Jos Hooiveld is convinced that he has found the right club by switching on loan to Southampton- but won’t rule out a return to favour at Celtic!
The colourful Dutchman has quickly become a fixture in Nigel Atkins promotion chasing side and even scored in the midweek Carling Cup win over Preston North End.
Hooiveld won a championship medal on loan to FC Copenhagen earlier this year and believes that his new side are built along similar lines.
Atkins made ten changes from the team that beat Birmingham on Sunday- only Hooiveld kept his place- with the loan Celt convinced that Southampton are heading in the right direction.
“We’ve got an amazing squad after making ten changes,” the defender told the Southampton website. “And you can see from the way that we play football, sometimes it’s brilliant, it reminds me of playing in European football over the ground and between the lines.
“It’s down to the coach and how he wants to play, we train a lot on that and you can see that it’s coming out. I think we have got a similar way of playing as Copenhagen last year, and they went into the final 16 of the Champions League. I don’t think there’s a big gap between us and Copenhagen.
“It’s amazing the bunch of guys that we have and the players all get along, after the game we go for a meal together, we have a laugh, there’s so much banter before and after training so something is growing here, you can feel that and it’s great to be a part of it all.
“It’s great to come into a happy place as it just gives you that little bit of extra confidence you need. I’ve been welcomed really well. All of the players came to me and talked to me, asked questions that kind of stuff, and were interested in the new guy which makes you feel at home and I need that to be in the middle of the group. I enjoy it very much.”
Hooiveld’s loan deal is only until January with the defender ruling nothing out about his future.
He added: “As a footballer you never know where you wake up the next day as Celtic might want to get me back or maybe here I’m wanted and Celtic don’t want me, or maybe Saints don’t want me and I have to go somewhere else again!
“Football is a strange game, it can go in any direction and that’s the nice part of it. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I just want to be here at this moment and absorb as much of this as I can and get myself to my top level.”
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Would anyone be against giving this guy another chance, given our options?
I never thought he was given a fair crack but from what we did see he’s no worse than what we have at CB already, but no better either ie. Pish. So no, not the answer.
That was more my point, he didnt get a fair chance. And honestly with the amount of times Loovens have been in I would rather Hooiveld out of the two
I actually liked how the big man played when he signed for us, thought he had the looks of turning into a solid centre half, never say never but i dont see home back in the hoops
A would like ro see him get another chance,got be a better option than loovens.
Bring Jos hooiveld back, LOL… I really did laugh out loud there when I read that… The guys a DUD, he likes to speak a good game of football and tell us all how good be is and what he is going to do etc… Useless and total waiste of money…
When he left for Copenhagen didn’t he more or less blank us out on twitter ? Then when he was returning he was straight back on to twitter interacting with the Fans.. Now ge away to the saints, I don’t know I don’t follow him anymore but is he stopped interacting with us again ?
He will tell the southhampton fans what they want to hear, and playing between the lines, well what does that mean ? If it goes over the lines Jos isn’t that a shy ? I’ve never heard that term used in football before, is he saying the football at Celtic didn’t suit him ? Is this his excuse ? If Copenhagen thought he fitted into their system then why didn’t they take up the opportunity to sign him ?
I hope he does it for the Saints, give us opportunity of re ouping some of the money we waisted on him, #FLOP
Hooiveld is no better than Loovens or Rogne and they are poor.
I certainly wouldn’t welcome him back….poor positional sense, no pace at all and a ball watcher all make him a poor choice. Hopefully things continue to go smoothly at Southampton and they want to make it permanent by offering us some money for him.
I’d wait before I rate young Rogne as poor….a young guy who SHOULD be getting help from those around him. He definitely had a bad game in the League Cup Final but then who didn’t.
Happy Saints fan here – He’s looking good for us so far. He also has quite a bit of good competition for the spot though.
another Saints fan.. he’s not that good and he has little competition contrary to what Vijay says. He looks clumsy, and gives away free kicks in dangerous areas.
Positional sense? there is none!!!!!!
back in January I think
It would take a miracle to turn this sows ear into a silk purse