Thanks to you James Maddison....

[Andy]

There is no doubt that we are seeing a truly special player in top-form and I’m absolutely loving it! But....

The first post that I saw on Twitter yesterday after the game was from a bed-wetting blub boy who was bleating on about “the more goals that Maddison scores then the more chance that he will leave in the Summer.” Jeez. As arguments go, this has got to be the most stupid that I’ve heard since the last time Boris opened his mouth.

Okay, so by his logic it would better that Maddison was complete gash coz then he would stay with us for ever and ever and ever. Or maybe he could just tone it down a bit by not scoring worldies, perhaps by just arse-cheeking a few across the line or taking a few dives to win penalties.

Why cant some people just enjoy the moment? Are their lives so joyless that when something special happens they make themselves hate every moment because they know it is going to end? Do these people go to a restaurant, order a fine meal but then just think about the moment that they will inevitably flush it down the bog a few days later?

Maddison is here, now. He’s scoring brilliant goals, playing Twister with opposition defenses and loving every minute. He is an absolute joy to watch and a really mature, grounded and focused lad off the pitch. He will, if all goes well, be a regular England international and will be playing most of his career in the Premier League, probably for a top 10 side. At the moment he is a Norwich player, he’s on our plate in front of us so lets enjoy every moment, every morsel rather than forever whining that he’s too good for us.

Whilst I will be gutted the day that Maddison moves on, I will be comforted by the fact that we have the Michelin Star Chef that put him on the menu in the first place. We wont have another Maddison but we will have another “xxxxxx”, I’m absolutely sure of that.

 

[morty]

I think it is down to the mental fragility of some of our fans. I have got a bit miffed about the same issue as you, its almost like people want him to go so they can roll their eyes, flail their arms, and cry "Same old Norwich, Delia out". Its the same people who have been crying all season when we lose, but when we win, can hardly allow themselves to be happy. Too many self entitled fans that frankly don't deserve football, their minds have been poisoned by Sky and the Premiership.

 

[Canaryboy]

My thinking right now is..... its obvious Maddison is too good for us and this league, with our current status as average Championship side. So I think we should just enjoy him for the second half of this season, and then all accept that this six months has been a bonus and hope that his sale is all we need to put us back on a decent footing and that the proceeds aren't wasted.

Or we have a riot if he is sold in the next 3 days.

 

[morty]

My thinking right now is..... its obvious Maddison is too good for us and this league, with our current status as average Championship side. So I think we should just enjoy him for the second half of this season, and then all accept that this six months has been a bonus and hope that his sale is all we need to put us back on a decent footing and that the proceeds aren't wasted.

Or we have a riot if he is sold in the next 3 days.

Definitely one of those!

 

[Andy]

My thinking right now is..... its obvious Maddison is too good for us and this league, with our current status as average Championship side. So I think we should just enjoy him for the second half of this season, and then all accept that this six months has been a bonus and hope that his sale is all we need to put us back on a decent footing and that the proceeds aren't wasted.

Or we have a riot if he is sold in the next 3 days.

Our current status is “Improving average Championship side”. I truly believe that something special is happening, the club is being transformed into something that we have never really experienced before. Our recruitment, for one, is operating at a different level. Ok some fans think that sniffing around the lower reaches of the Bundesliga is a sign of weakness but I think it is inspired.

I spent a really interesting afternoon with Alex Neil’s recruitment team and they were unashamed in their methodology - seek out disgruntled players that we could entice away and then see if AN wanted them. We ended up with a mish-mash of average players with bad attitudes that AN didn’t really know what to do with. The previous “two in each position” strategy used by McNally was just as pointless and destabilising.

If Maddison goes, then I for one am confident that we will find another, equally talented replacement. After years of truly hopeless recruitment we now seem to have someone at the club with a good eye for a player, at whatever level they are currently at, and this truly excites me.

 

[OldRobert]

Interesting Andy.

 

[Canaryboy]

There is no doubt that recruitment has been a shambles pre-Webber and us really screwed us, starting from about the point where the club stopped buying players aged 22 to 26 (ish) and started bringing in the likes of Jarvis, Mulumbu and Naismith.

But worth pointing out that Maddison isn't a Webber signing, neither is Ben Godfrey, or Louis Thompson and Jamal Lewis and Remi Matthews had been training with the first team squad frequently under Alex Neil. So we must have had one eye on the future, Canos also came in of course but was dislodged by Jacob Murphy.

