Gunn goes in search of big answers to big questions. Who really wants it? Do you?

City boss Bryan Gunn will spend today staring the 19 contracted players left at Colney squarely in the eye and asking them one simple, question: 'Do you really want to go to Yeovil away?'

The Canary chief will also sit down with out-of-contract, Player of the Season Lee Croft and see just what his thoughts are now that the 23-year-old has the opportunity to re-sign for a club bound for the third tier of English football.

He may well also find the likes of both Alan Lee and Simon Lappin knocking on his door to see if there was any way in which a deal could be done to keep them at the club for another season – given that both have long decided that East Anglia was the place for them.

Certain individuals on the 19-strong list that Gunn read out to last night's angry Open Day forum will get an easy ride; the City chief – his own position at the helm due to be reviewed at a board meeting tomorrow – will already now what the Korey Smiths and the Cody McDonalds will have to say for themselves.

He saw it on the pitch at The Valley as the pair rose above the rabble to offer some hope for the future; that one or two individuals could still deliver the kind of pride and performance that every professional football club has the right to expect of its highly-paid employees.

Particularly in a club's real hour of need. And when you have 3,300 supporters paying their hard-earned cash in the hope of seeing someone, somewhere, actually care.

Likewise, the 'Luton Two' will be spared the full 'Look me in the eye and say that…' routine.

Michael Spillane has already agreed a new, two-year deal with the Norfolk club and will return to Colney at the end of the seven-week summer break with a Wembley winner's medal to show for his year at Kenilworth Road; Chrissy Martin remains under contract – he, too, is expected to return to his mother club with a whole new attitude of mind after learning all about life in the lower tiers of English football.

For others, however, Gunn will be looking to hear some big answers – that and to see some real fight in their eyes.

Dejan Stefanovic, Sammy Clingan, David Marshall, Jon Otsemobor, Jamie Cureton, Wes Hoolahan, Darel Russell, Adam Drury and Gary Doherty are those with the biggest questions to answer as Gunn starts on his quest to find the kind of “bosses” the club needs to get themselves out of League One at the first time of asking.

“We need League One players,” he said. “Players with characters; with strength. Bosses.”

In amidst that heated public forum last night, Gunn displayed the kind of hurt personal pride which should prompt a few, searching questions in today's individual meetings.

There is no doubt that he felt personally let down by a lot of individuals on Sunday; his dreams of successfully completing his mission to keep his beloved Canaries in the Championship foundering on the inability of some to simply turn up when it really mattered.

“If I was given the opportunity [to manage the club next season], yes, I'd get shot of a few…” was his promise to the punters last night. And given the edge and the emotion to his voice, it was a promise he clearly intends to keep.

Of course, much will depend on the budget left at the manager's disposal as the club is forced to drastically cut its cloth according to its new surroundings; that ?8.5 million player budget with which Norwich contrived to get themselves relegated will be flying out of the nearest window this week.

Little wonder that Gunn is forseeing a future that relies heavily on the Korey Smiths and Cody McDonalds of this world.

“We recognise that there are golden nuggets out there – and we have to go out there and find them,” Gunn told last night's meeting. Digging out McDonald from Dartford for just ?25,000 is, in fairness, a decent line to place on his managerial cv.

The club have already got more by the way of a return on that minimal investment than they ever did for the services of a Troy Archibald-Henville or an Omar Koroma. Given the fact that he only lasted until the January transfer window, what City got for their cash in the case of Arturo Lupoli has to be questioned; Elliot Omosuzi was another who never quite lived up to the early season hype – that in the shape of the two, England Under-19 internationals – Omosuzi from Fulham and Ryan Bertrand from Chelsea – Norwich had the best full-back pairing in the Championship.

Leroy Lita – the club's top scorer – was value for money in his three-month spell at the club; but Antoine Sibierski?

Again, Gunn was working a rich vein of public support when he insisted last night that the next Canary manager – whoever that might be – had to get back to having a side of players with a City contract to their name; too few of Glenn Roeder's much-trumpeted loan policy really cared; too many just came along for the ride.

“The next manager of this football club has got a massive task on his hands, but whoever the next manager is he will have to get together a squad of contracted players.”

All of which will suit Master Smith down to the ground; he and the likes of fellow Academy graduates Luke Daley, Declan Rudd and Tom Adeyemi could yet find themselves near the centre of the stage next season.

And, in fairness, the kid appears to have someting of a “boss” in him after skippering Ricky Martin's youngsters to the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup and second spot in the FA Youth Academy Under-18 league this season.

“We can get back,” vowed the teenager after making his first senior start in amidst the debacle that was Charlton (a).

“I'm sure we'll be up around the top of League One next year, but we will have to see what players are around and hopefully we can get back in the Championship.”

It had, he admitted, been something of a roller-coaster ride as he watched his former Youth team-mates cement their second place in the league.

“The FA Youth Cup was a really good experience and everyone was buzzing and on Saturday the youth team won 3-2 and clinched second place in the league, which is the highest the youth team has ever reached,” he said.

“To come from that and being really happy and a day later to come to this is hard, but I'm strong enough, I believe in myself and I'll be back next season. I think as long as you work hard your ability will shine through.”