Wes Hoolahan (M Cambridge Utd b.1982)

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Ireland should pick Hoolahan (part two)

In a match of confused endeavour at Villa Park, Wes Hoolahan stood out a mile. Every touch was considered, urgent and purposeful. He is the kind of quietly classy playmaker no team should leave home without, and his awareness and touch are such that he probably wouldn't look out of place playing five-a-sides at La Masia. It's a surprise that he is not playing for a bigger club, and a minor scandal that he is not playing for his country: his only cap for the Republic of Ireland came four years ago, and he could not even get into the squad for Euro 2012. In an Irish team that tends to deal in confused endeavour, Hoolahan would stand out a mile. Rob Smyth

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...premier-league

He missed a sitter at about the 21 minute mark. Terrible miss really.

Its strange or perhaps sad that holohan is 30 and only getting recognised. I remember his game against deportivo and he stood out among all players but one thing back then I noticed was how weak he was, but he seemed to have the pace to play as a winger. Its interesting that he has stood out for norwich in the middle, and who saw that in him, or did he develop into that type of player? Has he improved that much or is it a combination of being in the right place at the right time and some luck along with obvious talent. Is he just lucky to have been part of a team that got promoted to the PL and got his chance to impress and could he have been dwindling in D1 or D2 till the end of his career had he not been part of the norwich team which got promoted(I think his contribution to getting Norwich promoted is another argument). My thoughts are that if he had not been part of this Norwich team he would have never got another opportunity. Its sad, very sad in a way. He has shown himself well capable and not just a one season wonder.

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Originally Posted by mark12345

That effing system again. I can't bear to hear about a system which is akin to drilling a hole in your rowboat when you go ice fishing.

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I just can't make any sense out of that rowboat, ice fishing image.

Why do you need a boat if your standing on ice?

Let's accept that Mark thinks you should drag one across the frozen lake anyway. But why jump into it and drill a hole to get through to the ice?
Even if you did something that silly, where's the boat going to go. But if you were to drill a hole through the bottom of the boat in the middle of a lake, is it not infinitely better that the boat is on solid ice than water?

Will Wes will pick up an injury before the Greece game?
(note - blatant attempt to get back on topic)

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Originally Posted by geysir

Let's accept that Mark thinks you should drag one across the frozen lake anyway. But why jump into it and drill a hole to get through to the ice?
Even if you did something that silly, where's the boat going to go. But if you were to drill a hole through the bottom of the boat in the middle of a lake, is it not infinitely better that the boat is on solid ice than water?

Will Wes will pick up an injury before the Greece game?
(note - blatant attempt to get back on topic)

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Should be alright as long as he hasn't got a fishing trip with Mark planned

Only dangerous if it's ice fishing on an ice free lake.
But there are positives, there would be no need to drag the boat across, just let her float easy.
That is, until somebody initiates the drilling.

So yes, Wes should be alright if he avoids that experience.

Might be dangerous for Wes though, he usually likes to play in the hole

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Originally Posted by paul_oshea

Its strange or perhaps sad that holohan is 30 and only getting recognised. I remember his game against deportivo and he stood out among all players but one thing back then I noticed was how weak he was, but he seemed to have the pace to play as a winger. Its interesting that he has stood out for norwich in the middle, and who saw that in him, or did he develop into that type of player? Has he improved that much or is it a combination of being in the right place at the right time and some luck along with obvious talent. Is he just lucky to have been part of a team that got promoted to the PL and got his chance to impress and could he have been dwindling in D1 or D2 till the end of his career had he not been part of the norwich team which got promoted(I think his contribution to getting Norwich promoted is another argument). My thoughts are that if he had not been part of this Norwich team he would have never got another opportunity. Its sad, very sad in a way. He has shown himself well capable and not just a one season wonder.

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Hey Paul - he did play on the wing quite a bit for Shels when i used to see him regularly. He did however also play behind the striker in the hole and was very effective there at times so to answer your question - he has had experience in both roles as part of an excellent & competitive, professional team in the LOI.

I was saying on FB that at 30 he is not the messiah and hes not the future but it is without question that he should have had an opportunity under Trappatoni over his reign and who was more deserving of 13 caps in 3 years? Pontefract's Paul Green or Dublins Wes Hoolahan? It is sad and its a shame.

Ya I saw more of him than that game to be fair the few years until he was about 24 i think, but i didnt see any games where he played behind the striker.

My point was more at what stage did he develop, or was he say at that level at a professional and excellent LOI side, or did he get better as he got older and now we are seeing his best years? I am of the belief that its a bit of both, but moreso, that he was lucky to be in a team that got promoted to the premiership. Had he not been he would still be somewhere between league 1 and League 2.

I'm not just on about his International career here. But ya no question who is more deserving Paul Green or Wes hoolohan. The even sadder thing is, if we hadn't got pummelled against germany most on here would still be saying Trap was right, even on a decision as clear cut as that.

i dont think he was "lucky to be part of a team that got promoted". I think that does him a bit of a disservice. I think he was recruited because of his performances with Blackpool and was signed with a view to helping Norwich gain promotion which they happened to do a bit sooner than they probably planned. I think the move to Championship football undoubtedly benefitted his game and definitely gave him a maturity in his game that meant he excelled more in the advanced role. The end result is that he is in the Premiership on merit in my opinion. Good to see more LOI talent coming good at the highest level.

