So Hooper's not signing then

[Rock The Boat 1,332]

Under the previous manager we used to do our business early in the transfer window.

Obviously managers had their targets and ours were lower league players, so much easier to sort out the business end of the transfers.

Now that we''re looking to improve the quality that means the lower leagues are not going to provide rich pickings any more. And if we want quality we need to pay for it.

So half way through January and without a hint of a signing I think this means we''re not going to pay what the selling clubs want. CH has already suggested better value can be found abroad and what with January being the time when clubs tend to panic buy - either to beat relegation or push for promotion/CL - then I think we can assume there''s not going to be any major transfer activity for us.

Look at it from the boards point of view. We''re sitting mid-table in the PL. A couple of teams are drifting away at the bottom, leaving a scrap for a single relegation spot. Several teams look in worse shape than us. A few more good results and we''re safe, so why pay over the odds for a player now when in the summer there''ll be plenty of out-of-contract players available.

Nope, I reckon the board will sit tight. Maybe a small transfer in and out but nothing major.

My opinion

[Militant Canary 0]

As others have mentioned, there is some rose-tinting going on as regards to Lamberts transfers.

What was it in his last January transfer window? Howson signed 22nd January (bid confirmed 18th); Ryan Bennett signed on the final day. No solid sign of anything until these transfers came through.

Get a grip.

[ncfcstar 342]

[quote user="Rock The Boat"]Under the previous manager we used to do our business early in the transfer window. [/quote]Not true in January.Last year Howson signed towards the end of the window, and R. Bennett was a last minute thing.  I''m not really sure how this myth is continuing.We will sign a striker this window, whether it be Hooper or A.N.Other who knows.

[TIL 1010 5,246]

So you start a thread specifically naming a player but in fact all we get is a minor rant about lack of activity in this transfer window by Hughton and the Board when there is still over two weeks to go.As you said ''my opinion'' but my opinion is you are being rather negative.

[Mervmeister 18]

Snooze

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 2,424]

Last Jan the previous manager signed a player 30 mins before the transfer window shut.

 

The board will have set a yearly transfer budget, if Hughton spent it all in the summer then there might not be much cash - it''s pretty obvious he didn''t spend it all (as he was looking to make a transfer right up to the end of the summer window) so I reckon he has a pot of cash to play with. Few other Premier League clubs have made signings so it''s not like we are bucking a trend in not having signed anyone yet - also how much advance notice do we ever get a signing is about to be made? A day or two at most, more often than not absolutely nothing - I think Bassong signed in the afternoon and the first time his name was ever linked to Norwich was in the morning, the same goes for Garrido and Butterfield (the first time he was linked to Norwich was when he spoke to a local radio station from his car on the way to his press conference).

 

People need to relax - step away from Sky Sports and the BBC Transfer Watch. Signings will be made and the first any of us will probably hear about it is a couple of hours before they are sitting next to Hughton - time and time again ''In The Know'' Twitter accounts and national press jurnos have failed to predict the ins and outs at the club.

[PurpleCanary 6,381]

[quote user="Rock The Boat"]Under the previous manager we used to do our business early in the transfer window. Obviously managers had their targets and ours were lower league players, so much easier to sort out the business end of the transfers. Now that we''re looking to improve the quality that means the lower leagues are not going to provide rich pickings any more. And if we want quality we need to pay for it. So half way through January and without a hint of a signing I think this means we''re not going to pay what the selling clubs want. CH has already suggested better value can be found abroad and what with January being the time when clubs tend to panic buy - either to beat relegation or push for promotion/CL - then I think we can assume there''s not going to be any major transfer activity for us.

Look at it from the boards point of view. We''re sitting mid-table in the PL. A couple of teams are drifting away at the bottom, leaving a scrap for a single relegation spot. Several teams look in worse shape than us. A few more good results and we''re safe, so why pay over the odds for a player now when in the summer there''ll be plenty of out-of-contract players available. Nope, I reckon the board will sit tight. Maybe a small transfer in and out but nothing major. My opinion

[/quote]

 

I think that is a spectacular missassessment of the board''s attitude. Bowkett and McNally in particular have made it plain they regard it as paramount we stay up this season. Of course they can''t spend money they don''t have, but I''m sure they know what a knock their currently high reputations would take if we were seen not to have learned from the lessons of 1995. It doesn''t matter that the parallels with that season are not exact; the similarities are enough to be a warning. And fans would not easily forgive them for refusing to pay over the odds if that was the difference between staying up and not.

