Rumours. Don’t you just love ’em?
In the past week, they’ve revolved around two leading men, as in Ben Gibson and Jordan Hugill and I must be honest enough to say that one I’d embrace at the Carra and one, erm, I wouldn’t.
Gibson has had a torrid time with Burnley and is on record as saying he wants to play regular football which to my mind has always meant: Get me outta here. But the media being what it is we’re told tales that Gibson is desperate to get back to Boro to play under the auspices of Uncle Steve and that Burnley want to trade him off to Forest in order to land Joe Worrall in a kind of part-ex.
Norwich City are apparently caught in the middle of all this, supposedly waiting in the wings for the deal to go wrong and swoop.
I would love to see Ben Gibson here but my hopes are diminishing daily.
Quickly on to Hugill. Yes, he scored 15 goals for QPR in the Championship last season and that’s no mean feat in itself. But he’s 28 and no Grant Holt as some folks suggest.
Every rumour-monger on the planet has suggested that we offered £3million for him plus £2m in add-ons. Maybe we did. But, equally, maybe we didn’t.
Either way, Paddy Davitt’s late Sunday night tweet suggests, whether I like it or not, it’s a done deal.
David Moyes [okay not him really, Karren Brady and her pals] had originally come back to say: we want £8m. A couple of social media types have also suggested that Moyes’ brother or bro-in-law is Hugill’s agent.
True? I don’t know and I don’t care.
These numbers would have put us back into Naismith territory and I’m fairly sure Mr Webber wouldn’t go there.
Let’s assume some middle ground was eventually found.
Meanwhile it’s all quiet on the Eastern front in terms of departures and I was most pleasantly surprised to see Emi Buendia feature late on with a tap-in against Cafu’s MK Dons and the sight of Onel’s rumba hips ending up with the ball lodging between the back of the net and the stanchion.
I guess one issue is becoming clearer in that if you look at the NCFC Official squad photographs three players are conspicuously pictured in last season’s shirts as in Moritz Leitner, Tom Trybull and Josip Drmic.
Everybody else is in the new Errea kit which I was singing the praises of this time last week. Well, I came down to the blue planet with a very large bump when I watched the goal clips from the MK match.
You can’t blame Errea but the squad numbers on the back of the shirts are hideous. They look like a cross between gender-specific signs for toilets and a barcode. And a Minion.
No mudslinging on this one from me because I’m not sure but if this is anything to do with our recent sponsorship deal with Badu Sports I am very much less than impressed.
Anyway, it’s all aboard for the German tour – as brief as it will be. While I’ll freely admit I will miss the chance to nip down the road to Dereham or Gorleston or wherever for myself to have a look at the new boys, I’ll just have to do the same as the rest of us and miss out.
In this scenario, the people I really feel for are the ultras such as Andy, Sharon and Jacob Bowles of On the Stall City fame. It was always a joy to read their collective tour reports and a couple of pics on MFW but it’s not to be this close-season I’m afraid.
Personally I always like to take in a couple of pre-season games if I can so this time around it will be a little bit of a grey area for me in terms of: how will we shape up?
But I do like the way young Josh Martin is ploughing his furrow. Physically he looks like a typical NCFC attacking midfielder as in he is as slightly built as he is skilful, but that never held James Maddison or Todd Cantwell back. High hopes? Yep.
MFW rarely deals in exclusives but I thought I’d conclude with one for you.
Despite dressing room bust ups, travails and saying a few words too many to the ex-Barca management, Lionel Messi is most unlikely to join us. Well, not until January anway.
See: rumours are that easy to create.
In the words of the inimitable and much-missed Thin Lizzy:
Thin Lizzy – Don’t Believe A Word (unless it’s Paddy. #nocircus).
Hi Martin
It has been a good weekend so far for sporting results and rumours yesterday’s in the Express says that Leeds have lost interest in EMI Beundia and now have other targets.
