Questionable futures

[Canaryboy]

John Ruddy would be a fool to sign for Chelsea just to sit on the bench and help them with their home grown player quota. 

And I think we'd be fools for risking a change of goalkeeper too, to be honest. He's been a bit shaky at times this season but he's still a great keeper and if he's just seen Tom Heaton get an England call up. I'll tip him to have a great season next year, motivated by trying to get into the Euro 2016 squad. 

 

[Killiecanary]

I generally agree with both of you, ZLF and CB.

But I don't think JR is within a country mile of the England squad currently. He has just had a dodgyish season in the second tier, I think he is nowhere near their thinking. I agree that should incentivise him to stay and play his heart out next season.

The devils advocate question I am asking I guess is that IF we did get a decent bid, would AN be that fussed to keep him? He has only seen the John Ruddy from Jan 2015 till now and I don't think he will have been hugely impressed in that time - I'm not sure I agree that he did improve massively at the end of the season - I was critical of him for both the goals Piswich scored in th play offs for example. Not that he was to blame entirely, but I would have expected a keeper of his proven past quality to do better?

 

[ZLF]

I agree that his current form is not good enough for england;   however the options ahead of him are limited and something he could close the gap on;  my money remains on this being a dip season for the reasons mentioned (plus heavily rumoured off field issues causing a distraction - which recent tweets suggest are behind him too).     As I said he has not fully recovered yet - but I do think he is improving. 

If a big bid comes in (?£10m?  £7m?) its only attractive if we can get a decent replacement.   I am sure there are some out there that would be solid so its a judgement call;   but I would be looking for someone better than JR at his best - not on this seasons performance.    What may be decisive in ANs thinking is hwo Ruddy interacts in the dressing room?   If its positive then I suspect he would look to keep him - depending on the value of the offer...

 

[Killiecanary]

Yep. All good points to my mind too.

As you say, it would be AN's judgement call, which I will happily follow?

I think my own view is that if we had lost JR to Chelsea last summer I would have found it a disaster. Now I wouldn't be anywhere near as bothered.

Looking forward to the transfer window this summer...going to be exciting

 

[ZLF]

Agree - its going to be a great close season - cant beat the speculation

 

[KeiranShikari]

I think Ruddy is good enough to be our keeper for the best part of the next decade. Hope he is.

 

[Yellow Fever]

I'm curious about who we might sign that would be better than Ruddy. 

 

[Killiecanary]

Me too! I'm not making a case for slinging JR (although at some point we need to either try Declan Rudd or lose him - he can't sit on a bench his entire career) and I think he has been a great player for us. I have no clue whether there could be anyone out there better for us and I hope he stays with us and plays like we know he can.

However, the fact remains that since AN's arrival. Ruddy has not been as strong as he was for us in his first three years with us. I was merely wondering if AN might be reflecting on his goalkeepers performances since January and asking himself if those types of performances are going to be enough for him in the PL. we all know he can play better than he has this season, but Alex Neil wasn't here when he was at his best, so is going to have to go more on faith than evidence if he thinks Ruddy should be his No. 1 in the Prem.

 

[SussexYellow]

Me too! I'm not making a case for slinging JR (although at some point we need to either try Declan Rudd or lose him - he can't sit on a bench his entire career) and I think he has been a great player for us. I have no clue whether there could be anyone out there better for us and I hope he stays with us and plays like we know he can.

However, the fact remains that since AN's arrival. Ruddy has not been as strong as he was for us in his first three years with us. I was merely wondering if AN might be reflecting on his goalkeepers performances since January and asking himself if those types of performances are going to be enough for him in the PL. we all know he can play better than he has this season, but Alex Neil wasn't here when he was at his best, so is going to have to go more on faith than evidence if he thinks Ruddy should be his No. 1 in the Prem.

I would say that JR has had a quiet season rather than anything approaching a poor one. If we reflect on the season now we did dominate the vast majority of games - possibly the only exception being Boro away. There has not been a huge amount of work for JR to do, unlike our previous Championship campaign when his saves were a crucial element of success.

The mistakes he has been critiscised for have tended to come in particularly quiet games for him, when possibly his concentration did dip, or when he has not received the protection he should have got from the officials. Neither of these scenarios are likely in the premiership or at least not to the same extent.

He has been AN's first choice since he arrived despite having an alternative in Declan Rudd, who was well thought of in his time at Preston. So unless JR wants away himself, which I also do not see as likely - he specifically wanted to come to Norwich and the area when he joined, I expect him to be here at the start of next season and as first choice.

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

John Ruddy is a proven Premier League performer and a safe pair of hands. I agree replacing him would only be attractive if we could bring in someone better, which is unlikely to be financially viable.

Think Ruddy should be realistic about England though. Hart is undisputed and he is never going to displace Foster or Forster. Forster now plays for Southampton and has played in the Champions League. Everything Southampton associated is golden right now, so Ruddy's got no chance there. Then there's Foster, Hodgson's âme soeur. Hodgson will never select Ruddy ahead of him. So theres the three places, unless theres an injury, Hodgson gets sacked (which considering the dirth of talent at present and the fact he is an established FA yes man he's probably safe) or Foster decides he cant be bothered again unless there's a jolly involved.

 

[Canaryboy]

The question of who we'd replace him with is a good one, I can't think of many? 

Also worth pointing out that all keepers go through difficult periods. It was only a couple of years ago that Joe Hart had a terrible run of form, about the time that Ruddy was in excellent form for us and won an England cap. 

Brad Guzan was excellent for Villa for a couple of years and has just lost his place to a 39 year old Shay Given, Jed Steer even got a start over him the other day.  As for whether he should forget about an England call up, didn't Tom Heaton just get one? 

If we get Ruddy playing to his best again next season then there isn't anybody (realistic) I'd swap him with, and even if we did hypothetically sell him and replace him with Alex McCarthy or David Marshall, those players aren't going to be immune to a loss of form. 

Goalkeepers aren't easy to replace, if you sign a foreign keeper it takes a season to coach them out of their tendency to punch instead of catch and get them to stop flapping at crosses. Stick with Ruddy!