Ten players I hope Norwich don't sign this summer

[Jarroldstander 0]

Everyone''s going on about who they want Norwich to sign this summer, well I''ve come up with a list of ten players I hope we don''t touch with a barge pole. There''s no suggestion these are likely Paul Lambert buys, they''re just players we may take judging by the sort of players newly promoted clubs of our stature may take a risk on and based on who we signed in 2004/2005. Any others we don''t want to sign?

 

Ten: Matthew Upson, 32, West Ham.

I’ve never really seen the big deal with Upson but he qualifies as he’s Norfolk-born, probably going down with West Ham and has been the subject of rumours from the Premier League big boys for a while.

A year ago Upson was the joint England top scorer at the World Cup and rumoured to be wanted by Roy Hodgson at Liverpool. After an injury-hit year he’s done little to enhance his reputation from last year and with the Hammers facing relegation, it’s likely he’ll be sold by those lovely characters on the Hammers board.

Why would it be wrong to go for Upson? There are cheaper defenders to be unearthed elsewhere. Signing Leon Barnett would mean far more to us City fans rather than a weary, injury-hit pro who has seen better days. Signing someone like Upson would feel a little bit like signing Thomas Helveg again.

 

Nine: Craig Mackail-Smith, 27, Peterborough.

City dodged a massive bullet by not picking him up in March in order to propel us into the Premier League. Simeon Jackson did the job for us and saved the club £3m. While he’s knocked goals in for fun in League One last season, a move for someone with only one season of Championship experience isn’t advisable. If we want a regular lower league goalscorer from last term with limited Championship pedigree then let’s just play Cody McDonald and save the cash for someone else.

Ask any City fan who they’d rather see coming on at Old Trafford or Anfield and I think everyone would say Cody any day.

 

Eight: Emmerson Boyce, 31, Wigan.

I remember clearly the complete lack of joy I felt at our signings in the summer of 2004, with Simon Charlton’s arrival from Bolton the ultimate lowlight. I’m sure there’s going to be a player who arrives this summer that will leave us City fans wondering quite why they were signed and for me, the likes of Emerson Boyce at Wigan typify that sort of player.

There’s always a Damien Francis/Hermann Hreidarsson who is happy to flee relegated teams in order to stay in the Premier League and a season at Norwich is now a desirable shop window for any professional to sit in for a year.

Signing a Premier League regular like Boyce or Titus Bramble/Danny Gabbidon/Jody Craddock would do nothing for the morale of the club. I’m sure Paul Lambert wouldn’t go down this route but we’ve been down this road before – remember Steve Walsh!

 

Seven: David Bentley, 26, Tottenham.

One of my overriding memories of the 2004/05 campaign was sitting in the Craven Cottage sunshine in the final minutes of our last Premier League season and watching Bentley and Damien Francis smirk at Norwich’s desperate situation.

Norwich were 6-0 down at Fulham and while Adam Drury was almost in tears, Francis and Bentley seemed to be slightly embarrassed yet not too bothered at City’s demise. Both knew they wouldn’t have to slog in out in the Championship the following season.

Since then, Bentley’s career has stuttered and stalled, briefly promising to burst into life at Blackburn but he failed at Tottenham and hasn’t done anything special on loan at Birmingham.

I hope beyond all else that we don’t sign someone like Bentley. I don’t expect him to be high on Paul Lambert’s shopping list, but he stands for exactly what we don’t need: a hunger less washed-up pro who thinks his status in the game is far bigger than it is. A bit like Mark Fotheringham really. Norwich isn’t about players like that, especially in the Premier League.

 

Six: James Beattie, 33, Rangers.

The one player I’m sure Grant Holt will be compared to next season by all those Premier League experts who don’t really know much about Norwich City or Grant Holt is James Beattie. Similar build, similar style, just one is on the up and the other is on the way down career wise.