[BroadstairsR 2,273]

"Look at it from the boards point of view. We''re sitting mid-table in the PL. A couple of teams are drifting away at the bottom, leaving a scrap for a single relegation spot. Several teams look in worse shape than us. A few more good results and we''re safe, so why pay over the odds for a player now when in the summer there''ll be plenty of out-of-contract players available.

Nope, I reckon the board will sit tight. Maybe a small transfer in and out but nothing major."

 

 

Wouldn''t want to risk it. The next sixteen games represent one of the most important periods in the Club''s recent history.

 

One big signing (such as Hooper) would go a long way towards allying this risk. It would hardly be pushing the boat out. It would hardly be a change in policy. We would not become a Portsmouth overnight. It won''t break the bank.

 

That is one risk I would want us to take. Every side below us apart from Villa are showing signs of life, are seeking to strengthen in this window and will fight ''til the end. We cannot afford to sit back and be complacent on the basis of one good run of ten games. There is far too much at stake. 

 

I seem to have said all this before.

[Beauseant 0]

Where do people come up with this "logic" that suggests that as we haven''t signed a striker in the first 14 days of the window we won''t do so in the last 17? More and more posters are coming across like sulky children who haven''t got the present they wanted on Christmas morning.

If we are after highly rated players then:

1. They won''t be available early in the window because their clubs need to line up replacementS.

2. We won''t be the only club in for them so there''ll be competitive bidding with agents trying to bump up prices, all of which adds to the time needed to nail down a signature.

If City went out and bought somebody''s squad player on day one of the window the exact same posters who are bemoaning the lack of a signing would be screaming "lack of ambition". I actually see it as a positive that the club is keeping its poweder dry for what I expect and hope to be a good acquisition.

[lappinitup 629]

[quote user="BroadstairsR"]I seem to have said all this before.[/quote]Then stop repeating yourself BroadstairsR I said stop repeating yourself BroadstairsR! [;)]

[BroadstairsR 2,273]

[quote user="lappinitup"][quote user="BroadstairsR"]I seem to have said all this before.[/quote]Then stop repeating yourself BroadstairsR I said stop repeating yourself BroadstairsR! [;)]
[/quote]

 

Ok. OK.

 

 

 

 

 

OK.

[Salopian 1]

CH has frequently said that in January prices are inflated, and it takes time, for the selling club to see if other bids are coming and possibly to sign a replacement themselves.

 

There are reports that Celtic are enquiring about strikers elsewhere - the latest rumour is that they are enquiring about Ricki Lambert. There may be no truth in this, or that they may have agreed to sell Hooper but to some other team, but it does illustrate the selling club''s problem of replacement.

 

I have mixed feelings about acquiring Hooper, - I think that there may be better bargains abroad, but we desperately need another striker, and will be putting ourselves at risk if we fail to sign one.

[Waveney Canary 0]

I look forward to sitting in front of the box watching sky sports news as jim white gets excited wondering if norwich''s name will appear. I hope we are not to early.

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 2,424]

For what it is worth the Daily Record is reporting that Hooper will stay with Celtic until the summer as they are prepared to take a reduced feel in 6 months time - it is worth noting that as Scotland is technically an ''overseas'' league, clubs in England will be able to secure a pre-contract agreement in Jan 2014 to sign him for nothing in the summer 2014. This means that despite having 18 months on his contract, Celtic only have 2 more transfer windows to negotiate a fee for Hooper. If they feel it is better to get as much as possible for him, they may cash in this month - but I would guess next summer is their goal.

