Grant Holt - Don't Write Him Off Just Yet

If you`ve been following Vital Norwich for the last year or so, you will know that I am a big fan of Grant Holt.

As I`ve said before, he has been the driving force that has helped drag the club up from it`s knees, through the League One title, the Championship with those two drubbings of our mates down the A140 and into the Premier League - and his goals helped us stay there!

You will also remember that he has won me £40 over the last two seasons from a couple of doubters in my office.
Both Rich and Craig doubted he could perform at first Championship and then Premier League level - both were proved spectacularly wrong.

This summer saw the unthinkable when the big man announced he wanted to leave. Many Norwich fans saw this as a terrible betrayal just days after picking up the Barry Butler trophy for an unprecedented third successive year.

I was as disappointed as anyone but chuffed to bits when Holt signed a new three year contract, no doubt on greatly increased terms.

Did he deserve the extra cash? To my mind there was no doubt that he did. Don`t overlook what he has done for the club and the impact he has had.

He finished last season very strongly and all signs pointed to a good start to this season. But so far, at least, it`s not going to plan.

Holty has looked out of sorts. He looks a little on the large side to me but as Paul McVeigh pointed out on Canary Call at the weekend, he simply has to be fit.
Macca explained that these days the modern footballer is tested in every conceivable way, lung capacity, endurance, blood tests, recovery tests etc etc etc.

He quite simply wouldn`t be in the squad, let alone playing if he wasn`t fit.
So what`s wrong? A mate of mine reckons he`s got his third year and not bothered anymore - I see this as a massive insult to the man.

He`s has had to work hard to get where he is, harder than most and only has a few years left at this level. Would he want to ruin that legacy at a club he has become a legend? I refuse to believe it.

So, before he is written off (yet again), I`m going to pin my colours to the mast.
He will start to score - soon.

I`m so confident of this that today, after a challenge from a new quarter I have made another bet with a doubter.

Nigel is a Chelsea fan and suggested that Torres would score more goals than Holty this season. How about ten quid, he suggested.
I felt I needed to put my money where my mouth is and take it on.
Have I bitten off more than I can chew, this time? Torres already has two goals to his name.

But I`m confident, maybe foolishly so, some would say.
The £50m man has been woeful over the last three years while the ex-Carlisle tyre fitter (I love that description) who cost £400k from Shrewsbury Town has been on fire.

So, have I bitten off more than I can chew?

OTBC