Wes Hoolahan (M Cambridge Utd b.1982)

[Stuttgart88]

SKY reporter said he ran the show.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Hoolahan damned with faint praise on The Football League Show - "he can dictate games at this level".

Norwich finished in 12th place and 11th place respectively when Hoolahan was starting regularly in the Premier League.

They were relegated when Hoolahan was consigned to a bench role.

[Charlie Darwin]

I don't think it was faint praise. There are very few players who can dictate a game at Premier League level.

[tricky_colour]

Arter and Hoolahan the dream team.

[geysir]

I don't think it was faint praise. There are very few players who can dictate a game at Premier League level.
Yeah, I haven't seen Hoolahan dictate an epl game but he's well capable of stamping his influence (a rung or two lower than dictate) in a game, against say half the teams there.

[DeLorean]

Three PL games off the top of my head where I remember Hoolahan being outstanding were the 1-0 home wins over Arsenal and Man Utd and a 1-1 draw at Villa Park. Everything went through him and he looked a class apart. These just happened to be three games which were covered live so I'm sure there were many more. I reckon Norwich would have stayed up had they not dropped him.

[CraftyToePoke]

Three PL games off the top of my head where I remember Hoolahan being outstanding were the 1-0 home wins over Arsenal and Man Utd and a 1-1 draw at Villa Park. Everything went through him and he looked a class apart. These just happened to be three games which were covered live so I'm sure there were many more. I reckon Norwich would have stayed up had they not dropped him.

So what are we not seeing here ? Or not being told ? A little like Whelan in reverse, very few of us on here would have stuck with him as Trap did, yet here he still is very much in the fold despite the new regime and may even start vs Poland, and is making some selections / predicted line ups on here too.

[DeLorean]

I've no idea but I don't really think that these knowledgeable managers have had the results to back up their decisions a such, certainly in Wessi's case.

[geysir]

Three PL games off the top of my head where I remember Hoolahan being outstanding were the 1-0 home wins over Arsenal and Man Utd and a 1-1 draw at Villa Park. Everything went through him and he looked a class apart. These just happened to be three games which were covered live so I'm sure there were many more. I reckon Norwich would have stayed up had they not dropped him.
Maybe I misunderstand what dictating midfield means. Of those games you mentioned, I only remember v Arsenal. afair that was a game where he stamped an impression, Arsenal had nearly all of the game and Wes played very well but there's no way I'd consider that Wes dictated that game. One of those games where the small team pulls one on the big team and Wes played an important role.
If Wes had performed the way you have built him up, he would have been undroppable, no matter who/what the manager/gameplan was.

[DeLorean]

I thought he was easily the best player on the pitch in those games. I wouldn't really expect him to dictate midfield as he was in a more advanced role. He was at the centre of the majority of Norwich's attacks. I'd associate the term 'dictating midfield' more with the likes of Scholes or Alonso, in that they set the tempo and control the flow of the game. I don't think that's what Hoolahan brings, he's more of a Mata type who will help unlock defences further forward, obviously using the most mainstream of examples for the purpose of my point. I think he should have been undroppable and Norwich looked a far more limited outfit without him.

[DeLorean]

I suppose TOWK's original comment mentioned him dictating games, not midfield.

[geysir]

Based on what I saw of him with Norwich, Wes mainly played an advanced role, between midfield and Grant Holt. For that type of role and with designs on dictating a game, the comparison would be with Rosicky.
I'd speculate that the (respectable) qualitative difference between Rosicky and Wes is mainly down to Rosicky's foundation years of development with Sparta Prague. Wes has habits that were ironed out of Rosicky.
Even at this stage of his career, Rosicky is the Czech Rep's main man, everything goes through him, from back to front.

Wes played in most every game for Norwich in their first epl season.
His consistency dropped a few notches in the next season 2012/13, about one good game in 3, and then there was the transfer request turned down, he was out of favour with Hughton, but curiously Adams hardly played him.
Afaic, as Wes showed when were getting swamped by Portugal in the US, he has plenty of bottle (the moral courage) and should be there or thereabouts on our starting team.

[DeLorean]

His consistency dropped a few notches in the next season 2012/13, about one good game in 3

As I say, there are a lot more games that I didn't see than I did, so I'm in no way qualified to dispute that but it seems dubious. All I know is that he was stand out good in the games I saw and I doubt very much that Norwich were served better without him. I'd think he's more comparable to Mata than Rosicky though, in terms of his playing style anyway.