Beattie’s officially a Rangers player on loan at Blackpool where he’s been since the final day of the January transfer window and hasn’t scored yet. He hasn’t actually scored a competitive goal since October 2009 when he was at Stoke and he’ll be 34 during next season.

I accept we’ll probably need strikers as back up for Simeon Jackson and Holt but James Beattie?

No thanks.

 

The rest of the list are on my blog so click to have a look and leave comments below.

http://tinyurl.com/6bcjwd9

 

[87canary 0]

Pretty much agree with all of those.

Can''t see us going back in for Mackail-Smith now. He''s good, but not sure if he''s good enough for us next season

[paul moy 235]

[quote user="87canary"]Pretty much agree with all of those. Can''t see us going back in for Mackail-Smith now. He''s good, but not sure if he''s good enough for us next season[/quote]

Agreed, and as the OP said, we''d might as well save 3m and give Cody an opportunity.

[grantroederdisaster 0]

Speaking to a friend of mine down Diss way a few years back and she reckoned that Matthew Upson would take the pi ss out of Norwich as if he was way above us. After tomorrow I suspect he probably won''t be and will see a move to Norwich near his old Diss stamping ground as being a good thing especially at his age and on the way down. I respect the guy for having the career hes had with, having done sowith a low ability level but he would not improve us one jot. Big NO!

Mackail Smith was on Lamberts shopping list this season and he fits the Lambert ideology of hungry, grateful to play for a big club like Norwich with much to prove at a higher level. I''d say its quite likely Lambert wil be back in for him and we could sign him as long as Fry stays sensible with the price!

At £2M or lower hes worth a go in my opinon!

Emmerson Boyce - Over rated just caused hes hung in at lower table Premiership teams, career on the slide, probably looking for one last big pay day, unlikely to do much - It would be Sibierski all over again and I don''t that sort of player is what Lambert wants!

Look at how poor Kanu was the other week against us!

David Bentley - Over rated just cause he started at Arsenal, over inflated opinion of himself, thought he was above Norwich, been found out at a few clubs now including poor Prem team Birmingham who don''t even play him now and didn''t do bugger all for most of our last Premiership season. Exatly yhr opposite sort of player that Lambert has built our success on!

[grantroederdisaster 0]

Oh and forgot about James Beattie which says it al about his potential on a football pitch next season!

Probably wouldn''t do much in the Championship now and made his money so wouldn''t want it bad enough!

NO!

Lambert has signed some players who no one would of thought about signing and look how they have turned out - R Martin, Crofts, Tierney, Fox. Even messrs Peccehco and Lansbury no one would have envisaged so I''m sure Lambert will do the same again!

[GJP 79]

If it was just on football and we overlooked the money, assumed they all had their attitude problems in check and had no major injury problems...

 

I would be chuffed if we had Green, Boyce, Bentley, SWP and Bellamy in our squad next season.

 

If, for example, we were to sign David Bentley I would be very happy. He''s a quality player and I''d feel confident Lambert knew what he was taking on and that Bentley was going to give it his best. The prospect of an on-form David Bentley knocking the ball into the box for Grant Holt is very appealing.

 

[In Dubious Battle 0]

Agree with all those, with the partial exception of Makail-Smith, who I would not be gutted if we signed, but yeah I understand where your coming from RE: Cody

[Barossa 0]

[quote user="In Dubious Battle "]Agree with all those, with the partial exception of Makail-Smith, who I would not be gutted if we signed, but yeah I understand where your coming from RE: Cody [/quote]I was listening to the Football League podcast and Matt Lawerence was amazed Peterborough rejected our bid. He said League One was Craig''s standard and that he was no better than Cody. I trust lambert but I really hope we get some Premership experience in our signings.

[Bovril 264]

''No to CMS because he has no experience''

I think this season above all has proved that whilst helpful it is not always necessary to have experience in the given league. The player certaintly must have enough natural ability to be able to survive in the given league but with the right coaching and determination/work rate the player can make it.

