In a day of high drama at Carrow Road, City forgotten man Jamie Cureton has been recalled to the club ? by who, it is unknown ? and could face his former loan side at the weekend.
In a twist of fate so synonymous with football, the fans' favourite could be thrown back into the deep end against Barnsley; what odds on a Cureton winner sparking a bit of life into the terraces come 4.45 on Saturday afternoon?
And after the departure of Glenn Roeder earlier today, this may be seen as a worthwhile PR exercise to appease the fans ? whose disenchantment reached new levels after last night's cup exit at the hands of Charlton.
Roeder's position had, as chairman Roger Munby admitted earlier, become 'untenable'. But, when talking to Sky Sports News before he was officially brought back to Norfolk, Cureton admitted he was unaware of speculation that Roeder had lost the dressing room.
“I don't know everyone's relationship with the manager but he's there to make decisions and he is going to upset people,” Cureton said earlier. “Some people are going to get on with him and some aren't ? that's natural under any manager.
“But everyone just got on with their jobs. I don't think there were any majorly big clashes between him and the players.”
The rights and wrongs of Roeder's tenure will surely be discussed in due course. But Cureton did reveal that today's dramatic developments had come as a surprise.
“It's come as a shock to be honest,” said Cureton earlier today. “He hasn't been in the job that long and I didn't really see it coming.
“I was at the game last night and there wasn't a very big crowd and maybe things have just got on top. Hopefully someone can come in and get us out of trouble now.”
Whether a new man can come in and get the City squad motoring again will be the ?64 million dollar question.
Yes, the head honcho has now left the building. But the players who performed with so little zest yesterday evening are still there. And it will be up to them to give Canaries fans something to cheer about at the weekend.
“They should be performing a lot better than they have been but it's just not been happening,” added the former City trainee.
“The squad under-performing has been the major problem. It has been difficult for them. I speak to the lads all the time and they've found it very tough.
“They've been trying to turn things around but it just hasn't been happening for one reason or another.
“The players have been disappointed with how they have performed and as a group of players, they feel they should be in a much higher position.”
Cureton did, however, hint that Roeder's decision to go so heavily down the loan route didn't help him in his quest to make the Canaries competitive this season.
“I'm not sure why it has gone wrong. The amount of contracted players and loan players are about equal and I don't think that helps too much. There has been a lack of form from the players as well.”
But with the departure of Roeder and his backroom staff, the squad of 08/09 will be hoping that they can wipe the slate clean and start afresh.
After all, they have to impress all over again. The new man could be waiting in the wings as we speak, watching the Tykes encounter on Saturday in full disguise from the City Stand.
And Cureton, speaking before his recall was rubber-stamped, hinted that he was ready to return and do his best to catch the eye of any manager-in-waiting.
“I never really wanted to leave. I left because I wasn't getting games. I needed to go out and play which the manager let me do.”
“I think now I've done the first month they can call me back at any stage so I suppose it depends on who comes in if he feels I can come back and do a job.”
What is interesting though, is just who exactly has sanctioned the move to bring the Bristolian back to his adopted home.
The more mischievous of us will be wondering if the new chief is already in place and has ordered the return of last season's top-scorer.
Or have the board, who will be under huge pressure to get this next appointment right, seen it as stage one of getting the supporters back onside?
As always, interesting times?
Tom Haylett
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