can u sit down please 0 Posted May 22, 2010 So the first signing is through the door. Welcome Mr Crofts. I hope you enjoy your stay and don''t read message boards!So a few of our "know all" fans have never heard of you! I bet you must be gutted and in no way, are you determined to prove them wrong. You dint strike me as that type of player. Roll back 12 months and we were on our knees. Mooney,Leijer,Otsemobor, Gow et al were all accused of not having the determination to keep this club in the Championship. I have been looking at various Brighton sites and the same words keep popping up. "determination" "leader" "grafter" and "commited". Oh how we would have loved that last year. We now have somebody upon Reading those descriptions who strikes me as a Gary Holt type player. Something that has been missing from this years set up. Someone who will run all day, get in peoples faces, basically die for the cause. Add to boot 7 goals in a struggling team and I''m looking toward to seeing him play. This is a position that Lambert knows extremely well (as I keep posting) so im taking his judgement over yours!So now that we have this type of player, along with the creativity of Hoolahan, the steadiness of Lappin, simplicity of Russell and enthusiasm of master Smith.....what in your eyes would make a well balanced midfield? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
O.T.B.C 0 Posted May 22, 2010 Well said CUSP, people are too fast to slate the new players and I pray that he doesn''t read this board.Rusty is not a hustle and bustle player, he is more composed with the ball, but we need someone to get in their face, look how well Abdou has done for Millwal? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
can u sit down please 0 Posted May 22, 2010 [quote user="Canaries in Bed"]look how well Abdou has done for Millwal?[/quote]Great point. Many people want him on here.....Im happy with Crofts though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canary_on_the Trent 0 Posted May 22, 2010 [quote user="Canaries in Bed"]Well said CUSP, people are too fast to slate the new players and I pray that he doesn''t read this board.Rusty is not a hustle and bustle player, he is more composed with the ball, but we need someone to get in their face, look how well Abdou has done for Millwal?[/quote]I''d say he''s the complete opposite, he breaks up the play and is then very limited in what he does on the ball.Seems to me Lambert wants a "solid" base in the midfield thus allowing Hoolahan to express himself. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
O.T.B.C 0 Posted May 22, 2010 Abdou or Crofts Trent? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grantroederdisaster 0 Posted May 22, 2010 For me messrs David Mooney and Alan Gow (and Lee Croft for that matter) epitomise what was wrong with our team during the relegation season. Thats cause while they looked good they rarely produced any decent end product! Thats a big reason why I''m disapointed about the Docs release cause he did produce the goods! Lets hope that Crofts fits into the determined, winner, wants it, end product category! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacko 0 Posted May 22, 2010 Don''t know really depends what Crofts brings to the table. I am assuming from the youtube footage of those screamers that he is right footed (if he isn''t then we have one hell of a player!). Is he a holding midfielder happy to sit at the base of the diamond or would he more like Smith, playing on the right hand side with great tenacity. What I found interesting was that Crofts said he will be trying to arrive late into the box and get more goals. If he could potentially be the box to box midfielder we''ve missed since Francis that would be brilliant. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
singing canary 0 Posted May 22, 2010 i have read a few reports in the Brighton papers.they think allot of him .typical people giving the poor bloke a hard time before he puts his boots on .good luck crofty ,im sure you will soon silence the critics ,maybe people should do a bit of homework on him before passing judgement. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
O.T.B.C 0 Posted May 22, 2010 One local paper said he cost us 300k Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canary_on_the Trent 0 Posted May 22, 2010 [quote user="Canaries in Bed"]Abdou or Crofts Trent?[/quote]Rusty [:D] It''s why he''s looked a better player this season, he''s being used to his strengths, breaking up play in front of the defence and then playing a simple ball sideways. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
