Steven Naismith

[nutty nigel 7,506]

Why does this guy get so much stick from our fans?

We always look a better team when he plays. He gives everything both home and away. I saw "clown" mentioned earlier. What are these criticisms based on? For me his only real negative is that he''s not clinical enough in front of goal.

[SwindonCanary 455]

But it''s probably his last game for us.

[Crafty Canary 495]

You clearly didn''t go the the Birmingham City away game. Now this brilliant contributor has managed to ensure he misses the first two games of next season should we be unfortunate enough not to be able to off load him.

[Carrow89 0]

I''m not too sure either. Cracker of a goal today, and sending off didn''t look that bad. Some folk need a scapegoat I suppose.The highlights are here. http://www.skysports.com/football/leeds-vs-norwich/report/358646

[Branston Pickle 3,631]

He''s just another in the long line of those who are sadly undervalued by some of our supporters, who seem to make their mind up early on and whatever happens will never change. Yes, he was disappointing at the back end of last season, but has been pretty decent most of this term

[BroadstairsR 2,135]

He''s beginning to prove his worth NN, no doubt. It has taken time and he made little impact on our Premiership fight for survival which was the main reason he came here.

He could become a crowd favourite next season if he continues his current form.

BUT is his worth that much that he justifies his enormous fee and (presumably) wages or are we best served by selling him for a decent fee and be absolved from the wage agreement?

Difficult one.

[Carrow89 0]

There''s no certainty what fee we would get, or whteher anyone would pay his ''enormous'' wages. Having seen him this season I would suggest that most fans would be pleased if we were to be signing a player of his ability in the summer (assuming he was not already here that is)

[City 2nd 191]

Agree NN. We are a far better side with him in it imo. He was very valued at Everton and amongst their supporters too. We were lucky to get him, and his start at Norwich was not helped by his personal circumstances. I for one hope he stays, as I do Wildschut. It takes time to settle into a new club and surroundings and we r yet to see the best from these two players.

[Bury Yellow 2]

I think he''s a good championship standard player and could be a great asset next season. The difficulty this season is trying to assess some players under the old management as man management has been totally missing under AN.

Have just read that Webber rates him so there may be a few on here who will be disappointed!

Whatever happens, it''s going to be an interesting and exciting few months

[Baldyboy 0]

So, has he been worth all the money then in transfer fee and wages? After all it''s only taken over a year for him to play half a dozen decent games!

In total he''s probably cost us around 12 million altogether since signing and his contribution has been poor tbh, so yes I can understand why people don''t like him much

[Carrow89 0]

12 million? Do explain.

[BroadstairsR 2,135]

"There''s no certainty what fee we would get, or whteher anyone would pay his ''enormous'' wages. Having seen him this season I would suggest that most fans would be pleased if we were to be signing a player of his ability in the summer (assuming he was not already here that is)2

I actually said ''enormous'' fee. We cannot but guess what wages he collects. He will never be quite worth £8m in my opinion, but we''ve done worse.

I really hope you are right City 2nd. Esp. regards Windshutt.

[westcoastcanary 173]

If only more of our squad hated losing as much as Naismith! Didn''t see the game today but I wouldn''t be surprised if his sending off weren''t due to frustration at our yet again being unable to defend a winning position. Get some similar steel around him in the summer and we''ll see his real worth. I''d be surprised if he isn''t near the top of Webber''s list of those to be kept. 

[Carrow89 0]

[quote user="westcoastcanary"]If only more of our squad hated losing as much as Naismith! Didn''t see the game today but I wouldn''t be surprised if his sending off weren''t due to frustration at our yet again being unable to defend a winning position. Get some similar steel around him in the summer and we''ll see his real worth. I''d be surprised if he isn''t near the top of Webber''s list of those to be kept. 

[/quote]The goals and sending off are here. Can''t do linky thinghttp://www.skysports.com/football/leeds-vs-norwich/report/358646Otherwise I agree with  your thoughts. No shortage of passion and is now beginning to work well with Pritchard, setting up and taking goals, as long range shots. He will be here next season

[city4eva 207]

I hope he is still here next season, there are many more to go out of the door before him

[KeiranShikari_2 0]

[quote user="Carrow89"]12 million? Do explain.[/quote]7-8m in fees + wages. 12 million is probably more than we''d actually be paying though obviously.

[TIL 1010 4,717]

Of the 12/15 players heading for the exit door according to Stuart Webber i have a strong feeling Naismith is not one of them.

[KeiranShikari_2 0]

Indeed.Doubt out anybody in the premier league would buy him and he''s not going to get a better deal in the championship/we wouldn''t sell him to Moyes at Sunderland (hopefully).

[Diane 500]

I hope you''re right Tilly and that we keep him, we need someone with his aggression.

