As the dust finally started to settle on a frantic 72 hours in the history of Norwich City Football Club, Canary chief executive Neil Doncaster had little time to pause for breath.
Word was that he was locking again horns again with the chairman of Hartlepool over securing the services of his reserve team boss, Ian Butterworth.
And as Doncaster discovered when the Canaries came a-knocking at Victoria Park for Paul Stephenson little more than 12 months ago, Ken Hodcroft is not a man to be trifled with.
In fact, City's managerial recruitment process could all-too easily grind to a complete standstill when it comes to granting Bryan Gunn his chosen No2; prising John Deehan out of Birmingham City and Ian Crook out of Newcastle Jets was child's play by comparison.
“It was certainly swift,” said Doncaster, looking back at City's third managerial selection process in as many years as the 45-year-old Gunn emerged victorious from a strong short-list.
“We had a full interview process on Monday which lasted all day – and into the evening. And the decision to appoint Bryan, Ian and John was taken after a great deal of objective thought; trying to take the passion and the emotion away from it and looking at the qualities that we need to take us away from the difficulties we've had this season.
“And we felt that the management team that we've appointed has those qualities.”
Each of Gunn's potential, reported rivals brought different qualities to the table. None offered quite so much by way of a Canary heart as Gunn – and therein lay one of the big dangers; that Tuesday's appointment was just an emotional knee-jerk reaction to the stirring events of Saturday.
“That's always the danger in football,” said Doncaster. “Football is an emotional business.
“But the role of the board directors is not to let that passion rule the head; it's the board's role to try and make cool, calm and collected decisions.”
None of which will be much in evidence on Tuesday night when Gunn and his new-look team make their full-time debuts in the home clash with Southampton. In every likelihood it is likely to be one for the scrapbook; a night of pure Canary theatre.
The list of alternative candidates was, said Doncaster, “as impressive as you could possibly imagine” with the bookies two favourites, Paul Ince and Aidy Boothroyd, reported to be there or thereabouts. Iain Dowie was a familiar Championship name on the same bookies list; his name didn't slip too far down the betting.
There was, however, little or no sign of Alan Curbishley dipping his toe back in the Championship water – despite the late run of money on the former Charlton and West Ham chief. In the end, of course, The Gunner pipped The Guv'nor.
Perhaps the Canaries had already done the East End; hard-nosed geezers was a box they had just ticked. Dowie might have suffered with that lack of Canary blood; Boothroyd probably needed to sweeten that style pill with a Malky Mackay; was the latter willing to jump out of Watford at the drop of Aidy's hat?
“The range of candidates – in and out of work and from all levels of the game – was quite remarkable. We were able to interview five, short-listed candidates – including Gunny – who were absolutely top class candidates.”
None, however, had a 4-0 win over Barnsley up their sleeve.
“I think Saturday demonstrated what the supporters have been crying out for – and what may have been missing in recent times,” admitted Doncaster, as the cold and off-ish regime of Roeder and Co disappeared without much local mourning.
“The connection between the club and the supporters is vital – and the supporters expressing the view that they'd been given their club back. And if we can achieve that and sustain that over the rest of the course of the season that then gives us the best possible prospect of taking the club forward.”
As for Crook's arrival from the other side of the globe – he is now expected back in the UK early Friday morning – there is little doubt that his ability to unearth a teenage Aussie gem played a part in the board's thinking. There aren't too many undiscovered diamonds out there in the Football League these days.
“It certainly gives you something different,” said Doncaster. “The biggest clubs have got such extensive scouting networks that trying to compete with those extensive networks – which mainly operate within Europe – is very difficult.
“What, of course, Ian Crook does give you are contacts on the other side of the world – in Japan, in Australia in particular – that are very difficult for even the biggest clubs in this country to get into. So that may well yet yield some fruit and, again, hopefully add to the mix.”
A mix, said Doncaster, which should hopefully blend well together. Gunn, the man manager; Crook, the technical coach; Deehan, the wealth of experience and knowledge of the English game.
“All three of them do have very different attributes they bring to the party – and there may yet be a role for an assistant manager and we're looking to make an appointment in due course.
“But, hopefully, all of that should come together for a perfect blend.”
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