At present only one offer from LIVARPOOL for Lewis that was quickly despatched to the WTF bin so they used city to get a deal done for a Turkish lad they had been scouting for months, we will possibly see a lot of that in the next few weeks.
Incoming or out going Mr Webber will be under a lot of pressure and most of that might come from the board to keep costs down, penny pinching will not get us success this season but then paying out loads money for a player that has a 1 in 3 good season just doesn’t seem to fit the model Hugill just doesn’t cut the mustard and a wage of £35k aweek could cause unrest with a few so would he take a big cut or join QPR who are willing to meet his wage demands only time will tell.
As for Trybull, Moritz and Drmic I will only miss Trybull as he always puts in a shift, Moritz has the skills we need but not the physicality for the English game, Drmic be it good or bad luck his injuries ment we possibly didn’t see the best of him could he perform better in the championship we will never know unless no offers come in but a couple of the more physical defenders could scare the living daylights out of him.
My wishes would be Rhodes and Vickers Carter but getting either of the Murphy’s back no thank you.
Have a good cricket day it is sunny and cool in Blackpool.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Stay safe and stay healthy
Hi Alex
I doubt Hugill’s wage deal with the club will ever come into the public domain but it looks as if some form of compromise must have been reached.
Maybe I was being a little unfair when I said he’s no Grant Holt but you know what I mean. This means Drmic is a goner for sure, of course.
Personally I’ve never seen the return of either Murphy as viable either and Jordan Rhodes, unfortunately, will not be returning.
Carter-Vickers is one I would like if as I suspect we can’t work something out with Burnley for Gibson. Another CB is, for me, the last brick in this season’s recruitment wall and otherwise it’s just a question of who leaves. And for how much 🙂
Thanks mate
Some WHU news are stating that the Hugill deal is done and are quoting that city are paying with add ons £6m.
It will be like all deals undisclosed so that the brown stuff doesn’t hit the fan.
If Webber as done a deal for that amount then he has lost his marbles and letting city be ripped off like that.
There was to be better opinions out there than this.
If he has or is about to sign I just hope he proves us all wrong and doesn’t turn out to be a busted flush
We don’t have a great track record when we sign from West Ham.
Matt Jarvis and [although he’s a great player when he’s fit] Sam Byram come to mind immediately.
Luckily Hugill doesn’t have a backstory of injury and I’m certainly not talking that one up.
15 for QPR last season? No way a busted flush but as you say he wouldn’t have been the top of my shop either. However add-ons in this case can only involve appearances and promotion so I don’t think Webber’s been taken for a d*ck by any means.
Certainly were turned over by them in the case of Jarvis. But that’s our fault. Had him on loan, and still bought him after one outstanding game.
http://c.newsnow.co.uk/A/1044062840?-11057:808
I read this earlier – NewsNow is at fault for many rumours 🙂
But it’s great to read fansites like Claret&Hugh. To the Lane and Back is another of my favourites and I like the Daily Gunner too amongst a few others.
A great read on a Monday morning Martin and interesting update on the ongoing saga of Ben Gibson. I was hoping that he’d have been confirmed by now and I see him as the ‘missing link’ in shoring up our leaky defence, but ONLY if he wants to come here. Hugill – I’m not fussed about.
AS you rightly mention, we will be denied the Bowles’ family review of the pre-season tour and also the pre-season games at CR, but life goes on.
Josh Martin – another player with the initials ‘JM’ and if he has a smidgeon of the impact that the previous player with those initials had, then we have a very exciting player on our books.
No mention of the proposed reopening of CR to the fans and I know you said you wouldn’t want to go if we’re only allowed approx 25% capacity.
I’ll end by saying that I see Herr Flick (and no mention of the ‘Fallen Madonna with ……!!) and his Bayern team triumphed last night. Congratulations to them.
Hi Ed
There are obviously snags with the Gibson deal and all we can do is wait. When a player of that calibre becomes available it makes no sense not to go for him and I’m sure we are doing all we can. But will it be enough?
I’m glad you enjoy the Bowles family articles as much as I do. Parts of them are so evocative you kind of feel like you’re there yourself!
