money where your mouth is Holt

[Mr Brownstone 0]

From the Horses mouth, so to speak:

 

Grant Holt banking on a good reception from Norwich City fans

Friday, July 6, 2012
10:26 AM

Grant Holt does not fear he will have to repair his relationship with Norwich City fans now that his transfer request saga is over.

More than six weeks elapsed between the day Holt announced he wanted a move from Carrow Road, and the player being granted his wish with a new three-year contract.

But the club’s three-times top scorer and player of the year winner is not expecting any hostility from the home crowd over his close season hokey-cokey.

“I would hope not. As I said, I wanted the three years and I got that – and the only thing I can say about that is the reason was to see my career out here,” said Holt.

“They can look at it whichever way they want to take it. I never really wanted to go, and I’ve signed, which showed I wanted to stay.

“There have been a lot of things documented, and it could quite easily have gone the other way and I left – which wouldn’t have helped anyone to be honest.”

Holt’s 70 goals in 130 first team games were a major factor in City’s rise from the lower reaches of League One to mid-table in the Premier League under former boss Paul Lambert.

“I hope I’ll get the reception I deserve,” said Holt. “There will always be one or two who will try to see it as a negative, that I wanted to go – but I think if you ask the majority, they will hopefully be happy to have me here and signed and hopefully go for that fourth Barry Butler (player of the season award).”

The 31-year-old is not greatly concerned, either, about the fact he will be less of an unknown quantity for Premier League opponents after his 15 goals in the top flight last season.

“I’m sure last year they thought I was a big lump anyway, so they won’t get anything different this year,” said Holt.

“I’m not bothered. They said in League One I wouldn’t score many goals. In the Championship they said I wouldn’t score many goals. In the Premier League they said it.

“So I want everyone to keep saying that because if they keep saying I’m going to score goals I might struggle.

“I’ll just do what I do. It was documented last year I had lost a bit of weight and got a bit sharper.

“I’ve worked hard over the summer to get in the best shape I can and I’ve got six or seven weeks now with a new regime to get sorted.”

[Lets be aving you! 0]

I for one have absolutely no beef with Holty, his first concern must be bringing home the bacon.

 

Don''t give a fig about any sour grapes from the boo boys, Grant, you''re not a bad apple.

 

(This stuff about new dieting regimes does make me wonder whether there might be a career out there in fronting slimming magazines or weightwatch makeovers.)

 

Anyway, here''s to our plum (re)signing of the big cheese, a 4th POTS would be just the cherry on the top.

[ca 1]

[quote user="Victor Segura and the Yellow Cards"]

 

I hope you''re as good as your word and get behind Holt and the rest of the players from minute one, after all, he will be wearing that yellow shirt, that''s more than Adam Drury will be.[/quote]

 

Ive had my season ticket for well over 30 years now so you can take it for granted that every one of those players wearing our shirt will get my support, doesnt mean that I cant feel a bit hurt by certain individulas actions though does it?

[Syteanric 1]

[quote user="Mr Brownstone"]

“I hope I’ll get the reception I deserve,” said Holt. “There will always be one or two who will try to see it as a negative, that I wanted to go – but I think if you ask the majority, they will hopefully be happy to have me here and signed and hopefully go for that fourth Barry Butler (player of the season award).”

[/quote]what a very arrogant attitude... i of course think Holty is a good player but having acted out of turn its clear from this he thinks he is far more important than he actually is!I hope Morrison, Jacko and Vaughan all outscore him this season... just to put a pin in the ego baloon a bit.

[Victor Segura and the Yellow Cards 0]

[quote user="cityangel"][quote user="Victor Segura and the Yellow Cards"]

 

I hope you''re as good as your word and get behind Holt and the rest of the players from minute one, after all, he will be wearing that yellow shirt, that''s more than Adam Drury will be.[/quote]

 

Ive had my season ticket for well over 30 years now so you can take it for granted that every one of those players wearing our shirt will get my support, doesnt mean that I cant feel a bit hurt by certain individulas actions though does it?

[/quote]

 

You''ve had a season ticket for 30 years and you''re hurt by a contract dispute? You must have been ready to top yourself when we got relegated to League One...

 

 

[crabbycanary 2]

[quote user="Victor Segura and the Yellow Cards"]

Not sure about that CityAngel.

