Good Signing!

[Billabong 0]

I can see there is a stand out thread on Steven Whittaker but it''s all a tad too negative for me to even contemplate adding a comment.

Message board police, do your thing and jump all over me!

For me, this is a sound signing, he comes in for free, will be an excellent squad player [if not more] has more caps than probably any other Norwich player at the moment and is no big time Charlie, in fact he will be hungry to prove himself.

Excellent signing! And if it doesn''t work out, with Prem experience, we sell him back across the border for 1 -2 million - it''s a win, win situation!

Lets look at the bigger picture [deep breath, deep breath] and relax - Jeeez!

[Jacko 0]

I haven''t seen the lad play but I don''t want him to come in as a utility player. Having someone to cover various positions is a bonus but I think you can only really develop as a player once you have a fixed position which you can learn and grow into. If he shunted around between central midfield, the wing, fullback and centre half I don''t see how you really learn to master any of those positions.

[Yellow Green Army 248]

Totally agree. I cannot believe the negativity surrounding this signing. Give the guy a chance, he looks like a shrewd signing to me. Has played at a high level, gained lots of experience and can play in numerous positions. Well done to Hughton aswell. Not been in the job long and has used his man management skills to secure the signature of Whittaker. I am sure we were not the only club after him.

[Indy_Bones 444]

Frankly I''m pleased with the signing, and disgusted with the negativity around it from some areas.He''s not a marquee player, but he will offer strong competition at the back whilst seriously challenging for the permanent RB role.Not every signing can be a world beater, and we need solid experienced players to bolster what we already have, and his Euro and International experience could be a strong asset.If 5 other managers and now Hughton thought he was good enough to warrant a first team place consistently - that''s good enough for me.

[Waveney Canary 0]

Go onto the Rangers forums as see what they think of his defending!

[Billabong 0]

I think every player has a preferred position, I''m guessing SW''s is at RB but if he can play across the back 4 it has to be a bonus doesn''t it?

How can an internationally capped player, who can also do utility be a negative signing?

Oh! And he is free! - It''s a win/win situation folks, lets get a grip!

[fried_chicken 0]

I''m happy with the signing. It gives our defense some much needed experience. He''s strong with both feet so is therefore very useful at right back or left back, he''s also 6ft1 so shouldn''t be out of place at centerback should we need cover there.

The only thing that worries me slightly is that I''ve heard that he''s not the quickest, this could be a problem against fast prem wingers. But Drury wasn''t exactly Usain Bolt and he had no problems.

[York Canary 29]

Just smashed out some youtube videos of him to at least get an idea of what he can do. At least 2 great goals on his left - 1 is an absolute BEAUTY

Seems very comfortable going forward and quite strong too. Can use both feet well.

Interestingly he also takes penalties.

My main concern is the defence side, which has been flagged up by some Rangers fans. Hopefully under Hughton he''ll be able to flourish defensively, as well as going forward.

Certainly seems a shrewd/good addition and I''d love for us to be in for his mate Naismith too;-)

[Yellowbeagle 0]

[quote user="ting tong"]Go onto the Rangers forums as see what they think of his defending![/quote]

That will tell you nothing at all, Rangers are a pressure cooker at the momment anyway, but if you took a look at Peterborough forum when we signed R.Martin or Leeds forum when we signed B.Johnson and Howson you''d think all three were only good enough for League 1/bottom championship. I''ll judge when i see him play.

[York Canary 29]

[quote user="Yellowbeagle"]

[quote user="ting tong"]Go onto the Rangers forums as see what they think of his defending![/quote]

That will tell you nothing at all, Rangers are a pressure cooker at the momment anyway, but if you took a look at Peterborough forum when we signed R.Martin or Leeds forum when we signed B.Johnson and Howson you''d think all three were only good enough for League 1/bottom championship. I''ll judge when i see him play.

[/quote]Very well said

[Phillip J Fry 0]

[quote user="ting tong"]Go onto the Rangers forums as see what they think of his defending![/quote]

Yeah, well Leeds fans still reckon Jonny Howson is an incredibly limited midfielder, so excuse me for not trusting Rangers fans as a source of information especially when many Rangers fans fell Whittaker abandoned Rangers NewCo. 

[Phillip J Fry 0]

[quote user="Gareth"][quote user="ting tong"]Go onto the Rangers forums as see what they think of his defending![/quote]

Yeah, well Leeds fans still reckon Jonny Howson is an incredibly limited midfielder, so excuse me for not trusting Rangers fans as a source of information especially when many Rangers fans fell Whittaker abandoned Rangers NewCo. 

[/quote]

And I''ve just seen YellowBeagle''s post! Great minds think alike and all that.

[Jacko 0]

Lets be honest. The signings of Russell Martin, David Fox and Andrew Crofts were heavily criticised. They wouldn''t cut it at a higher level etc. They have all turned out to be cracking players. To quote a former Scottish manager of ours. Unless you someone the chance you never know. But like I said in the previous post he must be given a set position and allowed to settle into it. He should only be moved around if injuries really start to bite.

[Webbo118 0]

[quote user="ting tong"]Go onto the Rangers forums as see what they think of his defending![/quote]

 

The day I start taking notice of what people think on forums is the day that football no longer exists for me.

