[Archived] Grant Hanley

[NCFC123]

Hi guys, Norwich fan here in peace.

Noticed you touched on it a bit in your transfer thread above, but we are set to sign Grant Hanley from Newcastle for about £4m. Wondered what your thoughts on him are?

Saw obviously he was your captain and won player of the season the year before he left, but wasn't really able to ever establish himself at Newcastle.

Do you think he's good enough to play regularly for a side who are aiming for promotion, like we should be? We also under our new manager have a style where we like to get the ball down on the ground and build from the back rather than play long balls forwards, so being good on the ball is quite important as well. Is he capable of this? 

Any info is appreciated, thanks

[booth]

One of those players that some really liked but I was never convinced.

Arrived in the team around the same time as Phil Jones but was nowhere near as good and I think my opinion was soured, perhaps unfairly as Jones was an amazing player in his short time in our first team.

[Pedro]

He has a massive head (physically) and runs like Spongebob Squarepants - so he'll suit yellow.

 

[Tony Rover]

Good captain material for us. If you sign him then I think he'll do well for you. Room for improvement but good old fashioned centre half imo. And he has a big head....

[jim mk2]

1 minute ago, Tony Rover said:

Good captain material for us. If you sign him then I think he'll do well for you. Room for improvement but good old fashioned centre half imo. And he has a big head....

Edit

[jim mk2]

23 minutes ago, NCFC123 said:

Hi guys, Norwich fan here in peace.

Noticed you touched on it a bit in your transfer thread above, but we are set to sign Grant Hanley from Newcastle for about £4m. Wondered what your thoughts on him are?

Saw obviously he was your captain and won player of the season the year before he left, but wasn't really able to ever establish himself at Newcastle.

Do you think he's good enough to play regularly for a side who are aiming for promotion, like we should be? We also under our new manager have a style where we like to get the ball down on the ground and build from the back rather than play long balls forwards, so being good on the ball is quite important as well. Is he capable of this? 

Any info is appreciated, thanks

Very good signing for you.

Excellent player at Championship level, and far too good for our team now. 

Played well under yours and our old boss Paul Lambert..

[Sparks Rover]

25 minutes ago, NCFC123 said:

Hi guys, Norwich fan here in peace.

Noticed you touched on it a bit in your transfer thread above, but we are set to sign Grant Hanley from Newcastle for about £4m. Wondered what your thoughts on him are?

Saw obviously he was your captain and won player of the season the year before he left, but wasn't really able to ever establish himself at Newcastle.

Do you think he's good enough to play regularly for a side who are aiming for promotion, like we should be? We also under our new manager have a style where we like to get the ball down on the ground and build from the back rather than play long balls forwards, so being good on the ball is quite important as well. Is he capable of this? 

Any info is appreciated, thanks

Likes a Jack Daniels and coke, a flutter in the Ley Inn and a curry down the Leyland high street

[Tony Rover]

2 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

Edit

Be more specific. If it's about his gigantic head then I did post it in a certain way. Everything else is of my opinion. 

[tomphil]

Solid and committed and quite hard but turns slower than a tanker when balls slid down either side of him, takes no prisoners so can handle big centre forwards. Often plays in a world of his own though and it took Lambert and a slightly tighter style of play to get him and Duffy to form any sort of effective partnership briefly.

Get him with the right partner and a solid centre mid in front of him and he's a good Championship defender.

Used to like a night out or 5 though ...

[Oldgregg86]

Solid, decent defender . Always a chance he will do something a bit reckless. Would be a great addition to your squad and no doubt improve your starting 11 with the defenders Currently occupying those positions ( no offence)

[Blue Cabbage]

He's an absolute Neanderthal, all blood and thunder, short of a few brain cells but likes a battle with his opponent.

Pair him with someone who he can understand and maybe learn off as the raw materials are there but sadly lacks a footballing brain despite how many appearances he's racked up.

Still better than Ward mind.

[tomphil]

A blood and thunder Neanderthal lol, man how we could do with him now imagine him next to the cool experienced head of Mulgrew in this league ?

That's a partnership.

[NCFC123]

Safe to say he splits opinion then thanks for all the replies though.

As hinted at further up, our defence early on this season has been a shambles (I mean we just lost 4-0 to Millwall ffs) so I don't think he could perform an awful lot worse than our defenders have so far. We do have a Swiss international, Timm Klose, as our first choice, who hasn't played yet because of injury. When playing well he is arguably one of the best in the league, so perhaps with Hanley next to him we could have a pretty solid partnership? 

Good though that Hanley is a leader, that isn't something we have enough of in our squad. Also good knowing that Paul Lambert rates him, Lambert's word is as good as gospel round here. 

Whilst I'm here, how has Elliott Bennett got on for you lot? He was a bit of a cult figure around here, seems like a really nice guy. Did very well for us at Premier League level before a horrible injury.

[blueboy3333]

Bennett's a bit of a cult hero here too, especially for his performances at the end of last season. Not the greatest quality but always puts a shift in.

As for Hanley I think he's a better than he's given credit for. He's a leader, tough as old nails and a decent footballer. He tends to give stupid free-kicks away but I just think he enjoys raking his studs down opposition strikers legs

[Mike E]

I always got the feeling that Hanley being captain was what made him a good player. He needed responsibility to reign him in, otherwise he could very quickly go all Joey Barton on someone for no reason.

Hard nut, and plays very well alongside a more composed 'reader' defender. Good threat at set pieces and will significantly reduce goals conceded from set pieces imo.

[Pedro]

20 minutes ago, NCFC123 said:

Whilst I'm here, how has Elliott Bennett got on for you lot? He was a bit of a cult figure around here, seems like a really nice guy. Did very well for us at Premier League level before a horrible injury.

I really like Bennett. Superb energy and attitude. I wish we had more like him.

I hope Hanley does well for you. Never short of effort himself but was promoted to captain way before he was ready and I think it was a burden for quite some time. He's erratic at times but he definitely means well.

[JacknOry]

Definitely a good Cb at Championship level - not really sure why it didnt work out at Newcastle, i think a few early gaffs sapped his confidence and he never really recovered. As others have said, a hard nut and an imposing figure. Good leadership skills and a handful in either box - will worry opposing teams at corners free kicks at the other end.

How we could do with him now.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

He strikes me as being a slow learner. He's got ability but keeps making the same mistakes.  Always got a booking or a sending off in him and he's reckless in the challenge in the danger areas. Looks like Newcastle have given up on him making the step up. His career could two ways now. He either shapes up or he tumbles down the leagues.

We'd have him back here but if I was Norwich I'd keep looking to be honest.

[neophox]

He is crap, feel sorry for you getting him ..

[bob fleming]

He'll do OK for you. But he does have a cows head. It's bloody massive. You'll get used to it after the first season though.

[AJW]

Was a red card waiting to happen when suddenly the penny dropped and he became an all round better defender hence the player of the year and subsequent move to Newcastle ,  perhaps he just not PL quality 

[blueboy3333]

1 hour ago, bob fleming said:

He'll do OK for you. But he does have a cows head. It's bloody massive. You'll get used to it after the first season though.

Grant bit the head off the chap in front of him shortly after this photo was taken. He was quickly sold to Norwich.

[Dreams of 1995]

Do you have good boozers round your way? I can't help but think the draw of the geordie night light might have meant he didn't perform as well as he could up there.

Steady player but has a mistake in him. Likes a good old fashioned lump. Big head.