 

I think it''s regrettable that this was played out in public, but (1)McNally deserves as much criticism as Holt, I personally don''t think that (2)there should have been any question of us offering the third year given what he has done in the previous 3. You may have noticed that he has won player of the year for the last 3 years, which means that the general consensus is that he has been our best player for the last three years. If all (3)RVP wanted at Arsenal was a 1 year extension do you think they''d give it to their best player? Or would they um and ahh and upset their prized asset?

 

As for badge kissing, well, it can be a bit vomit inducing at times from certain individuals but Holt isn''t one of them. He has never given less than his best for Norwich City, that''s all I can ask and (4)loyalty works both ways. If (5)Drury felt that he was being undermined and underpaid do you think he''d have just swallowed it and stayed here anyway?

 

I hope you''re as good as your word and get behind Holt and the rest of the players from minute one, after all, he will be wearing that yellow shirt, that''s more than Adam Drury will be.

 

 

[/quote]

 

Not quite sure I agree with you Victor

 

(1) Why? Surely it was down to a recommendation from Paul Lambert.

(2) If  it''s not in the interests of the Club then no. What he has achieved in the previous 3 seasons, does not mean it will be replicated in 3 years time

(3) It''s not the same, they are different ages, see (2)

(4) Hey? Are you not contradicting yourself about Holt here, as we will always cheering the shirt.

(5) Perhaps Drury wasn''t offered anything, so had no choice

[Victor Segura and the Yellow Cards 0]

1) You''re making assumptions. McNally runs the club, his conduct has to be called into question too.

2) So the clubs best interests have suddenly changed this week have they? I said that is my personal view. I think he has earned the gamble of a third year, don''t you?

3) It''s not the same, I see your point re:age but if that was the major stumbling block though, what has changed? The manager has but Holt hasn''t got any younger has he? Also, if it IS down to age is McNally now acting directly against the club''s best interests?

4) Doesn''t make any sense

5) So Drury left on the same contract he signed on did he?

[hogesar 9,745]

[quote user="jas the barclay king"][quote user="Mr Brownstone"]

“I hope I’ll get the reception I deserve,” said Holt. “There will always be one or two who will try to see it as a negative, that I wanted to go – but I think if you ask the majority, they will hopefully be happy to have me here and signed and hopefully go for that fourth Barry Butler (player of the season award).”

[/quote]what a very arrogant attitude... i of course think Holty is a good player but having acted out of turn its clear from this he thinks he is far more important than he actually is!I hope Morrison, Jacko and Vaughan all outscore him this season... just to put a pin in the ego baloon a bit.[/quote]Not that i think Holt is arrogant, but 70 goals in 130 games gives him the right to have that little bit of arrogance about him anyway, don''t you think?

[nutty nigel 7,623]

Indeed Vic! If McNally was acting in the clubs best interests before then he''s acting against the club''s best interests now. Why McNally is exempt from any criticism on this board baffles me and why supporters take his side againsty the club''s biggest asset is beyond me. Contracts are McNally''s responsibility scoring goals and winning football matches are Holt''s.

 

 

[TIL 1010 4,794]

[quote user="Victor Segura and the Yellow Cards"][quote user="cityangel"][quote user="Victor Segura and the Yellow Cards"]

 

I hope you''re as good as your word and get behind Holt and the rest of the players from minute one, after all, he will be wearing that yellow shirt, that''s more than Adam Drury will be.[/quote]

 

Ive had my season ticket for well over 30 years now so you can take it for granted that every one of those players wearing our shirt will get my support, doesnt mean that I cant feel a bit hurt by certain individulas actions though does it?

[/quote]

 

You''ve had a season ticket for 30 years and you''re hurt by a contract dispute? You must have been ready to top yourself when we got relegated to League One...

 

 

[/quote]

Yes indeed Senor but we only made a fleeting visit to League One so just think of all the hurt and pain those long suffering Scum fans have experienced in recent years.I cannot begin to imagine what they are going through right now but some on here must be sharing that pain with friends and family.

[Houston Canary 0]

Thanks Lord Horn. I''m an old whipper snapper but I did have almost a decade where my City info was extremely limited, from ''87 til the mid 90s when I got internet.  Maybe that is when Zema''s tendon became in issue. 

[ca 1]

[quote user="Victor Segura and the Yellow Cards"][quote user="cityangel"][quote user="Victor Segura and the Yellow Cards"]

 

I hope you''re as good as your word and get behind Holt and the rest of the players from minute one, after all, he will be wearing that yellow shirt, that''s more than Adam Drury will be.[/quote]

 

Ive had my season ticket for well over 30 years now so you can take it for granted that every one of those players wearing our shirt will get my support, doesnt mean that I cant feel a bit hurt by certain individulas actions though does it?

