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A good summary here by Miguel Delaney - http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/f...-a8200471.html
This is a great line I think...
Quote:
The real frustration should be that it took him so long to get to a level where Irish managers could be fairly blamed for not picking him.
Trap should be arrested for how he dealt with Wes
Sorry to see Wes retire, but it certainly wasn't unexpected. The goal against Sweden and his assist for Brady against Italy are stand-out memories, although that's not to ignore all the other magic.
The Miguel Delaney article posted by Del above provides an excellent summary. I note Delaney also suggests that it is "tempting - if somewhat unfair - to think that Hoolahan's retirement actually solves [rather than creates] a problem for Martin O’Neill given the number of times the Irish boss resisted the many public calls to start him". Let's just hope it isn't so that O'Neill regards Hoolahan's announcement as (O'Neill) having been relieved of a burden.
I think there was going to be less and less clamouring of Hoolahan's inclusion even if he had stayed on, maybe Dunphy aside, given his club situation and age. I do think that's unfair on O'Neill anyway (as Delaney says himself) - he saw a lot of value in what Hoolahan could and did offer, but obviously he also saw (a bit too much) value in a more conservative approach too. It might be worth reminding ourselves of O'Neill's comments when Hoolahan was semi-contemplating retirement around the time of the Euros - https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/...nt-390324.html
I do take issue with this statement in the article though:Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
"The fact that the much more limited Glenn Whelan is a year and a half younger than Hoolahan and got 83 caps probably reflects a lot about Irish football, and there is an argument that the playmaker’s entire career represents a case study about a country’s approach to the game and its philosophy."
They played different positions and had different functions. It is not fair to compare the two. A cheap shot. I would also say that Whelan probably played at least 100 more games in the top flight in England than Wes did. Really gets up my nose that Whelan is used as a yardstick of what is bad about Irish football. Strangely enough Stoke has plunged in to the relegation mire in England since Whelan left and is conceding far more goals.
I'm not a Whelan fan by any means but hard to argue with that.
I did a quick check on those numbers and Whelan has played 165 more matches in the PL:Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
Whelan 277
Hoolahan 112
In terms of what Trap and O'Neill wanted from a midfielder most of the time, Hoolahan would have been the more limited one.
Players like Hoolahan and Andy Reid were the antithesis of a Trap player. Trap was cute enough in getting Reid out of the way early.Quote:
Originally Posted by osarusan
He reluctantly capped Wes a couple times and was visibly unimpressed when Wes scored against Poland in a friendly.
Our best playmaker since Liam Brady.
15 competitive starts.
I've only seen this from Brian Kerr now, encouraging Hoolahan to change his mind - https://www.independent.ie/sport/soc...-36588108.html
Hoolahan and Norwich are parting ways after next Saturday's home fixture against Leeds. Looks like they're going to send him off in style - https://www.canaries.co.uk/News/2018...-announcement/
Of course Wes scores on his final appearance for Norwich, of course he does.
No better way to sign off!
Well, he could have got an assist too.
Which he did.
The goal was particularly lucky - an own goal really; deflected, looped over the keeper and in off both posts. The assist was a nice little through pass, albeit in a lot of space
Both goals here
I think it was his first league goal of the season too. And he got a guard of honour before the game, not to mention an embrace from Delia Smith.
The embrace from Delia was worth 10 years in jail not to mind playing for Norwich .Quote:
Originally Posted by Olé Olé
"Let's be havin' you, Wessi"Quote:
Originally Posted by Olé Olé
Breaking down Hoolahan's appearances and goals for Norwich, using graphs: http://irish-abroad.appspot.com/Blog...38039153677655
Strange that Hoolahan hasn't been snapped up yet? - http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwich...lumn-1-5635893