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Finidi: Ipswich Spell Unfortunate
Friday, 10th Apr 2020 09:04

Former Blues winger Finidi George has described his spell at Portman Road as “unfortunate”.

The Nigerian international was one of George Burley’s big signings in the summer of 2001 as the Blues looked to build on their fifth place in the Premier League, having cost £3.1 million from Real Mallorca

Despite a dramatic home debut when he scored twice in a 3-1 victory over Derby, the former Ajax man’s time at Town was ultimately a huge disappointment.

“Yeah, what happened at Ipswich Town was really unfortunate because I went there with high spirits and high hopes,” Nigerian newspaper The Nation quotes.

“Actually I started the league season with them on a high note but after the third or fourth game [actually his 12th] I broke my cheekbone against Fulham when somebody elbowed me and I had to go through a surgery on my cheekbone which kept me out for three or four weeks.

“When I came back, I started playing again trying to get match fitness but when I was almost match fit and getting back to the same rhythm before I sustained the injury I had to go for [Africa] Nations Cup [duty] and by the time I came back the team was already struggling and there was nothing I could do.

“That was a sad story that I didn’t expect would end up that way but it was the reality. I broke my cheekbone and I later went for the AFCON and when I came back the team was struggling.

“We tried but it was not possible to keep the team in the top flight. The team got relegated and they went into administration and we all had to leave. It was a short spell and it was unfortunate.”

In the summer of 2003, with George not part of then-manager Joe Royle’s plans, Town settled the remaining two years of the winger’s contract, an agreement which was understood to see him paid £1 million over the next 18 months.

”It might be an understatement to say that his career with Ipswich has been as disappointing for the club as it has, no doubt, for him,” chairman David Sheepshanks said in a statement at the time.

“Despite the cost, early termination of the contract made best sense for Ipswich Town.”

George made 30 Blues starts and 16 sub appearances, scoring eight goals.


Photo: Action Images



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hoppy added 09:19 - Apr 10
...but after the third or fourth decade of his life [actually his 6th]...
4

vanmunt added 09:44 - Apr 10
I remember that Derby game, it was one of the few times I have ever seen the Sun Dream Team give a player 10.
9

fergalsharkey added 10:01 - Apr 10
I think you will find he was only the second player after cantona to get 10 points in that awful rag.
2

ChrisR added 10:11 - Apr 10
Unfortunate for ITFC for sure and the start point of of current financial hole .
Disaster signing along with Sereni and Le Pen.
He also earned more in one year than Warky did in is whole Town career .
3

BrixtonBlue added 10:14 - Apr 10
He also got the best Opta statistics for a single player, or something.
3

ChrisFelix added 10:58 - Apr 10
It was a poor Derby side, not helped by the sending off of their full back. I assume the person supposed to be marking George. I remember him more from the White Hart win later in the season
1

tazdac added 11:09 - Apr 10
He must be nearly 30 now, is he still playing? ;o)
2

tractorboybig added 11:17 - Apr 10
if you drew a list of the worst crap to play for us,he must be in the top 5.
-11

Linkboy13 added 11:42 - Apr 10
Once saw him shopping in a well known chemist shop in Ipswich with his wife, who was wearing more makeup than the spice girls. Always thought he was a bit like Reuser had his moments but most of the time non existent.
-1

Linkboy13 added 12:05 - Apr 10
Not sure about his correct age but he had a bus pass.
0

Blue_In_Boston added 12:27 - Apr 10
tractorboybig..... did you ever see AdrIan Paz, or most of John Duncans team? Finidi on his day was a great player, injuries and circumstances just went against him and us.
6

Dissboyitfc added 12:53 - Apr 10
That debut against Derby is as good a debut as you will ever see! i was there for that game, no north stand just a fence. Finidi put on such a show that you almost forget there was a stand missing. sadly never performed to that level again. I think his legs ran out of games, no one knew his age, i dont even think he knew.

But for anyone to suggest he would be in top 5 of the worst players to play for town is laughable.Just we got him at the end of his career and had nothing left in his legs!
5

Epiphone added 14:03 - Apr 10
I also remember his debut and saying to my a Dad “We've actually bought a World class player”,such a shame it was all down hill from there.
4

carlisleaway added 14:47 - Apr 10
Who attended the Moscow away game when Finidi scored
2

Edmundo added 15:24 - Apr 10
I was in Moscow. The photos say I was anyhow!
2

BlueandTruesince82 added 16:20 - Apr 10
Top 5 worst Town players

1. Fish
2. Best
3. Parkin
4. Sereni
5. Paz

Biggest Numpty, Chopra.
-5

BeattiesBackPocket added 18:41 - Apr 10
Finisi George has a great debut because Derby's full back was sent off so had so much space that game other than that Sunderland at home was his other best game. He was terrible most the time I remember against helsinborgs at home he couldn't even pass the back 3 yards to anyone in blue. Tbh anyone would've bought the guy he was a European cup winner with that fantastic Ajax side but it just didn't work at Ipswich which was a shame.
3

Linkboy13 added 18:44 - Apr 10
There must be dozens of players with the label on his day who have played for town. You can only judge on his performances on the pitch for us which were not great.
0

Theonlywayisup added 20:10 - Apr 10
Like Vanmunt said I remember him getting a 'ten' in the Sun also. Only ever time I had seen that before was Teddy Sheringham in a game for Man Utd also against Derby. After that game I 'd of thought we would of been big odds to get relegated.
0

Mathie3Petta2 added 21:09 - Apr 10
Burley said after the Derby game “It's not going to be the Finidi George show every week”. How right he was.
3

MaySixth added 22:42 - Apr 10
Sad.
Burley's brilliant recruitment went a bit awry in the summer of 2001.
Andy Marshall - poor
Finidi George - poor
Tommy Miller - decent
Matteo Sereni - poor
Thomas Gaardsoe - ok
3

DifferentGravy added 22:50 - Apr 10
With the football season coming to a premature end, i havent looked at twtd for ages. However, what do i find upon a random friday internet wander???!!!

As my friends will testify (because i banged on about it for years to come) Finidi was an absolutely dreadful signing. No doubt about it, George was a brilliant player at Ajax and i can understand why Burley signed him (brilliant manager without money, not so good with money). But his time at Town didnt work out, he was clearly here for the easy money and was was past the few years of his peak. i saw him play for us against Wimbledon (Selhust Park)......absolute pants......i screamed for Pablo to come on........eventually with 10 mins left, Finidi left the field, Pablo came on and scored the winner
2

LWNR2013 added 08:36 - Apr 11
Still only 48 he must have found the secret of eternal youth when he was here!
0

heathen66 added 11:12 - Apr 11
Interesting some believe Finidi to be the worst signing.
30 starts and 16 sub appearances, scoring eight goals in the PREMIER LEAGUE.
What we could do with a midfielder who could do that in L1.
Unfortunate through injury, and ultimately played out of position in many games where we had an International Wide midfielder playing up top and down the centre.
IMO there are many many worse signings than Finidi (whatever age he may have been)
7

Blue_Again added 12:38 - Apr 11
That season was such a missed opportunity and still defines us as a club now really. The repercussions echoing down the seasons. If only we had scraped on after that period after Christmas when we went on a run. Now here we are 17 years later in mid table league 1 obscurity in the midst of a pandemic which will only tighten Evans already tight purse strings further. That 2000/01 season represents such a better time, just before the 9/11 attacks, everything seemed so much more forward looking.
3


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