Wes Hoolahan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wes Hoolahan

Hoolahan at Carrow Road, August 2011
Personal information
Full nameWesley Hoolahan
Date of birth (1982-05-20) 20 May 1982
Place of birthDublin, Ireland
Height5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Playing positionAttacking midfielder
Club information
Current clubNorwich City
Number14
Youth career
Belvedere
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2001–2006Shelbourne133(11)
2006–2007Livingston16(0)
2006–2008Blackpool87(13)
2008–Norwich City184(30)
National team‡
2002–2003Republic of Ireland U219(1)
2007Republic of Ireland B1(0)
2008–Republic of Ireland7(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 00:19, 2 December 2013 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 15 October 2013

Wesley "Wes" Hoolahan (born 20 May 1982) is an Irish footballer who plays as a midfielder for English Premier League club Norwich City and the Republic of Ireland at International level.

Hoolahan began his playing career with Shelbourne and has previously played for Livingston and Blackpool. He was the subject of a contested transfer between these two clubs in 2007, eventually requiring mediation by FIFA before he was able to sign for Blackpool. Hoolahan has played more than 100 times for both Shelbourne and Norwich.

Club career

Early career

Born in Dublin, Hoolahan started his career at Shelbourne where he won three League of Ireland championships and excelled during their run in the Champions League qualifiers in the 2004–05 season. He was the PFAI Young Player of the Year in the 2002–03 season. He then had a brief spell at Livingston.

Blackpool

On 21 July 2006, Hoolahan joined Blackpool on a season-long loan.[1] He scored his first goal for the club on 30 September 2006, a penalty in a 3–0 win over Leyton Orient at Bloomfield Road.[2] On 15 December 2006, he scored a goal and was sent off in a 3–1 win at Scunthorpe United.[3]

In June 2007, Hoolahan signed a two-year contract with Blackpool. Livingston, however, refused to sign the documentation sanctioning the move, stating that Blackpool had repeatedly breached the terms of the loan agreement. Blackpool denied any such default, and referred the matter to the Football Association. With Livingston being backed by the Scottish Football Association the matter was passed to FIFA for a decision to be made on the player's future.[4] On 10 August 2007, FIFA ruled in Blackpool's favour, thus confirming Hoolahan as a Blackpool player.[5][6]

Norwich

On 26 June 2008, Norwich City confirmed the deal to bring Hoolahan on a three-year player-plus-cash deal. Norwich reserve team keeper, Matthew Gilks, moved in the opposite direction along with an undisclosed amount of money.[7] Hoolahan was handed squad number 14, which he has kept in his time at Norwich. His first goal for the club finally came when he opened the scoring in a 4–0 win over Barnsley at Carrow Road on 17 January 2009.[8] An injury sustained on 14 March, whilst playing against Plymouth Argyle, kept him out for the rest of the season as Norwich were ultimately relegated to League One.[9]

In 2009–10 under new manager Paul Lambert, Hoolahan was utilised in a role behind the strikers in a midfield diamond formation as opposed to on the wing. This saw a higher personal goal return for Hoolahan as he scored 13 times (including four penalties) in all competitions before the new year.[10]

In the 2010–11 season, Hoolahan scored his first two goals of the season against Leicester City, scoring a penalty, and with a 30-yard half-volley shot. Like the previous season, Hoolahan has been utilised at the tip of the diamond formation. Hoolahan continued his good form, with a goal against Bristol City, making it 3 goals in 2 matches for him. On 28 December 2010, Hoolahan scored his first hat-trick for Norwich City in a 4–2 win over Sheffield United after coming on as a substitute.[11]

Hoolahan signed a new three-and-a-half-year deal with the club in January 2011, committing his future to Norwich until 2014.[12]

During pre-season before the 2011–12 Premier League campaign, Hoolahan was given the captain's armband when club captain Grant Holt and vice-captain Russell Martin were not playing. He led out the Canaries for the first time in the friendly fixture against Southend United at Roots Hall. He scored his first Premier League goal in Norwich City's opening day 1–1 draw against Wigan Athletic on 13 August 2011.[13] Hoolahan led the Norwich team out as captain for their first Premier League win of the season, where they beat Bolton Wanderers 2–1 away on 17 September 2011, being given the armband ahead of the previous season's regular vice-captain Russell Martin, who was also in the team.[14] He was inducted into Norwich City's Hall of Fame on 20 March 2012.[15]

On 15 December 2012 it was announced Hoolahan had signed a new deal with Norwich City, keeping him at the club until 2015.[16]

In January 2014 Hoolahan was the subject of transfer speculation from Aston Villa who reportedly had a bid of £1 million rejected. A few days after this reported bid Hoolahan put in a transfer request which was turned down by the club.[17][18][19]

International career

Hoolahan was first capped at under-21 level for the Republic of Ireland.[20] While at Shelbourne, he was an unused substitute in Don Givens' first game in charge of the Republic of Ireland, a 0–0 draw against Greece in November 2002.[20]

Hoolahan was named in the Republic of Ireland "B" squad on 8 November 2007, for the match against Scotland on 20 November at the Excelsior Stadium in Airdrie.[20][21] Hoolahan played in the match, which ended in a 1–1 draw.[22]

