Signing a "Has Been"

[TIL 1010 4,743]

What about Antoine Sitonhisarski ? Now whatever did happen to him ?

[4th floor 4]

Gary Megson had just turned 33 when Mike Walker signed him on a free transfer from Man City in time for the inaugural season of the Premier League. A fairly reasonable piece of business if you can blot out the memory of the Megson/Wadsworth managerial ''dream team'' which eventually followed.

[GJP 79]

I was a bit worried Michael Turner was something of a "has been" when we signed him. Best years behind him, made his money, why did Sunderland let him go? etc etc

 

Turns out he''s awesome.

[Budapest Canary 152]

Doesn''t Holt fit that bill to a large extent? Before joining us he had two short stints in the second tier of English football, and we signed him from League Two at the age of 28, when it looked that his best years were past him.

[star_manic 0]

[quote user="Eadie4England"]Steve Walsh and Tony cottee they were has beens and awful[/quote]Steve Walsh was the worst player i have ever seen in a Canary jersey. he wasn''t just awful, he was just not interested in trying. Cottee at least scored a couple of goals. (didn''t he play at the same time as Gaetano Gialanza?)

[Evesham Canary 0]

[quote user="Sussexyellow"]I have already eaten humble pie on Joe Royle - Tilly. And moved him over to the "good uns". 

So far I think that we have 3 in the good uns category Peters, Dublin and Royle. Quite a small collection really and well outnumbered by the duds!

[/quote]

I think Channon would have to count as a good un - signed at 34 & gave 3 years great service.

Cureton came back when post 30 & for a lot of cash - limited success though!

Since Mcnally arrived & then Lambert we have tended to go down the young & hungry route or since Hughton mid ti late 20''s & likely to have some resale value. Much prefer the policy of the last 3 or 4 years.

[Sussexyellow 55]

Channon - good call, added to the list of good uns. But what does the forum think about Gary Megson, can he be added too? Cureton I would have thought goes on the list of duds.

In my original post I was referring to "once great or good players". Simon Charlton and Holty I would think more fit the category of journeymen that have come good at Norwich. We could have a separate thread on journeymen that have come good at Norwich, but I suspect that would produce a long list and would potentially include a number from last seasons squad.

[norfolkchance1 0]

Helveg was a has been when he joined, and pretty ropey at that.

[Davo 0]

I was just about to suggest Helveg too.

What about Trevor Hockey? He is well before my time but apparently he was well past his best when he joined even if he did have a positive impact.

Didn''t we also have David Rocastle on loan in the late 90''s?

Davo

[chicken 0]

[quote user="TIL 1010"]What about Antoine Sitonhisarski ? Now whatever did happen to him ?[/quote]

I think he quit football early due to the death of his teenage daughter.

I genuinely thought Sibierski was a good player, just not the sort of player we needed. He wasn''t going to drug the team up and inspire them. Mind you, neither was Roeder.

[Davo 0]

[quote user="chicken"][quote user="TIL 1010"]What about Antoine Sitonhisarski ? Now whatever did happen to him ?[/quote] I think he quit football early due to the death of his teenage daughter. I genuinely thought Sibierski was a good player, just not the sort of player we needed. He wasn''t going to drug the team up and inspire them. Mind you, neither was Roeder.[/quote]

 

No wonder you think he wasn''t the type of player we needed if you thought the type of player we needed was a drug pusher! Maybe we should go for Charlie Austen after all. He might be able to sniff out a source of supply.

 

Davo

[BroadstairsR 2,164]

Ok then.  What has-beens would we want at Norwich these days? They are not really has-beens, but players past their best.)

 

Ryan Giggs? Rio Ferdinand? Emile Heskey? Robbie Keane, or any of the other oldies plying their last days in America? Nicola Anelka? There are a lot around.

 

I don''t think so really. It was right at the time of John Bond to take such players on board but doesn''t fit with today''s Premiership, although there will be exceptions (Paul Scholes was has-been when Sir Alex re-signed him after all.)

 

These type of players now seem a better fit in the Championship or in developing leagues abroad.

[Sussexyellow 55]

Exactly Broadstairs. Responses to this thread would suggest we have had 5 or 6 success over around 55 years. Not a great strike rate.

And with the exception of Dion Dublin, who was brought in to play in the championship, no other successes for a couple of decades.

So I echo your thoughts - best to steer well clear.