And I'd argue that our transfer business under Farke and Webber has been hit and miss also... and Pinto, Klose, Oliviera, Pritchard, Murphy, Maddison... anybody with resale value... none of them brought in by Webber? We've brought in some young talent, but most of it is leased?

So they've still got it all to prove for me, and I don't share your confidence that we'd find an equally talented replacement. Not least because I doubt one exists to be honest, he's the best player in the league.

Lets hope that Onel Hernandez shows his class for us. Looks good on a few YouTube clips, but it all about levels isn't it... we've got no idea whether he'll be good in this league or whether his level in Germany translates into 'would be good in League One' which you could probably apply to James Husband, Marcel Franke and Marley Watkins.

I'm sold on Farke, he's grinding out these results at a time when he has to contend with losing quality every window and has a grip on the dressing room (probably by shipping out a few players who didn't buy into him). But I'm yet to be convinced that our transfer strategy is a winning one to be honest, that remains to be seen.

Feels like we've already added a bit of deadwood to be honest, we've got 2.5 years left on Husband and Franke, not writing them off entirely just yet but they haven't shown that they are Championship standard yet.

 

[Andy]

There is no doubt that recruitment has been a shambles pre-Webber and us really screwed us, starting from about the point where the club stopped buying players aged 22 to 26 (ish) and started bringing in the likes of Jarvis, Mulumbu and Naismith.

But worth pointing out that Maddison isn't a Webber signing, neither is Ben Godfrey, or Louis Thompson and Jamal Lewis and Remi Matthews had been training with the first team squad frequently under Alex Neil. So we must have had one eye on the future, Canos also came in of course but was dislodged by Jacob Murphy.

And I'd argue that our transfer business under Farke and Webber has been hit and miss also... and Pinto, Klose, Oliviera, Pritchard, Murphy, Maddison... anybody with resale value... none of them brought in by Webber? We've brought in some young talent, but most of it is leased?

So they've still got it all to prove for me, and I don't share your confidence that we'd find an equally talented replacement. Not least because I doubt one exists to be honest, he's the best player in the league.

Lets hope that Onel Hernandez shows his class for us. Looks good on a few YouTube clips, but it all about levels isn't it... we've got no idea whether he'll be good in this league or whether his level in Germany translates into 'would be good in League One' which you could probably apply to James Husband, Marcel Franke and Marley Watkins.

I'm sold on Farke, he's grinding out these results at a time when he has to contend with losing quality every window and has a grip on the dressing room (probably by shipping out a few players who didn't buy into him). But I'm yet to be convinced that our transfer strategy is a winning one to be honest, that remains to be seen.

Feels like we've already added a bit of deadwood to be honest, we've got 2.5 years left on Husband and Franke, not writing them off entirely just yet but they haven't shown that they are Championship standard yet.

I agree that the jury is still out on Husband and Franke - the physicality of the Champs clearly came as a surprise for the latter.

 

[gerryinromania]

Our current status is “Improving average Championship side”. I truly believe that something special is happening, the club is being transformed into something that we have never really experienced before. Our recruitment, for one, is operating at a different level. Ok some fans think that sniffing around the lower reaches of the Bundesliga is a sign of weakness but I think it is inspired.

I spent a really interesting afternoon with Alex Neil’s recruitment team and they were unashamed in their methodology - seek out disgruntled players that we could entice away and then see if AN wanted them. We ended up with a mish-mash of average players with bad attitudes that AN didn’t really know what to do with. The previous “two in each position” strategy used by McNally was just as pointless and destabilising.

If Maddison goes, then I for one am confident that we will find another, equally talented replacement. After years of truly hopeless recruitment we now seem to have someone at the club with a good eye for a player, at whatever level they are currently at, and this truly excites me.

Thanks Andy, good to get an insight like that

 

[Scott]

Someone will come in with big money to buy Maddison in the summer, there is no doubt, but that's okay, we knew it was going to happen, ditto Pritchard. I don't think he will go in January, so lets enjoy the 6 months or so we have left of him scoring worldies and megging championship defenders. Let us be the team in 5/6 years time when Maddison is playing for a top prem side and internationally that were the team that MADE James Maddison. He's a hungry young player with a great attitude, he's going to want prem football.

 

[morty]

http://www.planetfootball.com/in-depth/james-maddison-nutmeg-finish-explains-excitement/

 

[morty]

Fulham have rejected a bid of 18m for Tom Cairney from West Ham. I can't say I have seen him play, does anyone that has, consider him better than Maddison?

 

[GJP]

He's very good tbf. He's a bit bigger and stronger than Maddison which I suspect is why WHU are intetested in him and Schneiderlin.