Only time will tell. Signing Adam was a catalyst for everything that happened that season and without him it may not have happened. Great that Conor is back but Adam walked into a good team that wasn't performing, we have no idea what kind of team we will have in August but I'm already looking forward to finding out
Ask us again in a years time - if Hourihanes return is half as effective as Hammils was most of us will be very happy - I think its not likely to have the same impact as Hammil but I will be delighted if I am proved wrong
Like other have said, unfair to compare at this moment. Only one has completed their story. One thing I do hope though is that we will look back and say that Connor’s return was better, because we’re in for one hell of a ride if that’s the case.
I am delighted that Hourihane is back but he will be towing to match the impact that Hammill had when he returned. Hammill virtually single handedly transformed our season. I can't think that anyone else we have ever signed has had such an immediate and sustained transformational effect as he did. I think Hourihane's impact will be more under stated but hopefully very effective - the experienced old head that we have sorely lacked.
Odd question. We know the impact of Hammill’s return - the most successful in the history of the Club. A move which absolutely and totally transformed the fortunes of the team. Hourihane hasn’t even got here yet. If the move is half as successful, we’re in for an an amazing season.
Both. No way am I splitting two of my modern BFC legends. Need to get Hammill back in some capacity next. Having people in the club who genuinely have an affinity with the club, and with whom the fans are connected, is priceless.
Can’t see Hourihane having the same on field impact as Hammill , let’s not forget Adam was in last chance saloon signed initially on a months contract when no one else wanted to touch him with a barge pole after his Huddersfield melt down .what followed was a proper phoenix from the flames story . The hope is Connor will bring his experience to influence midfield and defence with some free kick magic thrown in
Ye..this question is just short of asking which was the better player..as it's a current question I think Adam dragged team up by his individual ability but Connor is coming in a coaching role to get the best out of others..bit like asking which is ya favourite child innit.. .
Different scenario really. Hourihane’s impact at 33 is likely to be more off the field than on it though hopefully he still has plenty to offer. Hammill was only 27 and still had a good few years of his best left.
Hammill by a country mile the tears at forest were genuine but Hourihane has the chance to write another chapter I sincerely hope he returns all the faith that's been put in him.
I'm not sure you can compare them really. Adam was signed as a bit of a last chance saloon, and was a good 6 years younger than Conor is now. I doubt Conor is going to have the same effect on the pitch as Adam did. I can't see him playing week in week out, or single handedly turning games on their head like Hammill did when he came back. Long term though, given it looks like we're going to invest a lot of time and resources in moulding Conor into a coach, he could have a bigger impact on the club depending how his development as a coach goes. I think it's a very shrewd move by the club to bring in someone who's clearly very hungry to learn and develop as a coach, and install him into a setup where (for once) we have a vastly experienced head coach for him to learn from. I'm excited about this signing, not because it's Captain Conor, the handsome sod that he is, but because it's demonstrating some forward thinking by the club, and finally an attempt to try and build something beyond the end of this season. I think it helps that he's a club legend, because people will accept him from the off and be a little more patient with him. I don't think it'd been viewed as favourably if we'd have signed, say, Chris Martin on a player coach basis.
Its far too early to say how he's going to do and certainly not to compare him with a very different situation in Hammills return. I know we're all a bit giddy, but lets not build expectations of him too high. If he can play a role a little similar to Danny did where he sat and orchestrated the team around him, that could ultimately be more valuable than his individual performances. And hopefully the wand is still in good working order.