Hoolahan available for £250,000?

[FullerMagic]

At that price, and with rumours that Pulis is a fan, he could be a good man to beef the squad up?


Hoolahan fits the bill for City

DAVID CUFFLEY, EVENING NEWS SPORT
13 May 2008 10:41

Winger Wes Hoolahan would be the perfect player to step into Darren Huckerby's boots at Carrow Road - according to the ex-Canary who spent 18 months with him at Blackpool.

Hoolahan, 25, is expected to leave Bloomfield Road in the summer because of an escape clause in his contract, and City boss Glenn Roeder has spoken very highly of the Dublin-born forward on more than one occasion.

Roeder said at the end of last week he had targeted a couple of potential replacements for the departing Huckerby, but was not naming names.

However, former Norwich winger Adrian Forbes, who played on the opposite flank to outside-left Hoolahan in the Blackpool side promoted through the League One play-offs in 2007, reckons his former team-mate would be the ideal summer capture for the Canaries.

“Wes would be a very good signing without a shadow of a doubt,” said Forbes, now with Millwall.

“He's similar to Darren, gets at defenders, commits defenders and gets the ball in the box.

“I would say he's perhaps not as quick as Darren but he's still very quick with the ball at his feet.

“He turned up from Livingston at the beginning of last season with only his boots and trained with us and no one could get near him.

“At the end of the season we won promotion to the Championship.”

Hoolahan, with 99 senior appearances and 16 goals for the Seasiders, has been called into this week's Republic of Ireland training camp by new boss Giovanni Trapattoni.

Said Forbes: “No disrespect to teams like West Brom or Stoke, but I believe there is no better left-winger in the division.

“I've played with him, trained with him every day and seen his ability on the ball, his final ball, and he has the mentality and confidence to do well. You need a bit about you to play for Norwich and they would like a player with his ability.”

Roeder would face stiff competition if he decided to bid for Hoolahan, however, with half the clubs in the Championship said to be watching his progress. Sheffield United, Charlton, Crystal Palace and Wolves are among the reported admirers.

It was thought he may leave Blackpool last January and although it did not happen, there is believed to be a clause in his contract allowing him to move if an offer of £250,000 comes in.

Asked whether Hoolahan and defender Kaspars Gorkss - who has a similar clause in his contract - would be at Blackpool after the summer, manager Simon Grayson said: “If I say I expect them to be here next season and they're not, then people will think I'm not doing my job properly.

“All I'll say is that they are our players at this moment in time. I'd like them to be here but football doesn't work like that.

“Certain players move on - better players playing for bigger clubs have moved on. That's just the way it, that's what happens in the summer.

“I'd like to think they'll be here but I can't say for definite because in this game you can't say anything for definite.”

[LH_SCFC]

Was excellent at their place. However, seemed to go missing at the Brit. Seems a very good player technically, but a bit lightweight for Pulis' liking (based on two viewings, of course )

[Lakeland Potter]

Certainly an excellent player at Championship level - but he would be a gamble in the Premiership. I'd prefer either Halmosi of Plymouth or Kieran Richardson (ex ManU) of Sunderland (who Keane is willing to let go) - although both of them would cost a lot more than Wes.

[realstokebloke]

On the one hand at that price - it's a no brainer - on the other, we have Demar who is our squad left winger?A decision needs to be taken on our Demar surely?

Edit: And, yes, just seen Forny's posty above - bot the above mentioned would have to come before Hooligan.

[Birchesheadpotter]

Defenitely worth a punt at that price, he wont cost much in terms of wages either. Looked a lively player and if we do come straight back down he will easily cut it at the top of the champ without breaking the bank.

[FullerMagic]

He could add something from the bench though, especially now you're allowed 7 subs. He looks to have loads of ability.

It's great to be talking about players who we'd have loved last season maybe adding something off the bench ;D

[Hiram]

Haynes from Ipswich - go get him SuperTone

[Deleted]

I’d pass on Hoolahan. .

Haynes is a good call billy'spremierleagueonions, although he would be considerably more expensive.

[Lakeland Potter]

I agree that £250k (unless a bidding war develops) isn't a lot to pay. But you have to remember wages are also a factor. He probably wouldn't sign for a Prem club for less than £14k or £15k per week so that is three quarters of a £million per annum out of the budget. Obviously there will have to be a few gambles like this but, as I said above, Halmosi or Richardson look better players to me.

[Hiram]

how much d'you reckon?