[havemyhowsonit 0]

I think you''ve got a point but we need a striker or two

[Rock The Boat 1,332]

[quote user="Beauseant"]

Where do people come up with this "logic" that suggests that as we haven''t signed a striker in the first 14 days of the window we won''t do so in the last 17? More and more posters are coming across like sulky children who haven''t got the present they wanted on Christmas morning.

If we are after highly rated players then:

1. They won''t be available early in the window because their clubs need to line up replacementS.

2. We won''t be the only club in for them so there''ll be competitive bidding with agents trying to bump up prices, all of which adds to the time needed to nail down a signature.

If City went out and bought somebody''s squad player on day one of the window the exact same posters who are bemoaning the lack of a signing would be screaming "lack of ambition". I actually see it as a positive that the club is keeping its poweder dry for what I expect and hope to be a good acquisition.

[/quote]

It doesn''t take over two weeks to sign up a player who is ready and willing to come. All the donkey work would have been done in December withjust the signing left for January. As this hasn''t happened then either Hooper or Celtic are holding out for a better deal, or he''s not for sale at this point in time.

And if he/Celtic are holding out for a better deal then our board are highly unlikely to shell out a premium fee. Why would they when we are sitting comfortably mid-table and with a few more wins from the current players we will reach the safety of 40 points?

It''s being pragmatic, which is what McNally and Bowkott are rather good at.

Where do people come from who think we''re about to pay out a huge sum of money on a new striker when there will be bargains in the summer time?

[ncfcstar 342]

[quote user="Rock The Boat"]

It doesn''t take over two weeks to sign up a player who is ready and willing to come. All the donkey work would have been done in December withjust the signing left for January. As this hasn''t happened then either Hooper or Celtic are holding out for a better deal, or he''s not for sale at this point in time.[/quote]Been involved in plenty of transfer window deals have you?  [:^)]

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 2,424]

[quote user="Rock The Boat"]

[/quote]

 

 It doesn''t take over two weeks to sign up a player who is ready and willing to come. All the donkey work would have been done in December withjust the signing left for January. As this hasn''t happened then either Hooper or Celtic are holding out for a better deal, or he''s not for sale at this point in time. And if he/Celtic are holding out for a better deal then our board are highly unlikely to shell out a premium fee. Why would they when we are sitting comfortably mid-table and with a few more wins from the current players we will reach the safety of 40 points? It''s being pragmatic, which is what McNally and Bowkott are rather good at. Where do people come from who think we''re about to pay out a huge sum of money on a new striker when there will be bargains in the summer time?

[/quote]

 

Very often it does take more than two weeks - contract negotiations can take a very long-time, with image right, salary, bonuses, loyalty payments etc etc all to be worked out, made even more difficult by Hooper being on holiday for a week and then in Spain on a Celtic training camp. Also, selling clubs don''t like to make things easy for the buying club - Celtic would obviously rather not sell Hooper, but they also know that every player has a value.

 

One of the issues in January is the ''chain'', everything could be sorted between Norwich, Celtic and Hooper - but they won''t sign the paperwork until a replacement is found. This then means that they have to go through a one or possibly two week process of getting a bid accepted etc.

 

If you statement was correct about all the donkey work being done in Decemeber why wasn''t there a flood of transfers on Jan 1st? Why do most transfers happen in the last week of January not the first week? I think you have a very unrealistic understanding on how the transfer window works. 

 

Why would they buy players in January? Many reason, pressure from Hughton, realising that teams with more points than Norwich at this time of the year have been relegated, the knowledge that most other Premier League teams are looking to strengthen also. Why did Norwich bother signing anyone last Jan when we looked even safer - because standing still is moving backwards. Has McNally or Bowkett ever come across as people to sit on money if it is available? Better to pay a little over the odds now, rather than missing out on a player altogether.

 

 

[BroadstairsR 2,273]

Methinks the OP is a bit too complacent about our present position.

 

 

 

[York Canary 29]

[quote user="Beauseant"]

Where do people come up with this "logic" that suggests that as we haven''t signed a striker in the first 14 days of the window we won''t do so in the last 17? More and more posters are coming across like sulky children who haven''t got the present they wanted on Christmas morning.

