Kevin Phillips, a Sunderland veteran, has returned to the dugout after leaving Hartlepool this summer. Many Sunderland players have left their stamp on the club throughout the years, but few have done so as effectively as Philips. The striker is regarded as one of the contemporary era’s greatest players, having scored 30 Premier League goals in a single season in 1999/2000. Phillips added that Alan Shearer pushed him to break the record when he became the first English player to win the European Golden Boot. However, after retiring in 2014, the former England star is keen to find success off the pitch, as he takes on his third managerial position.
Kevin Phillips, a Sunderland legend, has become the manager of AFC Fylde. Phillips is not new to managing. The Sunderland icon began coaching as soon as he retired, joining the backroom staff at Leicester City in 2014. Following that, he worked briefly for Derby County and Stoke City until taking over as manager of South Sheilds in 2022.
After winning the title in his second season with the club, he left in 2023 to join National title side Hartlepool in January 2024. However, his time at The Pools was less successful. Phillips won only seven of his 16 games as manager and was fired when his contract expired at the end of the season. Despite this, Phillips has returned to the dugout after taking over fellow National League side AFC Fylde. The club is currently in the relegation zone, with 12 points from their first 13 games and one point from safety.
Hopefully, Kevin Phillips will succeed at AFC Fylde. While Phillips’ managing career suffered at Hartlepool, he now has a golden opportunity to rebuild his name at Fylde. Survival will undoubtedly be his immediate goal at his new club, and he has every opportunity of succeeding. With the club ready to join the FA Cup, a strong run would help generate revenue and might lead to a tie against Sunderland. Phillips hopes to steady the ship and get off to a good start in the coming weeks.
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