More fallout than Fukushima?
Take your pick from this lot:
“No ambition”
“Cock up”
“More to it than meets the eye”
“Clueless”
“Out of their depth”
“Embarrassing”
These are just some of the more printable negative phrases and comments which accompanied the slamming of the transfer window and which did the rounds on various social media sites and fan forums.
While no doubt one or two of these were promoted by devious, trouble-stirring fans from across the East Anglian divide, sadly the majority genuinely do seem to have come from our own – some of whom are of an age at which they should be wiser.
Within the space of a week which brought the first away defeat in eight months, a silly strop from a striker and not enough signings for some, suddenly the manager is out of his depth and the chief executives and owners should quit.
As Bart Simpson would have it, “Ay, caramba!”
In my own terms, “Holy cow!”
It takes all sorts of opinion to make up a football club supporting family. Thank God for that as otherwise we might as well buy a one way ticket to North Korea.
However, the vitriolic reaction from some to a perceived lack of transfer business still managed to flabber my gast (whatever that may be) and shiver my timbers.
To deal with all the contentious issues raised would take many pages, so I’ll focus on the three main ones as I see it:
Firstly – Bradley Johnson’s speedy exit. Good business or ripping the heart from the squad?
No-one seems to have seen it coming. The net-busting PoTS was settling into media responsibilities up in Derby quicker than you can say “Ricky van Wolfswinkel loan period”. His confusion over his new club’s name illustrates how fast the transfer wheels had turned in his case.
Problem with Alex Neil? The conspiracy theories went into overdrive. Let’s not forget that the ‘other Alex’ periodically dispensed with the indispensible at Old Trafford – the no room for sentiment approach seems to be engrained in the streets of Glasgow.
The most logical answer seems to be that BJ is clearly not as good as Graham Dorrans, Yousouf Mulumbu or Robbie Brady when the head is used in place of the heart.
The new midfield signings are all proven top performers in the Premier League at other clubs and have settled in quickly here. To be fair, Bradley struggled to make a mark in his three seasons with us at the top level, often being on the end of some stinging verbal barbs. How quickly some forget.
Mulumbu is the captain of his country,DR Congo, who finished third in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. Brady is a regular in the Republic of Ireland side and Dorrans should be in the Scotland squad alongside Russell Martin and Steven Whittaker (he does have 10 caps from his WBA days).
Secondly: No new centre back. This seems to have caused the most ructions.
Frankly, who was out there of sufficient quality? Go on – name them if you dare.
Would we have settled for a Lescott or an Evans?
Virgil Van Dijk was maybe a possibility but he was always going to go Dutch at Southampton and his poor performances in the Champions Lwague qualifiers did put up a red flag as to his ability outside of Scotland.
Thirdly: That mythical 15-20 goal-a-season striker.
Many an offer was made but either club wasn’t willing to sell – as in the cases of Afobe and Walters – or another club was chosen. Glenn Murray/Dwight Gayle? Do we care?
To not much fanfare, we’ve brought in on loan an exciting and experienced big fella – pals with Mulumbu and with a fine goal record for club and country.
Dieumerci Mbokani – our new number 9, take a bow. He’s got fans’ favourite written large on his strapping frame. Hell, he’s even got a son called Bradley!
I’ve hear some dissenting voices say it smacks of Kei Kamara’s arrival. Just compare the records. They don’t.
Matt Jarvis should provide plenty of ammunition for Mbokani, Cameron Jerome and even Lewis Grabban once he’s released from the dungeons of Norwich Castle where he’s been put on a strict bread and water diet.
I’m not saying life’s perfect. Clearly, we’re not as happy as a Leicester fan or a Swansea fan at present but footballing fortunes are fickle and it doesn’t take much for trouble to brew up anywhere, anytime.
We may be a tad short in one or two positions for now but let’s all look forward and *try* to be positive.
We’re where we all want to be. Let’s enjoy it and not end up eternally grumpy like that lot at the Emirates.
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* While a recent report shows that our squad is the third cheapest assembled in the Premier League, our little old squad would be in the top ten in all other major European leagues – unthinkable comparison just 5 years ago. Worth bearing in mind before demanding the owner and CEO consider their positions.
