Shaun Cameron Wright-Phillips (born 25 October 1981) is an English footballer who plays for English Premier League club Manchester City and the England national team. He is the son of former England international, Ian Wright and the half-brother of fellow professional football player Bradley Wright-Phillips. He grew up in Brockley, South London, and attended the state school Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College in New Cross Gate.

Club career

Manchester City

Born in Greenwich, London,[1] Wright-Phillips was released by Nottingham Forest at the age of 17 and Manchester City took him to Maine Road. He made his debut as a substitute in the second leg of a League Cup against Burnley, replacing Terry Cooke.[2] His League debut came two months later at Port Vale. Playing a striker, his substitute appearance helped his team turn a 1–0 deficit into a 2–1 win. His shot resulted in the first Manchester City goal, which Wright-Phillips attempted to claim, though the strike was later credited as an own goal instead.[3] He then started the next two matches, in place of Paul Dickov, who was absent through injury. Once Dickov recovered, Wright-Phillips returned to the reserves, making only one further first team appearance that season. City finished second in the First Division, resulting in promotion to the Premier League for 2000/01. Wright-Phillips featured more regularly than the previous season but was still not fully established in the first team, making 12 starts and seven substitute appearances playing in a variety of attacking positions. Manchester City's stay in the Premier League was brief; at the end of the season they were relegated. The demotion brought about a change of manager, Kevin Keegan replacing Joe Royle.

Under Keegan Wright-Phillips firmly established himself in the first team, not as a forward, but as a wing-back.[4] Keegan was known for playing attacking football, and decided to use the attacking Wright-Phillips in a traditionally defensive position due to his mobility and dribbling ability.[4]

From 2000–2003 he won Manchester City's Young Player of the Year award four times in succession,[5] surpassing Steve Kinsey's record of three times.[6]

On 17 November 2004, he became one of the main targets of racist chants from the crowd at an international friendly between England and Spain in Madrid. However, he brushed that aside with his performance in his next Manchester City game at Portsmouth, saying to reporters after the game, "I just let the football do the talking." [7]

He also has a similar response regarding his father, saying in an interview with manchesteronline.co.uk: "The press brought up my adopted father's name. They relate to his name and that is fine by me – it comes with the name, but I will be my own man. I have made my own path and started to take my own steps."[8]

Chelsea

On 17 July 2005, Wright-Phillips completed a £21 Million[9] move to Premier League champions Chelsea, returning to his native London. He joined the club on a five-year contract after agreeing to personal terms and passing a medical. He had previously said he would not leave Manchester City. His appearances were initially limited, starting only fifteen times for Chelsea in the 2005/06 season and struggling to find scoring form.

His first goal for the club came in a 2–0 Champions League win over Levski Sofia on 5 December 2006, almost 17 months after his transfer. An unhappy first season with Chelsea culminated in him missing out on the opportunity to travel to Germany with the England squad for the 2006 World Cup.

Despite making few first-team appearances, Wright-Philips maintained that he was happy at Chelsea and wanted to stay and fight for a first team place. He received a boost from his then manager José Mourinho, when the latter declined to make an approach for Spain and Real Betis (as of the 2006/07 season with Valencia CF) winger Joaquín, stating that he had enough options in terms of wingers.

As the 2006/07 season progressed, Wright-Phillips picked up form and scored his first league goal against West Ham United, he followed up with his second in the same match. Subsequently, he started in several games towards the end of the season including the FA Cup final which Chelsea won, however Wright-Phillips was substituted during the second half.

In the beginning of the 2007–08 season, Wright-Phillips maintained his starting place on the right wing. He also maintained his place after Jose Mourinho left Chelsea and under new coach Avram Grant. Wright-Philips was selected to play in the League Cup final, which Chelsea lost to Tottenham Hotspur. He only made another six appearances that season and failed to make the match day squad for the 2008 UEFA Champions League Final. Having made 65 starting appearances for the club, with a further 60 as a substitute, Wright-Phillips had been unable to secure a regular place in the side under Grant and Mourinho. After also falling out of favour with new manager Luiz Felipe Scolari, he was allowed to leave the club.