I haven’t changed my stance on reduced capacity. If I’m drawn out of the hat for a ticket I’ll pass it on to a mate. For me it has to be the genuine experience or nothing!
Not the most thrilling of CL finals but I’m with you: well done Bayern.
Cheers
Good Morning.
Good article as usual.👍
Silly season is upon us!! Rumours and counter claims, I try to ignore it all these days until I actually see a new face in a yellow shirt!!
As for Hugill, if it’s true, I feel slightly underwhelmed from what I remember definitely not a DF/SW type player, but maybe as others have said he may well provide a plan B of playing a bit more of the British way!!
By the way great song choice!👍
‘Over and out’
John
Morning John
Hugill does suggest there will be a Plan B this season as there was with Rhodes the last time we were in the Championship.
It will be true if Paddy Davitt proclaims it so I’ve taken it as a read. It will be interesting to see how – and when – he is deployed. I can’t look beyond target man myself but with Farke you never know, of course. And at last a presence at corners – hurrah!
Given the alleged recreational habits of 75% of the band it’s amazing how Lizzy could put on such an amazing high-energy show. Phil Lynott RIP.
Cheers
Hi Martin,
I see Jordan Hugill is in the house! Listened to his signing on interview and he comes over well, sounds like he wants to be here. Obviously he deserves a chance to show what he can do.
Gives us an interesting option of playing Pukki + Hugill up front with an old fashioned 4-4-2 or 3 at the back assuming we can keep 3 centre backs fit!! Ha.
Finally, many many years ago I had the good fortune of seeing Thin Lizzy complete with Phil Lynott (no Gary Moore though) at the Ipswich Gaumont….great live band.
Have a good afternoon
Cheers
John
Hi John
I agree with you concerning what the Hugill signing could do for us in terms of how we set up. I just wish I could watch us pre-season but I know that’s obviously a pipedream. Not a bad signing so as you so rightly say let’s see what he can do. Even if only on the radio, telly, or a dodgy stream.
I saw Lizzy at Dagenham Roundhouse around 73/74 about the time Johnny the Fox came out. 1,000 capacity but there were I’d guess 1,500 there on the night. No Gary Moore in those days. And little room to breathe either.
Shucks they were good.
Cheers.
Morning, Martin. I have to agree that I too am not overly enamoured with the Hugill signing – but we have to trust in the scouting dept I suppose.
I still can’t fathom why we haven’t gone back for Rhodes.
That will grate as much as when Worthy refused to resign Sutton…
Also agree – the numbers on the back look awful. Black lettering, surely……
Hi Martin
I think Sheffield Wednesday remains such a cauldron of uncertainty that Rhodes was never really in the mix although obviously I’m not privy to the details of the Hillsborough shenanigans..
When it comes to Hugill I’d guess little scouting was required. To me he’s a WYSIWYG player who I’ve long been aware of but never particularly felt ecstatic about. Now he’s one of ours I’ll be concentrating on him a little more closely!
As ever, time will tell.
Cheers.
Hi Martin. Not sure I’m so keen as you on Ben Gibson. He clearly wants to go to Boro’ and I don’t think we want or need a player who isn’t fully committed. Having said that, now that I’ve bitten the bullet and got Netflix, I’m catching up on the “Sunderland till I die” documentary, and at least it’s not Darren Gibson!
I’m reasonably happy with Hugill. He’s another “home grown” addition to the squad, and while he may not be the entire Grant Holt, he certainly has some of the characteristics, and gives us a different option up front, particularly when we have to go long. I would like to see us get Carter-Vickers. I can hear a great Snakepit chant, “Carter-Vickers, wears no ………..”!
Morning Jim
Sometimes the lot of the MFW writer is to speculate on the speculation of others but I can assure you we’d all rather write about a match we’ve recently been to!
I had the privilege of meeting Steve Gibson many moons ago and he seemed a lovely fella. If he can do anything in his power to get nephew Ben back he will and Colin W certainly appears to want him so that’s why I reckon we’re “waiting in the wings” just in case.