In April 2008, Giovanni Trapattoni included Hoolahan in his preliminary forty-man squad for the friendly matches against Serbia on 24 May and Colombia on 29 May.[23] On 13 May it was confirmed that Hoolahan had made the 28-man squad and that he would be joining a training camp in Portugal on 15 May in preparation for the matches.[24] He came on as a 70th-minute substitute in a practice match which the Irish team drew 1–1 with Portuguese Liga de Honra club side Portimonense.[25] He was an unused substitute in Ireland's 1–1 draw with Serbia at Croke Park in Dublin. On 29 May, he came on as a second half substitute in the 1–0 win over Colombia held in England at Craven Cottage.[26]

On 10 August 2012, Hoolahan was recalled to the Republic of Ireland squad for the 15 August friendly international against Serbia in Belgrade. However, he was unable to accept the call due to an achilles tendon injury.[27]

On 31 October 2012, Hoolahan was called up to the Republic of Ireland squad for the 14 November friendly international against Greece in Dublin, he came on at half time in the 0–1 defeat replacing Robbie Brady and earning his second cap for the Republic of Ireland.[28] On 6 February 2013, Hoolahan scored his first goal for Ireland in a 2–0 defeat of Poland in a friendly in Dublin.

International goals

As of 6 February 2013.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 6 February 2013 Aviva Stadium, Republic of Ireland  Poland 2– 0 2–0 Friendly

Honours

Club

Shelbourne
Blackpool
Norwich City

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Blackpool take Hoolahan on loan". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 21 July 2006. Retrieved 18 April 2012. 
  2. ↑ "results/fixtures Blackpool v Leyton Orient". Soccerbase. 30 September 2006. Retrieved 17 September 2007. 
  3. ↑ "results/fixtures Scunthorpe v Blackpool". Soccerbase. 30 September 2006. Retrieved 17 September 2007. 
  4. ↑ "Livingston block Hoolahan switch". BBC Sport. 5 June 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2007. 
  5. ↑ "Pool handed bonus ahead of opener". Blackpool F.C. 11 August 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2007. 
  6. ↑ "Hoolagate: FIFA still dragging their feet". Blackpool Gazette. 11 September 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2007. 
  7. ↑ http://www.canaries.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetails/0,,10355~1322187,00.html.  Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ↑ "results/fixtures Norwich v Barnsley". Soccerbase. 17 January 2009. Retrieved 17 January 2009. 
  9. ↑ "Hoolahan out for rest of season". BBC Sport. 18 March 2009. Retrieved 5 January 2010. 
  10. ↑ "Man of match Wes 'best player in division'". eveningnews24.co.uk. 26 December 2009. Retrieved 5 January 2010. 
  11. ↑ "Norwich 4–2 Sheff Utd". BBC Sport. 28 December 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2011. 
  12. ↑ "Hoolahan signs new contract". Norwich City F.C. 10 January 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2011. 
  13. ↑ "Wigan 1–1 Norwich". BBC Sport. 13 August 2011. Retrieved 15 August 2011. 
  14. ↑ "Bolton 1–2 Norwich". BBC Sport. 17 September 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2011. 
  15. ↑ "New Hall of Fame inductees". Norwich City F.C. 26 March 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2012. 
  16. ↑ . Norwich City F.C. 15 December 2012 http://www.canaries.co.uk/news/article/hoolahan-new-contract-545136.aspx. Retrieved 17 December 2012.  Missing or empty |title= (help)
  17. ↑ "Poll: After Wes Hoolahan’s transfer request, what would you do with the Norwich City midfielder?". Pinkun.com. Retrieved 23 January 2014. 
  18. ↑ "Norwich shun Aston Villa's advances for Wes Hoolahan". http://www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 23 January 2014. 
  19. ↑ "Wes Hoolahan keen to leave Norwich as transfer request denied". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 January 2014. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 "International call up for Hoolahan". Blackpool F.C. 8 November 2007. Retrieved 26 December 2007. 
  21. ↑ "Connor and Gartland earn 'B' call-up". RTÉ. 8 November 2007. Retrieved 8 November 2007. 
  22. ↑ "Ireland pegged back by late strike". The Irish Times. 20 November 2007. Retrieved 20 November 2007. 
  23. ↑ "Hoolahan Gets Ireland Call-Up". Blackpool F.C. 11 April 2008. Retrieved 11 April 2008. 
  24. ↑ "Hoolahan Gets Republic Nod". Blackpool F.C. 13 May 2008. Retrieved 13 May 2008. 
  25. ↑ "Seasider's Irish appearance". Blackpool Gazette. 20 May 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2008. 
  26. ↑ Canavan, Steve (30 May 2008). "International debut for Seasiders' Wes". Blackpool Gazette. Retrieved 30 May 2008. 
  27. ↑ "Wes Hoolahan called up to replace injured Gibson". Football Association of Ireland. 10 August 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2012. 
  28. ↑ "Republic of Ireland 0 – 1 Greece". Extra Time. 15 November 2012. Retrieved 15 November2012. 

External links

Norwich City F.C. – current squad
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.