[/quote]

 

You''ve had a season ticket for 30 years and you''re hurt by a contract dispute? You must have been ready to top yourself when we got relegated to League One...

 

 

[/quote]

 

Perhaps ''''hurt'''' was the wrong word, maybe I should have used angry or disappointed. It wasn''t anything to do with the contract dispute it was the way that Holt thought he was far more important than the other out of contract players and also the fact that he had to announce his intention to leave so publically on twitter. He acted very unprofessionally with no thought for anyone else other than himself and nothing anyone will say will change my mind.

But as I said I will be supporting the team including him when the season starts.

[crabbycanary 2]

[quote user="Victor Segura and the Yellow Cards"]

1) You''re making assumptions. McNally runs the club, his conduct has to be called into question too.

2) So the clubs best interests have suddenly changed this week have they? I said that is my personal view. I think he has earned the gamble of a third year, don''t you?

3) It''s not the same, I see your point re:age but if that was the major stumbling block though, what has changed? The manager has but Holt hasn''t got any younger has he? Also, if it IS down to age is McNally now acting directly against the club''s best interests?

4) Doesn''t make any sense

5) So Drury left on the same contract he signed on did he?

[/quote]

 

Ok

1) I am not  making assumptions, I am only offering another possible side to the story.  Or I will bow to any insider knowledge you may have

I am not saying that McNally hasn''t had to fire the gun, but he may have not loaded it. We are not the sort of Club where the Chief Executive overules the manager on who should get a contract etc. Perhaps Lambert indicated that we wouldn''t get 3 great years out of Holt. I will also say that I do not necessarily that McNally is blameless, but he would of  made decisions in the Club''s best interests and not let any personal thoughts enter the decisions.

2) Perhaps Hughton''s ideas/targets were/are slightly different to Lambert''s and we ''needed'' to keep sign him for the 3 years (perhaps get 2 more decent years out of him, and sell him, for a fee, to recoup some of the money spent on his 3 year contract?)

3) It''s what you would get out of Van Persie between now (he''s 28) and the next 3 years (so 31 when that ends), and Holt (31 now, 34 then)

4) City fans always offer a one way street of loyalty, I don''t think you can question that

5) Drury may not have had any choice, as he had nothing offered here (by Hughton)

 

 

[nutty nigel 7,623]

I know what you mean Cityangel. I get disappointed when fans write Holty off year after year despite his contributions the previous season. I can''t remember a player who had to prove himself so many times and my memory goes back a long way.

 

 

[Victor Segura and the Yellow Cards 0]

[quote user="crabbycanary"][quote user="Victor Segura and the Yellow Cards"]

1) You''re making assumptions. McNally runs the club, his conduct has to be called into question too.

2) So the clubs best interests have suddenly changed this week have they? I said that is my personal view. I think he has earned the gamble of a third year, don''t you?

3) It''s not the same, I see your point re:age but if that was the major stumbling block though, what has changed? The manager has but Holt hasn''t got any younger has he? Also, if it IS down to age is McNally now acting directly against the club''s best interests?

4) Doesn''t make any sense

5) So Drury left on the same contract he signed on did he?

[/quote]

 

Ok

1) I am not  making assumptions, I am only offering another possible side to the story.  Or I will bow to any insider knowledge you may have

I am not saying that McNally hasn''t had to fire the gun, but he may have not loaded it. We are not the sort of Club where the Chief Executive overules the manager on who should get a contract etc. Perhaps Lambert indicated that we wouldn''t get 3 great years out of Holt. I will also say that I do not necessarily that McNally is blameless, but he would of  made decisions in the Club''s best interests and not let any personal thoughts enter the decisions.

2) Perhaps Hughton''s ideas/targets were/are slightly different to Lambert''s and we ''needed'' to keep sign him for the 3 years (perhaps get 2 more decent years out of him, and sell him, for a fee, to recoup some of the money spent on his 3 year contract?)

3) It''s what you would get out of Van Persie between now (he''s 28) and the next 3 years (so 31 when that ends), and Holt (31 now, 34 then)

4) City fans always offer a one way street of loyalty, I don''t think you can question that

5) Drury may not have had any choice, as he had nothing offered here (by Hughton)

 

 

[/quote]

So, going back to point 1, if the original decisions by McNally were in the clubs best interests, they can''t be now as Holt has his third year. With regard to point 2, if we "need to keep" Holt then the third year is an irrelevance. Give it to him. My view was that we needed to keep him because the cost of a replacement would be huge, therefore the third year is neither here nor there as a cost comparison. You''re still not grasping the nettle with point 3, nobody said anything about RVP and 3 year deals, it was about what it takes to hold onto your biggest asset. If that was one additional year on the contract he''d have been offered it, as I said I see your point about age but Holt hasn''t got younger this week.