Not sure your Carter-Vickers chant would catch on in these PC-dominated days but if you want a good old fashioned [and clean] laugh along those lines check out the Two Ronnies as Big Jim Jehosphat and Fatbelly Jones performing Upcat Polecat.
You’ll love it.
Promise 🙂
Checked the Two Ronniesvout as you suggested. Ronnie Barker was a master at writing near the knuckle lyrics and monologues. His storey of the small brown Richard the Third takes some beating!
I just love the delay in the line where it goes:
Up in the loft where the oil lamp flickers, I lost my heart and she lost her…. parasol.
Their main additional scriptwriter was the Sheffield boy Barry Cryer and some of the tales he told me in a Manchester bar one night were even funnier than their performances.
Barry gave me an insight into *the phantom raspberry blower of old London town* and I only wish I could remember what he said.
As you so rightly say, always on the top but never over it.
My brother-in-law and his friend, PNE fans, rated Hugill but never thought he would make it in the PL, and were delighted with the amount West Spam paid for him.
He’s not the sort of player you would have predicted Farke would want, but perhaps it’s a sign that one or two things have been taken on board from the last two seasons.
When we are struggling to break down a stubborn Championship bus-parking defence one of the first things the keyboard warriors come out with is “the trouble with (insert name of manager) is he’s got no plan B”. This implies there might be one.
Hugill should also offer a different option when we need to bypass a high press. Not so pretty to watch, but that’s the trade off.
There are certain games where we know we need more physical presence – probably including the one belonging to Uncle Gibson and now managed by Colin. Hugill holding the ball up for Pukki to run off might be a better option in some games than Pukki with a number 10 behind him.
He is also likely to be far more useful defending corners than Pukki or Idah, especially against a team with several large lads to attack the ball.
So whilst I agree that he’s not necessarily who I’d be looking to sign it suggests there’s some pragmatism behind this one.
Such a shame that we won’t be Bowlesed over by travel tales this summer. I hope in particular that Jacob has not found everything that’s gone on this year too traumatic; it can’t have been easy these past few months.
Hi Keith
Excellent point about the ability to bypass the high press but that surely won’t be as relentless in the Championship as it was in the PL.
Maybe I’m on a different planet but I basically see Hugill as an upgrade on Paderborn’s Dennis the Menace, late of this parish.
Pragmatism is the word and now we’ve signed Hugill we’ll certainly have to embrace him the way we did Holty. I’d imagine he’ll be officially unveiled in Germany later today.
Glad to know the Bowles diaries were appreciated by you too.
Thanks as always
For all his goals, Teemu doesn’t win headers – Hugill does and it could be a fantastic partnership up front – give the guy a chance.
Hi Neil
It just seemed a little bit of an unusual, non-stereotypical Norwich signing to me.
We’re City fans so of course we’ll give him a chance 🙂
Thanks
I can see a positive ! As numerically, we appear to have signed a new team there should not be a relegation hang over. In fact, those who thought they may leave for big money ( and possibly won’t ) may have to pull their socks up which can only be a good thing. All this transfer activity is exciting and if nothing else, who knows what’s round the corner, mid table mediocrity or another promotion ? It’s exciting to think about it 😊
Hi Tim
As miserable as I can be [I’m notorious for it in MFW circles] right now I’m with you. Every pre-season grants us the opportunity for optimism but this time I’m truly looking forward with a positive attitude.
Shame we can’t be there to see how things transpire for ourselves!
Thanks
If Hugill is the number two striker when we use 4-2-3-1 then he is a useful addition to the squad. I doubt the numbers quoted for his wages. We would not pay that sort of money, surely. Getting rid of Drmic’s wages will help.
I think we are assembling a decent squad. We will no doubt need a big squad given the quick turn round of games. In the past miss 6 weeks, maybe 8 games. Next season miss 6 weeks, miss 12 games.
