Did you see this

[ca 1]

Did you see this in the Mirror today
''David O''Leary has told Peter Crouch to up his goal output if he wants to remain at Aston Villa next season.The Villa boss has cut short £5.5m Crouch''s 2 goal celebrations and told the striker that his career is now on the line.He indicated that Angel looks set to return on Sat and Crouch is likely to be back on the bench''
I do wish we could have him here,just another one of my dreams.

[Away Day Specialist 0]

Working on the assumption that if you are good enough you can retain the shirt. Peter has done nothing wrong in his handful of starts since returning. In fact , as we all know he has performed very well and scored/set up goals. O''Leary is crazy to threaten him by withdrawing his shirt/place in the squad.

Mind you Angel it is reported in the mirror!

[Tacklebury 0]

O''Leary isn''t crazy - he''s suggesting Crouch needs to score more to keep his place. Crouch wants to keep his place and will now bust a gut to score the goals that keep him in the side. It''s just a clever bit of man-management. Having said that, if it fails I''d be delighted if he came back and signed for us!!

[ca 1]

Hi Away Day,
Agree that the Mirror is not the most reliable paper(but better than some) but have read several similar comments elsewhere and am beginning to think that Crouchy isnt a favourite with O''leary or the Villa fans.Think he would be much more appreciated here at Norwich,his confidence was sky high when he left here,wonder how he''s feeling now? I do so feel for the lad!

[susie b 0]

I''m with you cityangel. I feel so sorry for him right now and I would LOVE to see him back here sometime soon.
I remember that someone on here said before Christmas that they had sat behind the man himself and his parents at a game at CR. His parents had apparently said how much he loved it here and how much being here was helping him progress. We all know that Worthy seems to go for the right ''people'' for our team as much as (hopefully) the right players. Crouchy is, without doubt, the right sort of person for us, although I suspect there will be some who think that we don''t actually need him now. (I would beg to differ, especially if we get into the P......ship - can''t bring myself to say the word just yet!)

[Peter 0]

Crouchy never looked to be your 20 goal a season striker, but brought much more than goals to our play.

I would welcome him back tomorrow.

[Mook 0]

Crouch was fantastic when he was here, and I thought he was one of the most skillful players to pull on the yellow shirt in some years.

But I don''t feel sorry for him. He plays for one of the biggest sides in the country (yes they are), earns a bucketload of cash and is currently playing under a good manager, in a side on the up. People are too quick to see things through Yellow tinted specs - in the case of Hucks he really needed to get away to get some football but with Crouch, he was only third or fourth in line in a premiership strikeforce. He just needed a kick-start and we gave it to him, but in reality we are way below what he deserves.

[susie b 0]

Some interesting points Mook. However, just a few questions to move the discussion on a bit.

Is it possible that Crouchy isn''t completely happy where he is? Earning bucketloads of cash doesn''t guarantee it, even though it might seem to make the bench feel a bit more comfortable when Angel returns.
Was Crouchy really third or fourth in line before he came here on loan? If he was, why didn''t he even make their bench in August?
Are we really way below what he deserves? Perhaps in terms of level at the moment you might be right, but there are other things to take into account. Perhaps we are way below what Hucks deserves as well, but he wanted to be here for a combination of reasons, and one of them, I feel sure, was the love he felt from the fans. If Crouchy felt that same love too - and I don''t think it is too strong a word to use - then maybe he could feel that he deserves exactly that sort of respect in the future rather than the intermittent ridicule he has often received in the past.
Any footballer wants to be playing in the team and if D O''L appears to be messing about with Crouchy''s present or future then many of us will continue to feel sorry for him because we like him and respect him. What he is earning and who pays him is irrelevant. The guy is human and has feelings, just like we all do.

Sorry if this sounds anything like a rant, Mook. It isn''t meant to be at all. I respect the views of everyone on here, and their right to express them. I''m just glad to have the chance to say what I think as well. Look forward to your comments when you get a mo.

[Old Boy 0]

"we are way below what he deserves" - speak for yourself, son. We (the team AND the fans) gave Crouch as much as he gave us, as I''m sure he''d acknowledge. He was definitely a cut above what we had, as was Hux, but the "regular" team gelled with those two, and everyone was lifted by it. In his first game here, Crouch looked totally out of touch and confidence, but the rapport with the fans, the manager and the team set him back on the road. I think the combination of Hux and Crouch was magic, and, together with some of the regulars, could have been the nucleus of a side able to hold its own in the Premiership. If O''Leary doesn''t like him, great: M6, A14, A11 - just get in your car and drive, Peter.

[ca 1]

susie b
Couldn''t have said it better myself,you took the words right out of my mouth!
Hucks has proved that happiness for him and his family come before bucketloads of cash and I suspect that Crouchy is the sort of lad that might have the same priorities.I wouldn''t be at all surprised to see him back here with us in the premier next season.

[FatMan Fat 0]

I also would love to see PC back at Carrow Road...either on loan for the rest of the season, or in some more permanent form. Iwan is a legend, and Mathias looks like he can do a job for us, but PC without doubt brought something to the team. Good luck to the guy whatever he decides.

[John Boubepo 0]

"Way below what he deserves"!!!!!! I may have lived many miles away from Nodge for several years but my pride in everything related to Norfolk has been as strong as ever, I can''t believe you said that Mook!!

[Stephen Frys Evil Twin 0]

If not Crouchy, then Sutton next season (should we reach the promised land!)

[Mook 0]

Come on, you know I didn''t mean it like that!! Anyone that knows me knows I am a proud Norwich fan and Norfolk boy. I was just trying to spread a little reality on the situation. We had Scott Parker here on loan, and there''s no chance of us getting him back now is there?! Sometimes good managers will farm out their "prospects" thus enabling to get a bit of form, allowing them to challenge for the first team place they are clearly capable of. I believe that this is why DO''L sent Crouch here - and why he wouldn''t leave him here for the season.

Ok, it may just be that Crouch is being used as a stop-gap striker until Villa can sign someone O'' Leary really wants in the summer, but I don''t think that''s the case. If it is the case though, I think Crouch would choose bigger clubs than ours in at which to fulfil his considerable talents. That''s what I was trying (and failing) to say with the "below what he deserves" comment.

[ca 1]

I cant believe they didnt start with Crouchy yesterday,he came on in the 95th min.He deserved more after his recent perfermances,dont think his future lies at Villa and really hope we havent seen the last of him at Norwich!

[Tumbleweed 106]

I would like to see Crouch here, but having got some pretty good talent here now up front I would much rather Nigel strengthened the defence where we have virtually no strength in depth. If and only if the defence is sorted should we go and buy another forward. And I still think it might be too indulgent even if the P-word comes true. O''Leary is taking a gamble by making his thoughts public but AV''s return on £5.5m has been pretty low, even so I don''t think we should necessarily be first in line if he wants to move.