1. About bloody time too! Why did it takes so long??
2. Paul Lambert & the board deserve a bucket load more praise for this transfer and further demostrates that Norwich City are more than capable of signing exceptionally talented players at a fraction of what other Premier Leagues club are prepared to part with. The difference with this particular signing is - he has a proven track record (Pilks, Bennett, Tierney, Fox etc all were good but in league 1) but none of them anywhere near as good as this guy on the day they signed for us.
3. Both Norwich & Swansea have been mocked by the other team that got promoted last season for the 'nobody & unproven at this level' signings we made in the summer and I am sure that will continue but a close look at the PL table shows which stratgey has been the most successful so far. Long may it continue but I am sure it will change one day. Having former England International players is all well and good but even they still have to perform (that is why they are Ex Internationals - they stopped performing!)
4. I will also say this signing is probably better than anything many of us would have expected. There has been talk of some good L1 players and even the odd Championship player as potential transfer targets, but this one (along with Snodgrass) is right up there with getting Dean Ashton in all those years ago.
5. To my mind there is a possibility that Hoolihans days may be numbered, (covered in another post, so pleasde lets not go down that road again) not that I particularly want to see that happen. Although a very good player he does not score as many goals (or has not in past seasons). Of course Howson now needs to score regular goals at this level to cement his place ahead of Hoolihan but I believe he will and will not take him long to rediscover his Feeds form before his inujry.
6. What I approve of more than anything is the fact PL is bringing in players who play for their current club week in/week out and not guys making the bench at best.
In short I am delighted and somewhat excited about this signing even if we are not going to get to see him play for some weeks yet.
Good Post Thai, signing players like Howson should ring a few alarm bells in the championship as they implement strategies to avoid being Feeds United II, where their best players are poached by Norwich.
My view and I will leave it at that, is that Hoolahan will still be an extremely useful luxury player to call off the substitute's bench, as the phrase goes "it's a marathon not a sprint", squad rotation is essential and it is in situations like the Premier League when if you have a good squad, you survive. Absolutely no point whatsoever in selling him, keep him, he is worth his weight in gold.
Just because we bring someone in doesn't mean someone else is on their way out. Apart from the CBs Vaughan and Tierney we've been really lucky with injuries so far this season, and none of our midfielders or forwards have had time on the treatment table or been suspended thus far. Good to have our options in for when they do though 