Good player, Big Phil. I like him. I thought he was genuinely rubbish last season, (and he was horrificly bad in the Midgetland home game) but he's won me over now with some respectable displays. I grant you he's slower than a carthorse, but his technique is good, for a big lad, and his movement and his ability to find a yard of space in the box is 10x better than more senior strikers on City's books, which counters his lack of pace. He's also got a cracking finish on him, and I've seen him pot them from 20 yards and more.
Personally I'd be inclined to arrange for a Championship side loan, next season, perhaps a decent side, local enough so as he doesn't have to move house or lose touch with his mates here. Preston, maybe? If he can learn to use his strength in that environment, his technique will show through. He'll come back here all the better for it.
We should have this thread consigned to an archive. I backed Stevie as an ongoing significant prospect last season when he was being rubbished from all sides. I'm confident that Felipao will justify my backing in a similar vein.