Hoolahan wants out (according to Talksport)

[JF 694]

Looks like he has handed in a transfer request, the telegraph had a page with this story on it but have now removed it. Probably jumped the gun and can''t publish it till 10.

[morty 0]

Hmmmm, even I am starting to get a little concerned now.

[Indy 3,300]

[quote user="morty"]Hmmmm, even I am starting to get a little concerned now.
[/quote]

 

Come on Morty keep those pants dry!

[JF 694]

If you type telegraph hoolahan into bing the first link is the page that is now not there but clearly says he has handed in a transfer request

[morty 0]

[quote user="Indy"]

[quote user="morty"]Hmmmm, even I am starting to get a little concerned now.[/quote]

 

Come on Morty keep those pants dry!

[/quote]Oh they are, but I''m a realist, and a few things are dropping into place. I guess we''ll see when Mick Dennis tweets whatever he has at 10pm.

[morty 0]

[quote user="JF"]If you type telegraph hoolahan into bing the first link is the page that is now not there but clearly says he has handed in a transfer request[/quote]Hmmm interesting.Why would they remove it, unless they had got it wrong?

[Wiz 0]

Ruddy next?

[Indy 3,300]

Strange that Wes would hand in a transfer request unless tapped up by Villa! Might be confirming nothing in these rumours!

 

On his day ala Man U game a starter for us no doubt. Like others I''m not sure he is going to sort out Villa shortfalls! Would swap Wes for Bentekke though!

[JF 694]

Would say they removed is because for some reason it can''t go public till 10, hence why mick dennis is waiting till then

[A Gay Schoolboy 0]

I''m pretty sure that not even Mick Dennis would schedule an announcement just to say "nothing''s changed, everything''s fine".

[morty 0]

[quote user="JF"]Would say they removed is because for some reason it can''t go public till 10, hence why mick dennis is waiting till then[/quote]I doubt that most of the press have that much integrity. They would be crawling over themselves to be first with a breaking story.

[Lavanche 0]

Well with his ability, age and role earlier this season and linked players in previous summer I wouldn''t be so surprised if he want''s to move.

But this way or that is up to club will we let him. I was expecting him to leave this summer anyway, if we stay up.

Would be first name in my team from current players any day so sad to see, if he really wants to leave, but no big surprise.

[kick it off 1,952]

All the pants wetting is amusing. Not sure why Dennis is building this up when he already spilt the beans earlier this evening.

Dennis tweeted one hour ago (Took me about 10 seconds to see it on his timeline):

Mick Dennis ‏@MickDennisReal1h

@desnewts1 Can''t play Wes with 2 up top. But he has started last two PL matches. And they WON''T sell him.

 Retweeted by 4thAndWrong

[kick it off 1,952]

[quote user="kick it off"]All the pants wetting is amusing. Not sure why Dennis is building this up when he already spilt the beans earlier this evening.

Dennis tweeted one hour ago (Took me about 10 seconds to see it on his timeline):

Mick Dennis ‏@MickDennisReal1h

@desnewts1 Can''t play Wes with 2 up top. But he has started last two PL matches. And they WON''T sell him.

 Retweeted by 4thAndWrong

[/quote]

Although he just replied to my response saying:

4thAndWrong@tom_blazak       @MickDennisReal @Activecanary You tweeted an hour ago saying "...and they WONT sell him".... Doesn''t sound like much of a tease...- 07 Jan

Mick Dennis@MickDennisReal    Follow     @tom_blazak @Activecanary I''ve spoken to people since."

[JF 694]

So basically we are refusing to sell and Wes is now trying to force the move.

[Leedscanary 338]

Whatever it is, if it comes from Mick Dennis I''ll believe it.

[kick it off 1,952]

I''m not sure why everyone is getting so worked up.

He isn''t good enough for Prem. Lambert recognised that and bought Howson to replace him.

Not enough end product, too much dribbling in circles.

Yes he''s a mercurial talent, and on his day is unplayable, but lets be honest, those days are few and far between, and not likely to be more frequent as he gets older.

If we do sell, we will have to replace, and you''d assume we''d be looking for a step up in quality.

[priceyrice 123]

I find myself split on whether to cash in on Wes or not.

I have not always been his biggest fan, he was superb in the lower leagues but far too inconsistent in the premier.

He was a bit part player under Lambert in the prem, having struggled to find a formation which suited him once we gave up with the diamond. However, in Hugton''s first season despite having large spells out of the team he was a major contributor during our unbeaten run.

I think as a team we look much better playing 4 5 1 over the 4 4 2 so many fans crave and Wes is a prime candidate to play behind the striker. The main problem with Wes playing there is that he has a poor scoring and assist record in the Prem. He often comes too deep to get the ball and often slows down counter attacks with his famous twirl. I much prefer seeing Howson play behind the striker but for me Wes is a solid second choice and offers something different to any other city player. I have heard many city players describe him as the most talented footballer they have played with.

It must also be remembered that Hughton and the board were looking to get rid of him in Hughton''s first summer at the club - he didn''t get the contract extension he asked for and pulled out of a house move after fears his future didn''t lie in Norfolk. However after a string of strong performances, which coincided with our best results, he was offered the contract extension he had requested previously. This made it appear as if he was in Hughton''s plans for the near future, however appearance time this year completely contradicts that.

I imagine Hughton sees him as a squad player, nothing more, and at 31 the board will be keen to make what money they can off an aging squad player (directors have duties to do their best for the club financially), especially one of the club''s larger earners.

