Former Norwich City winger Lee Croft believes it speaks volumes that David Wagner did not turn to Canaries new boy Sydney van Hooijdonk when his team need a goal at the weekend.
Norwich were keen on strengthening their forward department and signed Van Hooijdonk on loan from Bologna in the winter transfer window.
Van Hooijdonk has yet to start a game for Norwich and on Saturday, Wagner did not bring on the Dutch forward from the bench against Blackburn Rovers, despite his team requiring a goal to claim all three points.
Croft thinks that it is natural for Norwich fans to expect a new signing like Van Hooijdonk to come on in games where the team are in need of a goal.
He stressed that Wagner’s decision not to turn to the Dutchman for goals in the Blackburn match, which they should have tried to secure three points from, indicated that the German tactician has reservations about Van Hooijdonk.
When asked about Wagner’s decision to leave Van Hooijdonk as an unused substitute during the game, Croft said on BBC Radio Norfolk: “If you need a goal, you bring in a new player on loan, you expect that player to play.
“And if he is not playing, if he is on the bench, you at least expect him to come on; he is a striker.
‘I think that game [on Saturday], you have every right to think Norwich should have gone for it.
‘They should have tried to go for three points, because I think it was there for them.
“And it does speak volumes, to be honest; he is not bringing a player on that he brought in on loan, which you think has so much potential.”
The 24-year-old centre forward has so far clocked 31 minutes for the Canaries and he will be hoping to impress Wagner on the training ground to give him his first start for Norwich.
