My Football Writer Norwich City news… comment… analysis
Norwich City – news, comment and analysis
This summer's transfer fun and games today took another intriguing twist when the Wolverhampton Express & Star claimed that Southend United star Freddy Eastwood would be Molineux-bound next week in a deal that could be worth up to ?1.5 million to the relegated Shrimpers.
Of more interest in this neck of the woods, however, was the paper's accompanying claim that Eastwood was facing “an immediate choice” between Wolves and Norwich as Canary boss Peter Grant continued in …
Whilst his Canary team-mates will be hitting the treadmill hard and gearing up to face the likes of Lowestoft Town and Exeter, City defender Andrew Cave-Brown can look forward to the more glamorous prospect of a World Cup tie against the boys from Brazil.
The Gravesend-born full-back was recently named in the Scotland Under-20 squad for the upcoming World Cup – commencing on June 30th in Canada – and the Scots will be confident that they can negotiate their passage to the last 16 …
David Marshall's colourful agent Wille MacKay suddenly found himself with rather more pressing concerns than smoothing the wantaway Celtic keeper's ?500,000 switch to the Canaries when he today emerged as one of the central characters in Lord Stevens' long-awaited 'Quest' report into football's alleged 'bung culture'.
The former Metropolitan Police chief and his team of so-called 'forensic accountants' have refused to sign off 17 transfers …
I'll quote the first paragraph of Michael Walker's piece in The Guardian today in full. And I'm not about to name names. But it is utterly crucial to an understanding of where we all are right now.
As for the player concerned, I can think of someone that fits the bill.
Anyway, Walker's opener reads:
“It will be dismissed as anecdotal but within English football, and specifically among agents, the following story is circulating and generating …
There are certain traditional rituals that accompany the production of the fixture list.
And, hand on heart, some that are born simply out of doing the job for 15 years – like looking forward to a mid-week trip to Blackpool in the back end of November. Still, at least the Lights might be on.
And I always think that Turf Moor looks at its best on a Tuesday night at the end of October.
Other dates revolve around Christmas and New Year. So while there is an …
It will, old Ferret thinks, be a fascinating few weeks.
Because suddenly the world is awash with 5ft 10in-type strikers – all of whom are itching to get away and make rather more of their goal-grabbing talents.
And just as there is a clutch of boys looking to cash their lower league chips in this summer, so there are also a clutch of clubs looking to bag themselves a new, good little 'un before the summer is out.
For some, they need to get one in before the …
The trick on these kind of afternoons is trying to work out just what the Canaries have let themselves in for; what kind of player and character have they signed in Jon Otsemobor after the 5ft 10in defender was officially unveiled today as Norwich's first fresh face of the summer.
The answer, in simple terms, is a player that wily old Crewe boss Dario Gradi actually signed twice – once on loan from Liverpool and once on a free from Rotherham United.
Not only that, but …
Stan hates the summer. The weather's alright (most of the time), there's a chance to have a beer outside, and life slows down a bit.
But, in the footballing world, the rumour-mill goes into overdrive, the papers are filled with names and clubs linked in the most tenuous fashion, and we have to make do with England games against semi-made up countries to pass the time. (As for alternatives, just don't let Stan anywhere near the subject of tennis…)
With …
Dead and buried? Or just one minor bump in the road?
That was probably today's big question question transfer-wise as the David Marshall saga rumbled on – or rather the 22-year-old's agent, Willie MacKay, ensured that the saga rumbled on.
Widely quoted over the weekend as claiming that City's long-time keeper target could yet be staying firmly put at Parkhead this summer – and all with a new Bhoys deal to boot – the Monaco-based agent was out and about again …
The fun and games continue.
For just as Joey Barton's exit out of Manchester City found someone throwing a ?300,000 “loyalty payment” into the mix at the last possible moment, so it now seems that David Marshall's potential move to Norwich could have a new fly in the ointment too – the prospect of a new contract offer from the Bhoys.
Or else, so his agent Willie Mackay claims after the Glasgow giants last month rejected Norwich's initial ?500,000 bid for the …
David Marshall, Tony Warner, Danny Coyne and Neil Alexander are just four of the names that have been linked with the vacant goalkeeping jersey at Carrow Road already, and, after all, we are only in June.
There has certainly been no shortage of transfer speculation this summer regarding City's seemingly jinxed No 1 position ? a role which, in truth, has never really been filled since the departure of Robert Green.
Last season saw no fewer than five …
Prospective City keeper target David Marshall played the game to perfection this morning as he grabbed the nearest, passing Scottish tabloid football reporter and sang like a wee birdie from the Glasgow rooftops as to how much he'd love to join the Canaries.
The 22-year-old Celtic youth product was reported to be the subject of a ?500,000 bid by Norwich last month – 24 hours after the wantaway No1 had asked Bhoys boss Gordon Strachan to be put on the Parkhead transfer list.<br …
This week wasn't intended to be all about the Turners. But while we all sit and wait for the real transfer flak to start flying, this week was as good as any to start to paint more of a picture of the two new arrivals in the Carrow Road boardroom.
They could, in many ways, yet prove to be the most significant new faces to arrive at Carrow Road for many a summer; in the fullness of time, they could yet imprint as much of their personality on the Canaries as Delia Smith and her …
In the small little world that is the Footbal Championship, the times are a-changing.
For the the first time in many a year it looks as if the three clubs that got relegated from the Premiership last season will all bounce back at the first attempt – providing, of course, Derby County don't spoil West Bromwich Albion's party on Bank Holiday Monday.
In fairness, Wembley are doing their very best to take on that role with the revelation that some 9,000 seats will be …
There are great odds to be had on City on a game-by-game basis on Betfair. And if you sign up for a Betfair account they'll match your first bet up to ?25.
Happy backing.