Hooper watch - Monday 15th

[mrdi 373]

I think it''s unfair to judge a player''s professionalism and character just because of their age.

If a player, irrespective of age, doesn''t approach every training session/match thinking they''ve nothing to prove, then they''re in the wrong profession.

[mrdi 373]

If a player, irrespective of age, doesn''t approach every training session/match thinking they''ve SOMETHING to prove, then they''re in the wrong profession

*should''ve previewed, sorry.

[ZLF 274]

I am struggling to see how a proven Italian international playing in serie A at 30 and £8m is less value than £4.5m for a player with less pedigree who has played at a lower level all his career? 

 

They simply operate and perform on totally difference levels.   Class every time.     

[Jp1967 0]

Apparently discussing personal terms with QPR. The deal is worth up to 6 million. I think it says a lot about him that he would:

1- leave a team in the champions league and potential to win trophies.

2 - sign for a championship team who are by no way dead Certs for promotion.

[hans moleman 0]

1/8 to join QPR now with us being 13/2. Looks like this one is over at last!! On to the next target....

[Mr Brownstone 0]

[quote user="Jp1967"]Apparently discussing personal terms with QPR. The deal is worth up to 6 million. I think it says a lot about him that he would: 1- leave a team in the champions league and potential to win trophies. 2 - sign for a championship team who are by no way dead Certs for promotion.[/quote]

 

According to who?

 

Michael Bailey has just Tweeted that he''s just seen ''Arry interviewed on Sky Sports News, and he said that QPR "are not close" to signing him. Bailey got the impression that he wasn''t particularly hopeful that QPR would get him, or that he was even their primary concern.

 

[HerefordCanary 0]

Sound to me like Celtic have basically said to us ''try and pressure us and we''ll sell to someone else'' knowing that Hooper has to go now and only accepting QPR''s offers

[Jp1967 0]

[quote user="Mr Brownstone"]

[quote user="Jp1967"]Apparently discussing personal terms with QPR. The deal is worth up to 6 million. I think it says a lot about him that he would: 1- leave a team in the champions league and potential to win trophies. 2 - sign for a championship team who are by no way dead Certs for promotion.[/quote]

 

According to who?

 

Michael Bailey has just Tweeted that he''s just seen ''Arry interviewed on Sky Sports News, and he said that QPR "are not close" to signing him. Bailey got the impression that he wasn''t particularly hopeful that QPR would get him, or that he was even their primary concern.

 

[/quote]

The press up here are saying that a bid has been accepted from QPR. Celtic assistant Johan Mjallby also confirmed a new offer was received last night.

[CaptnCanary 0]

[quote user="HerefordCanary"]Sound to me like Celtic have basically said to us ''try and pressure us and we''ll sell to someone else'' knowing that Hooper has to go now and only accepting QPR''s offers[/quote]

That''s just not true though is it. The player has a lot of power in this situation. If Hooper says he will only go to Norwich then Celtic can either accept our bid or let Hooper see out his contract. It sounds to me like Hooper wants to join us but if Celtic stubbornly refuse our offer, it depends whether Hooper is willing to see out his contract or if he is so desperate to leave, that he will go to a Championship team and hope for the best.

[Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB 1,023]

I am prepared to stick my neck out on this one and say that Hooper will sign for Norwich, I base this on the fact we have been pursuing him for a while now and we seem keen on signing him, he wants to leave Celtic, Lennon has conceded he will not kick another ball for Celtic and the man himself wants to be playing in the Premier League as I suspect he sees this as a way of enhancing his chances of making the England squad (if he performs). Given we were talking of a fee in the region of £7M in january and a fee in the region of £4.5m now it is not beyond the realms of possibility that a deal can be agreed bewteen Norwich and Celtic.......just saying and I aint even lying................

[Tetteys Jig 830]

Quite tempted to lose more money to Gary Hooper signing. Lost some in January and at 13/2 to sign for us, i''m tempted to splurge a tenner on it. (£75 winnings!)

[Tetteys Jig 830]

Actually, with the World Cup a year away, can Hoops afford a year in the championship?

[JayNCFC 14]

QPR may well have upped their bid last night, how do we know that ours hasn''t already been accepted and that QPR had to up it to match ours?

Of course, as we know, clubs, agents and even players brief the media the get the best out of a deal. What better way to do that from Celtics point of view than to keep the QPR news coming - after all, they can continue spouting off till the cows come home, the question is will it force McNally''s hand? I doubt it and possibly the deadline was engineered by us - false, but still out there.

The only party that seems to be quiet that I can see is Hoopers agent? People are saying he wants to play PL, is there a recent quote for this? The hammer blow could be IF he comes out and says "It''s PL or I walk in year." A written transfer request might force the issue too!

[Webbo118 0]

This is a classic game of poker and we may well have already gone "all-in". If this is the case, would they have the bottle to call a potential bluff?

[RvWs 4 year contract 0]

What I find interesting is the apparent request from Celtic for Norwich to extend the "5pm deadline" until today.With Lennon saying he expects Hooper to have left in a week at least this will all be over soon.

[BigFish 1,986]

[quote user="Jimmy Smith"]Actually, with the World Cup a year away, can Hoops afford a year in the championship?[/quote]

He can, because he will be watching it on the tv same as us. No way good enough and I am so underwhelmed that I think we would be better off without him. Whether we got a replacement or went with Becchio as the bench warming cover. We have RvW now and I suspect we will only be playing 1 up front.

It was a transfer that made sense in the Jan window when we were looking for goals to get us over the line. Now Celtic are stuck with a diminishing asset having turned down £6/£7m or so they say.

Embarrasing for them but thats the way it goes

[ABC (A Basingstoke Canary) 26]

[quote user="Grant Holts 3 year contract"]What I find interesting is the apparent request from Celtic for Norwich to extend the "5pm deadline" until today.