[Fixer82]

I watched Wes in the few friendlies before campaign started and have to say he stood out. Everything good that came from us came through him. And I was sure he was a definite starter because he started nearly every friendly

I think O'Neill has been reluctant to use him because he is thinking defensively. Although, some may say attack is the best form of defence.

[Charlie Darwin]

I think O'Neill has been reluctant to use him because he is thinking defensively. Although, some may say attack is the best form of defence.
I think his time with Norwich shows that sometimes it's really not. He can be a wonderful player but there is a cost to playing him too.

[DeLorean]

How is this cost measured Charlie? Do you feel that Norwich look more vulnerable defensively when Hoolahan is playing? It's just, stats wise, the cost of him not playing seems far greater. They went from 12th and 11th placed PL finishes while he was playing regularly to relegation when his game time was limited. When Hoolahan was pretty much an ever present in the first two PL seasons, Norwich scored an average of 46.5 goals and conceded an average of 62 goals. Last season, when they got relegated and Hoolahan featured very little, they scored just 28 goals and still conceded 62.

Obviously there are more variables at play than just Hoolahan alone when it comes to Norwich's demise, and I don't have stats on goals conceded with Wes on the pitch compared to when he's not.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Good article..

http://www.the42.ie/interview-wes-hoolahan-messianic-2017468-Mar2015/

I still don't think he is being given enough credit for what he did with Norwich in their successful Premier League seasons. I also find it rather bemusing how they struggle to find a link between Hoolahan being left out of the team and Norwich getting relegated to the Championship - and Norwich toiling in the Championship until Alex Neil started playing him in every game.

They are acting like he had no impact in the Premier League when he was their best f***ing player in several games against some of the best teams in the world.

And he would still be in the Premier League with Aston Villa if they didn't block his move out of pure spite.

If he was British born they would probably appreciate him more.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/the-wes-hoolahan-story-a-street-player-who-never-lost-sight-of-his-dream-31102340.html

Dion Fanning interviews Wessi.

[OwlsFan]

What pleased me was that Hoolahan wasn't subbed and he kept going until the end. I could never understand this perpetual subbing of him when he was playing well and was still looking fresh.

[Fixer82]

What pleased me was that Hoolahan wasn't subbed and he kept going until the end. I could never understand this perpetual subbing of him when he was playing well and was still looking fresh.

Worked out nicely with his headed assist for Long's goal.
Though if I was a Polish fan I'd be livid the way the Polish player ran away from Long. Awful defending

[DeLorean]

Was thinking the same about Wes, although this new manager might trust him more.


Just a bit of background on him.


Alex Neil: Profile of Norwich City manager on brink of Premier League (http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11096/9806972/alex-neil-profile-of-norwich-city-manager-on-brink-of-premier-league)


From the Scottish Championship to the brink of the Premier League, who is 33-year-old Alex Neil and what exactly has he done at Norwich?

The Scot is the third youngest manager in the English football leagues behind Wigan’s Gary Caldwell and Mansfield manager Adam Murray and has made an instant impact since he joined the Championship club in January this year.

Don't know much about him? Allow us to fill you in...


Where did he come from?

Neil joined from Hamilton Academical where he had been player-manager since 2013. In his first full season in charge of the Scottish Championship side, he led them to promotion to the Scottish Premiership through the play-offs all from a defensive midfield position.

In his first half-season in the SPFL, he guided the club to third place and boasted a win percentage of 60% that season – 53% overall during his time in charge.


Since Neil left, they have not won a game...


Was Alex Neil’s appointment justified?

Hamilton was the only club he had ever managed and because of that, the inevitable question marks over whether he could manage a big Championship club such as Norwich were raised.

However, since he took charge of Norwich, he has achieved 45 points out of a possible 57. He has a win percentage of 74% compared to Neil Adams, his predecessor, whose record was 42% for the first half of this season.

Norwich now sit in the automatic places - second in the table on 82 points - but they were seventh and 11 points off the top spot when he arrived. They have won their last five games in a row and have only lost one out of their last 10.


What was he like as a player?

Neil was a tough, no-nonsense defensive midfielder who prided himself on his leadership abilities and aggressiveness on the pitch. He became something of a cult hero during his 10 years playing for Hamilton.

He scored 14 goals over a career spanning 15 years. Before joining Hamilton he played for Airdrie, Barnsley and Mansfield and was player-manager for his last two seasons in Scotland.