[Well I Never 0]

What are you doing here then?!

[Waveney Canary 0]

To say I am under whelmed is under statement of the year. He is no Kyle Naughton!

[Yellow Wal 315]

But he is a player who will be stronger than other players in our squad of 25. He is getting flack because he is the first signing of a new manager. People do not seem to realise that we must have had to act quickly to get him with all the mess at Rangers and I''m quite sure we would not be the only club in for him.

Whether he is good enough or not will be in his hands. If, as the Rangers fans say, he is not up to it .......... then he will not play, and we will be able to send him back to Scotland after boosting our coffers with a nice fee. He cost Rangers £2M five years ago, should now be at his prime and he was FREE.

I cannot understand what all the fuss is about!

[Shankslad 0]

[quote user="ting tong"]To say I am under whelmed is under statement of the year. He is no Kyle Naughton![/quote]

 

And Kyle Naughton is no Ashley Cole. 

 

And Ashley Cole is no.....................

 

If Norwich want to spend 5-7 million they can get a Naughton.   But taking advantage of the opportunity to get Whittaker on a free is pretty good thinking.    Shows Norwich management aren''t slacking, lounging about, settling in or bogged down in contracts, they are acting pretty sharp!   Never mind what Rangers fans think, he has a good CV.    Give the lad a chance and keep an open mind.   Norwich once bought a player from Shrewsbury who many said wasn''t much good outside league 1 and would struggle in the Championship etc.   So pre-conceived opinions can be totally proved wrong in the fullness of time.     Rangers paid 2 million for him and Norwich have got him for nowt - nothing ventured, nothing gained and if it doesn''t work out sell him on at a profit.   I can''t find anything negative about this deal.

[lake district canary 0]

Coffee - up - and - wake-  the - smell !  

 

 

We are not in the era of "GrantRoeder eek whats happening to our club".       

 

 

Support your club and players.  Thats what they need.     Being negative for the sake of being negative does no one any good.    

 

 

 

Underwhelmed?  Theres lots of you.......................

 

 

Get Whelmed!! 

 

 

[:P]

 

 

[smooth 114]

It is a good signing and other good signings will be coming our way.We are linked with a few players and have a manager who is now coming in to meet the players after a break who will get them up to shape and will bring in the players he sees fit to take us forward.Staying in this division is going to mean and need that we have a squad capable of holding it together. Our first 16 now need 4-5 new starters to make that a great 20 players with a copule of young boys in that squad, Steer, Adeyemi, Korey, Francombe to make the 25. Whether they go on loan is another thing.we have added a player who will bring much to the squad and now we look forward to the other key positions. We have plenty of them and I am sure we will look at some tidy exciting players to come in. This is a much stonger division than it was last season and our signings will reflect where the bookies will put us in regard to staying up. We will be one of the favourites to be battling of relegation, so Hughton and our squad know what they need to do, whether that is train hard and develop as some will or see new faces come in who add genuine quality to this team.Whittaker is a player who adds to our 16 first team squad and we will have injuries and suspensions so he will do a job. Yes not a major signing but we can make these signings now.

[The ambassador 0]

For all those saying that you should go to the rangers forums and look at there negative comments, didn''t the leeds fans say the same on there forums about Johnson and Howson? One of them even came here if I remember correctly.

[Indy_Bones 444]

I couldn''t care less what the Rangers fans are saying, I''m instead willing to accept the opinion of no less than 5 different club managers (6 if you include Hughton), along with 2 International managers, who all thought/think that Whittaker WAS/IS good enough and has therefore been regularly selected by all of them.Either he''s managed to pull the wool over the eyes of a string on managers (including some very well known and respected managers), or he''s actually a fairly decent player who can improve our overall squad, and I know which way I''d vote...

[Jimmy Bone - Superstar 2]

Surely Colin Calderwood must know Whittaker from his days in the SPL and possibly even worked with him.

This is probably the influence on this signing and hopefully a well thought out and constructive one.

[Webbo118 0]

[quote user="kiwigreenandgold"]What are you doing here then?![/quote]

 

Amusement factor - cheaper than paying to see stand-up comedy. I assume from your comment that you come on hear to keep up to date with all the "facts" about what''s happening.

[Salopian 1]

The vidoes of him on YouTube suggest that we have signed a useful player - two footed, accurate passer, good tackler, mobile midfielder. Above all he takes good penalties, with Jelavic and Lafferty looking on! These are highlights only, of course, and we don''t know of any weaknesses. He has played about 400 games for Hibs and Rangers in 10 years, so he doesn''t seem injury prone. He has played in Europe, and acquitted himself well. He is tall, so he ought to be good in the air.

 

Disgruntled Rnagers have suggested that he is slow. Unless he was playing against geriatrics in the videos, he looks very mobile, and a good dribbler.

 

I shall look forward to seeing him play, in the belief that we have signed a good player.

[RvWs 4 year contract 0]

The guy has played Champions League football and has won a string of trophies (albeit in a tin pot league) so I dont understand how people can just turn their noses up at him?SW has also been keeping our very own Russell Martin out of the Scotland right back position...