Im not trying to sound high and mighty with saying this - but im actually surprised, after the last two seasons, that people still have a go at Brockie. Hes a true 'something from nothing' footballer. Yesterday was another prime example of this, seemingly shut out for most of the match but still scored.
If I think about what pisses me off about him I see a footballer than has obvious talent and produces those genius moments like you say. Yesterday goal was a quality finish and I think others may not have finished that. I then ask 'What would we get from him if he applied himself more?" and that's what gets up me. He has talent but is capable of delivering so much more if there was more application and not this drifting out of the game for long periods thing that he does.
If I take an example, and say Brockie is invisible for (lets use a number for the purpose of this exercise but not in anyway a measure of his actual output) 75% of the game and any applies himself for 25% of it. How much better would he be, if he drifted out for say only 50% of it? The Phoenix would have an infinitely more productive footballer and I hazard to suggest, he may be playing in a better league some place else.
When Stein was dragged off, Brockie had been involved in more play. None of it had really come off but he was not invisible.
It will be interesting to see how Ernie fits these two in for the rest of the season.