved on the pitch!

Is he still the U.S. record cap holder?

Somewhat charismatic, but probably not physically up to the demands of the top flight in England. Seem to recall him scoring an absolutely crucial winning goal in one of our relegation-haunted seasons. Away at Wimbledon?

Yank · Mar 15, 2023

Calista said:
Somewhat charismatic, but probably not physically up to the demands of the top flight in England. Seem to recall him scoring an absolutely crucial winning goal in one of our relegation-haunted seasons. Away at Wimbledon?

He mentioned scoring at home against Norwich, and against Palace, but not sure who else he scored against.

usskyblue · Mar 15, 2023

AngryStickMan said:
He mentioned scoring at home against Norwich, and against Palace, but not sure who else he scored against.

I remember him well.. I want to say he scored against Derby at HR but I’m not 100% sure and can’t be arsed to look it up.

lordsummerisle · Mar 15, 2023

Saw him and Wegerle walking round Stratford upon Avon one summers day eating ice creams, which is particularly uninteresting as a story!

Had a great game away at Spurs, penultimate game of the season, won 3-1, think he scored, Strachan had a blinder!

Best I remember of him is years after he left us and he was involved in the draw for the World Cup, think 2010 South Africa, and announced on stage:

" Now let's welcome three legends of World Football.

" Pele!"

" Franz Beckenbauer!"

" Cobi Jones!"

Pissed myself laughing there, Pele was rubbish!

Sick Boy · Mar 15, 2023

Calista said:
Somewhat charismatic, but probably not physically up to the demands of the top flight in England. Seem to recall him scoring an absolutely crucial winning goal in one of our relegation-haunted seasons. Away at Wimbledon?

Pretty sure it was against Palace.

Terry_dactyl · Mar 16, 2023

My mate accidentally and drunkenly stumbled into him in Mr Gs, knocking him to the floor.

Calista · Mar 16, 2023

Terry_dactyl said:
My mate accidentally and drunkenly stumbled into him in Mr Gs, knocking him to the floor.

Kind of backs up my earlier comment about not being physically up to it

fernandopartridge · Mar 16, 2023

Sick Boy said:
Pretty sure it was against Palace.

It was, Phil Neal last game in charge before Ron Atkinson took over (Feb 95)

SkyblueDad · Mar 16, 2023

Cobi Jones was the star and bit of a pin up boy of the then USA national team in the 1994 World Cup along with their guitar playing bit of a rock band star centre-half Alexi Lalas who we nearly signed at the same time, might have been the USA captain, bit of an escape there. In all honesty Jones wasn’t quite good enough for the tough top division of those days but popular with the fans. He did score a vital goal at Palace in a vital bottom of the table win but manager Phil Neal got the boot the next week and big fat Ron took over and that was Cobi’s Coventry career over.

Happy_Martian · Mar 16, 2023

Liked Cobi as a player, exciting left winger if I remember correctly.

Always felt he was let down by our club as he never appeared to be their first choice to sign. As @slowpoke mentions, we went in for Alexei Lalas after his success in the World Cup. I seem to recall he even came over to see the facilities. But for some reason (maybe Italian clubs were also interested... Cov or a club sited between Milan and Venice ??? ) , Lalas didn't sign. So to avoid egg on our face, we went back to the US squad and signed Cobi instead. I thought the club treated him as a second choice and could have handled/marketed him to a better extent to benefit him and themselves, sadly it was only the fans that truly embraced Cobi. Pretty sure I still have a fanmade Cobi Jones t-shirt that I bought from outside Highfield Road before one game.

Sky Blue Harry H · Mar 16, 2023

My only actual memory of him (although of course I remember him) was him getting his name sung whilst he was running up and down the touchline in an away game at Blackburn. Weird what your memory retains and discards.

The Philosopher · Mar 16, 2023

lordsummerisle said:
Saw him and Wegerle walking round Stratford upon Avon one summers day eating ice creams, which is particularly uninteresting as a story!

Had a great game away at Spurs, penultimate game of the season, won 3-1, think he scored, Strachan had a blinder!

Best I remember of him is years after he left us and he was involved in the draw for the World Cup, think 2010 South Africa, and announced on stage:

" Now let's welcome three legends of World Football.

" Pele!"

" Franz Beckenbauer!"

" Cobi Jones!"

Pissed myself laughing there, Pele was rubbish!

Last line made me chuckle.

I had a little look at the squad he was part of to see who was competing with him for a place. The legend that was Leigh Jenkinson was a wide attacker, to be fair so were Wegerle and Ndlovu.

We had Borrows and Burroughs as full backs who were almost wing backs and it may be we played a formation that meant we played almost like now, meaning an out and out winger (which I think Cobi was) wasn’t crucial and we played with wide midfielders and overlapping full backs.

Razzle Dazzle Dean Gordon · Mar 16, 2023

I don't really remember him playing for us but i do remember him getting absolutely battered by the Mexicans at a World Cup. They absolutely kicked the crap out of him.

Nick · Mar 16, 2023

I had Jones / 24 on the back of the green and black striped shirt I think.