 

As for 4 - I can remember Norwich fans celebrating other teams scoring, petitions and all sorts over the years

5) Adam Drury will have had various contracts over his 11 years at the club - if during that period he felt he was being undersold and could do better elsewhere, I''m sure he would have gone. That is the point I''m making - nothing to do with his release this summer.

 

 

[PurpleCanary 5,580]

[quote user="Victor Segura and the Yellow Cards"]

So, going back to point 1, if the original decisions by McNally were in the clubs best interests, they can''t be now as Holt has his third year. With regard to point 2, if we "need to keep" Holt then the third year is an irrelevance. Give it to him. My view was that we needed to keep him because the cost of a replacement would be huge, therefore the third year is neither here nor there as a cost comparison. You''re still not grasping the nettle with point 3, nobody said anything about RVP and 3 year deals, it was about what it takes to hold onto your biggest asset. If that was one additional year on the contract he''d have been offered it, as I said I see your point about age but Holt hasn''t got younger this week.

 

As for 4 - I can remember Norwich fans celebrating other teams scoring, petitions and all sorts over the years

5) Adam Drury will have had various contracts over his 11 years at the club - if during that period he felt he was being undersold and could do better elsewhere, I''m sure he would have gone. That is the point I''m making - nothing to do with his release this summer.

 

 

[/quote]

 

But what is not known (at least I have no idea) is whether the new deal for Holt included not just the third year but a substantial pay rise that is having a knock-on effect throughout the squad. That would be potentially extremely expensive.

[Victor Segura and the Yellow Cards 0]

Potentially Purple, but I''d be surprised if there was a queue forming to bang on McNally''s door. Our top goalscorer, Captain and three time player of the season would appear to have rather more to barter with than a lot of the squad.

 

 

[PurpleCanary 5,580]

[quote user="Victor Segura and the Yellow Cards"]

Potentially Purple, but I''d be surprised if there was a queue forming to bang on McNally''s door. Our top goalscorer, Captain and three time player of the season would appear to have rather more to barter with than a lot of the squad.

 

 

[/quote]

They might have less with which to bargain, but a big wage hike for one player is pretty much bound to prompt a demand from other players for a rise.

[kingsway 94]

Grant Holts reasons for putting in a transfer request were completely justified. We are striving to get as much as we can to help improve our quality of life and maybe enhance it!

 

Holt could of moved and got a lot more money than than his new deal but he didn''t!

 

From the clubs point of view, we could of got a lot of money for Holt but I doubt we''d of replaced with someone who''d of done as much or better than him!

 

[smooth 114]

Ha Ha he could have moved and been on alot more money.Where only West Ham were interested, and that was only partial interest. Low bids to test our resolve.He would have had more cash and less playing time, playing behind Carlton Cole.We were never going to get that much for him, his value to us is massive and he is at the height of his career. He could not move any further and he now has his three years.He will play well and we will buy better strikers over the course of the 3 years... he will find himself playing less at our club if we stay up. So whatever guaranteed money he is on, he will get for three years because I honestly believe no championship club could now bring him in with the wage demands he would command. SO he will be at NCFC till his contract runs out.I must say I expect big things from Holt this season. But I also look forward to the new striker that WE have to sign and eventually replace Holty as our number 1 goal threat.

[crabbycanary 2]

[quote user="Victor Segura and the Yellow Cards"][quote user="crabbycanary"][quote user="Victor Segura and the Yellow Cards"]

1) You''re making assumptions. McNally runs the club, his conduct has to be called into question too.

2) So the clubs best interests have suddenly changed this week have they? I said that is my personal view. I think he has earned the gamble of a third year, don''t you?

3) It''s not the same, I see your point re:age but if that was the major stumbling block though, what has changed? The manager has but Holt hasn''t got any younger has he? Also, if it IS down to age is McNally now acting directly against the club''s best interests?

4) Doesn''t make any sense

5) So Drury left on the same contract he signed on did he?

