Can Grant Holt cut it in the Championship?

[Lineo 0]

Now, before I get abuse I must admit that I am one of Holt''s greatest fans, I sport his name on the back of my Norwich shirt and consider him to be an integral player to our team - my hat goes off to him.But, in my opinion I think he will be out of his league in the championship, he isn''t fit enough. He gives up a lot, and towards the end of the season his shooting seems to be a little bit off too... maybe it''s just fatigue.Looking at the likes of Shola Ameobi, powerful strikers, but they are quick and fit also.. the type of striker who is successful in such an athletic league..People seem to think that Holt will have no problem next year, but I wouldn''t be suprised if he struggles. He''s been playing league 1 and 2 football for a while now, and forest sold him for a reason.Let''s hope he proves me wrong! Thoughts?

[Lineo 0]

Where I say, ''he gives up a lot'' I mean because he is too tired to keep chasing, not because of a lack of passion.

[City penguin 0]

he already has for nots f before they decided to play him right wing. Was a fan favourite their aswell.

[Graham Humphrey 13]

Noooooo...!  He never played for Forest in the Championship.  Why do so many people think he did?  He had a very brief loan spell at Blackpool (four sub appearances) in Forest''s promotion season though.

[ryan1992 0]

course he can. with the right players around him, he would even make a decent PL player. He can score, play it round the pitch and bring in other players, hold the ball up, great strength and has the most passion/desire to perform well week in/week out ive seen for many years (like Hucks). He''s scored 30 goals this year, he may not get that many next year, but he''ll certainly be a big part of our team.

[Davo 0]

It''s hard to say but I think he can make the grade. I don''t think he''ll get 20+ goals but he''ll be close. Not all strikers have pace.

Davo

[morty 0]

Yes.Now move on with your life.

[Excited Canary 16]

I can see where you''re coming from, however it would be unfair not to give a shot after all he has done for us. He is not proven in the Championship, mainly due too the fact that he has had no sustained spell at any ''Championship'' club.

So, I understand your thinking, but he is DEFINITELY worth a go [Y]

[AndyCanary 0]

Yes. He won''t score 30+ but he''ll score more than anyone else.

[Yorkshire Canary 118]

Yes he can but probably will only score half the goals he does now. Still 15 or so is a good return for a target man

[First Jedi 0]

Yep... he''ll be fine. Next!

[CambridgeCanary 0]

Good grief, it is deja vu of deja vu.   How mant more times will we have this thread?

For the answer just look at the Championship.  If Steve Howard and Rob Hulse, to name just two at random who are older and less skillful than Holt, who do nothing like the creative work that he does can thrive in the Championship..................

Holt will do just fine

[Trent Canary 0]

I believe it has less to do with the ability of Grant Holt, and more to do with the supporting cast. Wayne Rooney would have struggled to score goals last season in our team, if we can get a decent team together who can put good balls into the box then I expect Holt will score around 15. Im sure his link up play will suffer somewhat from being a division higher though.Essentially any player can score goals in a team if they get the right service, thats why Jamie Cureton was top scorer in the championship one season, yet didnt do a great deal over the next two seasons for us. Its less of a case of whether Holt can cut it, but more a question of whether the triumvarate (sp?) of Holt, Martin and Hoolahan can collectively cut it.

[a1canary 0]

I agree with Cambridge. I think a lot of people are understandably seeing the Champ as a better league than it really is. It is competitive no question, and there are some fine teams in there, but there are some poor ones as well, and there are plenty of strikers like those mentioned who Holt is equal to or better.

He will do well because he is powerful. Power counts for a lot in the Champ. Who was it we were playing when he should have scored but hit the side netting after running straight through about 3 defenders? That was a great demonstration of why he''ll be ok. He is a battering ram of a player, and he has great positional sense in the box, both those attributes will serve him well.

I also think he''s probably played more and harder this season than he has done before and i do think he''s flagging a little.

[Rolf Harris 22]

errrrrrrrrmmm whats about jason scotland didn''t he cut it?

[DOGGER 0]

Yeah he will be fine in the Championship, he will have a point to prove.

He can score 15 goals next season!!

[Shaun Tilly Lace 0]

Yes. I shall be disappointed if he doesn''t score more than 16 goals next season.

[woody11 0]

if you give him chances he will score in any league.

[city-till-i-die 7]

Yes!!! simples

[percy varco 117]

No. any player who continually gets booked and hence banned and therefore depriving his manager options is a liability. The ability of opponents in the Championship to wind him up will be his downfall.

[urdie_Canary 32]

exactly.

[singing canary 0]

he will score 15-20 goals in the championship ,him and martin are natural finishers.

we will do well with both of them up front in the championship

[blahblahblah 2]

People seem to be worrying too much about one player.  As this list of the top 6 championship teams and their top scorers of league goals shows, to succeed in the championship (or in most leagues) you need goals to come from all positions :Newcastle 83 (Carroll 15, Nolan 15, Lovenkrands 12, Ameobi 9, 4 players on 4 or 5 goals)West Brom 85 (Dorrans 12, Brunt 13, Bednar 10, Cox 8, Thomas 7, Koren 5, 3 players on 4)Forest  59 (Earnshaw 14, Blackstock 12, 9 players on 3 goals)Cardiff 49 (Whittingham 19, Chopra 16, Bothroyd 9, Burke 9, McCormack 4, 7 players on 1 or 2 goals each)Leicester 54 (Fryatt 11, Waghorn 11, King 8, Gallagher 6, Howard 5, 4 others on 2-4 goals)Swansea 37 (Pratley 6, Trundle 5, Kuqi 4, Williams 4, 2 players on 3 goals, 3 players on 2 goals, 7 players on 1 goal)Compare this with Norwiches'' league goals scoredHolt 24, Martin 16, Hoolahan 11, Doherty 5, 3 players on 3, 5 players on 2, 6 players on 1.If Holt still gets 10 or 15 goals next season, provided the goals keep coming from other areas of the pitch, such as the set pieces that Doherty gets on the end of, Hoolahans moments of brilliance, tap-ins and shots off players'' knees etc., we can still do well in the championship.