Park Ji Sung at Manchester United is a prime example. Not a player you would suggest as a regular to start in one of the top 2 sides in the world but the game against Chelsea proves why he starts all of United''s big matches. Unbelievable work rate from minute one added with enough technical ability to stay in the game.

[Noseybonk 0]

Good article and good call with Matt Gilks.

It seems unbelievable now that he never got a start for us.

[SWP = Poor Mans Ruel Fox!! 0]

 

"SWP was linked with a move to City in the transfer window which was probably false but certainly made the Ruel Fox Hall of Fame banner at Carrow Road start to shake uncontrollably with rage"

 

As I am sure you can guess with mu username this summed up my feelings perfectly, would just be an expensive version of MacNamee!

[George Smiley 3]

Great Post!....,To be Fair  Worthy was a bit star struck by the Prem the last time we got promoted and of course he signed the 2 Viking  internationals Helveg and Jonson ,signing a player based on  a previous World Cup /Euro championship  showing (if history has taught us anything )will always cloud your judgment.We want players who would be happy to sign for us even  if we were still in the Championship.

[Norfolk Mustard 106]

Good read - thank you OP.

It will be very interesting to see whether PL stays true to his mantra of selecting hungry players and giving them a chance. We''ll probably need to draft in a few experienced Premiership players - but what sort? Bringing in a Bellamy or Bentley type with their swaggering ''look-at-me'' attitudes wouldn''t seem to suit the spirit of the current squad who are very much a team. Mastering volatile/maverick people can be mentally draining - and I cannot see PL and his management team wasting their valuable energy on individuals like that, however well they can play the game.

PL has already mentioned he needs players that can ''go all season'' - so hopefully that''s going to remove any players with a previous history of breaking down with injuries. As good as Zak Whitbread has been, we cannot afford too many more on the treatment table for as long as he was!

References to Ewan Chester seem to have been almost non-existent over the past few months - hopefully that''s a good sign! By now, his dossier should be pretty decent and PL is probably already working his way through it...

PS: I doubt any of the 10 players the OP referred to are on Ewan''s list.

 

[Reykjavik Canary 0]

[quote user="Jarroldstander"]

 

There’s always a Damien Francis/Hermann Hreidarsson who is happy to flee relegated teams in order to stay in the Premier League and a season at Norwich is now a desirable shop window for any professional

Seven: David Bentley, 26, Tottenham.

A bit like Mark Fotheringham really. Norwich isn’t about players like that, especially in the Premier League.

 

SWP – go to West Ham, that’s the sort of over-hyped under-achieving club

that would suit you. And besides we’ve got Anthony McNamee anyway.I think a possible move for Matt Gilks wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.[/quote]1) Players who are happy to flee relegated teams are those who want to play at the top=the good players. And has Hemmi fleed Pompey? NOPE2) David Bentley was one of our best players in the Prem. When he, Helveg, Jonsson, Svensson and co. started playing we started to get results. Remember we were bottom until they started playing. Our championship winning squad back then wasn''t good enough and our championship squad isn''t good enough. And how can you compare him and Mark FOTHERINGHAM???3) Shaun Wright Phillips>>>>>>>>>Anthony McNamee. Why should he join WHU in championship?4) Again. Robert Green>>>>>>>>Matt Gilks. Gilks was our 2nd keeper when MARSHALL was here!!!

[Reykjavik Canary 0]

[quote user="renegadecanary"]Great Post!....,To be Fair  Worthy was a bit star struck by the Prem the last time we got promoted and of course he signed the 2 Viking  internationals Helveg and Jonson ,signing a player based on  a previous World Cup /Euro championship  showing (if history has taught us anything )will always cloud your judgment.We want players who would be happy to sign for us even  if we were still in the Championship.[/quote]PLayers who are happy to play for us in the championship=players who aren''t wanted by other PREM clubs.

