Ian Crook

Ian Crook

Personal information
Full name	Ian Stuart Crook
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s)	Manager (former Central Midfielder)

Ian Stuart Crook, (born January 18, 1963 in Romford, England) is a former professional footballer who began his career with Tottenham Hotspur before making 418 appearances for Norwich City. He was an England B international. As of [[21 January] 2009, Crook is first team coach at Norwich City.

Club career

Crook was at the hub of the most successful team in Norwich's history. During his eleven seasons at the club, he helped them to a series of top five finishes in England's top division and playing in the club's UEFA Cup run. He was a midfielder noted for his passing ability and accuracy from set-pieces. He famously agreed to leave Norwich to join their fierce rivals Ipswich Town F.C., even posing for photos with his new shirt, buying his children replica kits before changing his mind and re-signing for City days later. This was due to former Norwich manager Mike Walker taking over the helm at Carrow Road.

Ipswich Town F.C. took it to court. The local newspaper Evening Star carried the headline "Get out of Town Crook and take that man Walker with you".

In 1997, he was signed by Eddie Thomson for Sanfrecce Hiroshima. He left the club in May 1998 and transferred to Northern Spirit FC.

In 2002, Norwich fans voted Crook into the Norwich City F.C. Hall of Fame. In September of the same year he played at Carrow Road in the club's centenary match against Harwich & Parkeston F.C..

Managerial career

He then played for and coached Northern Spirit FC in Australia before moving on to the unenviable job of coaching the American Samoa national football team. In November 2004 he was appointed assistant coach of Sydney FC.

There has been periodic speculation about Crook returning to Norwich, notably in the close-season of 2006, when Martin Hunter was eventually appointed as coach in place of Steve Foley. Following the departure of Peter Grant from Norwich City in October 2007, Crook has again been linked with the vacant manager's position.

It was reported on 5 January 2007 that Ian had accepted the assistant manager's role at Japanese second division side Avispa Fukuoka to be reunited with Pierre Littbarski his manager from his time at Sydney FC. In July 2008, he was dismissed with Littbarski. In recent times crook was linked with new A-League club North Queensland Thunder FC, but instead was recruited as a high performance manager at the Newcastle Jets. On the 21st January 2009 Crook was unveiled as first team coach for Norwich City FC alongside new team manager and former team mate at Norwich City Bryan Gunn.

External links

• Norwich City profile