I agree. Our tactics (or lack of them at the time!!) didn't suit him (and not helped by the selfish Snoddy). He also got injured quite early on during his time at CR. Edit - According to an EDP poll, we should avoid selling CJ to a Championship rival, with 60% voting against. Mind you, if they're the same muppets who wanted PL back as manager, then we SHOULD sell him!!!! Full article here - http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwic...val-must-be-avoided-by-norwich-city-1-5058855 PS - Cracking article from Martin Penney on MFW on who should stay and who should go - http://norwichcity.myfootballwriter...-at-ncfc-are-every-bit-as-crucial-as-the-ins/ I have to say that I pretty much agree with every word of it - especially his comments on both Naismith and Rusty.
I wasn't dismissing RvW, HMQC. My point was that if we sell Jerome and bring in a striker from the lower leagues of the Bundesliga who scores one goal all season, what would that do to our promotion chances? RvW is by no means an isolated case either, as there are myriad examples of foreign strikers coming over here and failing to deliver. Why should we take that risk when we already have a proven goalscorer?
Quite a balanced assessment by Penny. I agree with his view on Jerome: "He has been a good and loyal servant to us and I hope he stays for next season." I also agree with his conclusion on Naismith, JMF, but I'm a bit surprised that you do: "If he stayed he has claimed he would do a job for us and I for one would like to believe him." On Martin, I'd like to see him stay as cover at both RB and CB and be made club captain for his influence on younger players. The one assessment I disagreed with was Klose, who he writes off. I'm not at all sure I'd feel comfortable going into next season with a 23 year old CB from the conference and a 19 year old on loan from Arsenal as our starting pair. I feel nervous already. I hope there's another quality CB option available (and affordable) if Klose leaves.
That's fair enough but I also think the club has wasted talent over the past few seasons. I'm thinking RvW, Odidja Ofoe, Canos and Redmond and up till AN's last game you could add Pritchard to that list amongst others. Certain players not played or played out of position etc. I'd like to think that a new set up with new recruiters and Webber & Farke in charge will be more effective at minimising those problems. (I hope)!
Based on the report that we were priced out of signing a £1.5m Dutch CB, it sounds like there's still other defensive irons in the fire. Klose may be a shadow of what he was, but I'm not sure the league suits him. I think he'll still retain more than residual value if we were to try and sell him. I'd be surprised if he stays. I think it'll be Martin, Blieklik, Raggett (or similar) and one more as our CB options next season.
My thoughts on CJ is that it would be better to play with him than against him. I wouldn't be selling him to another promotion chasing team.
"Hull City boss Leonid Slutsky wants to make Chelsea defender Tomas Kalas his first signing. The Czech international, 24, impressed on loan at Fulham last season." I'd love us to go for him! But if we can't match a bid of 1.5M for some unknown defender. We would never be able to compete with bids for a player like him.
Sadly true, FML. I was a bit depressed about the Hoogma outcome, but there is another element to it as he's gone to Hoffenheim where his dad is the SD. I doubt that we ever had a serious chance at signing him. I'm still a bit nervous about the 19 year-old CBs we might be starting next season and Ragett from non-league Lincoln doesn't inspire me with confidence either, especially if we're going to be losing goals up front.
Oh, is that the player they were going for? That would have been a good buy for the future. Not sure he would have been an answer to this seasons problems.
It could be either KIO, given that Hoogma's dad is the SD at Hoffenheim, but it's pretty clear that we're not likely to pay much more then £1m for any player this window, which is why we're looking at a 19 year-old on loan and a non-league player for around £350,000. The reality is that next season could go either way. If these new players hit the ground running, don't need time to 'gel' and the new system works we could be in the running for promotion. If they don't, however, and have difficulty adjusting to the Championship and fail to perform, we could end up mid-table or below. If Klose leaves, I find it hard to see how we will improve the defense paying this amount for players. I'm lowering my expectations now and hoping to be pleasantly surprised.
