With Twitter linking City to a dozen names a day, beware the dreamers and mischief makers

I was going to open by saying us City fans are a rare breed, but I’m not sure that’s true. I suspect the erratic lurching of emotions we suffer are far from unique and are actually shared with every football supporter in the world. But having been indoctrinated in the way of the Canary since taking my first breath I have no way of knowing.

And thank goodness for that.

My dad makes no apology for having made crystal clear which footballing path I should follow and, predictably, I’ve followed suit in giving my two beauties Hobson’s choice. Luckily my not-so-subtle attempts at ‘brain training’ have been met with little resistance and they’ve both done dad proud… at least so far.

Alas the other half had well over two decades to make up her own mind before I intervened, so that one is an on-going project.

Having cleared that up, my original point was going to be around the effect the close-season has on us City fans ­– or the ‘silly season’ as my colleague James Kent described it.

Where once transfer gossip was the preserve of the pub, now we have internet forums and social media to mull over our respective wish-lists and pass on the faintest, most minute scrap of info. New life has been breathed into the tit-bit that your friend’s cousin’s boss overheard when he was buying a panini in Liverpool Street station from a bloke whose uncle used to be a football agent’s accountant.

While the pub would once facilitate the sharing of such a rumour with maybe a dozen people – some worse for wear and unlikely to recall a thing – Facebook and Twitter can spread the same rumour to thousands in a single keystroke.

And while it undoubtedly makes the ‘silly season’ seem more exciting as we cogitate over the next bright young thing to be unveiled holding the shirt, we also find ourselves being headed down so many blind alleys it’s nigh on impossible to separate the ‘possibles’ from the ‘probables’ –  not to mention the ‘may have legs’ from the ‘never in a million years’.

Talking of which, I read a tweet on Monday that suggested City should consider a bid for Hulk; the same Hulk who led the line for Brazil against England last Sunday evening and who signed for Zenit St Petersburg from Porto last summer for £32m; the same one who remains on the radar of Chelsea and several other Champions League sides.

Get real. We may consider ourselves ‘massive’ but in the overall scheme of things…

Another that raised an eyebrow or two is the bid City are allegedly preparing for Sporting Lisbon’s Spanish international, Diego Capel. While this may or may not ‘have legs’ – my money’s on the latter – it strikes me as yet another case of two and two equating to five.

Clearly there has been some an interest – a bid possibly – from Swansea, and said fellow most definitely has plied his trade alongside Ricky van Wolfswinkel for the last two seasons, but I remain to be convinced the Spaniard will be sharing a ferry crossing with the Dutchman any time soon; at least one that sees them both depart Dover in an easterly direction.

I’d love to be proved wrong, but I’m not holding my breath.

I’ve already witnessed signs of online impatience with tweets and messages pleading with Hughton and McNally to add to the squad sooner rather than later; van Wolswinkel and Garrido for starters clearly not enough for some. It seems that being Europe’s fourth biggest spenders so far this summer – behind only AS Monaco, Barcelona and Bayern Munich – is insufficient notice of intent for some of our number.

Like I said; we’re a ‘queer old bunch’.

For those who sensibly steer clear of the monster known as Twitter (and are probably wondering what the hell I’m talking about), a quick snapshot of said website – as I write – reveals no fewer than five fresh names  to throw into the #NCFC mix.

So (with apologies to Ant and Dec)… in no particular order, please step forward:

–          Nathan Redmond (Birmingham) – ‘Norwich expected to step up their interest’.

–          Danny Simpson (Newcastle) – Spotted in the city.

–          Adlene Guedioura (Nottm. Forest) – ‘Norwich…one of several who are tracking him’.

–          Denilson (free agent; ex-Arsenal) – Norwich reportedly ‘interested’.

–          Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar) – ‘Norwich City are interested… ’

And before anyone asks… the above is not intended as yet another list of ‘possibles’, but simply a real-time example of how easily names – any names – can be bandied around for the consumption of those willing and ready to pounce.

All of which leads me to no conclusion whatsoever, other than to say don’t believe anything you see or hear until the ‘press conference’ signs go up. Only when City’s latest recruit is formally introduced to the media – flanked by McNally and Hughton – and declares Carrow Road the perfect stage for the next phase of his career should we get properly excited.

Until then, let’s sit tight, remain calm (I feel a slogan coming on) and let Macca do his dealing.

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Stop Press: Add Jonjo Shelvey to that burgeoning list; the Dail Mail today reporting that City have made an ‘enquiry’.

See what I mean!