Return to Manchester City

On 28 August 2008, he re-joined his former club Manchester City on a four year contract for an undisclosed fee, believed to be in the region of £8.5million.[10][11] He was allocated the number 8 shirt for the 2008–09 season. On his second debut, Wright-Phillips scored two goals against Sunderland in the 3–0 away win in the Premier League.[12] Wright-Phillips' third goal for Manchester City came in a 6–0 victory over Portsmouth on 21 September. After his dismal spell at Stamford Bridge, Shaun equalled his entire goalscoring record at Chelsea just over a month after returning home. His right footed drive in the second half against Omonia Nicosia on 2 October 2008, helped steer City through to the group stages of the UEFA cup for the first time. On 29 October 2008 Wright-Phillips swore at former Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate during Manchester City's 2–0 defeat against Boro. Gareth Southgate appeared to be complaining about Shaun Wright-Phillips going down too easily after a challenge from a Boro player. The English FA warned Wright-Phillips about his future conduct. The 2009/2010 season started very well for Wright-Phillips, setting up a goal for Emanuel Adebayor in the 3rd minute, in a 2–0 win against Blackburn.Three weeks later against Arsenal, he set up a goal for Emanuel Adebayor before scoring one for himself.He followed that up with a goal in a Carling Cup tie with Crystal Palace. He went on to score in 3 successive home games against Burnley, Hull City and then Arsenal in the Carling Cup.[13] He found himself in and out of the team under Roberto Mancini, with new signing Adam Johnson's form forcing Wright-Phillips to be a substitute in most matches. Wright-Phillips was a substitute in Manchester City's game at his former club Chelsea. He came off the bench to replace Adam Johnson in the 60th minute and then set up Craig Bellamy's second goal in a 4-2 win at Stamford Bridge. Despite his impact in the game, he didn't secure a place in the team. He started for Manchester City on the final game of the Premier League season against West Ham United, where he scored the equalising goal in the 1-1 draw at Upton Park.

International career

Wright-Phillips made his England debut as a substitute against Ukraine on 18 August 2004 and scored an impressive goal late in the second half. A real bundle of energy, he was frequently called upon throughout England's World Cup qualifying campaign. However, after a decline in form, especially a poor performance away to Northern Ireland, and a lack of games following his move to Chelsea he missed out on a place in the 2006 World Cup squad.

Wright-Phillips played on the right wing during England's two Euro 2008 qualifiers against Macedonia and Croatia. After a good start to the 2007–08 campaign, Wright-Phillips received an England recall to play against Germany in a friendly match at the new Wembley Stadium. Wright-Phillips was brought on as a substitute in the second half during the match in which England lost 1–2 to Germany and he was named the England sponsor's Man of the Match after an impressive performance.

Selected to start against Israel on 8 September, he scored the first goal in the 3–0 victory and won the England sponsor's Man of the Match award with his performance.

He was once again selected to start for England against Estonia and scored his third goal for England and the opener in a third consecutive 3–0 win at Wembley.

He was selected in England's critical Euro 2008 qualifying game against Croatia, substituted at half time in favour of David Beckham with England trailing 2–0, with England eventually losing 3–2 and therefore missing out on Euro 2008.

On 19 November 2008, Wright-Phillips was selected to start in England's friendly against Germany in Berlin.

On 14 October 2009, with England having already qualified for World Cup 2010, Wright-Phillips was selected in the starting XI against Belarus at Wembley. Unusually, he was joined in the side (which was missing Wayne Rooney through injury) by Tottenham Hotspur's Aaron Lennon, meaning England played with two recognised wingers. Mid-way through the second half, Wright-Phillips drove in a shot from the edge of the penalty area which beat the dive of the Belarus goalkeeper. He appeared as a second-half substitute against Egypt on 3 March 2010, scoring England's second goal and assisting Peter Crouch for the third as they came from behind to win 3–1.[14]

On the 1st June 2010 Shaun Wright-Phillips was selected for England's final 23 man squad that was to play in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. This came as a shock to many journalists who had thought that the dropped Theo Walcott would be in the squad instead.

Honours

Chelsea

Premier League: 2005–06

FA Cup: 2006–07

FA Community Shield: 2005