Irvine said in his post match interview that if he had of been staying to be head coach that he''d definately want to keep Naismith

[Essjayess 307]

Absolute necessity to keep Naismith, ive never equated how good or bad a player should be compared to how much the club sign him for, or what his wage income is, be it 8 pence or 8 million pound, its how they perform on the pitch that matters only. We are beginning to see signs of a midfield / attack with Naismith, Pritchard, Maddison, Oliveira, Howson etc, that is a mouth watering prospect for next season. Also, for first time in a long while, i sense the importance of having Wes in the team is less needed. Have the much needed big clearout in defence, albeit  keeping Ivo and hopefully signing Dijks if possible,  retain the above guys and along with the upheaval in the staff, this season could well have proved to beeen a blessing in disguiseNaismith is essential, he brings so much more than we give credit for him in our team.

[KeiranShikari_2 0]

Best defender in some games.

[Carrow89 0]

[quote user="Essjayess"]Absolute necessity to keep Naismith, ive never equated how good or bad a player should be compared to how much the club sign him for, or what his wage income is, be it 8 pence or 8 million pound, its how they perform on the pitch that matters only. We are beginning to see signs of a midfield / attack with Naismith, Pritchard, Maddison, Oliveira, Howson etc, that is a mouth watering prospect for next season. Also, for first time in a long while, i sense the importance of having Wes in the team is less needed. Have the much needed big clearout in defence, albeit  keeping Ivo and hopefully signing Dijks if possible,  retain the above guys and along with the upheaval in the staff, this season could well have proved to beeen a blessing in disguiseNaismith is essential, he brings so much more than we give credit for him in our team.[/quote]I think that clear out of the defence will be Martin, Bassong, Whittaker, Turner and possibly Bennett. I will venture that Mulumbu and Tettey will also go along with Hoolahan, Lafferty and McGovern. We will be theoretically looking at players who will be able to follow us up to the PL. An end of an era in many ways, but that''s how it is and needs to be.

[Rock The Boat 1,322]

His career with us got off to a slow start with us for whatever reason and the team were generally not playing well and so I guess it was only natural than fans were asking why did we pay so much money for not very much return.

But he has since kicked on and seems to be very passionate about winning and putting in a performance. He brings aggression to a side that has been sorely lacking in that department. He bawls out his team mates when they screw up (not always justly, but it''s better that than staying quiet).

Perhaps with the responsibilities of captain he might take his game to a higher level next season. I definitely would want t keep him

[Drazen Muzinic 1,444]

Naismith would be my choice for captain.

A midfield including him and Pritchard is a must for next season.

[Baldyboy 0]

Someone asked me how I got his cost to be 12 million! Simple really, 8.5 million to sign him and his wages so do people really think he''s been value for money at that cost? He hasn''t

[Clint 221]

Naismith somehow seems to convince people that he is a no 10 or similar but yet his main attributes seem to be his commitment and desire to get stuck in.

Naismith has not been involved in most of our better attacking displays this season (Reading for example) and just seems to slow the play down when he is in the team. As a no 10, his ability is so far removed from Wes, Pritchard and probably Maddison, it''s ridiculous. His touch is very often poor and attacks generally break down when they reach him.

I agree he could have a place in our squad or even our team on a regular basis but I would be trying to covert him into more of a CM as I think that''s where his qualities would be better suited.

As a no 10 or AM, I''d have Wes, Pritchard, both Murphys and Maddison ahead of him and I''m guessing none of them are on £40k a week.

[YorkshirePudding 0]

I''ll explain why he gets a bit of grief... even though it''s blindingly obvious.

Apart from a handful of recent games, he''s largely been ineffective - poor passing, slow, loses the ball and wasteful in front of goal.

He rages at other players a lot of the time when he''s hardly a leading example of quality himself

Oh, and for all this we paid £7m+

NN I suppose you also thought Neil didn''t deserve to be sacked...

[Carrow89 0]

[quote user="Baldyboy"]Someone asked me how I got his cost to be 12 million! Simple really, 8.5 million to sign him and his wages so do people really think he''s been value for money at that cost? He hasn''t[/quote]His wages ? They would be for just over a year, £3.5m by your calculations. Which given that most of that time he will have been on a lower contract due to a relegation clause it would have him being signed for around £100,000 a week in the PL ! Whatever his signing costs they should be spread over his 3 1/2 year contract as well. I don''t think you guesses are at all credible.

[Gordon Bennett 780]

He''s a quality player and we''d be mad to get rid.

[nutty nigel 7,506]

Well be certainly seems to be different things for different people. He seems to get poor old Yorky Pud in a right old lather. I see a player who''s movement in attack pulls defenders out of position. A player who gets in the face of the opposition which is something we dont do enough as a team. A player who attacks the box to support the lone striker, something we don''t do enough as a team. And as I said a player who should have scored more from the chances he had in the box. A lot of posters claim we''re too nice as a team. Well we''renot so nice when Naismith plays.