Long-term and the Huckerbys will be part of the furniture. Short-term? Anyone's guess...
Tues 22 Apr 08
Canary favourite Darren Huckerby this afternoon again confirmed that he saw his family's long-term future as lying in Norfolk - even if his short-term whereabouts next season remained more of a mystery.
Out of a contract this summer, Huckerby suggested on Saturday that this weekend's monster home clash with Queen's Park Rangers looked like being his last ever game at Carrow Road.
Three days later and that position remained unchanged - albeit this time with the proviso that there was still ample time to talk as and when this sorry season was finally put out of its many miseries.
For now the heavy air of uncertainty surrounding the two-time Canary Player of the Year was something he could live with - even if Mrs H would quite like to know where the boys were going to school next August.
"I'm not really bothered either way," said Huckerby, quizzed as to whether he would like his contract position resolved either way before Saturday. The reality is, of course, that for as long as Norwich's own league position remains in the balance, Canary chief Glenn Roeder has put all contract talks on hold.
It is not an unreasonable position to hold given that the Norfolk club could yet be rubbing shoulders with the likes of Colchester United and Scunthorpe United again next season. But it doesn't deliver any sense of certainty be it for Huckerby, Gary Doherty or Mark Fotheringham - or, indeed, their respective partners.
"I know the wife's not too happy, to be truthful with you. She would like to know either way, but it's not a big problem to me," said the Canary favourite, who celebrates his 32nd birthday tomorrow. Today it was Dion Dublin's turn to celebrate - Norwich's Player of the Season elect was 39 today. He definitely bows out on Saturday; a Sky Sports sofa awaits.
For now, Huckerby remained firmly in the dark over his future. "You know what I'm like - I'll tell you if I knew," said Huckerby, always one to wear his feelings on his sleeve - particularly when it came to a club that he has clearly come to love.
"But I'm not worried either way. If it was my last game then it would have been nice so that I could say 'Bye-bye!' to the fans. And it is a big time for my wife and kids - they don't know what's going on.
"But it's not a big problem - let's just get the games out of the way and let's see what happens."
If it were to be the final curtain, it would, he readily admitted, be an emotional occasion. "I've been here for five years and I've got a lot of friends, all my team-mates, the kids...
"But it would be nice to finish off by making sure that we're still in this league and then we'll worry about the rest of it after." Part 2 >>
