Personally I am not upset that he is injured. I thought he was pretty poor when fully fit. Like Quina, a player who really adds very little to the squad. I am sure he would be a perfectly adequate player in the lower leagues. But for me he is not a top 30 club team player. Mind you what do I know. So fortunately his chronic availability statistics rather make discussions on his ability academic.
I think Ngakia looked very good so far, even out of position he looked up to speed (Albeit we lose too much width when he fills at LWB) but this is always the catch. It always seems to start with a minor muscle twinge that should only be a game. Maybe two at most. Then it's three. Five games. He's back on the bench. Then it's another setback. 15 games go by before he's actually available again. I don't question his attitude or ability, especially for the Championship. But he's got the hallmarks of Tommie Hoban where his body just isn't able to keep going with the demands of top level football physicaility.
The fact his body is not able to handle the physical requirements of the Championship implies he is not really up to that standard on any consistent basis.
Strongly disagree. His underlying numbers when he has played have been good when he's played these last few years (Consistently strong defensively and decent attacking instinct) and think he looked stronger than Andrews so far in Pre-Season and the games played so far. But his body getting these very consistent muscular injuries stopping him building real rhythm like Hoban had trouble with will only get worse until he's able to overcome it which will get less likely with age. Dele-Bashiru seems to have turned a corner within the last 18 months being generally available and in the last 9 months starting to put in performances that have justified the patience. This was last year over ~11 No. 90' last season. His quality and attitude is not a problem to me but these underlying numbers are useless if he is only available for 15 games a season.
Your last para is exactly the point I’m making. It seems he can only put in the performance levels he does by ruining his body resulting in him being injured for two-thirds of EVERY season. In my mind this makes him inadequate as a player at Championship level.
Did they specify whether “Regular medium term” or “Ngakia medium term”? We could be talking 2026. Lucky we tied to such a long contract, there’s a good chance we WILL see him in a Watford shirt again….albeit probably only for 37 mins or so.
Don't always agree with as you know but this was the most ridiculous decision we've made and that is saying something. I could almost understand it if he was any good like Janmaat was but he's not
He has been a spectacularly poor signing. Abysmal injury/fitness record and bang average at best when he's actually managed to get off the treatment bed and hobble onto the pitch. The contract extension given to him was absolutely ludicrous.
This is a strange one? Nothing against the lad, but he does not seem to have the fitness levels to be a professional footballer, which is a real shame, as he does seem to have the necessary skills. I have to say I am amazed that he has been given his recent new contract? I can only imagine he is on a very low wage and the club have figured that if he can at least remain fit for a certain amount of time each season, he is a cost effective player to have on the books??? What do you guys think?
Exactly, he has to go. Why the new contract? WHY???? Especially when we are on some cost cutting mission. His was the most onbious.
I actually feel some sympathy for the lad. I know in comparison to the average person he's still earning a decent wage, but there's no doubt in my mind he just wants to play football. Being constantly in the treatment room regardless of how much you earn is no fun. I've got a knee problem myself right now, had it for over a year and nobody knows what's wrong with it. Can't go running and it's massively frustrating. I'm sure Jeremy is fed up of playing a handful of games followed by months back doing rehab. Any anger I have over it is directed at the clowns running the show who hand out the contracts. Think it's been discussed on here many times how Pozzo seems to hate losing anybody on a free, so just keeps on handing out these bizarre extensions despite all the evidence suggesting the lad's body doesn't seem capable of withstanding the physical demands of regular professional football.
I don't think anybody is angry at the player, it's the idiot who decided to waste money on a new contract for a player that has a history of injuries
Not so much here, but I'd seen a number of posts on social media sticking the boot in on him. Agree it should be directed at the divs in charge.
Maybe I am being harsh but surely this isn’t just bad luck anymore? He must be doing something wrong when it comes to taking care of his body.
Very true, and I do understand your point. But, if I were a chef, but couldn't stand the heat, would my boss give me a new contract? And if it were me, why stay in the kitchen?
Man, Hoban just makes me sad. He had everything to make it to such a high level before he just got chronically injured. Same bracket as Noel-Williams for lost potential not their fault.
I was at the Vic the Day GNW got done in 99, my dad swore, he never said a bad word ever. It was a really sad day for a hero of mine. Both of them.
Yes, what a player Hoban could have become. He had everything except the body to withstand the physical demands. GNW too, though slightly different because he was fine until that one-off GBH in the Sunderland game.
Possibly. But then should West Ham and Watford take some blame too? With all the money involved in sports science/nutrition etc etc these days if he was doing something wrong they'd surely know and rectify? Sometimes one bad injury is all it takes to set off a load of others.
I think from a Tales From The Vic it was said was already managing chronic arthritis which he was able to deal with but that tackle took it from manageable to career threatening.
He didn't know about it until the injury: https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/20257049.ex-watford-man-noel-williams-gratitude-elton-john/ Elton paid for his treatment.
Yes that was news to me too. Interesting that he was able to play for so long after what might have been a career ending injury from the disgraceful Paul Butler. I can remember that high quality game so well. Gifton and Tony Daley were immense that afternoon. Just watched the goals again, Nick Wright for 1-0 and Gifton's chest control from Ben 'the bunion' Iroha's loopy long throw and volley into the corner, great memories. Mike Vince's cringey commentary style was at it's peak for the winning goal. "Butler was the marker and what the Butler saw (pause...pause) was bad news for Sunderland."
