well, the headline does, but the article is a re-hash of other stories! he's been on international duty so i doubt we've even had dialogue with him or his representative yet
I hope you're right re: Defoe and Fowler (he's obviously not as good as them yet). Also, I appreciate that he's a poacher but it does mean that he'll struggle to make an impact when playing up front alone, and we know Hughton favours 4-5-1. 5 million seems a lot for an impact sub. If Hughton changes his system to accommodate these attacking purchases Hooper will be able to play off the last man. Otherwise he'll HAVE to do more - something he's not used to.
What stats are you looking at Hucks? Up to the beginning of May, i.e. before the Villa, West Brom and Man City games, if Holty had converted chances into goals at the same rate as in the 2011-2012 season, his tally according to me would have been 10 goals. Add the three goals he scored in the final three games, and he would have totalled 13. True, that isn't quite double his actual total (8 goals), but it would be comparable to his tally for the previous season. So I stick by what I said, i.e. even allowing for the differences in style of play, he was a lot less clinical in his finishing.
I'd like to see his conversion rate for the last couple of seasons then, because I just don't think that's true.
Personal opinion is that GH had a mixed season. Some games he played well and he always gave 100% and leadership to the team BUT I do think that he had a dip in form post Christmas and I don't see his goals in the final three matches hiding the fact that he is not quite the player he was in previous seasons. He is of an age where he will not get better and could deteriorate quickly. Once you hit a certain point in life the knocks don't heal as quickly and your recovery time increases exponentially (I know because I am there looking up at the top of the hill wistfully) so I whilst I would certainly want him at the club next season I can see the sense in bringing another forward in to give us more options up front and allow our current forwards a rest and some competition for places. I'd take Hooper for £5m in a heartbeat and be extremely chuffed were were to have RvW/Holt/Hooper and Toivo at our disposal next season. It will also be interesting to see how our style of play evolves once CH has more skillful forwards at his disposal next season. Hopefully he will be able to get results playing good football rather than grinding out a season of survival based on not conceding.
All this talk about age being against him, maybe we should try and swap Holty with young Kevin Phillips!
Holt isnt that old for how he plays and he will always be a threat in and around the box in a team creating chances. If you want someone to take some of the physical strains away from RVW and battle with defenders leaving more space then I genuinely think GH still has plenty to off us. I do still think that for a player of Hoopers age/Experience that we cant go wrong signing him for say £5m. Lets say it doesnt work out, he would still have suitors in the championship that would pay £3m or more so we wouldnt lose out on much at all.
This would indicate that a deal has most certainly not been rubber stamped http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwic...nd_nathan_redmond_join_growing_list_1_2233460
I think DM could sell the club to him and the way hughton will want to play, but after reading that I'm slightly doubtful. If weve had a fee agreed, DM won't want to be messed around.
that comment about him not knowing norwich was aired early, doesn't really mean much, he's keeping his options open. he probably wouldn't have seen WBA or Fulham either.
This deal is still in it's infancy. I think there will be a few twists and turns before it is resolved but if CH and DM see him as our top target for the Summer then unless he is offered more cash from a bigger club I think we'll have every chance of signing him. It would be nice to get all of our business for this window done early so we don't get involved in any stupid last minute bidding wars to strengthen our squad. IF we could wrap Ole up, grab Hooper out from Hull's advances (seriously if you were offered the same terms who in their right mind would join Hull over Norwich? Not just on footballing grounds but Norwich is a great place to live with a pleasant climate whereas Hull is not likely to win any quality of life awards in the near future), pick up a LB and maybe a DM then we could leave all the speculatino to which free transfers and Ryman League players the boys down the A140 will be trying to snap up!
as norfolkbhoy points out, any potential deal is still a long way off - nothing to panic about. could go either way this one
I agree that the deal is a long way off, but to me this could be the main signing of the season. I think it's important that we see Toivenon as an ACM or AM rather than as a striker, where he can play if necessary. A goal scoring mid-fielder is what we have been really lacking and Toivenon is a much better option than Shelvey. After that, IMO, it is a choice between another striker like Hooper, or a marquee signing at LM like Diego Capel, for example. Toivenon and Hooper would take £10m out of the budget. City will still need a LB and CB unless CH is content to retain Ayala as the 4th CB. If so, then there could be room for a big signing like Capel. It's a difficult equation to work out and read CH's mind.
Having a browse through the PSV forum, they think Norwich would be the ideal fit for him but they believe he personally will want a bigger club. Though a couple mention the signing of RvW and that could make it more appealing to him as the club is going in the right direction. We shall see, but I imagine DM won't want to be mucked around, especially as we've had a bid accepted.
I'm not sure this one will come off and I'm not sure I'm that bothered. Keeping options open is one thing but none of his interviews give the impression that he really views Norwich as potential employers. I also haven't found a Swede with a good word to say about him! A Swedish paper is saying that there is interest from Villa as well as WBA and he says he knows more about them than Norwich. He's going to turn off his phone, enjoy the sun and sea. He doesn't expect anything to happen before mid July but won't be accepting the first offer. Note also that WBA already have two Swedish players that use the same agent as him. He also keeps running on about not liking high balls, which I assume is connected to all that swimming in the Baltics
I'm with Swedish Dave on this, he doesn't sound that enthusiastic about the possibility of coming to us. The tone of his comments has slightly put me off the thought of him coming to Norwich, doesn't seem like the type of person for our club. I think it will all be down to money for him, and especially if the rumours are true about Russian sides getting involved.
This seems like a lot of hearsay evidence and paper talk to me. Why should Swedish newspapers be any better than ours? Rumours and counter-rumours. Let's wait and see before we pretend to know what a potential player might be thinking. I don't think CH and DM will wait around a month for him to make up his mind. There are other options out there if he doesn't want to decide now.
Yep, in the summer there's usually plenty more fish in the sea. I think there's generally two types of cut-price players available, where the club don't have the money (RvW), and when the player has made his position untenable. Whilst the first case is favourable as the player's attitude is likely to be better, I think we're going to have to investigate the second type, and judge each one on a case-by-case basis. We've shown interest, put in a decent bid, but if he turns his nose up at us because he doesn't want to be here, then we don't want him here either. By putting himself on the back-burner until mid-July, we've got a month to find alternatives, and that suits me nicely.