While i would like to see Wes stay, as i doubt we can bring a replacement in this window, i don''t think he will figure that much for the remaining of the season and i can see the board taking the decision to sell him.

On that point, if he does go, i expect it will be the board decision. It is publically known Hughton stays away from transfer matters and is he really brave enough to make the decision to sell a fan favourite to the public enemy when he has already lost the majority of fans.

[Fat Nat 0]

[quote user="morty"]Hmmmm, even I am starting to get a little concerned now.[/quote]

You can cry into my bosom if you like you hunk of prime norfolk beef

[Lavanche 0]

Howson was bought to be goal scoring player for our midfield. He is CM not a CAM nor a playmaker.

He is closer to Fox as a playertype than a Hoolahan. You just check how many times he played in Hoolahan spot in Lambert''s tactics.

Also if he isn''t premier league player we are quite much in trouble as we probably have 3 or 4 players that are. He might not fit in current tactic, but in a tactic with pure 10 he definently has premiership standard.

[Branston Pickle 3,657]

I can''t really believe all the excitement over this, but I suppose not a lot else is going on.

I do like Wes but he is also a very annoying player - decent on his day but does flatter to deceive and is poor as often as he is good. I''m pretty much 50:50 as to whether it would be that bad if he went, I suppose it depends what we end up with in return.

I have to say that if the tables were turned and we were looking at signing a 32 year old who cant get a game for a lower PL side, I am certain that all the ''usual suspects'' would be saying ''no thanks'' in no uncertain terms....

[morty 0]

[quote user="kick it off"]I''m not sure why everyone is getting so worked up.

He isn''t good enough for Prem. Lambert recognised that and bought Howson to replace him.

Not enough end product, too much dribbling in circles.

Yes he''s a mercurial talent, and on his day is unplayable, but lets be honest, those days are few and far between, and not likely to be more frequent as he gets older.

If we do sell, we will have to replace, and you''d assume we''d be looking for a step up in quality.

[/quote]Whilst I don''t disagree with any of that, I''d rather have him in our squad, than not.

[morty 0]

[quote user="Fat Nat"][quote user="morty"]Hmmmm, even I am starting to get a little concerned now.[/quote]

You can cry into my bosom if you like you hunk of prime norfolk beef[/quote]You''re persistent, I''ll give you that!

[whoareyou? 0]

Swap deal for Agbonlahor or Weimann should be OK.

[splutcho 173]

There''s rumblings that he''s handed in a transfer request. Please don''t use this as a stick to beat the manager with guys.

[Tim Allman 1]

My take on things - That Villa have made discrete background enquiries, and we have made discrete background refusals, hence a Norwich story making the papers through the Mirror yet again.

Wouldn''t be surprised if was sourced by James Nursey but as he has a foot in both camps so to speak, but it was credited to John Cross.

Mick''s Dennis always maintained we won''t sell Wes on twitter so if it''s any different Wes has maybe handed in a transfer request. Disappointing if he has. But if we do sell it will have saved us some money.

It''s up to us now what we do

[morty 0]

[quote user="splutcho"]There''s rumblings that he''s handed in a transfer request. Please don''t use this as a stick to beat the manager with guys.[/quote]Of course people will!!!

[Herman 9,763]

"splutcho"

There''s rumblings that he''s handed in a transfer request. Please don''t use this as a stick to beat the manager with guys.

That''s like asking the wife not to eat the remaining chocolates.

[splutcho 173]

Very true, what was I thinking?

[Parma Ham's gone mouldy 2,220]

If Wes wants to go, he will and should be allowed / encouraged to do so.

In coaching terms Wes remains a conundrum. He is wonderfully, impishly unplayable on his day and floats into pockets of awkward space, shielding and shepherding the ball onwards. With time and space, and goalscoring forwards around him, he is a wonderful option. He pulls team out of their comfort zone shape and creates tactical issues for opposing managers. As Lavanche says for a relatively paltry £1.5m he is a wonderful resource to tap into and should be kept....

....except you have to alter the set up of the side to accommodate him as he isn''t disciplined tactically and I''ll-suited to anything other than central (though floating) role. At lower levels this can be hugely effective, whereby an open game of out-score- the-opposition-and-hang-the- structure is as good a tactic as any. In the Premier League such an approach is suitable only to the newly-promoted with no burden of expectations and the already trailing late on.

Hoolahan not only doesn''t score, he doesn''t shoot. Hooper went up hugely in my estimations following the Palace winner as he did not expect the ball from Hoolahan - and never should have received it. As an ex-striker I know that such apparently easy chances are easily missed, as you cannot comprehend you will receive the ball. Hoolahan - or any number 10 - must shoot from such a position. As a coach I have taught Academy strikers "how to miss". This may seem counter-intuitive and of course does not truly mean training them to miss, but rather to psychologically accept that they may miss but take the responsibility anyway. Hoolahan derogates his role in this way.

I would personally prefer to keep Hoolahan, but if he wishes to leave (I suspect a Villa / Lambert promise or hint of regular first team football is not worth the paper it isn''t written on however) then he must go.

His value is high to us Norwich fans emotionally, but sellers need more than one buyer to generate high prices, and Hoolahan is unlikely to have / want options better than Villa.

If the net trade is Hoolahan to Villa, £2m and Zaha arriving on loan - with the pace and extra goals we really need - that is clearly a good deal and a step forward.