I suspect if I knew Kevin Nolan personally,I'd like him far more as a bloke than I would as a footballer.
His leadership qualities being talked about stem from the 30 goals he's scored over the past 2 seasons. But there's no guarantee the goals continuing,so what else did he offer the team. In a League where 2 games a week are commonplace, you could guarantee Nolan being shite for the second one,because of his complete lack of stamina/fitness. The goals he scored showed a certain poacher like ability, a very good finisher, but a footballer who if he really knuckled down and shifted 2 or 3 stone could have been so much better.
I admit my opinion of him is tainted by witnessing him throwing his ring up in the centre circle after 10 minutes of that game at Villa Park.