[/quote]

 

Ok

1) I am not  making assumptions, I am only offering another possible side to the story.  Or I will bow to any insider knowledge you may have

I am not saying that McNally hasn''t had to fire the gun, but he may have not loaded it. We are not the sort of Club where the Chief Executive overules the manager on who should get a contract etc. Perhaps Lambert indicated that we wouldn''t get 3 great years out of Holt. I will also say that I do not necessarily that McNally is blameless, but he would of  made decisions in the Club''s best interests and not let any personal thoughts enter the decisions.

2) Perhaps Hughton''s ideas/targets were/are slightly different to Lambert''s and we ''needed'' to keep sign him for the 3 years (perhaps get 2 more decent years out of him, and sell him, for a fee, to recoup some of the money spent on his 3 year contract?)

3) It''s what you would get out of Van Persie between now (he''s 28) and the next 3 years (so 31 when that ends), and Holt (31 now, 34 then)

4) City fans always offer a one way street of loyalty, I don''t think you can question that

5) Drury may not have had any choice, as he had nothing offered here (by Hughton)

 

 

[/quote]

So, going back to point 1, if the original decisions by McNally were in the clubs best interests, they can''t be now as Holt has his third year. With regard to point 2, if we "need to keep" Holt then the third year is an irrelevance. Give it to him. My view was that we needed to keep him because the cost of a replacement would be huge, therefore the third year is neither here nor there as a cost comparison. You''re still not grasping the nettle with point 3, nobody said anything about RVP and 3 year deals, it was about what it takes to hold onto your biggest asset. If that was one additional year on the contract he''d have been offered it, as I said I see your point about age but Holt hasn''t got younger this week.

 

As for 4 - I can remember Norwich fans celebrating other teams scoring, petitions and all sorts over the years

5) Adam Drury will have had various contracts over his 11 years at the club - if during that period he felt he was being undersold and could do better elsewhere, I''m sure he would have gone. That is the point I''m making - nothing to do with his release this summer.

 

 

[/quote]

 

Points 1 and 2 could easily be linked ,in that Hughton''s targets may not be gettable now, for whatever reason. He sees Holt as a Club legend (like we all do), but more importantly a decent Prem forward, so the question of who would replace him, if sold, is inevitably asked, but may not be able to be answered, so the money/target that Lambert may have needed/wanted for Mr Centre Forward, is now ''allocated'' in Holt''s direction. Club''s can''t afford to take a ''gamble'' these days, they have to be calculated business/football decisions. Do I think Holt deserved a 3 year contract? I did before he threw his toys out of the pram. Then I heard other sides to the story and, of course, it is never as straightforward as  just offering someone a 3 year contract. There so many other variables that have to be considered these days.

I do grasp the nettle re point 3. There comes a time in any players shelf life, when these (calculated not gambled) decisions are made. Perhaps we are on the outside, looking in, on Holt''s time now?

Point 4, all those fans that have petitioned/protested etc etc, still support Norwich now, they haven''t gone and started supporting Carlisle

Point 5 - Drury was offered something by Lambert, but Hughton may not have put the same offer (if any at all?) on the table, so Drury had to find gainful employment. Why would someone with a young family, who loves Norfolk, after 11 years, suddenly move 180 miles (or however far it is) in the ''December'' (he''s past the Autumn!) of his career?

 

[Victor Segura and the Yellow Cards 0]

Crabby, you make some fairly valid statements but you''re not really answering the questions I''m putting to you. We could probably go back and forth forever but to summarise:

1&2: If McNally was acting in the clubs best interests before, then he is now acting directly against them by sanctioning the contract. It''s still regrettable that this became such a public event and both parties are responsible.

3. Grant Holt is our most valuable asset. I think we should do and eventually have done, whatever it takes to retain his services. If Arsenal were held in the same position by RVP, they''d have offered it straight away.

4 - Really? People relinquished their season tickets, hounded out players and managers, campaigned for resignations...basically turned their back on the club, now everything is Premier League rosy they want to join in again? If you like....

5. Adam Drury will have negotiated numerous contracts in his 11 years, all of which he must have been happy with or he''d have left. Please stop dwelling on this summer, I''m talking about his NCFC career. If he thought he was being undervalued and underpaid, he''d have gone and probably rightly so, he''s got his family to think of.

I''ll sign off by saying that Grant Holt is fully worth is three years, he has got fitter an fitter and better and better since he has been here, he is our top goal scorer, captain, POTSx3 and we play better with him in the side than out. You talk about calculated risk, and that we can''t afford to gamble, but taking a punt is what a calculated risk is. The third year of Grant''s contract won''t kill the club, if we were relegated through a lack of goals the effects would be greater. Weighing it up, calculating the risk, he had to be worth that third year didn''t he?

