Nicklas Helenius

[Villa in Denmark]

So Helenius' agent has been doing the media rounds in Denmark:

The agent of Niklas Helenius has stated that he expects to speak to Aston Villa when the transfer window opens and could possible see his player make a loan move away from Villa Park.

The 22-year-old Denmark international has struggled to break into the Aston Villa team after his £1.2million move from Aalborg BK.

His agent Mads Bach Lund told Danish newspaper BT Lund: "Nicklas is at the age where he will have as much time as possible. A rental will not necessarily be a defeat for him if it comes to that.

"The most important thing is that he develops and overlooks the playing time. We are in constant dialogue with Aston Villa, and I expect that we will have a word with them again when the transfer window opens."

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-rumour-mill-niklas-6417697

I think a lot of us expected him to be another 'one for the future' signing who wasn't necessarily going to get much playing time (he himself said as much when he signed).  If thats the case, I think sending him out to play in a league that plays at a reasonable standard would be better than him riding the pine at VP.

I think there's been a liberal use of Google translate in there, plus only half the article.

The general gist is right enough, but misses out that it's something they've already discussed and Helenius is OK with if it helps him to get up to speed.  Article also mentions that he's found the step up in level harder than expected, but working hard to bridge the cap.

Closing line mentions that we're looking for another striker in Jan???
I'll try and do a full translate when I've got something other than a phone to work with.

[john e]

I was really looking forward to seeing Helenius this season,

 he looked good on you-tube ( 100% proof evidence of any footballing credentials)

 good first touch and trickery with his feet for a big man ( super use of classic cliché there)

anyway I was expecting great things, but looks like it was all misfounded optimism         (no change there then)

[Mister E]

I was really looking forward to seeing Helenius this season,

 he looked good on you-tube ( 100% proof evidence of any footballing credentials)

 good first touch and trickery with his feet for a big man ( super use of classic cliché there)

anyway I was expecting great things, but looks like it was all misfounded optimism         (no change there then)

I suspect we'll see these characterisitcs in play next season - he could become the No.10 that we're all pining for. As long as Lambert is still with us. As we've all been saying here, he needs a 6 month loan spell somewhere where he can get some pitch time, hone his skills and develop his physicality. A high-flying Championship side (Derby, Leeds or Burnley, for example) or a European top-league side would be ideal.

[eastie]

I was impressed by him in pre season some lovely flicks and lay offs and I'm surprised we haven't seen more of him , especially with our strikers misfiring - a loan to a good championship club may benefit him for a month or so.

[dekko]

I was impressed by him in pre season some lovely flicks and lay offs and I'm surprised we haven't seen more of him , especially with our strikers misfiring - a loan to a good championship club may benefit him for a month or so.

Worked wonders for Albrighton (although I suspect this one is less about fitness and more about adjusting to the physicality of the league).

[eastie]

I was impressed by him in pre season some lovely flicks and lay offs and I'm surprised we haven't seen more of him , especially with our strikers misfiring - a loan to a good championship club may benefit him for a month or so.

Worked wonders for Albrighton (although I suspect this one is less about fitness and more about adjusting to the physicality of the league).

True and maybe confidence - banging a few goals in for someone would help .

[Legion]

"Nicklas has one big wish: to return home with AaB", Mads Bach Lund (his agent) told Nordjyske.
"But he cannot wait indefinitely.
"On Monday he will take training at Aston Villa and on Tuesday AaB start a training camp.
"From our perspective, it is obvious that Nicklas should be in it and if so he must return to AaB."
The striker's agent will not be drawn into what went wrong for his client at Villa Park however, apart from claiming he is at an age where sitting on the bench is simply not an option.
"The stay at Aston Villa has not gone as we hoped.
"There are various reasons which we want to keep to ourselves. But Nicklas has reached an age where he must play and it appears he is unlikely to at Aston Villa."

[ciggiesnbeer]

The freezing out Helenius still baffles me. Why was he not even given a chance to fail? All the other new recruits were.

Was he really that crap in training? What the hell are these "various reasons" his agent is warbling about?

Some really odd shit goes on behind the scenes at VP I think.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

It doesn't baffle me. We've got a manager that doesn't know his arse from his elbow.

[Hoppo]

Has anyone actually thought Helenius may have an attitude problem? Something you can't always suss out before you buy.

[supertom]

Helenius didn't have the gumption to make it. He lacked an aggressive streak it seems and obviously didn't settle. That's unfortunately what you get when you pay peanuts sometimes. Did he get a fair crack of the whip? Probably not, but Lambert will have his reasons for that. Perhaps Lambert saw enough by August to realise it would take time for Niklas, and then went ahead with the Kozak deal.

However stories about Helenius struggling to settle were circulating pretty early on last season and continued. His agents not particularly done him many favours. I recall one of his ex coaches being asked to give his opinion on Niklas and how he'd settle. The guy said that for a big man he's not good in the air and he needed to improve his strength at this level, and also IIRC, that he'd have to quicken his decision making on the ball.

Now it might be that in another 6months to a year, he might turn it around but if he's not willing to wait and bide his time, then good luck to him. He can go back to anonymity in Denmark.

It wasn't to be. This experiment failed. Goodbye, good luck, not good enough. He clearly doesn't have enough aggression or quite the arrogance to make it in this league, whereas conversely, arrogance has taken Bentdner quite far.

[adrenachrome]

The truth of the matter is that we will probably never know.

There was no statement, official or otherwise about MON's departure. Sure, most people have formed their own opinions based on available evidence.

Ditto who was resposible for signing Steven Ireland.

Ditto the Wage Cap.

Ditto The Bomb Squad.

Ditto the Karsa/Culverhouse fiasco.

I am not saying that the club should have to make statements on these matters, or that other clubs would; just that we may never know the truth.

[supertom]

I think this also means that unless Bent is brought back into genuine contention, we'll be shopping for a striker. I would also say the rise of Robinson also says a lot about Helenius and indeed Bowery being let go. With a good season, Robinson might have an important part to play next term.

[SoccerHQ]

Should've been given more of a chance it's fair to say. Baffling that after scoring against Sheffield I don't think he played another minute of the season.

The frustrating thing is from his brief cameos he looked a forward that was a bit different to all our others e.g. not someone with pace who runs up blind alleys or a 6ft + lump, he looked like he could drop deeper and link with midfield so a player who could've been developed further.

[pauliewalnuts]

Helenius didn't have the gumption to make it. He lacked an aggressive streak it seems and obviously didn't settle.

How do you know that?