The one thing I've been really pleased about in the whole appointing Alex Neil rush is that I feel we've done our best to keep on good terms with the Accies. Makes a stark contrast to so many other acrimonious managerial moves that ruin relationships between clubs. I don't begrudge them this c. £90k one bit and indeed think they deserve it! http://www.norwich.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=401102
Good shout Rob and I would like us possibly to have that pre-season friendly for good measure. £90k is nothing in the modern day.
With the amounts we're about to receive I think about £5mil is only fair! They plummeted after Neil left. We essentially ruined their season and their fans have been nothing but gracious the whole time. I'd also suggest loaning a few of our youngsters to them. Maybe Jacob Murphy and others. They deserve all the help they can get after how much they've helped us!
If we really want to say thanks to them we could all go on their website and have a go at their lotto, it is £1.50 a line and funds go to their development squad. If you ask any Norwich fan in January if they would be prepared to pay £1.50 each to Hamilton for a manager who will take you into the premiership. Not much for a manager
First of all I agree with all that has been said about Hamilton. They were an absolute credit to the game and I was very pleased to see that their form picked up towards the end of the season. I really do not get this about Andreu. As I said elsewhere AN made it clear from day 1 that he expected to get us promoted and he also made it clear that he rated Andreu very highly. Why the hell would we spend £1m buying him, spend 4 months getting him up to the pace and fitness levels required in our game and having done that send him back to Hamilton on loan? It really makes no sense to me at all.
Joking aside, I think I might do this. It would be pretty awesome if someone tweeted it and a whole load of Norwich fans did so. Bet it would make the national press.
Possibly. I have always suspected that he just wanted an ally in the squad early doors and Andreu was the best player at Hamilton - we paid a pretty penny for him probably to stay on good relationship terms with Hamilton and also because we paid pittance for Neil himself. Of course, there was always a chance that Andreu might be able to make the step up and you may be right that there still could be, but from what I've seen of him (admittedly not a lot) I think his level is Championship - if we'd not got promoted I could imagine him playing next year. Of course, that might be completely wrong because players like him (and Dorrans to an extent) need a full pre-season to bed in and get up to speed. Maybe he will play a part. I just think on balance his purchase was more about helping Neil than anyone else.
I might be an optimist but I suspect that Andreu and the Belgian lad whose name I can't spell will surprise a lot of people next year.
Vadis for me sits in a different group. He was injured for most f the season when he came back Neil said it was too late to get someone up to speed with the team and so he was unlikely to be involved in the run in. Highly rated when we signed him, I was expecting him to be our best player, he may well be and we don't know. Andreu has been available since January made a few fairly average appearances and seemed to slip down the pecking order. If that was the price of Neil being happy on the training field having someone he knew and knew his style and demands then it's paid off in other ways. However with only 25 places availible in the squad next year we have to be careful with how we use them
I think Andreu will come good for you. I can't remember an Alex Neil signing that did not add something to the team. It would be a waste for Tony to come back to Hamilton as we all know he's a league above anything else we have and that the SPFL is walk in the park for him. I rate him as highly as James McCarthy and James McArthur. He will come good. If he is to be loaned anywhere a championship team would benefit him and norwich more I think. Rumours are floating round that we may get one or both of the murphy and that McGrandlas may also be up for grabs..... Rumour is we are getting £90K from Norwich, which the chairman has advised will go straight into the youth academy.
Myself and Thai have posted on Accies World and I've posted a link on there to this thread, hopefully one or two of them will sign up to not606 too http://www.acciesworld.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=364&p=4387#p4387
great idea, and the money will be used for youth development. We run on a debt free basis, we do not overspend on journeymen pro's we like to invest in our own talent. If a player is good enough he will be played. McCarthy played in the first team at 15.
You're more than welcome mate, shame if what 'glasgow accie' on your board says is true and there won't be a pre season friendly after all
i recall a friendly being mentioned at the time Sir Alex moved to you. the indications were that it would be at carrow road