Tomorrow’s trip to Tottenham Hotspur is likely to be over-shadowed today by the last, final gripping hours of the summer transfer window.
With Canary chief Chris Hughton telling reporters at yesterday’s pre-match Press conference that the club remained ‘Open for business…’ and reports suggesting that the Norfolk club had more than one eye on long-time transfer target Craig Mackail-Smith, City supporters will be watching with interest as the clock ticks down.
Aston Villa’s move for Fulham’s Clint Dempsey and yesterday’s switch by Jordan Rhodes to Blackburn Rovers will not have gone unnoticed.
It is that second striker role that would appear to be commanding Hughton’s attention with James Vaughan now out on loan to Huddersfield Town and the lack of a regular foil for skipper Grant Holt being an on-going niggle.
Whether 28-year-old Mackail-Smith will – finally – make the move to Norfolk after much courting under the old regime remains to be seen.
Whether to go with two up-top a la QPR or just the one as in the 5-0 defeat against Fulham will be one of the bigger decisions Hughton will have to make in the next 24 hours as he prepares to make his first return to White Hart Lane as a manager – a club where he spent the better part of 30 years, first as a player and then on the coaching staff.
For whatever it might be worth, the Brighton Evening Argus were suggesting that the Seagulls would be reluctant to deal unless they had strengthened themselves; one in and only then one out.
As ever, however, money will talk – as will the players own thoughts as to whether he fancies a crack at Premier League football on the other side of the Fens.
For now, that was the news that mattered as Hughton hoped for a repeat of the QPR performance tomorrow.
White Hart Lane should hold few fears for the Canaries after last season’s fabulous away win.
“I hope the team can put on a performance,” said Hughton, hoping that the Fulham (a) performance was very much a thing of the past.
Last night’s Capital One Cup draw at home to Doncaster suggested that the new Canary chief was in the good books of Lady Luck; fortune will again play a big part in this weekend’s events – just as it did in reverse when it came to that penalty decision.
Equally, the game will also turn on the Spurs side that turns up on the day – whether they have their ‘game face’ on; whether the likes of Welsh superstar Gareth Bale is in the mood to play.
“Tottenham are a very good side,” admitted Hughton, no doubt a very careful student of their form and fortune.
“They show real quality in wide areas with Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale. They have good options up front and with Mousa Dembele coming in they have gathered a really good squad.”
Hughton’s own squad building has include