**Norwich has a long history of helping and accepting those looking to escape repression in their own lands – indeed, our club’s nickname is said to derive from 16th century Dutch religious refugees who brought pet canaries with them and settled here.
I would hope that the PL and our club in particular will publicly follow the example of Celtic and Bayern Munich, who have pledged to donate money to the current refugee crisis. In light of those ridiculous squad ‘values’, it would be obscene not to.
I applaud your optimism, Russell. The next few weeks will see if it’s justified. Bournemouth will be a good litmus test following the no – show against Southampton. A good display will rekindle our confidence that AN and the Board know what they’re doing, and most importantly that the dressing room is behind them.
Russell, you have 2 comments as a PS. I don’t know if the second one is a proof reading error, but one hopes this excellent site remains strictly football – a foray into politics would spoil things.
OTBC
Russell, the recent spat over transfers just depresses me. Thank you for your wise words.
But, more importantly, totally agree with your comments around refugees. The Bundesliga has led the way and the Premier League and clubs like our own should follow.
(1) No proof reading error.
I rarely stray outside the footballing bubble but with all the money washing around PL clubs around the transfer window, it seemed particularly ugly timing to be casually discussing how many millions we should throw at players.
As with most things in and out of football in the past 10 years, the Germans are well ahead of the curve and embarrass this country’s record.
Some will agree with me (comment no. 2) while others won’t. Que sera sera.
Regular readers won’t be surprised to hear I was purring as I read Russell’s piece.
Mbokani isn’t comparable to RvW, let alone Kei Kamara. As well as internationals, he’s played in leagues far more relevant to the Premier League.
An interesting throwaway line about Arsenal fans. Seventeen successive years in the Champions League – many of them at the same time as funding a new stadium – plus the last two FA Cups, and they sound miserable as Hell.
Azores Canary: Bayern and now Real Madrid have pledged around 1 million Euros – still small change to clubs of this size – these are not ‘political’ gestures but humanitarian ones.
No word yet from Man City, Chelsea…or Norwich – massively disappointing.
Stewart: are you feline ok?
Thanks, Russell, for a piece with some genuine perspective. In every respect.
I totally agree with your view on charitable donations for people fleeing for their lives – I don’t regard that as being any more political than Children in Need.
And on the subject of charity, I heard Gary Richardson discussing the subject of Jimmy Greaves on Sunday Five Live. Apparently, his family are attempting to get together a relatively small sum – £30,000? – for his ongoing physiotherapy following a stroke. Greavsey was one of the finest goal poachers of all time, but had the misfortune to play at a time when the rewards for top flight players were positively miserly compared to the earnings potential that they enjoy today. Now – if all the premier league players were to donate just one day’s salary to help this legend and his family………..
I feel reading this article you are trying to show that the club tried…which is not the case…
at the beginning of the summer they told the fans that they are going for quality and not quantity.
the problem with quality is that you have to pay to get it, and not nickel and dime…you cannot get quality on free and on Loan you might get Lucky, but that not the rule…they spent all summer telling us brand name players but they did not close any deals, just trying to tell us that they are trying…I do not think that is good enough.
Lewis Grabban update;
“Imagine yourself as one of the unlucky souls, forced to live in chains in the cold and dark, unsure of the fate awaiting you.” (courtesy of Norwich Castle Dungeons Tour).
..that’ll teach him.
Russ (8) – Reminds me of the sign outside the London Dungeon near my old office:
“The real dungeon experience. Authentic medieval instruments of torture. Ideal for corporate events”
Marco (7) – not the..? I’m sure DMc and AN explored every opportunity but discovered that getting the right price for the right man was difficult with so many London-based clubs and the likes of Stoke and Bournemouth having owners with much deeper pockets.
There will be choppy waters ahead but with a stable ship and firm hand on the tiller, I’m sure the journey ahead will be a rewarding one.
Bon voyage.
Stewart(9) – hopefully a few bank execs did that tour.
Same old excuses. We have a squad full of “reasonably price buys”. Ricky is on loan, again. Grabs isn’t getting a game. Nor Hooper. Not to mention the host of others we send out on loan.
How much money have we wasted?