New City hero Martin 'Tiny' Taylor was certainly all smiles at Colney this morning.
Whether it was worth even guessing what that said about the 28-year-old's future intentions is something of a moot point.
The easiest – and most likely – conclusion is that until the on-loan Blues centre-half actually hears what new Birmingham City boss Alex McLeish has to say he is genuinely none the wiser as to whether he will still be in Norfolk come Christmas.
That's next Christmas and the one thereafter if the vast majority of Canary fans were granted a say in the matter.
For now, however, and 'Tiny' was simply basking in the warm glow that six points in four days brings.
?I'm enjoying it a lot more now,? said the one-time Blackburn youngster, who could yet provide the Carrow Road board their 'Huckerby moment' if enough arms can be twisted to grant Glenn Roeder his wish of a longer term deal for the imposing 6ft 4in centre-half.
An arm that might have to include the player's as he contemplates swapping life in a Premiership relegation dogfight as opposed to one in the Championship. Back-to-back wins start to make that particular process slightly easier as Norwich, finally, start heading in the right direction ahead of tomorrow's trip to the Potteries.
?Any professional footballer will tell you that when you're winning, it's a lot more enjoyable.
?The lads have always been good since I've been here, but everyone's a lot happier now that we've got a couple of wins and we're back in the pack.?
City might have another little trick up their sleeve after new first team coach Paul Stephenson finally managed to wriggle out of Hartlepool helped by the prospect of Roeder sending a couple of youngsters back up to the North-East on loan.
In the event, the City chief did toe a diplomatic line and avoided ?naming names? – fuelling speculation that the Canaries might go back a-calling for one or two of Stephenson's former charges as and when the transfer window reopens.
In the meantime, however, the new Canary coach merely adds to the growing Geordie tribe pitching up on the banks of the Wensum and for the Northumberland-born Taylor, mixing with the Stephensons and Lee Clarks of this world might just add to City's list of attractions.
Every little thing could help as Norwich seemingly find the answer to their No5 prayers. Or at least for a month they do.
?I'm just enjoying getting the games and getting my fitness back up again,? said Taylor, now with two goals to his credit courtesy of Tuesday night's knee-high header.
?I don't score too many, but it's just a bonus for a defender really to go and get a goal,? he said. He has, of course, that debut derby one to add to his collection.
?But I was more pleased with the clean sheet on Saturday – that's what you're looking at as a defender.?
How much McLeish will have taken note is just one of a number of $64 million questions that lie between now and another month in Norfolk. Will the change of manager have changed the picture?
?I don't know,? said Taylor, with Roeder earlier revealing he was due to speak to player and manager more formally next Wednesday.
?I always said when I first came that I was just coming to get the games and make sure that I got my fitness back up.
?So we'll just have to see what happens at Birmingham. Obviously there's a change of manager and things do change, but we'll just see what happens over the next week.?
It is not just in the dressing room where changes are, apparently, afoot. Part of the reasoning behind Steve Bruce's exit to Wigan was the unending uncertainty surrounding the on-off takeover at St Andrews by Far Eastern businessman Carson Yeung.
That deal appears no nearer to completion. Blues are not a steady ship right now. They are, however, a Premiership one. And Taylor signed a new deal at St Andrews this summer.
?Everything I've seen of Alex McLeish he looks like a good manager and he'll do well for Birmingham City, but like I say we'll just see what happens over the next week.?
He hasn't, yet, really discussed it. ?I'm just concentrating on the two games – Saturday and Tuesday. And then we'll see what happens after that.?
Taylor will certainly be a man in demand at the Britannia tomorrow as Tony Pulis' team of six-footers heave every ball they can deep into the Canary penalty area.
?If we can come in with a win we can, hopefully, find ourselves out of the bottom three which is something that we haven't been able to do for the last few weeks.
?And I think that's a great incentive to have going into the game.?
One that won't be for the faint-hearted.
?Every win's tough – we've seen that on Saturday and Tuesday. Teams just don't roll over and Stoke are a good side, so it'll be difficult to get the three points up there but there's a lot more belief in the camp now.?
Tin hats and flak jackets on.
?A lot of Championship games are like that – there's a lot of threat in the air. They're good from set-pieces so we'll have to make sure that we're switched on.
?I played against them last year and it's always a tough game.?
Leave a Reply