Off Topic Should Hoolahan be in next year's squad??

Having originally signed for the club way back in 2008 Wes should be kept as he deserves a testimonial for the number of years service he has committed to this club. A very rare thing to see from players is loyalty to 1 club. However I would have him more of a squad player behind Pritchard & Maddison but his experience could prove invaluable in the dressing room. A mistake we made when we let Roberts & Malky go after getting promoted to the premier league under Worthy

 

This season, Wes has still proved that he's got something to offer, and whilst his form has been erratic sometimes, I think he's a long way from being the biggest problem with our squad. When SW "triages" the squad this summer, he isn't going to top the casualty list. He's not so toxic we should consider paying up his contract, but equally how his career finishes is of lesser importance to us than how JM and AP develop.

Unless somebody offers a slightly silly sum of money for him, I expect him to stay as backup to AP, with JM out on loan to the bottom half of the championship. SW's recent interview would seem to point that way. We'd then reassess in January and offer Wes a free transfer if JM looked to have excelled.

So for me he stays, not out of sentimentality, but because money and time needs to be focused on other areas of the squad. If he's stuck in the reserves because AP and JM are on fire, then I'm not bothered.

 

I'm sorry guys - I get this 'love for Wes' and all he's done for our club, etc, etc; but sentiment aside, we've GOT to move forward and if it's a straight choice between keeping Wes and loaning JM out, I know such I'd prefer and IMO, it's a NO BRAINER!!!!
I think I'm going to take a break from posting after this poll finishes next week until after our new HC is appointed and we start to see who is being kept and who is moving on.

 

For me it is simple, is Wes good enough for a place in our squad next season? If we think he will have enough gas in the tank to play a role next year then I'd keep him as no purchase price no settling in period and we know what he is capable of. Whether he is a first team regular next season is down to he he performs relative to others in his position. If AP and JM are better then they play and he doesn't. If he is better he plays. Just because we have younger layers doesn't mean they are necessarily better and will play.

Given the amount of upheaval in the squad coming up I'd keep him.

 

He thoroughly deserves his 10 years testimonial and would be great to have around the place bringing on the young guns.
Maybe he will train for his coaching badge and join Huckers behind the scenes.
Scrapping Malky Iwan and Holt over the years before their time was a bad move.

 

Totally agree re he should have a testimonial and I've no idea how he sees his future or what his plans are.
As Dave said on one of the other threads, if he's willing to stay and be behind JM in 'the pecking order', then I would willingly accept that - I just don't see what would be achieved by sending JM out on loan again.

 

So, 67% of voters are in favour oof keeping Wes.
From an interview with himself on the 'young pretenders' - “Alex has done brilliantly, he has really blossomed in that role,” said the Dubliner, speaking in the aftermath of City’s 4-0 final day romp over QPR. “I know I’m coming on in my age but I have a hunger to do well. I’m not going to say, ‘you can have my place in the team’. I’m obviously going to work hard and he will work hard as well. “Like anybody on the team, we want to work hard to move on together and win games. If it is a little part or a big part, I am more than happy. And his young legs drive me on. There’s James Maddison coming through as well. James has got real quality, which you see in training every day and to have those two number 10s in our squad is brilliant.”
Full article here - http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwic...e-keys-to-number-10-at-norwich-city-1-5015941
So, he realises his playing time in the first team will be severely limited next season and IMO, that's how it should be.
I wonder if the new HC\SW will decide to keep Naismith and I really don't see much to be gained by keeping him, other than in case of injury suspension.
Edit - I wonder if JM might be sent out on loan until say December to another Championship club such as Birmingham to gain experience of competing at this level.

 

Oh do make your mind up JM! Will he or won't he?

Michael Bailey's column on the farcical state of affairs where we
have four (4) number 10s...but no (0) left backs!
http://www.pinkun.com/norwich-city/...p-and-how-the-ship-out-the-unwanted-1-5016190

 

It's a tricky one on JM, as I don't feel he can displace AP with the form that he is in over the last few games and his exploits have justifiably earned him several MotM awards.
Yes, I read MB's column and it just shows how ridiculous AN's signings were!!!!

