Howson's Inauspicious Start

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

I am struggling to think of a player who has had a more inauspicious start to his Norwich career (or any other Club for that matter) than Johnny Howson.  And I doubt that word has ever appeared on Waccoe even when a player didn''t want to be at Leeds!

 

Alright, he was at Leeds from the moment the midwife first slapped his @rse and he can''t avoid going on about them but......

 

When interviewed by LUTV he tries to continue his endearment to them while saying his ambition is to be a Premier League player.

 

In coming to Norwich he is cagey about showing too much praise for the Club who have helped thwart Leeds and who he appears to consider an inferior package. No doubt he also wants to avoid upsetting leeds fans there.

 

He is most positive about wanting to play in the Premier League ie for himself and at Norwich players might well play for their own careers and their families but there is also a bond with the supporters and Club in general and he will need to realise he should be wanting to play in the Premier League with Norwich and see that Club, the Directors and Management and his new colleagues succeed too.

 

Alright, he might be a typical Yorkshireman who says what he likes and likes what he says. He may simply be a very honest lad and one who speaks without media coaching (Bates could have taught him so much there!). But I suspect he is feeling like a fish out of water and will need help to settle - which may not be easy as he is in the treatment room with only Rudd for company.

 

This signing IMO is going to go one of two ways. He is either going to go down the homesick Scottish full back route or else he will grow into his new surroundings, have a road to Damascus moment and go on to be a big player for us. But for now a more inauspicious start I cannot recall; although I do remember plenty coming here obviously so grateful because it was more than their talent deserved they were gushing about the Club but were pants on the pitch.

 

It will be interesting to see which way things go.

[William Darby 0]

He comes across as a honest lad, not a good time charlie.  Maybe it''s just how he is.  You have to remember we didn''t hold a gun to his head and make him turn down a new contract with Leeds and make him move here against his will.He''ll be one of the lads in no time, organising fishing matches and the like in no time.

[Branston Pickle 3,654]

I think that is a bit ott - he is a guy leaving a club he supports and has been at for donkeys years, so it is fair enough there has been some focus on that. BUT it is not his fault that quite so much focus has been on it.

In many respects he is no different to plenty of other signings we have made, it is surely obvious that several wouldn''t be here if it weren''t for our PL status. I can''t really see what is particularly inauspicious about Howson.

Give the lad a chance.

[WW 0]

You do understand it was an interview for LUtv don''t you? It wasn''t an interview for NCtv. Understand?

He''ll have basically been told to big up the I love Lees thing to take some heat off Bates.

In fact the the most revelatory thing he said was that he was "surprised" at the reaction of Leeds fans towards him leaving and his subtle inference that he felt he wasn''t really appreciated here and we should''ve shown him more support. He wasn''t appreciated, because, as I''ve been telling you, aside from a handful of games and some important goals, he''s been average with a capital A for us and never really had much affection from the stands. He''s the most forgettable captain we''ve ever had.

[CDMullins 436]

Why are you still on here?

 

Come back when weve signed Snoddy!

[Branston Pickle 3,654]

Do you have lots of ''average'' players who have played nigh on 200 games by the age of 23, and been first on the team sheet when fit?

Perhaps you aren''t that good at picking a good ''un, I guess we''ll see for ourselves when he gets fit.

[YankeeCanary 0]

Rudolph, while I understand where you''re coming from, I do feel you are not being as objective as you normally are. I saw the interview and the impression I got was of a young, honest, rather inexperienced young man who is leaving "home" for the first time. Some 23 year olds have had numbers of different scenarios/bases and are somewhat more mature as a result. Once he gets in the fold and goes through an off-season and comes back fresh and ready next season I am sure he will be much more able to express himself in a manner that shows pride in the yellow shirt. 

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

By pride in the shirt, Yankee I assume you mean either wearing it or else holding it up without the coathanger in it. Perhaps they leave the hanger in at Leeds so when they are skulking after another bad result the shoulders don''t appear to drop.

[WW 0]

[quote user="Branston Pickle"]Do you have lots of ''average'' players who have played nigh on 200 games by the age of 23, and been first on the team sheet when fit?

