Norwich City legend Wes Hoolahan is set to have a trial with League Two Cambridge United.
Hoolahan, who is currently without a club following his release by West Brom, made over three hundred league appearances for the Canaries, scoring forty-seven goals in ten years between 2008 and 2018.
He also has forty-three caps for the Republic of Ireland, including appearances at Euro 2016.
He made ten outings for the Baggies last season but didn’t start a single game.
The experienced attacking-midfielder worked under Cambridge boss Colin Calderwood when he was assistant to Chris Hughton at Carrow Road.
Calderwood told the Cambridge News: ‘Rather than everyone thinking he’s signed, it’s just a starting point.’
‘The intention would be to convince him to sign.’
The thirty-seven-year-old, who lives in the Cambridge area and has made it be known he wants to carry on playing, will spend the first two weeks of pre-season with the U’s with a view to a permanent deal.
Cambridge fans on social media were excited by the news, but other fans questioned the policy of giving a player with undoubted talent and experience a trial.
While it is clear it looks like it is a get to know you exercise for both parties, many fans found a touch of comic irony in the fact an international player who has had such a stellar career in the Championship and Premier League was being offered a trial at Cambridge, who finished twenty-first in League Two last season.
Many fans, especially those from Norwich City, felt Cambridge should sign up their much-loved club legend without a second thought.
Here is a selection of the responses on Twitter.
Imagine being as good as him and having to have a trial…..at Cambridge
— JD (@Orientsphincter) June 18, 2019
https://twitter.com/Clarkey106/status/1140992051804327941
Don’t think he needs a trial….🤔
— Tom (@Jones1503) June 18, 2019
Asking a footballer of Wes Hoolahan's talent to do a trial period in @SkyBetLeagueTwo is like asking Beethoven if he can play 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' for the local school band for a bit. 🙄#NCFChttps://t.co/yw0A1jPHaM
— Canaries Caption It (@Saund65) June 18, 2019
It's the club that goes on trial.
— eddie (@Eeddieeeee) June 18, 2019
You do not give Wes Hoolahan a trial, even at 37. https://t.co/CMh2ykC4El
— Craig Daniels (@craigdaniels82) June 18, 2019
https://twitter.com/the_canary/status/1141235156570820608
If I was him I’d tell them to get stuffed. Trial? He’s Wes Hoolahan, doesn’t need a trial to know he’d boss it in that league
— Jon Dunham (@JonDunhamGB) June 19, 2019
Wes hoolahan on a trial at Cambridge….. I think not. More like Cambridge is on trial with Wes hoolahan. Could walk in most teams in champ. I think the move is more family commitments in Norwich than actual football reasons. Surprised Lincoln or Peterborough hadn’t come calling.
— Damon Rudd (@damonrudd) June 18, 2019
Hoolahan poorly used by West Brom.They haven’t had a good midfield creator since Bobby Hope !