[TIL 1010 4,794]

[quote user="Victor Segura and the Yellow Cards"] Grant Holt is fully worth is three years, he has got fitter an fitter[/quote]

 I should hope he has got fitter as after all he was a Qwik Fit Fitter. [:P] 

[Six Pack 94]

City Angel you are overreacting. You, Jas & BW are taking this matter much too personally and are offended over nothing.McNally''s handling of the case created a mountain out of a molehole. I would go as far as to say his stubborn "tough guy "antics had the club one foot in the Championship. Playing "roulette" with our best player ! Holt''s is a goal scoring machine (an economical one at that) - where would you find another one to replace him - Manure, City, Arsenal, Spain ????? It was lucky CH arrived when he did and the board saw sense after examining the pros & cons of the extra year. NcNally would consider himself to have lost credibility if he''d done a u turn. However he may have lost that when the board went over his head and gave Holt his 3rd year !

[crabbycanary 2]

Victor - I do see why you are saying that, to me though, it isn''t as straightforward as it looks.

The McNally sanctioning of a 3 yr deal, might have taken compromise on Holt''s part also, to fall in line with Clubs best interest. Holt may be getting underpaid, but all I have seen him talk about is the 3 year thing, as opposed to a 2 year deal. Point 3 is true, but only to a point, and I feel that Holt may of thought he was on a pedestal, after the Club came to him 15 months ago and offered him an extension he didn''t ask for, so may of thought he was ''untouchable'' (that''s the jist anyway), which prompted the knocking on McNally''s door, a little bit ahead of the scheduled time.

The Drury thing, I do get, but if he and his family are settled, with a very good income, then other influences come into the rationale. The undervalued thing has never happened with Drury so it is possibly a mute point, and if Holt thinks he is undervalued by the Club(not by the fans obviously - POTS x 3)  then he has got a short memory (a la 15 months ago), and just had to wait his turn in line.

The fans will always have a place in their hearts for the club, they may not like certain individuals, but the blood will always bleed yellow and green. (and they were here in League 1)

 

[Snakepit Ric 0]

Jas I have never replied to one of your post just looked on in amazement ,

how can you say that is arrogant any player at any level plays to win things.

Weather it be team trophies or personal awards eg player of the season ,

What player would not want to win player of the season.

If you play the game rather than FIFA I am sure you would understand.

And as for I hope he does not do well and other players out score him,

it''s sad to have so called fan''s like you. You get behind every player no doubt you were in the Mooro boo boy''s ??

Now get behind holt and the team.

[Yelloow Since 72 54]

McNally and Holt have both been a huge part of City''s success over the last three seasons and will both be so going forward from here. Having contributed to another post on McNally, I''ll repeat what I said here:

Having worked as a professional trainer in negotiation skills, I also know the damage that can be done by going down the ''absolutely not'' route during negotiations. We have all praised DM for his tough stances in situations, but this time it proved to be counter-productive. By effectively shutting the door, it left Holt with nowhere to go except his own tough stance - handing in a transfer request. With the management limbo at the time, this was the only route Holt had to re-open negotiations. The rest, as they say, is history, but thanks to the timely intervention of Chris Hughton, negotiations were opened again and a successful outcome achieved. OTBC!

[crabbycanary 2]

The ''absolutely not'' route was more than likely had Lambert''s DNA all over it. It wouldn''t have been McNally''s footballing eye that said you are too old Mr Holt.

To also say, that Holt had no where else to go but place a transfer request in, is wide of the mark imo. Holt didn''t know who the next manager was going to be, or whom might be bought in as City''s next No 9 as a consequence, so tried to force the issue, to get the Club to panic (whilst the Lambert ''thing'' was going on) and make an immediate decision. Thankfully the Board (not just McNally!) kept things  on the back burner, until a more appropriate time. I notice that once the transfer request had been made, that Holt wasn''t banging on the table every week, trying to get away, and possibly the realism that only West Ham were the only Club that we know (apparently) that came in for him, influenced that particular phase of his masterplan?

[nutty nigel 7,623]

Crabby, it''s my understanding that this stemmed from discussions during the football season. If that''s the case then rather than bad timing Holt was absolutely doing the right thing and waiting until the season ended to force the issue. To accuse him of bad timing is wrong IMO.

 

 

[crabbycanary 2]

I would look at it in a perhaps more cynical way then Nutty! The timing was ''extraordinary'' with all the Lambert stuff kicking off then. If Holt had had discusions earlier in the season, and waited until then, that only adds to my cynicism!