[Beetley Yellow 57]

[quote user="Jarroldstander"]

There’s always a Damien Francis/Hermann Hreidarsson who is happy to flee relegated teams in order to stay in the Premier League and a season at Norwich is now a desirable shop window for any professional to sit in for a year.[/quote]

Great post and blog [:)]- it''s intruiging which direction we will go in regarding new players- who''d be in Lambert and McNally''s shoes in the next few months? The most salient point in your post is the sentence above- it is vital that we avoid anyone looking for a freeloading season on big money with no commitment towards the team. Happily (... and hopefully) Lambert doesn''t appear interested in ''showcase'' signings and seems to be able to quickly identify if a player is ''deadwood''. But then of course there is the apparent need to bring in PL experienced players, or is there? Will we get by relying on the ''hungry and committed'' model that has served us so well for 2 seasons?          

[SWP = Poor Mans Ruel Fox!! 0]

[quote user="NauruDude"][quote user="Jarroldstander"]

 

There’s always a Damien Francis/Hermann Hreidarsson who is happy to flee relegated teams in order to stay in the Premier League and a season at Norwich is now a desirable shop window for any professional

Seven: David Bentley, 26, Tottenham.

A bit like Mark Fotheringham really. Norwich isn’t about players like that, especially in the Premier League.

 

SWP – go to West Ham, that’s the sort of over-hyped under-achieving club that would suit you. And besides we’ve got Anthony McNamee anyway.

I think a possible move for Matt Gilks wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
[/quote]


3) Shaun Wright Phillips>>>>>>>>>Anthony McNamee. Why should he join WHU in championship?

[/quote]

 

Maybe quite a few years ago when he started at Man City, but have you seen him play recently?

[Lambo 0]

I actually think Bentley would be a good signing under Paul Lambert, On his day he''s absoloutely class and I have faith in Lambert''s ability to get the best out of players. If he were to get the best out of Bentley he''d be a massive asset to the side.

 

That said however I think he''ll be joining Fulham this summer.

[calriv 0]

I''m not sure. I still think that if Lambert wanted them in January, he''ll try and sign them this Summer. Never know, with all the money we''ve gained from promotion and the Premiership status, we might just get a young and promising talent.

I trust Lambert''s judgement though. He knows who to sign and our scouts are doing a good job. To be honest, I hadn''t heard of Barnett and only a little of Surman and Jackson, but they are first team regulars now (when not injured). I also didn''t really pay attention to players in League One last year, so there goes my hopes as a manager since Lambert obviously did.

[Howson is now! 0]

[quote user="Lambo"]

I actually think Bentley would be a good signing under Paul Lambert, On his day he''s absoloutely class and I have faith in Lambert''s ability to get the best out of players. If he were to get the best out of Bentley he''d be a massive asset to the side.

 

That said however I think he''ll be joining Fulham this summer.

[/quote]I also think that his last few years of "failings" have changed his attitude. I remember seeing a few interviews with him at Tottenham and he finally seemed grateful to be playing football when he was given the opportunity rather than the tw@t he used to be thinking he was the big I am.

[paul moy 235]

[quote user="Lambo"]

I actually think Bentley would be a good signing under Paul Lambert, On his day he''s absoloutely class and I have faith in Lambert''s ability to get the best out of players. If he were to get the best out of Bentley he''d be a massive asset to the side.

 

That said however I think he''ll be joining Fulham this summer.

[/quote]

I like him but he''s got too many issues....drinking, driving and ego problems... England U21s was below his level apparently. Not a good idea to bring that into our squad IMO.

[claud 0]

Upson''s a free agent now. Wonder whether he''s hoping his phone rings with an 01603 number?

[a1canary 0]

I''d go a step further and say that to be honest there are very very few premier league players i want. If you think of the Lambert signing philosophy - young, hungry and desperate to prove themselves, why would anyone in the premier league be hungry when they''re on a million quid salaries? Ok, some of the players in the newer teams may fit the bill, but most probably reckon they''ve made it already and just don''t have that fire to prove themselves.