[/quote]

He''s a solid professional, consistent, good trainer and is very clean cut.

That''s why he''s got the number of appearances he has.

If you know football you''ll have seen a few players in your time who are the apple of the manager''s eye yet you can''t understand why? Yes?

[Google Bot 3,272]

......Because maybe they understand football better than you?

There''s people who ''think'' they know football, who look no further than 20 yards where the ball is on the field and base their opinion on a player when they either have the ball, or are challenging for it.

There''s also people who claim certain footballers are just ''lucky'' when they hit form.

But, there''s also those people who know football, who understand how a player can influence an entire game without doing a great deal in the spotlight.

I''m not making any judgement on Howson till i''ve seen him play in a Norwich shirt for a great manager.

You''ve clearly got major issues with him joining us still, and i shall leave on this note:

Working purely on statistics, you''ve been weak since he got inured. Purely coincidence tho, right?

[Webbo118 0]

[quote user="Skijumptoes"]......Because maybe they understand football better than you? There''s people who ''think'' they know football, who look no further than 20 yards where the ball is on the field and base their opinion on a player when they either have the ball, or are challenging for it. There''s also people who claim certain footballers are just ''lucky'' when they hit form. But, there''s also those people who know football, who understand how a player can influence an entire game without doing a great deal in the spotlight. I''m not making any judgement on Howson till i''ve seen him play in a Norwich shirt for a great manager. You''ve clearly got major issues with him joining us still, and i shall leave on this note: Working purely on statistics, you''ve been weak since he got inured. Purely coincidence tho, right?[/quote]

His start comes when he begins kicking a ball on a pitch.

[chicken 0]

It has to be said that in recent times the general view of Leeds fans on Waccoe at least has been off the pace.

We were told Johnson wasn''t that good and bellow average. Well he clearly isnt average, at least not championship average.

They also said that Beckford was more premiership than oir Grant. Well it that doesnt look the case now does it?

[Webbo118 0]

[quote user="chicken"]It has to be said that in recent times the general view of Leeds fans on Waccoe at least has been off the pace. We were told Johnson wasn''t that good and bellow average. Well he clearly isnt average, at least not championship average. They also said that Beckford was more premiership than oir Grant. Well it that doesnt look the case now does it?[/quote]

The wine fruit in this part of Yorkshire has a particularly bitter taste

[BW 0]

I''m sure we will have wiz analyzing his body language when he starts playing don''t you worry

[Webbo118 0]

[quote user="BW"]I''m sure we will have wiz analyzing his body language when he starts playing don''t you worry[/quote]

Let''s hope he doesn''t turn out to be a "lazy lightweight". On the other hand, perhaps we should pray that he does !!

[First Wazzock 902]

[quote user="RUDOLPH HUCKER"]

But I suspect he is feeling like a fish out of water and will need help to settle - which may not be easy as he is in the treatment room with only Rudd for company.

[/quote]

With his love of fishing, I fell you may have got several on YOUR hook Rude!

[First Wazzock 902]

[quote user="First Wazzock"][quote user="RUDOLPH HUCKER"]

But I suspect he is feeling like a fish out of water and will need help to settle - which may not be easy as he is in the treatment room with only Rudd for company.

[/quote]

With his love of fishing, I feel you may have got several on YOUR hook Rude!

[/quote]

[norfolkchance1 0]

The only situation I can remember is Marc Tierney who while at Colchester said he''d never play for us in a million years. Not the same but not exactly positive overtones.

[WW 0]

[quote user="Skijumptoes"]......Because maybe they understand football better than you?

There''s people who ''think'' they know football, who look no further than 20 yards where the ball is on the field and base their opinion on a player when they either have the ball, or are challenging for it.

There''s also people who claim certain footballers are just ''lucky'' when they hit form.

But, there''s also those people who know football, who understand how a player can influence an entire game without doing a great deal in the spotlight.

I''m not making any judgement on Howson till i''ve seen him play in a Norwich shirt for a great manager.

You''ve clearly got major issues with him joining us still, and i shall leave on this note:

Working purely on statistics, you''ve been weak since he got inured. Purely coincidence tho, right?[/quote]

Purely coincidence?