However, even as a player he acted as something of a mentor to others, sitting behind James McCarthy and James McArthur in a three-man midfield at one point. Both McCarthy and McArthur now play in the English Premier League.


Who are his best-performing players at Norwich?

Norwich have a number of players who have performed extremely well this season. They have three strikers who have hit double figures for the season – Cameron Jerome, Lewis Grabban and Gary Hooper. Jerome is the top scorer with 18, placing him joint fifth in the Championship.

Creativity from midfield has not been too much of a problem for Norwich since Neil took charge. Wes Hoolahan leads the assist count with 10 and the highly-rated Nathan Redmond has nine.

Neil is unafraid to switch formation when he needs to though, setting his side out in six different formations since he joined.


What do the players say about him?

In March, captain Russell Martin was keen to praise and summarise the work Neil has done since he has been at the club.

He said: "We're back to where we were when Paul Lambert was in charge. We needed someone to grab the place by the scruff of the neck.

“At first, because of where he came from and his age, some of the lads were maybe a bit cautious. But he has impressed everyone because he's a leader.

"He just told us straight that we were good players but were underachieving. Sometimes people don't want to hear things but honesty is the best policy."


What do the experts say?

Speaking on The Morning View, Neil McCann and Brian McDermott were both keen to emphasise the very direct, honest approach Neil has when managing players.
McDermott said: “He’s really hit the ground running. He looks like he’s gone in there and means business.

“He has done a fantastic job. He looks like he knows what this league is all about and knows how to get results and they look like a team with momentum and I can’t see them not getting in the top two now.”

McCann, a member of the Dunfermline coaching staff, agreed and believes that his determination to win came through during his days at Hamilton.
“The one thing about Alex Neil is he has got steel. He doesn’t care who he annoys, he doesn’t care what feathers he ruffles and with a job to do he goes in and he does it,” he said.

“He was terrific at Hamilton. He played in a holding role as a player-manager and sometimes people struggle to do that job – being a player-manager – but Alex didn’t. He understood the job and he met the job head on.”


Will he be in the Premier League next season?

Only time will tell whether Neil can get Norwich into the Premier League. However, his side are the most in-form team in the league right now and if they win their next three games then they are guaranteed promotion.

Their next game is against fellow promotion rivals Middlesbrough - who are just one point behind - on Friday night on Sky Sports. Should Norwich win then automatic promotion looks like a realistic prospect, but it is a huge challenge.

Neil has led an incredible turnaround and may well be looked at by Premier League clubs, even if Norwich fail to get promoted.

[DeLorean]

Booked for diving right on half time as Norwich trail 1-0 to Middlesbrough at half time. It was clearly a dive to be fair and good referreeing. Wessi did get up straight away but the look on his face was one of acceptance I think when the ref issued the yellow. He's playing okay now after an extremely tough opening twenty minutes for Norwich where they were probably lucky to be only one down.

[DeLorean]

Substituted after 77 minutes despite being literally Norwich's only good player tonight. Middlesbrough are as cynical a team as I've seen in a long time but it's been effective so far.

[DeLorean]

Included in the Football League's team of the decade (http://www.football-league.co.uk/news/article/2015/winners-announced-for-the-football-league-awards-2015-2412148.aspx), no small feat.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&amp=&v=7L0V1YLtAns&app=desk top

[Olé Olé]

Included in the Football League's team of the decade (http://www.football-league.co.uk/news/article/2015/winners-announced-for-the-football-league-awards-2015-2412148.aspx), no small feat.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&amp=&v=7L0V1YLtAns&app=desk top

And probably well-deserved too. He's been in England 9 seasons. 3 of those were in the Premiership so he's had 6 in the Football League. Was immense the year Norwich were promoted from League One and moved up to Championship seamlessly. Went back down to the Championship this season and has racked up a fine tally of assists and good performances.

I really hope he can make the step back up to the Premiership again this season. He's in a much better position to contribute and capitalize on the faith of Alex Neil now than he would be if they even managed promotion next season, by which point he'd be 34.

[DeLorean]

Ah look at him there...

http://www.football-league.co.uk/cms_images/team-of-the-decade-8x6549-2412322_478x359.jpg

[tricky_colour]

Nice beard Wes!!

[KK77]

I thought he was poor enough the other night and shocked it took so long for him to be taken off. Around the half hour mark I felt it was just a matter of time. He had no influence on the game at all. Disgraceful dive as well.