With Lennon saying he expects Hooper to have left in a week at least this will all be over soon.
[/quote]

 

Can somebody please show me any evidence at all that we have been bidding for Hooper, talking to his agent, discussing with Celtic or any other verb associated with having a dialogue with the intention of bringing him to Norwich?

 

I know there are lots of "the indications are", "reports suggest", "our understanding is", "sources have led us to believe", "a.n.other is refusing to deny that" etc., etc., but is there anything, anything at all to indicate that we are even remotely interested in signing him?

 

And as for him pushing for an England place? Seriously? One is surely jesting? Indulging themselves in a bout of general merriment, mirth and laughter?

[Bert sneakers 0]

Should he end up at CR he would be playing in one of the best leagues in the world.

If he then went on to bag 20 goals given his age and England''s lack of decent forwards I can''t see why it is impossible to think he could force his way into the England squad.

We are hardly Spain or brazil.

It''s likely we will go to World Cup with one of the limpets squads we have fielded in a generation or more and any form player should be considered.

[Jonzey 0]

McNally and his Scottish equivalent are probably on a conference call right now with Hooper''s agent thrashing something out. One thing I know for sure is that there''s not many people I''d rather see than McNally manning our corner.

 

QPR or for the cash playing in a miserable little stadium and only an outside chance of promotion, or Norwich for your career and an instant chance to play in the big league competing against the worlds best? Surely there''s only one winner?

[Indy_Bones 441]

[quote user="ABC A Basingstoke Canary"]And as for him pushing for an England place? Seriously? One is surely jesting? Indulging themselves in a bout of general merriment, mirth and laughter?[/quote]Got to agree with ABC on this one.If Holt couldn''t get a place despite the outstanding season he had on our return to the top flight, then Hooper has ZERO chance of getting there.The fact that he''s a few years younger than Holt will cut no ice with Hodgson who would only ever consider Hooper if he played for Liverpool (at which point he''d become a dead cert regardless of how he was playing)...

[ron obvious 1,502]

For some reason Hooper reminds me of this chap:

http://www.edp24.co.uk/polopoly_fs/xxx_14_swindon_ncfc_1_2240380!image/634910140.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_630/634910140.jpg

If my premonitions are right, then at our current level ...

[Sussexyellow 55]

[quote user="Jonzey"]

McNally and his Scottish equivalent are probably on a conference call right now with Hooper''s agent thrashing something out. One thing I know for sure is that there''s not many people I''d rather see than McNally manning our corner.

 

QPR or for the cash playing in a miserable little stadium and only an outside chance of promotion, or Norwich for your career and an instant chance to play in the big league competing against the worlds best? Surely there''s only one winner?

[/quote]

I think Hooper would much prefer us over QPR. However if the problem is that QPR will match Celtic''s valuation and we will not, what then. 

Are Celtic not effectively saying to Hooper if you want to go then talk to QPR (as the club that are prepared to match their valuation) or if you don''t want to go there then stay put.

Why should Celtic accept a lower bid from us when the only parties it suits are Norwich and Hooper. 

So QPR are a right fly in the ointment and we now have a bit of a dilemma

[yellow blood 0]

[quote user="Sussexyellow"][quote user="Jonzey"]

McNally and his Scottish equivalent are probably on a conference call right now with Hooper''s agent thrashing something out. One thing I know for sure is that there''s not many people I''d rather see than McNally manning our corner.

 

QPR or for the cash playing in a miserable little stadium and only an outside chance of promotion, or Norwich for your career and an instant chance to play in the big league competing against the worlds best? Surely there''s only one winner?

[/quote]

I think Hooper would much prefer us over QPR. However if the problem is that QPR will match Celtic''s valuation and we will not, what then. 

Are Celtic not effectively saying to Hooper if you want to go then talk to QPR (as the club that are prepared to match their valuation) or if you don''t want to go there then stay put.

Why should Celtic accept a lower bid from us when the only parties it suits are Norwich and Hooper. 

So QPR are a right fly in the ointment and we now have a bit of a dilemma

[/quote]

If he point blank refuses to go to speak with QPR and our bid isn''t accepted by Celtic then potentially he could walk out for nothing next summer or will be worth half of what is reportedly being offered for him. Do Celtic want to take that risk?

[paul moy 235]

It will be great to get one over the cheating QPR yet again even if Hooper turns out to be a flop.

[Cantiaci Canary 556]

Having thought about this a little more now I am quite relaxed about it all.

If Hughton and McNally REALLY REALLY want this player then we will get him. We will match QPR unless it gets silly ... which it hasn''t yet. There is no way all of this time and effort will be wasted for the sake of a few hundred thousands.

If Hooper ends up at QPR then we must be pretty confident of snaring equally gifted footballers and soon will be hunting them down.

[Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB 1,023]

I agree with you Cantiaci, I stuck my neck out in the vain hope that my terrible record at predictions would lead to a quick resolution of this saga one way or another........

[Sussexyellow 55]

True Yellow Blood, but I feel that way of thinking is more likely to exercise Celtic in the last week of the transfer window, less so when there is still 6 weeks to go, albeit by then our ship will hopefully have sailed.

[clarkey1972 0]

Bbc reporting that qpr are close to agreeing personal terms which means if true he happy to go there.

I dont think weve gone back in for him personally.

Anyone know where mcnally is ie in states or not?

[Number 9 0]

I saw McNally Saturday evening in the City with the missus. It''s possible he flew out Sunday but not probable.

Anyone monitoring his twatter account?

[city-till-i-die 7]

Papers reporting Wetspam are also in for him but Hoopers preferred destination is Norwich City