I didn't say anything like what you said I did. I don't think he should be above anyone in our current squad and I doubt he will be involved in many, if any, games this season. All I'm saying is that while he's here, and while it's pre-season, it makes sense to see how he is doing and to give him his chance to impress. And though he didn't score against West Ham, his performance was encouraging. I entirely expect him to be sold or moved on at some point before the season starts to be honest, and I wont be disappointed when he does. I'll still hope he comes good until that time.
Another excellent article from MFW http://norwichcity.myfootballwriter...took-the-first-ever-premier-league-by-storm/?
Goodness me, you do love to exaggerate don't you! You don't rate him, that's fair enough. I personally don't think he suits us - he didn't when we bought him (but I thought we might try to adapt to suit him, baring in mind how much he cost - you'd think it would have been a good idea to build a team around him rather than just throw him in and hope for the best!). Any idiot can see that his issues are entirely confidence based and not technical. We can argue until the cows come home whether he has the right character to ever recover from this issue, but it doesn't make him a bad player - he is a very decent player. He was when we signed him and he still is. I've read people say he's not physical enough. Why does this matter? That's not his game! Play to his strengths - play balls round corners. His link up play is pretty good. His movement, even on Tuesday night, was absolutely top notch. He can make a yard of space for himself where no other Norwich player can. That is talent. Unfortunately, I don't think the stars will ever align at Carrow Road to allow him to be a success here - its gone too far now. I think he knows that too. His one-on-one the other day was the perfect illustration of why. Makes a brilliant run and gets in on goal - yet at no point did I think he would find the net - and I don't think he did either. Ironically, had he had no time to think about it he'd probably have done better. It's all mental, the problems are in his head. Unless AN can really get inside his head and most importantly, RvW get some bloody luck - which he's basically had none of since he came here - he is doomed to fail. I still think he will leave before the window shuts (we may have to pay a % of his wage though) but on the off-chance that he does remain here, it is quite right for AN to incorporate him into the squad because if he does get that bit of luck, we'll have a decent striker on our books - one who has different characteristics to our other forwards. That's a good thing.
Sorry Kemp - only just seen this flagged up on my notifications! I'm now a 'lurker'. I receive no payment. I watch a fair bit of youth football locally and in London (not as much as I used to - don't have the time) and spread the word if I see something good to three clubs I have contacts with (two of which are non league - the other isn't Norwich by the way!). Most of the networks won't specifically send people to a youth club game (7/9/11 a side) unless the kid is widely talked about by lurkers first. If your lads played summer football there'll have been keen eyes watching at five-a-side tournaments - its often the best place to find talent.
Totally agree with you Supers and AN has already come out and said that RVW offers us something different to our other strikers. Will he stay though? with him not agreeing terms with Sporting, is RVW digging his heels in and just wanting to take the money or is he willing under AN's guidance to try and give it another go? Even if he wants to give it another go, with how some fans are and their views, they will not give him a chance and any confidence he possible gains from AN will just ebb away.
I believe that earlier in this thread it was mentioned that Sporting rather than RvW were the reason that move fell through.
I think, despite peoples reservations about his form, that he has the right to request a salary on terms he's on at his current employer. He didn't ask for more as far as I'm aware - he obviously does pretty well out of us and I for one wouldn't chose to take considerably lower wages in his position. I think an arrangement will come where by we pay a % each week. We won't want to but I think the club are still quite keen to get him off the books - even if the public statements from AN suggest otherwise. He will likely be fourth choice and our (now) second highest earner.
Agree with that Supers, and we have yet to see how effective AN and his management team are at helping players through difficult patches or developing their game generally. His comments about Odjidja-Ofoe are interesting in that regard: "He certainly has that quality and you could see the vision he possesses in terms of his range of passing (against West Ham). He did well in the game. In possession of the ball and attacking-wise he was a threat. Out of possession we still probably have a little bit of work to do." The effectiveness of that kind of 'work' will have a lot to do with how we fare this season.
?second Presumably behind Bassong given his wage increase, but is that right? Unless on top of the supposed headline fee, Snodder's debt write-off and multiple add-ons for Brady, we're also paying him a small fortune? Btw, did anyone have any inside info on what the actual deal break down was - I've not heard anything since the claim I mentioned earlier which looks to me like more than £7m
4 strikers is about right Jerome Grabban Hooper Winkel Someone will take Lafferty off our hands and the strikers we have been linked with are no better than R V W in my opinion. On Tuesday with a weaker keeper Ricky could have scored 2 or 3 , the save from his header and the one on one block were good efforts.
Mulumbu is now our top earner. I doubt we'll ever know exactly the breakdown of the Brady deal. I did find it funny reading stuff from a Hull source and then a Norwich source - the Hull source said the deal was around £7m; the Norwich source said £6m. I suspect the full package will amount to £7m
Interesting. That makes sense. I was surprised about the amount of negativity with Mulumbu's signing, although I imagine no-one is fussed now - he is class IMO. The difference must be the "add-ons of c.£1m" that I was told about then I guess. Depending on the amount outstanding for Snodders, we may have only actually handed over £3.5m then, which explains to me why Bruce wasn't happy. The debt write-off is weird, does anyone actually hand over that full headline amount straight away on football transfers? I remember something of a big song and dance was made of the fact that we were able to give Sporting Lisbon the full £8.5m there and then up front in about March so they could pay their players, which means I am guessing it is unusual.
