Scrimmage

As the title says, who did you wan''t after Lambert walked? Hughton was always my first choice (unless Culverhouse stayed, but that was always going to be unlikely). I firmly believe that Hughton is the right man to add stability to NCFC in the Premier League (look what he did with a newly-promoted Newcastle team.) Lambert''s gung-ho tactics could only have lasted for so long and I think we would have been found out after a couple more seasons at the most had Lambert stayed. Hughton DID improve our defence with the signings of Turner, Whittaker, Garrido and Bassong and we are always going to stuggle without them (as we have done). Most of our backups are not Premier League standard, and we knew that from last season - our squad was, and still is to an extent, a pick and mix of Football League players. And what does it all come down to? Money. We don''t have the luxury of replacing our reserves all in one go. It''s not ''negative tactics'', it''s going with what we''ve got. Would any of you have been happy with Steve Bruce?

His date of birth too, he wanted the number 8 but that was already taken. He opted for number 88 as it was a reference to Celtic''s year of formation and coincidentally his date of birth. In doing so he started a bit of a trend - Wanayma took the number 67 shirt in reference to the year of Celtic''s European Cup victory.

[quote user="refjezdavies"]I hope if he were to sign that he wouldn''t be allowed to have 88 on his shirt[/quote] 88 is a reference to the year of Celtic''s formation, 1888. So he wouldn''t have the 88 shirt if he came to Norwich.

This £5 million offer from Norwich for Hooper is just to get the ball rolling. If we don''t get Graham, then I can see us upping our offer for Hooper to 8 or 10 million.

Remember when Rangers offered less than a million for Grant Holt?

... is set to sign for West Ham. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20905628 Thank goodness for that.

That''s a fair shout, Bethnal.

Either way, Juve or not, bigger clubs are after Hooper. He''s not coming to Carrow Road. If he did come here (and it would be for a hefty fee) it would be with a bigger move in mind, not so long down the line.

So no, it''s not another stupid rumour made up by the tabloids.

[quote user="Bethnal Yellow and Green"][quote user="Scrimmage "]Juventus are interested in Hooper. We''re deluded if we think he''s going to come here.[/quote] Really? Are they really interested? Or is that just another stupid transfer story made up by the tabloids. The same way that Real Madrid were going to buy Victor Moses from Palace and he ended up moving to Wigan. [/quote] It was Barcelona who wanted Moses. Here''s the Hooper to Juve link : http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/8341516/Italian-giants-Juventus-have-joined-the-clubs-looking-at-Celtic-s-Gary-Hooper

Juventus are interested in Hooper. We''re deluded if we think he''s going to come here.

Heard from a mate it was Tom Ince. Don''t have anything more concrete to go on than that.

[quote user="lake district canary"][quote user="ridgeman"]I feel that Surman is a gifted footballer but doesn''t fit into our team at present. The question I must ask is why he was given a four year contract at the beginning of the season.[/quote] Because he is a good player. Hughton gave him a chance to cement a place in the team - but after the Liverpool match he can''t get a look in because of the way the team has developed. Does this make him a player on the way out or a player waiting his chance to have another go? We have a squad of 25 (?) and that means we have to have players in waiting. As far as that goes he is waiting. People are still too quick to write off our players. Some people don''t like him because of the way he looks. I ask you............................... [/quote] Spot on. Surman is a decent option to have if and when we revert back to a different formation. He hasn''t put a foot wrong for us but there will be a time when we will not have a need for him anymore, most likely next season.

[quote user="Crispy"]I think we will manage as long as we don''t sell Bassong ... he''s at the base of our strong spine.[/quote] What''s the likelihood of losing Bassong when we''ve only just signed him? Or Tettey? Just interested, are there any players that have left the following window to the one they signed for a club in?

Whoops, lets try that again. BUNN WHITTAKER R.BENNETT BASSONG TIERNEY -------------------------------FOX SNODGRASS----------------------------------- SURMAN -----------------------------HOWSON -------------BUTTERFIELD ------------------------------MORISON Let''s see what Ryan Bennet is like alongside Bassong, give Morison 90 mins and Butterfield his debut.

BUNN WHITTAKER R.BENNETT BASSONG TIERNEY FOX SNODGRASS SURMAN HOWSON BUTTERFIELD MORISON Let''s see what Ryan Bennet is like alongside Bassong, give Morison 90 mins and Butterfield his debut.

I think it''s Bassong that''s the key to all this. When he plays, he seems to bring the best out of his central defensive partner. Could be the key player for us this season.

Instead of suing Lambert, how about we ask for Bent instead?

Tettey is an improvement over Crofts. Bassong is an improvement over Whitbread, Barnett, Ward and maybe even Bennett at this moment in time. Garrido is an improvement over Tierney. Butterfield is an improvement over Hoolahan. Hughton''s signings have been just what we''ve needed - improvements. And I trust we''ll get a striker in before the window closes. OTBC.

Average age of the QPR squad is 28 years old, but that''s including a few 19 year olds'' who don''t play. Quite scary (but very funny).

[quote user="Grant Holt''s 3 year contract"]Basically people arent happy unless we''re splashing out on some "foreigner"?Did you people moaning about CMS think that Holt wasnt good enough?What about Pilkington and Bennett? [/quote Not at all, I think a lot of people would settle for Hooper, Zaha or the likes.

[quote user="Crabby"][quote user="Ncfc"]Oh dear , yet again we would prove that we do not really belong in the top flight , the guy has all but been forgotten since his move to Brighton , worse than we already have and to try compare him with Rhodes is quite frankly funny .[/quote] Why do you say that NCFC, the whole of our current success has been built on developing players from the lower leagues, it`s so far been a successful model and certainly does not prove that we do not belong in the topflight. The top flight has a huge spectrum of clubs in terms of size and finance and what we have achieved puts us right in there! [/quote] The point is, it''s unlikely that such a model will work again. Sadly, that''s the way it is.

I would love it if we signed Hooper. He''s an incredibly clinical finisher who will score goals at any level, providing he gets the service. We could do with a player like him right now. Probably looking at £7 million I would have thought, Celtic would be reluctant to see him go as they are light on strikers and indeed regular goalscorers in general. Tony Watt has a bright future though.

I''m happy that we''ve signed a relatively experienced backup for Ruddy but surely a cheaper keeper was available?

What a load of bollocks.