I Wanted to Ask What You Think of Hoarau’s Goals, but…

November 16th, 2008 | by: Laurie |

My plan for this post was to give you videos to ask you want you think of PSG’s discovery, Guillaume Hoarau, who scored two goals today. (One was a penalty, the other a header.) He’s PSG’s top scorer this season. I think I read they paid either 500K or 800K Euros for him.

I wanted to post videos of the goals, but TVGolo seems to have given up the ghost. The site is still there, but the goal videos have been removed. Sad. Sites like that really are a public service.

About Hoarau, though. He didn’t come up through the usual ranks — he was born on Réunion and made his way up through Ligue 2 before being picked up by PSG this year. He’s very tall — 1.91m or 6′3″ (if I’m doing the math right) and a little gangly — he strikes me as a bit of a late bloomer, at least relative to Benzema/Nasri/Ben Arfa/Gourcuff. But what I’ve seen has interested me. Réunion isn’t recognized by FIFA, so he’s eligible to play for France.

If he continues his growth, I could see him as a possible successor to Titi or Anelka when one retires. Anybody who’s seen him play for PSG or his previous clubs, what do you think?

And speaking of Anelka, he scored two more today. This makes seven in the last three games, and there was nothing cheap about either of these goals. (Think he reads this blog and decided to prove me wrong?) And those goals are available on video. For the moment. Enjoy and imagine him doing this in qualifying.

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Aditya

He is tall and he kind of reminds me more of Trezeguet than Anelka. I don’t think his style is anything like Henry’s though. He is a unique striker for the French team if used wisely I think he can be a good weapon.
Doumé

Hopefully we’ll se the film!

Another non-related tidbit:
L”Equipe has Sagnol retire in May.
http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/breves2008/20081116_112537_sagnol-evoque-la-fin.html
the condition would be if his Achilles tendon doesn’t get better. It has been further complicated by a nerve damaged during the operation.
When he was in shape, I thought he was one of the best at his post. Against Brazil in 06 for instance.
Jean-Michel

That’s sad about Sagnol. He had a calming influence on the team I think. I don’t think we’ve seen Anelka in this type of form since his brief time at Bolton (right before the Chelsea transfer). No complaints here.
http://lyon.theoffside.com Inara

He’s not a discovery, he’s been a known talent for quite some time, but he was in L2 until last year. PSG competed with other clubs for his signature.
Aditya

You are right Inara, but he never lived up to his potential until last season which got the bigger club’s attention. I think he did the right thing by signing for PSG.
http://lyon.theoffside.com Inara

Well, he’s playing with a better team in a higher quality division, and he’s more motivated than ever before. Plus Le Guen is terrific at bringing out the best with youth.

I think he’ll eventually find his way to the NT, but it’s too soon right now. Domenech is right to wait until he’s played at least an entire season in L1.
http://france.worldcupblog.org Laurie

I consider any non-big-team player who sells to a larger club for less than 1m Euros a “discovery.” In my mind it means finding him before the big boys get a chance to bid the price up.
http://lyon.theoffside.com Inara

Well, Hoarau was cheap because PSG signed him in the winter and then loaned him back to Le Havre for the rest of the season. Since Le Havre was in L2 at the time and not assured of promotion, they weren’t in a position to ask for more, especially since Hoarau wouldn’t extend his contract. PSG got him because Hoarau loves PSG and wanted to go there above all other clubs.
John

Yes, Hoarau is the future of the NT’s strike force alongside Benzema and Sinama Pongolle.