 

Stilk No for me, no surprise there, but i think we'll keep him and either sell Pritchard or sacrifice JM's development because as a club we make too many decisions with the heart rather than the head. We'll probably keep Martin as captain & starting right sided CB for the same reason.

 

Let's hope things change in that respect canario with the appointment of the new HC and whilst I feel it's TOTALLY the WRONG decision, I can see AP being sold to probably pay off waste of space Naismith.
AN has a lot to answer for in his transfer dealings and I'd be surprised if he gets another manager's job any time soon!!

 

Transfer dealings have always been subject to hits and misses and always will be, IMO. Many people, including many on here thought Pritchard was a 'panic buy' because we didn't sign McCormack, the player many on here actually wanted us to sign. Pritchard was one of AN's hits, as were Klose, Pinto, Oliveira and Dijks. I'd also include Dorrans, Maddison and Godfrey and yes Naismith as well. IMO, without Naismith we'd have ended up mid-table or below this season, so hardly a 'waste of space' for me. AN's main miss was the left-sided CB we never signed and other misses include Andreu and I suppose Jarvis, mainly due to injuries, although he was important in our promotion year. We have yet to see how Wildschut will turn out, but certainly not a hit so far.

Some will say that Naismith kept Pritchard out of the side, but of his 28 appearances, only 8 were as AM and the rest were WR or WL, where I think he is more effective. For that reason, I see AM next season as Pritchard, Hoolahan and Maddison rather than the crowd of players described by MB. At WR we have Jacob and Naismith (if he stays, who was very effective there in the latter part of the season). At WL we have Josh, Wildschut and Jarvis (if he stays), though both Wes and Naismith can play there as well. Cromer talks about square pegs and round holes, but much of our attacking success this season was due to the mobility up front where players would move freely about to make it difficult for defenders to mark them. This was particularly true of Wes and Naismith, but also Jacob and Josh as the season went on. I hope we don't lose that next season.

 

Whilst I think Pritchard was a good buy, i'd hardly count him as one of AN's hits. Most of the time when AN was here he hardly got on the bench let alone play. Pritchard has only really turned into a good buy since AN left.

 

I don't think anyone wanted McCormack and lots on here didn't want Naismith at that price either.
We knew that Wildshut was way too expensive too.
So £25m outlay with 2 out of 3 being flops

 

Anyone who thought buying any of those three turkeys would be a good idea needs their head examined.
The one and only thing that I ever agreed with Robert Chase on was to never consider shelling out good money on a player who is either approaching or the other side of 30.
There is always the exception that proves the rule, however even today when footballers are generally a lot fitter than yesteryear by the time they hit 30 their best days a well behind them and they have no re-sale value whatsoever.
Ergo for a club our size it's sheer stupidity

P.S. I know Wildsh1t isn't anywhere near 30 but he still has feathers

 

When Pritchard arrived from Spurs, he had hardly any defensive side to his game (much like Redmond in that regard). Through coaching, he developed that side of his game and became a much better player. Now Irvine may have been a big part of that coaching, I don't know, but Pritchard made 35 appearances for us and 25 of those were under AN. Over that time he developed his game and his value to the team, which culminated in the final 10 games under AI, but he was a very different player by the end of the season from what he was when he arrived.

 

I can remember a lot of people on here desperate for us to sign him and some who weren't overly impressed with Oliveira when we signed him, but that was clearly a much better signing.

 

Maybe, all I know is Pritchard's contribution to the team increased significantly the moment AN was out the door. Maybe it was just a coincidence, but I doubt it.

If only the board had had the gumption to sack AN last November, we could have been talking about bring in new players for the PL.

 

Mainly because he got a run of games IMO and IF we sell him to finance other deals, then I feel our chances of promotion next season will take a massive dent.

 

I don't, a few thought take a punt as Mcormack has a handy record at this level but when the fee bandied about went from £3m to £10m plus for a player of his age most sane posters lost interest.