Can't remember if he was any good for us though

Grendel · Mar 16, 2023

He played a few games under phil neal - Atkinson didn’t rate him

In one fan phone in someone asked why isn’t cobi in the squad. Answer - he’s not good enough

ProfessorbyGrace · Mar 16, 2023

My mate embarrassed himself yelling: ‘Oy oy Cobi!!’ at Jones, when he spotted him in Top Man, back in the day. Can’t remember if he was at the opening of the club shop in West Orchards or not, most of the squad was there.

For me, he was a decent enough player, but he should have stayed in England and maybe dropped down a division. Had all of the technical skills, but his lack of presence and awareness left him wanting at Premiership level.

But, it was kind of cool to have an American playing for us, as a 14 year old. Lalas would have made the grade at premiership level, I feel, and it was disappointing that he didn’t sign. Wegerle was such a gifted player, brilliant vision and technical skills, but he just didn’t seem very bothered a lot of the time; plus the injuries he had probably dampened his enthusiasm.

Wouldn’t mind a few of the current American internationals in our team.

SkyblueDad · Mar 16, 2023

Grendel said:
He played a few games under phil neal - Atkinson didn’t rate him

In one fan phone in someone asked why isn’t cobi in the squad. Answer - he’s not good enough

He wasn’t, one of the few things Atkinson got right whilst he was here.

ProfessorbyGrace · Mar 16, 2023

slowpoke said:
He wasn’t, one of the few things Atkinson got right whilst he was here.

His teams were notoriously lightweight here, weren’t they. Very little physical presence: Richardson, Darby, Williams (who really wasn’t that strong for such a big bloke) Salako, Jess, Burrows, all were lightweights. Presley was pretty physical, but then he was a disaster, and I never forget Andy Cole brushing him aside and getting the winner at HR in that 2-3 defeat.
Even with Dion up front and then bringing in Liam Daish didn’t rectify the problem.

LastGarrison · Mar 16, 2023

Sky Blue Harry H said:
My only actual memory of him (although of course I remember him) was him getting his name sung whilst he was running up and down the touchline in an away game at Blackburn. Weird what your memory retains and discards.

Mine was his debut (or might have just been his home debut) and he did a jinky break away run down our right wing towards the East Stand late in the game and got fouled when he cut in and won a penalty.

Thought after that we had a proper player on our hands but as mentioned he just wasn’t up to the required standard.

Hobo · Mar 16, 2023

He was a nice lad, but not really up to the level we were at.

Yank · Mar 16, 2023

Appreciate the replies friends!

Torquay Sky Blue · Mar 17, 2023

That shirts hard to come by now. Wouldn't mind one myself but pretty rare and expensive

ProfessorbyGrace · Mar 17, 2023

Torquay Sky Blue said:
That shirts hard to come by now. Wouldn't mind one myself but pretty rare and expensive

Bit like the ‘Jarni 27’ shirt…

Wish I’d have kept my Mike Marsh ‘24’ shirt, it’s rarer than a phoenix feather.

Calista · Mar 17, 2023

AngryStickMan said:
Appreciate the replies friends!

It's a pleasure Cobi

fernandopartridge · Mar 17, 2023

LastGarrison said:
Mine was his debut (or might have just been his home debut) and he did a jinky break away run down our right wing towards the East Stand late in the game and got fouled when he cut in and won a penalty.

Thought after that we had a proper player on our hands but as mentioned he just wasn’t up to the required standard.

I was at that game, Leeds at home, might have been Dion Dublin's debut

baldy · Mar 17, 2023

fernandopartridge said:
I was at that game, Leeds at home, might have been Dion Dublin's debut

baldy · Mar 17, 2023

The Philosopher said:
Last line made me chuckle.

I had a little look at the squad he was part of to see who was competing with him for a place. The legend that was Leigh Jenkinson was a wide attacker, to be fair so were Wegerle and Ndlovu.

We had Borrows and Burroughs as full backs who were almost wing backs and it may be we played a formation that meant we played almost like now, meaning an out and out winger (which I think Cobi was) wasn’t crucial and we played with wide midfielders and overlapping full backs.

Blimey - Jack Burroughs is older than I thought then

ovduk78 · Mar 17, 2023

fernandopartridge said:
I was at that game, Leeds at home, might have been Dion Dublin's debut

Dion Dublin's debut was a 2-2 draw at QPR

baldy · Mar 17, 2023

Just remembered that I messaged him a few years ago on FB asking how he felt when he scored his first goal for City (“Elated”)
I also asked if he’d ever heard from any of the squad from that time over the years to which he replied “The odd random contact here & there”
I asked if Phil Neal had ever been in touch since then too & he just replied with “Haha ”

Sick Boy · Mar 17, 2023

ovduk78 said:
Dion Dublin's debut was a 2-2 draw at QPR

Thought it was - didn’t he score as well?

fernandopartridge · Mar 17, 2023

ovduk78 said:
Dion Dublin's debut was a 2-2 draw at QPR

Sorry meant to say home debut

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