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Conor Hourihane


dont_do_it_doug.

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Conor is a player I've always liked. Come through the leagues and has always been able to make the step up. He started this season well but DS seems to have lost faith in him. 

I think he would be a good addition to a lower level premier league club. His set pieces are always good and he has a good shot on him. 

I agree with other above he is the type that want to play, he won't be happy warming the bench. I can see him leaving this month, likely on loan. 

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Said it before but I think he'll go down as a bit of a cult hero when he leaves. Has had a hand in some great moments the past few years and clearly has the right attitude. Love that he's risen through the leagues and that by helping us to promotion he achieved his dream too, which is one of the many factors that has contributed to the good vibe around the club over the past 3 seasons. 

Be quite sad to see him go but I'd agree that after this season there simply won't be room in the squad for him. Would be an excellent signing for any championship club.

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It's a bit mad really if you think about it.

There is nobody in the current squad I'd rather have take a shot just outside the area, and there's nobody in the current squad I'd rather take a set piece than Conor.  It's a shame that his style doesn't work with the fast pace style that Smith is looking for (and succeeding in) but I do think there's a good acquisition there for a few PL clubs for sure.

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51 minutes ago, icouldtelltheworld said:

Said it before but I think he'll go down as a bit of a cult hero when he leaves. Has had a hand in some great moments the past few years and clearly has the right attitude. Love that he's risen through the leagues and that by helping us to promotion he achieved his dream too, which is one of the many factors that has contributed to the good vibe around the club over the past 3 seasons. 

Be quite sad to see him go but I'd agree that after this season there simply won't be room in the squad for him. Would be an excellent signing for any championship club.

I agree, his goal against WBA in the play-off semi was absolutely huge. Flipped the game/tie on its head. Was a screamer as well. I'll also always remember his strike against Blues, great day out and another great goal.

It is starting to look like he will need to move on for first team football. I certainly wouldn't begrudge him staying (he's been a great servant) - but will wish him the best wherever he goes.

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1 hour ago, lexicon said:

I'd disagree - I don't see how he'd improve any of those teams, rather he'd just make their midfields even easier to walk through. 

For a team that is struggling to score goals, I think Connor is a great option. He has fantastic technique from long-range and is a really good set-piece taker. He also has that 'knack' of creating space in the box/being in the right place to score.

I agree, he certainly wouldn't help teams shore up defensively - but tbf to @Zatman he singled out 4 of the 5 lowest scoring teams in the league. 

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I think that he would walk into a team like Sheffield Utd or West Brom and bring some real quality.

Good sub for us this year, next year I am hoping for better options off the bench. 

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2 hours ago, lexicon said:

I'd disagree - I don't see how he'd improve any of those teams, rather he'd just make their midfields even easier to walk through. 

You’re really not a fan of young Conor are you ?

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I just wish him all the best if he goes.  I dont think he's good enough for our first team at the moment, if we dont get somebody in then yes we need to keep him around to keep numbers up.  For him though, you dont want your career to stop because you arent getting game time.  I'd want to be playing, if not for Villa then for another team.  Sitting on the bench for season or more when you know you arent at the level (or get to the level) to be a first team regular then I'd want to move to another team.  Fans wont begrudge him, he'll always be remembered fondly but he has to think of his career now as he turns 30 next month so not many more years left at the top level for somebody of his ability, which is bottom area of the premier league/top end of the championship IMO.

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20 minutes ago, Mic09 said:

I think that he would walk into a team like Sheffield Utd or West Brom and bring some real quality.

Good sub for us this year, next year I am hoping for better options off the bench. 

It's crazy how quickly Sheff Utd have dropped since last season...always seemed they could never repeat the highs of last season but how the bottom has fell out of that bucket so quickly.

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Like him, but he's not really up to it imo. Impacts games through set-pieces which is great but doesn't do a lot other than that. I think we're looking for players who are a bit more dynamic than he is. He'll be a very good fit for a lot of teams though, just doesn't really suit what I believe Smith is trying to build. 

Burnley would be a good place for him. 

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3 hours ago, lexicon said:

Because I don't think many teams would want to pay much, if anything, for him and you'd make a saving from the wages you wouldn't be paying. 

But if we release him we have to buy out his contract, so saves little in reality and brings the cost fully into this season. 

He does seem professional enough that he'd probably be open to a deal where we maybe pay 70% of his salary, or make up the gap of wherever he ends up.  Don’t see him sticking around and sulking/refusing a reasonable pay off.

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3 hours ago, lexicon said:

Should sell him or let him go on a free tbf - I'd much rather see Ramsey, Bogarde or Sylla play instead of him. 

Why would/should we let him go on a free transfer? He could easily go to a championship club and his set pieces get that club promotion........worth £170m minimum. Or he goes to lower end Premier League club and his set pieces help keep that club in the league (worth a minimum £100m). He has 18months left on his contract, he has value. 

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1 hour ago, smg said:

You’re really not a fan of young Conor are you ?

Nothing against him personally - just don't think he's good enough to be a premier league player. 

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18 minutes ago, MrBlack said:

But if we release him we have to buy out his contract, so saves little in reality and brings the cost fully into this season. 

He does seem professional enough that he'd probably be open to a deal where we maybe pay 70% of his salary, or make up the gap of wherever he ends up.  Don’t see him sticking around and sulking/refusing a reasonable pay off.

Not necessarily - can agree to let him go to another club for nothing, thereby saving us his wages for the remainder of his contract. 

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27 minutes ago, lexicon said:

Not necessarily - can agree to let him go to another club for nothing, thereby saving us his wages for the remainder of his contract. 

Fair enough, I inferred let him go on a free to mean release on a free (to the market as it were).

If we agree a free transfer with another club, Conor would still need to agree terms with them,  and that would probably need, and warrant some investment from us to make up amy shortfall in his wages over the period he was contracted to us for. In total, you'd expect it to be a fair bit less if he moves to a lower Prem club, and quite a lot less if he has to drop to Championship. And still would mean whatever we do pay gets factord in to this year's ffp calcs.

I just don't see a free move happening really. A nominal sale of a few mill,  where most of it ends up in Conor's pocket is more likely i reckon. We may even get a genuine interested party battle that sees his price being more the value it should be for his ability (imo).

Kind of happy whatever happens as we've demonstrated this season that we don't need him,  but I reckon he'd still have been useful in some scenarios where we haven't used him.

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