Wes Hoolahan (M Cambridge Utd b.1982)

[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-ho...17468-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/socc...-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


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, no small feat.

[Olé Olé]

Included in the Football League's team of the decade, no small feat.

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...

[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