can u sit down please 0 Posted May 22, 2010 [quote user="Canary_on_the Trent"][quote user="Canaries in Bed"]Abdou or Crofts Trent?[/quote]Rusty [:D] It''s why he''s looked a better player this season, he''s being used to his strengths, breaking up play in front of the defence and then playing a simple ball sideways.[/quote][Y] Spot on Trent. A role, that in the past has seen players get shot down for! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Its only my opinion 0 Posted May 22, 2010 I''m very confident in this player, he play''s alot like clingon, he get''s about the pitch alot more than russell does and is a good tackler..He''s not the type of player that arrives in the box late an scores tap in''s,but as you can see in the you tube video''s can deffinatly put his foot through the ball. One worry i have is he likes passing sideways.but that could be down to the movement of the players around him and how they are set out. at carrow road he was loooking for the nearest player as they played kinda defensive the nearest player was always behind or beside him. with Hoolahan drifting about the pitch and korey sprinting forward beside him i''m sure he has it in him to drive the midfield forward! i''m excited to see him play next year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
InLambertWeTrust! 0 Posted May 22, 2010 http://www.seagulls.co.uk/page/Latest/0,,10433~2057387,00.htmlCrofty: I Just Couldn’t Turn it Down Posted on: Fri 21 May 2010By Tim DuddingAndrew Crofts tonight told seagulls.co.uk that the chance to play Championship football for Norwich City was just too good to miss.The former Albion skipper, who pulled out of the Wales squad to face Croatia to complete his move to Carrow Road this afternoon, admitted it was a big decision to make, but one that he just couldn''t pass up.He said, "I had a great year with the Albion and loved every minute of it. I had really settled in, but when a club like Norwich are interested in you and can offer you the stadium, the facilities and the fact they''re in the Championship, it was just too good to miss."When you get a chance like this in your career, you have to take it. Hopefully it will be good for me on the international front as well with Wales."I didn''t have any idea Norwich were interested until after the season had finished, and the gaffer (Gus Poyet) rang me from Argentina to tell me they had been in contact."Gus, Tano and Charlie have been fantastic in the way they have handled things, and I am so grateful they haven''t stood in my way and that they know what an opportunity this is for me."All the lads at the club were brilliant last season, and Albion''s result will be the first I look for on a Saturday evening."The team is definitely moving in the right direction with Gus, the chairman and the rest of the management team, and I desperately hope they can get promoted next season in time for the new stadium."Crofts was voted Player of the Season by Albion supporters, and the 25-year-old says he will cherish his excellent relationship with the Brighton faithful."The fans were brilliant all season," he said."I want to say a massive thank you to them for all their support over the year, and I hope they can understand why I had to pursue this move. It is a fantastic opportunity for me and my family."Crofts will now start to make arrangements to move up to Norfolk in time for pre-season, and he revealed he will be turning to old pal and Canaries full-back Russell Martin to help him settle in."I know Russ from when I was on loan at Peterborough, so it will be great to link up with him again."I''m also looking forward to working with Paul Lambert, who I met last night. He''s very passionate and you can tell he''s a winner, so hopefully there will be more success ahead." I''m willing to give him a a chance. Welcome to Norwich, Crofty [;)] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Howson is now! 0 Posted May 22, 2010 So what we could be looking at as a balanced midfield nest season is if we go diamond... HoolahanLappin Smith CroftsOr perhaps...Lappin Crofts Hughes SmithIf Crofts really is going to be the box to box that we haven''t seen the likes of since Francis then he could be a very very good signing. Can''t wait to see him play. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dhickl 0 Posted May 22, 2010 [quote user="Canaries in Bed"]One local paper said he cost us 300k[/quote]The article I saw said rising to up to £300k, so I gues it will depend on appearances, promotion, etc. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill 1,788 Posted May 22, 2010 "One local paper said he cost us 300k "If he was on £6k a week with a year on his contract that might work out. There''s also any agent''s fee and his possible signing on fee. usually players have sometime type of bonus, apperance, selling on fees.The advice is not to take a bit of notice of any supposed transfer fee. They reflect nothing other than a combionation pof specualtion and what both clubs wish to be know.Remember Strikiva''s (?) supposed £750,000 fee when it turns out that was simply three years at £5k a week - or the paupers over exiting themselves about Plug joining Arsenal for £6m when it turns out that the total amount they received was £2m. And that figure was only achieved when the right person was ''looked after'' and Plug turned out for England ... once.Remarkable (or not) how many players manage to get one cap ...... and coincidentally how many contracts have fees and wages subject to a player being an ''international''So take it all with a pinch of salt is my thoughts Share this post Link to post Share on other sites