[TrapAPony]

Dropped to the bench for the playoff match v Ipswich.

[Fixer82]

Came off the bench and did ok. Did some great things and gave ball away cheaply at times too.
He was always trying to create something and i guess you always run the risk of giving the ball away when you do that

[Charlie Darwin]

Wes starts for Norwich in the play-off final at 3.00pm.

[DeLorean]

Jerome puts Norwich one up after both sides just rattled the crossbars a couple of minutes earlier.

[DeLorean]

2-0 Redmond.

[DeLorean]

Complete reverse of the game a month or so back (so far) when Boro took an early lead and frustrated Norwich. Ye'll remember Hoolahan was booked for a pretty poor dive that night, well Vossen of Middlesbrough was just booked for a fairly desperate looking dive over Hoolahan's trailing foot. Hoolahan helped him back to his feet as in to say "can happen to the best of us sonny". :)

[DeLorean]

Cameron Jerome actually looks like Didier Drogba at this level, just bullying the Middlesbrough defence.

[DeLorean]

Wessi and Jerome substituted in the 74th minute. Wes tidy and worked unbelievably hard at closing down the Boro defence but I suppose wasn't as prominent as usual, he didn't need to be though. Had a slight involvement in the second Norwich goal but then so did most of the their players, as it was great team goal after a lovely spell of possession.

[Charlie Darwin]

I thought he looked very classy on the ball. Key is that Norwich players are constantly trying to find positions to help him out, and I only hope O'Neill can get Ireland doing the same by June 13.

[DeLorean]

Yeah he did, just wasn't the centre of everything the way he usually is when I see them.

[mark12345]

Thought he was brilliant against Middlesborough. Admittedly I likely wouldn't see as much of him as some on here, but if he plays better than this he is one hell of a player. Saw him playing for Canaries at Liverpool a couple of seasons ago and almost single handedly hauled Norwich back into the game. Got a draw at Anfield. As creative a midfielder as we have had in some time. Begs the question on the best Irish formation for the game against Scotland.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Hoolahan showed other aspects of his game that he doesn't get enough credit for in the game against Middlesbrough. He didn't have the opportunity to play the game the way he wants to play it but he didn't go missing in the midfield battle. He won free kicks, he challenged for the ball, he frustrated the Boro midfield. I think the criticism of some certain aspects of his game are greatly exaggerated.

Sure Whelan goes missing and gets physically dominated too.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Eamon Dunphy: Martin O'Neill has talked stupidly about Wes Hoolahan – I'd sack him for that

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/eamon-dunphy-martin-oneill-has-talked-stupidly-about-wes-hoolahan-id-sack-him-for-that-31288053.html

[DannyInvincible]

Dunphy has called for managerial sackings on dubious grounds on many occasions in the past, but this one must be up there at the top of the pile as his most ridiculous sacking call ever.

[Stuttgart88]

He comes out with this stuff yet it's Giles that gets sacked?

[tetsujin1979]

Elsewhere in the same paper, Daniel McDonnell confirms Hoolahan was rested due to a combination of injury and family bereavement, and would have come on against England, except O'Shea picked up a knock and McShane had to come on instead

[geysir]

At this stage in our campaign, there is one emphatic answer to that type of Dunphy stuff and that's to beat Scotland.

[OwlsFan]

Eamon Dunphy: Martin O'Neill has talked stupidly about Wes Hoolahan – I'd sack him for that

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/eamon-dunphy-martin-oneill-has-talked-stupidly-about-wes-hoolahan-id-sack-him-for-that-31288053.html

Do you work in Reuters that you are able constantly to post one link after another on footie matters? In fact, are you the missing link?

Let's hope Wes is fit and well for Saturday and allow Martin decide when is best to introduce him

[DeLorean]

Nice goal by Wessi on 0:53


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ihhotMxYYM

[tricky_colour]

2.37 nice skill by Brady

[Olé Olé]

Composed as ever there by Wes. He was started in behind a lone striker (Grabban) and the commentator mentioned how Norwich might be in the market for a new one. I doubt Grabban or Jerome are PL quality and it's debatable whether Hooper is. Wes and Hooper up front gives the side a distinct lack of attacking height also.

Note that Brady was left back.

[SkStu]

So, is Norwich the official foot.ie irish forum EPL team of the season? Or is it still Stoke? Especially if Moseley Shoals breaks through...

Who are our Championship teams of interest?