If we are after highly rated players then:

1. They won''t be available early in the window because their clubs need to line up replacementS.

2. We won''t be the only club in for them so there''ll be competitive bidding with agents trying to bump up prices, all of which adds to the time needed to nail down a signature.

If City went out and bought somebody''s squad player on day one of the window the exact same posters who are bemoaning the lack of a signing would be screaming "lack of ambition". I actually see it as a positive that the club is keeping its poweder dry for what I expect and hope to be a good acquisition.

[/quote]BANG! F*****! ON!

[Google Bot 3,928]

wel... what i''d do right now on footy manager is to get some cheap unknowns in who can run fast, and really favour them above all the current strikers - Drop the current lot and play them regardless in random formations, Then after they score on their 12th appearance go all mental at the screen like i''m a hero.

Why don''t we do this?! CH Can also feel that great sensation of extreme satisfaction.

And before you ask, no i''m not non-league with Norwich, i''m actually mid table League two safety!! -- so shove that in your pipe and smoke it!!!

[Rock The Boat 1,332]

Few bargains in the January sales, we''ll sign no striker of note (level of Hooper and above). See you on 31st.

[Rock The Boat 1,332]

Clocks ticking.... tick tock....

[Yorkshire Canary 118]

Lets be blunt which of Lamberts signings after we got promoted to the premiership have been a success. and are getting regular games last season and this. I can only highlight Johnson and Pilkington [ Morison for first half of last season] albeit i do like Elliott Benett. The rest have either been loaned out again or warming the bench. Benteke apart seems to be a simular comment at Villa. Hughton is looking for a better quality player and has in particular delivered Bassong,Snodgrass, Garrido, Whittaker.  Bunn doing Ok and jury out on Butterfield. This gives me far more faith in Hughtons signing ability but we do have to be patient as his targets will be more expensive and harder to get

[Yorkshire Canary 118]

And i forgot Tettey!!

[pete_norw 0]

Can someone please confirm this football manager is like Eastenders and Coronation st, Not real and only kitchen sink drama and Board games 

[Ginja 43]

I think we won''t see any action until the final day, obviously trying to get the best player we can for the right money and I don''t think McNally & Hughton will decide until the final day, just my theory anyway, looks like another 7 days of painfully waiting...

[TIL 1010 5,246]

[quote user="Rock The Boat"]Clocks ticking.... tick tock....[/quote]

Yes and it will be for another week yet.

[Rock The Boat 1,332]

[quote user="PurpleCanary"]

[quote user="Rock The Boat"]Under the previous manager we used to do our business early in the transfer window. Obviously managers had their targets and ours were lower league players, so much easier to sort out the business end of the transfers. Now that we''re looking to improve the quality that means the lower leagues are not going to provide rich pickings any more. And if we want quality we need to pay for it. So half way through January and without a hint of a signing I think this means we''re not going to pay what the selling clubs want. CH has already suggested better value can be found abroad and what with January being the time when clubs tend to panic buy - either to beat relegation or push for promotion/CL - then I think we can assume there''s not going to be any major transfer activity for us.

Look at it from the boards point of view. We''re sitting mid-table in the PL. A couple of teams are drifting away at the bottom, leaving a scrap for a single relegation spot. Several teams look in worse shape than us. A few more good results and we''re safe, so why pay over the odds for a player now when in the summer there''ll be plenty of out-of-contract players available. Nope, I reckon the board will sit tight. Maybe a small transfer in and out but nothing major. My opinion

[/quote]

Sorry PC but my asssessment was spot on. A small transfer in and out but no major signing is just as it turned out.

The club was never going to spend big money in what is essentially a panic buy window. We were, and still are, mid-table and not far from safety despite the bed-wetting from many posters to the messageboard.

What McNally and Bowkett did was to make a few underpriced, cheeky bids to see wht they might flush out of the bushes. But that was never their main gambit. It was always going to be a minor signing and a small punt on the American coming good.

Of course, we had the pompous few on here(not including you in ths PC) who told us it was none of our business to speculate and all we had to do was hold our tongues because the board will do their business in the last few days of the transfer market. It didn''t happen, did it?