[Birchesheadpotter]

Well its not like theres a shortage of quality wingers out there for us to realisticly pick up, that wouldnt break the bank and would add various different options

Hoolahan
Halmosi
Richardson
Fletcher
Routledge
Ledley

To name a few. I love being in this kind of position ;D

[Stick It On Cort's Head]

Would he be a premiership player?

I think not.

Ledley and Halmosi maybe..

[FullerMagic]

Not sure Halmosi is QUITE a Premier player - and you'd be talking £3m+?

Ledley, I think would be good enough, on my limited viewings. But wouldn't you be looking at £4-5m?

That's the lunacy of the English transfer market, isn't it?

[Deleted]

billy'spremierleagueonions, I think Haynes would cost a couple of mill at least IMO.

[FullerMagic]

Agree, if available, Richardson would be a very good signing . Can't see it though. Reports today indicate he may not be on his way from S'land after all.

tinyurl.com/53ker3

[apb1]

I work with an Ipswich season ticket holder who says Haynes is maddeningly inconsistent.

He did look great in the game at Portman Road though

[vestanpance]

I think we should take the example set by our friends in London and get a coupl eof Poles in.

At the end of the day, you can either pay £4M for an unproven talent at that level, or spend £2M on a bloke wth 40-odd caps for his country with a few appearances in the UEFA cup/Champions League thrown in. It's a no-brainer for me.

[StatesideStokie]

Victor Moses from Palarse would be a better signing IMO, but would probably cost a lot more than 250k.

[jpsp10]

What about Akos Buzsaky from QPR? he was fantastic against us an looks a pulis style player (big, strong, very quick) Has goals in him and a touch of quality! Plus TP had him at plymouth

[FullerMagic]

May 13, 2008 11:53:10 GMT jpsp10 said:

What about Akos Buzsaky from QPR? he was fantastic against us an looks a pulis style player (big, strong, very quick) Has goals in him and a touch of quality! Plus TP had him at plymouth

I think Pulis often kept him on the bench while he was manager at Plymouth, andI think he was pretty critical of Pulis' style of play after he'd left.

[Somebody_Told_Me]

Who Hot-lips Hoolahan from shit what was it called???? army medic thingy??

[StatesideStokie]

MASH

[BangorStokie]

Hoolahan is a good championship player im not sure he could cut it in premiership

[FullerMagic]

I see Trapattoni has called him up for Ireland - but no place for Lawrence? Strange

Blackpool fans seem to think he's got the ability for the Prem.

Hoolahan rumour from Jan oatcakefanzine.proboards27.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=Potters&thread=7347&page=1

IF the stories about our interest in January are true, presumably Pulis thinks he's got a chance of making it at that level too?

[Trouserdog]

Would be a great buy at 250k, as he'd at least make a better back-up than Cresswell, Pugh or Phillips.

[okeydokeystokie2]

Wonder if Tone is looking for a goal scoring left winger? I would prefer Parry at Cardiff than Hoolahan, Haynes or Halmosi. Gets up and down and is a great finisher. Would complement Liam on the right, and Tone has been in for him before. And we know that eventually, Tony always gets his man...

[FullerMagic]

Yeah...hard work, putting himself about, and goals is what's kept Cresswell in the team - rather than ablity to beat a man, put in any quality deliveries, or in fact any traditional left winger attributes.

I think Pulis has cited McCulloch's role at Wigan and Rangers as something he wanted to copy, hasn't he?

I wouldn't have thought Cresswell would offer much in the Prem, and finding another McCulloch-type who can be effective there could be tough?

Parry seems to have played 90% of the season up front - and, like nearly every touted C'ship player would probably cost a silly amount. At least this clause would make Hoolahan a real bargain as he'd be sold way below his true market value.

[Irish Stokie]

At £250k he is the right price but i think in order to stay in the Prem we would need to buy players who are alot more talented then he is. I wouldnt read too much into Trappatoni including him the Ireland squad either as its a 40 man squad with every half decent irish player in it and the only reason Liamo isnt in it is because Liam Brady picked the squad and didnt include him because of the whole "porno fiasco" when he was at Sunderland.


Although he would be an awful lot more expensive Moses off Palarse looks an excellent young player and could do a job in the Prem and as Premiership Vestan Pance rightly said the foreign market needs to be exploited in order to help us get some quality signings in for the right price.

[jarhead]

Fuck me thats a no brainer with the cash we now have to spend and that boy with time and space in the prem could become a right gem.

His left peg is quality and very good technically,sign him up asap!