I'm not saying Hootun was anything like an attacking, expansive manager while in charge of us, only a fool would think that and I've never tried to argue that he was. I don't think he was as negative as a lot of people try to preach however, I really don't. I'd say he was pragmatic rather than negative, and I'm sorry but I just find it such as lazy and over-simplistic argument when I read (what I consider to be) nonsense about how he "destroyed" our strikers or "drained the confidence" from them. Load of old hyperbolics if you ask me.
I'm sorry, but if Ricky was as good as a lot of folk want to believe him to be then he'd have scored goals in any formation, rather than the piddly one that he did. He had chances, and whilst I agree he did show some good movement at times, too often he'd go missing in games, I don't recall him making too many assists or even creating chances for others let alone himself. I'm not saying he's terrible, I think he's decent enough, has a good touch and technical ability and he clearly does have ability as he's scored a fair few goals in other less competitive leagues in Europe, though he seems to be struggling to make any kind of impression in France of late. Couple of Dutch caps as well that I'm sure they don't just give away so I'm not putting him on any list of "worst ever players" or anything, and I'm not writing him off altogether, I just saying from what I've seen I just don't think he's anywhere near as good as being made out, and find it disrespectful to others when all his failings are met with excuses blaming it all on his manager, or Snodgrass for example. I don't get this 'hard-done-by' poor little Ricky thing that is being talked about as if it was as simple as that, think it's unfair and not a true representationn of what happened. Also I've read people saying things like
he tried hard to start with, but then gave up because of our style of football as if that's ok. Really? Maybe I'm asking too much, but I'd personally want my £8.5m, £35k a week star striker to show a bit more spirit than that
I just don't agree with a lot of the stuff I'm reading, that's all. It's no love I have for Hootun, or dislike for Ricky, I'm just calling it as I see it, as I always try to do.
Sorry if that offends anyone, never my intention