The longer the silence on the young stars moving away I get more nervous that they will go at the end of the window and give us no chance to recruit a decent replacement.
Glass still half full.
OTBC
Hiya Colin
Some good points there for sure.
If we’re looking at like for like replacements should the famous five depart I don’t think we’re that far away – on paper anyway.
Dowell, Skipp, McCallum, Mumba, Sorensen, Quintilla? Maybe the only cover we haven’t got is for Godfrey. We do seem reluctant to pursue decent CBs and that’s for sure – unless we somehow manage to bring Gibson in although right now I’m becomingly increasingly sceptical on that one.
Thanks as ever.
Morning Mr P, I had to look our latest striker up. Never heard of him then I don,t follow PNE, or Wet Spam. Doesn,t rock my boat but then can think of others who fit into that box.
Looks like Faroe has learnt a little from previous shorties in championship, getting little more physical presence. As for DrMic, hasn,t he found a recording studio round here yet ? After watching there won,t be many takers I fear. Although Kings Lynn looks a bridge to far for him.
Disappointed that Leather didn,t make the grade, he looked a bit of class. Tommy Trybull will be missed he never put in many bad shifts. Liked him a lot.
As to Hugill Time will tell, if he bangs in a few then won,t be a bad deal. As for Holty, There Is Only One Grant Holt. None will get near him as far as I am concerned.
If this Gibson deal goes on much longer we need to shift attention to someone else. Bugger all this waiting for other clubs to dilly about.
Would have liked to see Rhodes back, but that ship has left port, doubt he would want to be a 3rd choice, sadly he is on the way of Cureton down the leagues, where he will do a good job.
Back to the wireless for games now, better than nowt only it throws up the Butler , doing an impression of a Jason Manford,s. Kn-bhead, at least Goreham is a supporter.
Thanks again for another interesting read over me coffee.
Afternoon Lad
I’m a bit tardy getting back to some folks today because Mrs P had an issue with a packet of out-of-date smoked salmon mis-sold by a major supermarket chain. The English equivalent of Walmart.
We find it impossible to wear glasses with masks – but all is now resolved.
I liked Tommy T too and he seemed a very decent guy who was apparently well settled here. Shame to lose him really.
There will only ever be one Grant Holt. We know it and he knows it too. Holty, Hucks and Wes are the Titans of this century. And probably still will be at the end of it.
I don’t listen to R Norfolk much but agree about CG. A real supporter and a great commentator. As for the other fella you mention I always employ the off button.
Cheers
Given that this season is going to be Sat/mid week for the most part it would be crazy to think Pukki will be able to replicate 18/19 without experienced back up. The same goes for our injury prone CB’s. This season could easily come down to who has the biggest squad as far as promotion goes. OTBC.
Hi A
I totally agree with you regarding the make-up and quantity of the squad. But, presuming we retain Pukki, Hugill offers a new dimension.
I don’t think Adam Idah will want to play a season-long bench role either. Give that lad a slip of the leash and let him go.
Thanks.
Got to say martin i have been rather scathing with my views lately …but if we signed both of them i would be very happy because we are starting to buy from home and tough solid players that would offer us something different at last mixed with our youth should help massively ….plus we are scoring and not conceding albeit friendlies i know but nonetheless 😉
Hi Jim
No need to apologise for being scathing – there isn’t a football fan in the world who doesn’t feel that way sometimes. I know I do.
Yes we are starting to buy in a few home-grown players such as McCallum, Dowell and obviously Hugill himself of course. One CB [whether Gibson or not] and we’re done imo.
And then time for the departure lounge to open. I wonder who’ll be sitting in there when it does?
Thanks
Aaron’s is not in Germany…… for personal reasons….
Hmmm
Oh and Thin Lizzy, Reading Rock Festival late 70’s
The Boys were well and truly back in town
Hi Cannock
I didn’t know that when I wrote the article of course but the absence of Aarons does have the whiff of suspicion about it.
Reading was quite the event back in the day 🙂
Thanks