Much comment has, no doubt, been passed already in regard to Norwich City’s latest managerial appointment.
And, therefore, I am not sure what follows will add anything of fresh substance. Other than to suggest that, in certain quarters, you sense that judgement has already been delivered.
Which won’t be overly helpful – if from day one, Neil Adams has to have one eye over his shoulder; ever wary of what the Coliseum masses are thinking. How long before they deliver the next thumbs down.
If nothing else, it will focus minds and energies on those opening ten games of the season when the whole tenor of the campaign will be set.
Nor will the week lost waiting on Mr Mackay to make his mind up have helped anyone.
Given what awaits in Adams’ in-tray in terms of player exits, every day that passes with a whiffy apple sat in his Colney barrel is a day that the club can do without.
Which is why I would get shot of the whiffiest ASAP. Get them out of the door before everyone returns for pre-season. Do not allow yourself to have a Damien Francis running amok and no showing at Layer Road friendly. Because he and his agent had other plans.
Personally, as much a hero as he might be to many, I would have had Wes out the morning after Villa (a).
Someone needs to look Sebastien Bassong squarely in the whites of his eyes and see what his commitment is to the Championship cause and the sorry saga of Ricky van Wolfswinkel needs to be brought to a swift conclusion.
The Championship demands players of an even bigger heart than that demanded in the Premier League. And if the Dutchman’s heart wasn’t much in evidence in a Premier League relegation fight, I doubt it will be of much use in a Championship promotion push.
So, there are three for starters.
Clearly, Adams’ appointment will have had much to do with his intimate knowledge of what is coming off the production line teenager wise. And the level of achievement in winning the FA Youth Cup should not be underestimated.
However, past precedent might not be overly helpful here. The last City youth team to deliver such silverware saw only Jeremy Goss and Louie Donowa make the grade first team wise.
It is quite an interesting exercise looking at the two teams from that two-legged success against Everton in 1983 – an Everton side that boasted two Ian’s, Marshall and Bishop, who would go on to carve out decent professional careers at a level that supporters would hope for.
Because the biggest chink in Norwich’s armour right now is in front of goal.
And whilst Messrs Clayton and Rigby might have gone on to make a name for themselves in local football, the strike department of the Class of 83 never rode to Norwich’s rescue at a first team level.
Nor did they for Everton. The names of Macowat and Wakenshaw ring any bells? No, didn’t think so.
So, for me, this remains Adams’ biggest challenge.
I have every confidence in him being able to set up a team right, to play the game the right way, to assess and outwit an opponent, to deliver decent training session that has the lads leaving with a smile on their face.
His challenge is to find that No9; to find his very own Grant Holt in the way that Bryan Gunn did. Only to bequeath him to Paul Lambert and the rest to history.
Perhaps Gary Hooper is the man; perhaps off the playing fields of Colney our hero will emerge.
Again, the Championship is not the place for either tender hearts or limbs. There will be plenty of gnarly old full-backs that will be looking to deposit the Murphy twins into Row D the first time they stretch their legs.
It is not an ideal stage upon which to blood young bloods. Kieran Gibbs would be a good example. It’s a School of Very Hard Knocks for kids of the highest technical ability with a football.
So if not, then Adams will have to go out into the market place and persuade someone of suitable heart and physical demeanour to throw in their lot with him.
And it is probably around that one, single conversation that Adams’ managerial reign will either fly or fall in the second tier of English football – can he find himself a strike hero? Can he talk the transfer talk to make a 20-goal striker walk the transfer walk to Carrow Road?
Does that, and the rest is easy.
Anyone can manage a winning team.
Watching the Championship play-off I’m struck by how McLaren has created a team (from players poorer than those at Norwich) into something better than Houghton ever got close too. Throughout last season I kept seeing (what eventually became clear were non-existent) green shoots. If Adams can get them playing like Derby I’ll be very happy….
In fact so much better they have just been consigned to another season in the Championship
Sensible sentiments indeed!
20+ championship-level striker for next season? Come in number 19 – a certain Luciano Becchio perhaps? 76 goals in 190 lower league games for Leeds. Criminally over-looked for the past season and a bit. Time to forgive and forget (whatever transpired under Hughton) and let loose our Argentinian tiger.
(1)/(2) – it’s a(nother) sad day for football that QPR have sneaked in through the narrowest of back doors to the PL. They represent everything that is wrong with running a club while Derby are an excellent model who deserved so much more.
‘If wonders can be worked in the transfer market’ ….? Who’s guna pick up the phone to Neil Adams!? The stoke under 14 coach?? Laughable suggestion
We’re probably going to end up with a load of nobody’s of the ilk of Owain Tudur-Jones, Matt Gill and Michael Theoklitous (excuse the spelling).
This summer will be a complete write off- we have been here before in 2009 and shockingly lessons haven’t been learnt.