What a week! Ten days ago little seemed to have changed around Carrow Road and Colney since the season limped to its inglorious end at Hillsborough in early May.
Then – all of a sudden – it's a full-scale changing of the guard.
Five major signings – including David Strihavka – join the already sealed signature of Jon Otsemobor, Earnie bows out, and a summer that was lacking what Stan has already noted as the necessary sense of momentum needed to hit the ground running has gone into overdrive.
The clouds are lifting, the sun is appearing, and Stan cannot now wait for the season to start.
Let's take them one by one…
Jon Otsemobor – Johnny O's signing was one of the worst kept secrets in football, but he is an essential purchase nonetheless.
Arguably, the right-back spot has been a pain in the proverbial ever since Ian Culverhouse hung up his Canary boots.
Sutchy never really did any more than look like a stop-gap, and Edworthy blotted his copy book by following one great season by looking out of his depth in the Premiership.
Colin tried, Helveg did something or other, Hughes bust a gut, and the less said about Louis-Jean the better.
As such, much depends on Otsemobor stepping up to the mark. He's got the pedigree, he's got youth on his side, and Stan just hopes that he becomes a Drury-type fixture on the team sheet.
Matt Gilks. This seemed a strange one at first. Was he the new number one, or the number two for a Marshall then yet to sign?
Quite clearly, Lewis was destined for another season of being 'toughened-up' in some God-forsaken provincial mud-pit, and Gallacher was on his way out for good.
As it's turned out, Gilks looks likely to warm the bench for nine months, but he does so with references that suggest he will prove a very capable deputy keeper.
Jamie Cureton (and Earnie) – The big one.
First, Earnie cuts and runs to enjoy a Premiership relegation battle, and then one of our favourite lost sons becomes a prodigal. Stan's already said his bit about the lone-ranger, but at least the ozone over the Fine City can recover now Earnie's Chelsea Sherman is heading to the Midlands.
As for Cureton, he was the one striker linked to City over the summer with proven credentials. His goal-scoring record is phenomenal, he is proven at this level over a number of seasons and, most importantly, he loves Norwich City.
He is not Peter Thorne, and when that first home goal goes in Carrow Road will erupt. A great buy and a great chance for Jamie to become a real Canary legend.
Julian Brellier – Norwich's 'soft centre' has long been evident. Look at the goals against record for the past three years and weep. Brellier is touted as the solution, and a look at his cv suggests he could well be just that.
If he can stay on the pitch, and if he can cover the ground needed to make up for Hucks' – ahem – attacking style, then he will enable us to kick lumps out of those annoying blokes in other colours who are always trying to beat us, as well as helping us play the neat and tidy football that Granty assures us is his blueprint.
On paper, Brellier is Gary Holt with ball control and a temper. As such, Stan welcomes The Judge with open arms (but perhaps not a continental kiss on the cheek).
David Marshall – Keelan, Gunn, Green ? Marshall? Not Andy, obviously. It is perhaps stretching it a bit to suggest that David Marshall's previous stint at Carrow Road proved he is the best man for the job – it was, after all, cut all too short.
But, he clearly did make a difference. How a goalkeeper organises his defence, and the sense of presence he projects, can be as important as the saves he makes, and Marshall seemed to provide that.
Whether he really does enter the Hall of Canary-Keeper Fame remains to be seen. Without doubt, he he is an essential purchase. The City expects?
David Strihavka – Ok, so this has not been sealed for sure at the time of writing, but the Big Man seems set to come join us.
Of all the new signings, Strihavka is the most enigmatic: he is a relative unknown coming from a league that – let's face it – is not really on our register.
What is clear is that we do indeed need a big fella to complement the little fella'; to hold the ball up, cause problems in the opposition box, and to make us a threat at set pieces.
You can't sniff at someone who was top scorer in a European league, and Strihavka's height and bulk makes him – on paper – the perfect foil for Cureton.
Stan also likes the fact that he hated the contract negotiations but loved the footballing side of the club that he saw on his grand tour. Strihavka is a gamble, but a necessary one now Sutty's announced his retirement. Over to you, Dave…
So, is that it? Well, Stan has banged on about the need for a new centre-back for months now, even if only to offer cover for Shackell and The Doc.
It was, therefore, interesting to see that there were no takers for the No 5 shirt in this week's squad listing. Stan hopes this is not wishful thinking, but does such an ommission mean that one of Gunny's big-boy contacts is going to lend us a future Bobby Moore for the season? Or that negotiations with an experienced pro and potential club captain are going on behind the scenes?
Whatever, we need a centre back, and we need one now.
The other question is the future of Saf and Etuhu. Given this year's footballing calender, Saf's departure would mean a fond farewell, but would not cause Stan palpatations now that Brellier is here.
Etuhu, however, would be a loss, and his joining Earnie as Derby relegation-fodder would leave City with a midfield gap that would need to be filled – quickly. This would cost. So, either Dickson does the decent thing and join us on the forward march, or he buggers off to the dustbin of history and we splash the cash.
Overall, then, things are looking up.
The plan of having two round pegs for all eleven round holes (and a set of youngsters pushing from the wings) is close to completion.
Grant is building a team of his choosing, ready to play to his template. The questions now are: will the players deliver, and will Granty have the managerial, coaching and tactical know-how to guide our fine club to the promised land? Bring it on ?
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