 

Now let''s wait until the summer because that''s when we will really be doing business once our season in the PL is secured. CH and McN probably already have a shortlist drawn up. 

I think that is a spectacular missassessment of the board''s attitude. Bowkett and McNally in particular have made it plain they regard it as paramount we stay up this season. Of course they can''t spend money they don''t have, but I''m sure they know what a knock their currently high reputations would take if we were seen not to have learned from the lessons of 1995. It doesn''t matter that the parallels with that season are not exact; the similarities are enough to be a warning. And fans would not easily forgive them for refusing to pay over the odds if that was the difference between staying up and not.

[/quote]

[PurpleCanary 6,381]

[quote user="Rock The Boat"][quote user="PurpleCanary"]

[quote user="Rock The Boat"]Under the previous manager we used to do our business early in the transfer window. Obviously managers had their targets and ours were lower league players, so much easier to sort out the business end of the transfers. Now that we''re looking to improve the quality that means the lower leagues are not going to provide rich pickings any more. And if we want quality we need to pay for it. So half way through January and without a hint of a signing I think this means we''re not going to pay what the selling clubs want. CH has already suggested better value can be found abroad and what with January being the time when clubs tend to panic buy - either to beat relegation or push for promotion/CL - then I think we can assume there''s not going to be any major transfer activity for us.

Look at it from the boards point of view. We''re sitting mid-table in the PL. A couple of teams are drifting away at the bottom, leaving a scrap for a single relegation spot. Several teams look in worse shape than us. A few more good results and we''re safe, so why pay over the odds for a player now when in the summer there''ll be plenty of out-of-contract players available. Nope, I reckon the board will sit tight. Maybe a small transfer in and out but nothing major. My opinion

[/quote]

Sorry PC but my asssessment was spot on. A small transfer in and out but no major signing is just as it turned out.

The club was never going to spend big money in what is essentially a panic buy window. We were, and still are, mid-table and not far from safety despite the bed-wetting from many posters to the messageboard.

What McNally and Bowkett did was to make a few underpriced, cheeky bids to see wht they might flush out of the bushes. But that was never their main gambit. It was always going to be a minor signing and a small punt on the American coming good.

Of course, we had the pompous few on here(not including you in ths PC) who told us it was none of our business to speculate and all we had to do was hold our tongues because the board will do their business in the last few days of the transfer market. It didn''t happen, did it?

 

Now let''s wait until the summer because that''s when we will really be doing business once our season in the PL is secured. CH and McN probably already have a shortlist drawn up. 

I think that is a spectacular missassessment of the board''s attitude. Bowkett and McNally in particular have made it plain they regard it as paramount we stay up this season. Of course they can''t spend money they don''t have, but I''m sure they know what a knock their currently high reputations would take if we were seen not to have learned from the lessons of 1995. It doesn''t matter that the parallels with that season are not exact; the similarities are enough to be a warning. And fans would not easily forgive them for refusing to pay over the odds if that was the difference between staying up and not.

[/quote][/quote]

 

Rock The Boat, the way the transfer window turned out you were right, only in the sense that we didn''t spend much money at all. But it seems - one can only say "seems" - that was more to do with a misjudgment/mishandling of the Hooper transfer than anything to do with your idea that the board wouldn''t want to spend much.

The point I was making was that the board would make money available, and it did - probably around £10m - to be spent in January. That we didn''t spend much of that money doesn''t mean your assessment of the board''s attuitude to the transfer window was right and mine was wrong. On the contrary, providing so much suggests I was spot on.

Your claim to be right is based solely on the idea that we never intended to spend that much. But unless McNally is lying we made at least two separate bids for two players of around £7m each. It really is a stretch to describe doubling our previous highest transfer fee as "underpriced, cheeky bids".

From the outside it looks as if we put all our eggs in the Hooper basket but fatally misread Celtic''s attitude to selling him (ie underestimated how much it would cost) until it was too late to switch our attention to another target. I would be very surprised if privately Bowkett and McNally are pleased with how January turned out.