21 Facts About Ian Crook

Ian Stuart Crook was born on 18 January 1963 and is an English football manager and former professional player.

Ian Crook finished his career with spells in Japan and Australia with Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Northern Spirit.

Ian Crook won one cap in 1987 as an England B international.

Ian Crook was serving as manager of A-League club Sydney FC in 2012, before joining the Western Sydney Wanderers football club as Assistant Manager.

Ian Crook began his football career at Tottenham Hotspur signing with the club as a schoolboy in 1976.

Ian Crook made his debut in 1980 against Liverpool and stayed with the North London club for another six years.

Ian Crook found it difficult to break into the first team, as the Tottenham midfield at the time contained Glenn Hoddle and Ossie Ardiles.

Ian Crook was at the hub of the most successful team in Norwich's history.

Ian Crook was a midfielder noted for his passing ability and accuracy from set-pieces.

Many experts in the game believe that had Ian Crook played for a so-called bigger club, he would have played for the full England team.

Ian Crook was still with Norwich when they were relegated from the Premier League in 1995, ending the nine-year run of top division football which had started in the year that Crook joined them.

Ian Crook had played under Walker for Norwich during his first spell as manager from 1992 to January 1994.

Ipswich Town took it to court, with the local newspaper Evening Star carrying the headline "Get out of Town Ian Crook and take that man Walker with you".

Ian Crook left the club in May 1998 and transferred to Northern Spirit FC, where he stayed until retiring as a player in 2000.

In January 2007 Ian Crook accepted the assistant manager's role at Japanese second division side Avispa Fukuoka to be reunited with Littbarski, but the pair were dismissed in July 2008.

Ian Crook was linked with new A-League club North Queensland Fury FC, but instead was recruited for a second spell as manager at the Newcastle Jets.

On 21 January 2009 Ian Crook was unveiled as first team coach for Norwich City alongside new manager and former teammate Bryan Gunn.

Ian Crook left Sydney Olympic in 2010 to take up the position of Head Coach at the New South Wales Institute of Sport.

Ian Crook returned to Sydney FC in 2011, the club he helped coach to their inaugural Championship, this time working with former player Steve Corica and under former Czech International Vitezslav Lavicka.

Ian Crook served as assistant during the club's successful 2014 AFC Champions League campaign.

On 25 February 2015, Ian Crook took the helm of the team due to Tony Popovic serving his first of a two-game suspension.