I actually don't think he is close to leaving and I don't get the feeling from either him or the club that he wants to leave. Maybe its just blind optimism but it really does seem like Norwich fans are reading into something a little bit more than I am and perhaps Simon is
That's fair enough about him not being close, but you can hardly say we're reading into it too much! We've submitted two bids, the first rejected because it was too low (and Colin admitted his head had been turned), the second we've not heard a response to. Im not going to read anything into his injury- he probably is just injured. I think the fact that most of us (certainly me anyway) think it's still in the balance suggests that we're not reading into it overly at all. I still suspect Villa will step in and get him last minute.
Always find it laughable that fans think they know how a player feels, whether he wants to stay at a club or the fact they think he has any real loyalty to them! Only the people truly close to it know what's going on, overly much doubt he will stay if a pl club comes in for him... Even with investment there's no guarantee Leeds will get promoted and I'm sure he'd want to get to the pl and get the fame and fortune that comes with that rather than stay on for sentimental reasons. Just look at Lambert and Culverhouse...
Only just read that open letter...it reads like a please-don't-dump-me letter. Snodgrass is more than likely leaving, otherwise you'd have heard this second bid had been turned down and that he wasn't keen... The only question remaining to my mind is the destination. Still think villa, and I have a feeling they've stuck in a bid...
Seems odd if Hughton is as keen as Lambert on Snodgrass? Most new managers have their own list of targets, although with Ewan Chester involved in the scouting system, maybe it's not such a surprise. I'd say from a current a squad stance, Curtis Davies would be worth chasing more than Snodgrass. Followed by a DM, like Bridcutt
Actually Colin has already said that you still haven't put in an acceptable bid and sources close to Snoddy are apparently saying he's neither desperate to leave nor pushing for a move.
I think we both know that the real question is whether Leeds are prepared to sell and what price. If they sell, Snodgrass will sign. I believe you when you say he's not pushing for a move, but then neither is he desperate to sign a contract with Leeds... I suspect they'll take somewhere around £3m. The question is whether we, or anyone else, is prepared to pay that much for him. I'm still pretty convinced that Villa will outbid us vene if we do get Leeds to agree a fee. Ps love the fact that you call him Colin too!
My opinion is that there are a couple of factors at play here. I think we'll only consider selling if he decides to move, and everything I've heard, he's said and that the media have heard suggests he's waiting to see what happens with us and elsewhere so that he makes the right decision. Also I think that even if Snoddy states that he would like to leave we will only sell him at the right price, IMO ~£4-5m at this stage, and he and Colin have both publicly stated they're perfectly willing to hang on until January or even the end of his contract if that offer doesn't materialise. I don't think Snoddy or the club will be forcing a move.
There is no way it will be £5m given that that was the asking price last summer. I definitely think you'll jump to accept for anything more than £3.5m- that's a great price for him, but I don't think anyone will be keen to pay quite that much. Especially given that we paid £750k up front for Howson, rising to £2m. Question is whether a happy medium can be found. Even £3m gives you a serious amount to be reinvested across the squad. i appreciate that you rate your captain highly, but you must be thinking it's almost worth it?
Just read that 'open letter' and all of the comments relating to it. My God, what a complete load of drivel how the 'mighty Leeds' have fallen What a pathetic load of crap from someone who must just be out of short trousers. I can't believe that a grown man would write that, what a sad ****ing life he must lead. When Lambert left us for Villa, sure we were all pissed off at the time, but we're all grownups on here and didn't resort to pleeease Lambo don't leave us crap.
It was closer to £8m last year and Howson was sold for a fraction of his true worth. Selling Snoddy wouldn't be worth it in any way because he can't be replaced and we'll soon have the money to spend on the squad anyway. £3m wouldn't even allow us to compensate for his loss.
Bates publicly stated last year that leeds won't even consider a bid less than 8m for him. So that 5m figure you just said hs been pulled out of your arse I'm not going to say what I think we would accept this year but I really think the 'he has had his head turned' has been taken out of context. I seriously do not believe that that was in regards to him wanting out. Many papers and websites write so that it sounds like more of a story and I think they have taken that quote from him and placed it in a way it sounds like he wants to leave. I mean I don't care particularly, us discussing it isn't going to make a difference but you guys do seem confident he wants to leave when I haven't felt that vibe at all
Snodgrass is the sort of player that QPR were looking at when we were in the championship Fortunately he is the sort of player teams like Norwich or Ipswich would be interested in now
Josh, I think you'll find the rumour all around was that if Norwich coughed up £5m, we would have been given a chance to speak to him last summer. The £5m figure was pretty widespread and given that we apparently bid £3.5m, I'm not surprised that would put us off. It is all just rumour, but I think we all know that what Bates says in public is often rather different from reality... Widespread as mit was, I think I would have noticed it up my arse though. Quite unpleasant. All of that is irrelevant now, except for the fact that the asking price now will be substantially lower. Most clubs write down the asset value by half for each year of his contract, so even if they were asking for £8m, that means the most they would be asking for now is £4m. As I say, speculation really. As for us being convinced he wants to leave and his head has been turned, if you read above, I think most of the Norwich posters accept that there is no indication that he is pushing for a move at all. However, it does sound like if he is offered the chance to move to the PremierLeague, he will take it. So the big question is not around Snodgrass, who is clearly waiting patiently, it's all about this strange delay in responding to the second bid, as well as the odd rumours re. a takeover that never quite seems to be happening. I personally think that clubs are negotiating a fee, but your asking price is too high- probably around £3-3.5m, which I doubt anyone would pay. I can still see Villa jumping in though. As for whether £3m will be enough to replace Snodgrass, well no obviously you won't be able to find a direct replacement for him at that price, otherwise Premier League clubs would be chasing that player. The real point is at £3m gives you quite a serious amount of cash in Championship terms to invest across the squad. No player is bigger than the tam and the same goes for Snodgrass. I think with sensible investment, that £3m could leave you stronger. The risk, obviously, is whether you can use it sensibly. I don't like Colin, but he's not bad in the transfer market See here for the rumour last year, just as an example: http://holtamaniablog.wordpress.com/tag/robert-snodgrass/
I agree in normal circumstances Rob that 3m would go a long way in strengthening the squad. But the issue that I am starting to see with this leeds united team under Colin is he is planning to replace the whole bloody squad. Now thats alright however the team needs to gel so I do believe that we also need to be thinking along the lines of players who already know the club, the set-up, the players, the manager as being more valuable to be able to gel a team together and ideally we would've kept the core of last year's team and add to that but we already have gotten rid of our goalkeeper who was good enough and Clayton who was good enough. We can't keep getting rid of players that are in the first team plans