Hmm, you''d have to see who we''ve had in as his replacement to make that assumption and you haven''t so let me fill you in...

Since he has been injured we''ve played left winger/left back Danny Pugh there. He wasn''t very good. Then we wheeled 35 yr old Michael Brown on to have a go. Michael Brown''s legs are 11 years older than Howson''s. Michael Brown''s legs went three years ago. Michael Brown got injured. So then we chucked in a 30yr old Finn Mika Varyenen who we got for free last season. He''s never played in England. Mika looks positively terrified at the pace of the english game and hasn''t been very good.

When those are your replacements how can you not struggle?

Howson''s Mr Average but that doesn''t mean we can''t do worse than him. And we have. All three have been poor which is why we brought Delph back last week.

[Jacko 0]

I got a similar vibe from the quotes and interviews I have heard, that he is moving on very reluctantly. But ultimately he does want to be here otherwise he would have tried to have sorted something out with Leeds or he could have left on a free transfer in the summer, with a very decent hike in wages to another club. I must say though its a signing I am very excited about and if he buys into what the club is about, I reckon we will have a fine player on our hands.

In reply to WW I would say that one of Paul Lambert''s strengths is that he focuses on what people are good at rather than looking at the negatives. He has got the best out of Wes Hoolahan by playing to his strengths and utilizing a system which masks his weakness.

I haven''t seen huge amounts of Howson live but I think it is agreed if you play him as an attack minded midfielder, who breaks into the box then he is capable of getting goals and producing some excellent performances like he did last season. I think that is the kind of player we are looking for. We have already got enforcers such as Crofts and Johnson, as well as playmaker who makes us tick like Fox. So he will gives us more variety.

We don''t believe he has to have a Zinedine Zidane style ability to control the midfield as a pre requisite, which its seems any central midfielder must have if they are playing for Leeds.

[unique 435]

That post, Jacko, is spot on.

[judderman 0]

[quote user="WW"]You do understand it was an interview for LUtv don''t you? It wasn''t an interview for NCtv. Understand? [/quote]This.Hits the nail on the head - he''s not going to appear contemptuous of Leeds if they ask him to do an interview is he? That would be unprofessional.

[MyGodWeArePoorToWatch 0]

The difference we as a club make under Paul lambert is a simple one.

We don''t buy premiership players !!

We make them into premiership players !!

[Shack Attack 0]

[quote user="Webbo118"]

Let''s hope he doesn''t turn out to be a "lazy lightweight". On the other hand, perhaps we should pray that he does !!

[/quote]Only if he''s as lazy s Morison and lightweight as Surman!Seriously though he''s a 23 year old leaving a club he''s been at since he was a kid. It''s tough and it would be surprising if it wasn''t a very difficult decision for him. I''ll start to judge him at the end of the season when he''s played a few games rather than after a couple of interviews.

[Pudd 1]

Personally, I find it refreshing that a player is talking without ask of the usual cliches and is showing genuinely loyalty and affection for his old club.

[Norfolk Mustard 94]

Howson is between a rock and a hard place at the moment; obvious gratitude fowards his home club - yet not fit enough to make an immediate impression here to allow his football do the talking. 

Providing he isn''t a Stephen Smith type of homesickness sufferer he should easily ''buy into'' the ethos here and flourish. Either way, working with Paul Lambert is the closest he''ll have been so far to a true champion of Europe!

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

I''m just trying to create discussion, Wazzy. As I said, this will go one of two ways - Paul Dalglish type or Grant Holt type. I am encouraged to read Jonny likes the countryside - we''ve got a lot of that with plenty of rivers and lakes.

[Bury Yellow 2]

WW - I must have missed your tenure as England manager

[William Darby 0]

He''ll be in Latham''s this afternoon sorting his tackle out, ready to track down a mighty Thurne pike.

[Norfolk Mustard 94]

Howson might do well to buddy up with Darren Eadie - he''s passionate about fishing & shooting. Maybe I''ll suggest it when I see our local legend tomorrow morning!...