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Originally Posted by the bear

Should be alright as long as he hasn't got a fishing trip with Mark planned

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I swear this is pure coincidence but I was just on another forum and they were posting up clips on youtube of ....well lets just say, I think this must be Mark on his way ice fishing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T81u9...layer_embedded

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Originally Posted by paul_oshea

Ya I saw more of him than that game to be fair the few years until he was about 24 i think, but i didnt see any games where he played behind the striker.

My point was more at what stage did he develop, or was he say at that level at a professional and excellent LOI side, or did he get better as he got older and now we are seeing his best years? I am of the belief that its a bit of both, but moreso, that he was lucky to be in a team that got promoted to the premiership. Had he not been he would still be somewhere between league 1 and League 2.

I'm not just on about his International career here. But ya no question who is more deserving Paul Green or Wes hoolohan. The even sadder thing is, if we hadn't got pummelled against germany most on here would still be saying Trap was right, even on a decision as clear cut as that.

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Its impossible to know where he'd be playing I suppose. Would Norwich be playing league 1 now if Wes had styed at Blackpool?

It really is crazy when you think that Paul Green has been ahead of him for the last 3 years. It goes to show how a relationship with one manager can make or break your career, Andy reid knows all about that.

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Originally Posted by SkStu

i dont think he was "lucky to be part of a team that got promoted". I think that does him a bit of a disservice. I think he was recruited because of his performances with Blackpool and was signed with a view to helping Norwich gain promotion which they happened to do a bit sooner than they probably planned. I think the move to Championship football undoubtedly benefitted his game and definitely gave him a maturity in his game that meant he excelled more in the advanced role. The end result is that he is in the Premiership on merit in my opinion. Good to see more LOI talent coming good at the highest level.

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The thing is though, half the teams or even more in the Championship have aspirations and "5 year plans" to get promoted, I mean why would they even bother being in the championship if they hadn't. Many players have been recruited or bought for clubs with these aspirations from LOI and I'm sure lower leagues, but they never get to play in the Premiership. There is no doubt that the jump in standard and fitness, pretty much everything, benefited Wes, but I doubt it took 6 years to come to fruition. I'm not doing him a disservice, it's not the point I'm making, I'm of the belief that maybe there are more players who if they got a chance or a little luck along the way to coincide with the betterment of their game then they could well end up in Wes' position, proving themselves more than capable at PL level. Maybe Wes is one of those people who just adapts, evolves based on whats around him, and as he needed to get better, he found a new level. I don't know what exactly, but I don't mean in anyway to do him a disservice. When he left blackpool they got promoted( so i think the argument "recruited by a club with a plan to get promoted is a bit loose"), he did a good job there but was hardly standing out week in/week out.

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I'm of the belief that maybe there are more players who if they got a chance or a little luck along the way to coincide with the betterment of their game then they could well end up in Wes' position, proving themselves more than capable at PL level.

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totally agree with this part. But it goes without saying. The amount of talent that doesnt get those "lucky breaks" is evident from the lack of players making the grade from U17/U19 level to full Irish internationals. Oversimplified to make a point obviously, but on the assumption that most players are talented, I think for success 50% is application & drive and the other 50% is luck and timing.

We are mostly agreeing with each other on everything else but Wes' form with Blackpool coincided with his rise to prominence on here. He was very solid for them for a couple of seasons.

I don't think you could describe any aspect of Hoolahan's career as lucky. He has worked harder than most players with similar to reach his deserved level. The big difference between now and his time at Shels (apart from age and experience) is that he's spent years playing against stronger and fitter players, meaning he can hold his own against full-time professional players. Even though Shels were a full-time outfit, he was never going to get the physical training and toughness of competition he would get at a bog-standard English or Scottish league club.

I would not say he is lucky either, he is probably more suited to playing at this level than the
lump it forward style of lower leagues.
Anyhow Norwich play Spurs tonight in the league cup, don't know if Wes will start though, you usually get a fair few changes in these cup matches.
Can't find a stream for it anyway.

No, he's not in the matchday squad at all.

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Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

No, he's not in the matchday squad at all.

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He's in the Ireland squad though!!!

http://www.canaries.co.uk/news/artic...ll-458393.aspx



Midfielder named in provisional squad
NORWICH City star Wes Hoolahan has been called up to Giovanni Trapattoni's provisional 26-man Republic of Ireland squad to face Greece in a friendly at the AVIVA Stadium in Dublin on November 14.

The 30-year-old midfielder has put in some fine performances for Chris Hughton's side in recent weeks against Arsenal and Aston Villa, helping the Canaries take pick up four points in the process.

Hoolahan made his one and only appearance for Trapattoni's side as a second half substitute in a 1-0 win over Columbia at Craven Cottage in May 2008.

Meanwhile City's Norwegian international Alex Tettey has been recalled to the Norway squad by Egil Olsen for their friendly against Hungary.