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The return of Captain Curo is a huge boost as thoughts start to turn towards 08/09…

25th February 2008 By Tom Haylett Leave a Comment

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Saturday's hard-fought 1-0 win over Barnsley was a welcome three points after City's no-show at Leicester the previous week but, for me, the most pleasing thing was the return to form of stand-in captain Jamie Cureton, who, in my opinion, still has a massive part to play in the Canaries' future.

At the age of 32, he is most certainly one of City's elder statesmen but that is the reason why he could be so key as we approach a summer of rebuilding for the Canary squad.

As it stands, all six loanees look set to be returned to sender and with the likes of Ryan Jarvis and a few of his Academy pals destined for the door marked 'exit!', Glenn Roeder's squad will be almost unrecognisable come the start of season 2008/2009.

And whilst I believe this may not be such a bad thing, you certainly need a semblance of continuity, if only to make the transition as smooth as possible.

It is vital that, despite the inevitable overhaul, City retain players who know what it means to play for this club.

It would still take a brave man to bet on Darren Huckerby sticking around beyond this campaign and with Dion Dublin already committed to brushing up on his saxaphone skills, Roeder needs to make sure he still has some leaders at his disposal.

Cureton may not be the most vocal of players out on the pitch, but he leads by example and you could see how much captaining the club he loves meant to him on Saturday. You get the feeling he would bleed yellow and green and I can't stress how important it is to have characters like that in your squad.

Mark Fotheringham and Gary Doherty, to lesser degrees, would also come into that category and is imperative that these two are retained when their contracts expire at the end of the season.

Doherty has been extremely consistent with his performances in recent months and now looks at home in the middle of the back four. At times, he has been made a scapegoat by certain sections of the Norwich support and whilst he has made some mistakes, over the last few years, he has been as solid as anyone.

He never shirks his responsibilities and you would like to think that he has developed a bond with the club who brought him to Norfolk in 2004, just when it looked like he was going nowhere fast with Tottenham.

I can see the Doc growing into a big presence in the dressing room and this will be vital in the years to come.

The man they call Fozzy is another one who quite clearly has leadership qualities ? Roeder handing him the captain's armband early into his reign was proof of that.

He has gone on record as saying he loves the club and has taken to the captaincy like a duck to water. The former Celtic man looks born for the role and in this day and age, when footballers come in for so much criticism for their commitment, it is so refreshing to watch the Scot at work.

Not having enough 'big characters' or 'leaders of men' was a major part of the Canaries' downfall in their recent Premier League season, in my opinion.

It's been discussed before, so I won't cover too much old ground, but the departure of Iwan Roberts and Malky Mackay left a much more gaping hole in the dressing room than it did on the pitch.

I'm not saying they couldn't have contributed on the field but their drive and passion for the Canary cause was sorely missed and City must not make the same mistake this time.

The summer promises to be an interesting time and after the incredible turnaround that Roeder, Clark and Co have masterminded, it seems a shame that some of the players who are really starting to make their mark at Carrow Road will be packing their bags in May.

I include Ched Evans, Alex Pearce and Ryan Bertrand in this list and Bertrand in particular looks like he could have a big future in the game. For an 18-year-old, he shows maturity beyond his years, terrific composure and excellent technical ability.

At this level, he looks outstanding and any sort of extended loan in the summer would be a major coup for the club. But, if not, it will be interesting to see if he can get himself anywhere near the Chelsea first-team.

However, as good as Bertrand is, we must look towards the future now and if City are to challenge the top spots next season, then the spine of the team must not be broken up any more than it already will be.

Step forward Messrs Marshall, Doherty, Russell, Fotheringham and Cureton. With some quality additions in other areas, these men should provide the platform on which to build on.

And that is why it was so good to see Cureton back to his best on Saturday. As he admitted, his enforced rest due to that appendix operation probably did him the power of good.

The Bristolian would be the first to admit that his campaign has been patchy but with a season back at Carrow Road behind him, he could be a key player for the Canaries next year.

There has been a lot of weight on his shoulders, having been dubbed the new Robert Earnshaw, but a flurry of goals between now and May should restore his confidence.

I don't see his age being a major issue and if he can stay fit and healthy, then there is no reason why he can't claim that Championship Golden Boot once again. And if he gets to be the captain again along the way, then that would simply be the icing on the cake.


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