I''d much rather shop among the best and most promising players OUTSIDE the prem. Long, Lallana, Kebe, Cohen plus some of the prem youngsters waiting for a chance to impress like Vokes and Pacheco.

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 2,424]

I think it is very difficult (foolish) to make judgements about the character of people you have never met. We all hear things in the media about certain players and we all make decisions about them despite not knowing anything beyond that which is presented to us. I''ve had the pleasure/displeasure to met some footballers from all levels of the game, very rarely have they been what I was expecting.Didn''t Huckerby have a reputation for being the "wrong" type of player?

[HazzaJet 267]

I personally agree with all those players you have down there JS, and here are my reasons:1) Age - a lot of those players are in their 30s. Goalkeepers are better older but Green has been great for West Ham this season hasn''t he - they''ve got relegated and have the 3rd most goals conceded (I have the same views about Upson as well).2) Skill/Experience - I haven''t heard anything about SWP for absolutely ages. CMS would have probably been a good signing this season but I seriously doubt he would be next and we''ve managed automatic promotion without his support anyway.I reckon we can make some good signings from Championship sides - Shane Long from Reading if they don''t win the playoffs or possibly Danny Graham from Watford. I believe Bellamy also wants to stay at Cardiff anyway.

[zemas tendon 0]

1.A.L.Barrett

2.C.Edwards

3.D.Delaney

4.D.Norris

5.D.O''Dea

6.T.Priskin

7.J.Scotland

8.G.Leadsh***er

9.K.Dyer

10.J.Bullard

[Gingerpele 0]

Hazzajet...

Just because he has let in loads of goals, doesn''t mean he has been rubbish.

I seem to remember Blackpool losing 4-0 to Chelsea, but Gilks getting loads of praise because they had about 10 more shots on target. (this isn''t saying Green has or hasn''t been good, but just because he''s let in goals, doesn''t automatically mean he hasn''t been alright....)

[paul moy 235]

[quote user="Gingerpele"]Hazzajet... Just because he has let in loads of goals, doesn''t mean he has been rubbish. I seem to remember Blackpool losing 4-0 to Chelsea, but Gilks getting loads of praise because they had about 10 more shots on target. (this isn''t saying Green has or hasn''t been good, but just because he''s let in goals, doesn''t automatically mean he hasn''t been alright....)[/quote]

Green has made the most mistakes of any goalie in the Prem this season according to the stats....  mentioned on Talksport. They also said that they would doubt that any Prem side would want to sign him. I do hope we leave well alone.

[Jarroldstander 0]

I think you''re right there Hazzajet, we''re better off taking the cream of the Championship/League One with us into the top flight.

Most of the players on my original list are in their early 30s but we''ve seen so many sides the same size as Norwich getting promoted and then bulking out their squad with out of contract Premier League players who are often treading water at bigger clubs.

I''m sure Danny Graham would jump at the chance at a shot in the top flight with Norwich and I''d love him to come and join us especially compared to some big time Charlie.

[Indy_Bones 444]

[quote user="paul moy"]Green has made the most mistakes of any goalie in the Prem this season according to the stats....  mentioned on Talksport. They also said that they would doubt that any Prem side would want to sign him. I do hope we leave well alone. [/quote]Fair point, although you also have to look at the amount of pressure he''s been under over the course of the season, with bloody awful defending and team play in front of him.If there had been 10 chances and 5 mistakes, we''d say he has a 50% mistake ratio, but if it''s been 100 chances and 20 mistakes, then it''s only a 20% ratio, despite the second option having 4 times the amount of errors than the first. So he may well be top of the ''mistake'' tree, but to really see how representative that stat is, we need to compare the number of chances against him to the other keepers, and what % of the time a mistake is made, and purely from what I''ve seen this season, he''s been a far better keeper than those who are below him in the ''mistake'' area...