Well, the season has to start somewhere. It may as well be by virtue of a St George’s Park, behind-closed-doors win over Walsall in a 3 x 30 minute extravaganza.
That City won 2-1 was meaningless, as was a ‘Zola’ from Cameron Jerome, as was defending for the Saddlers’ goal that had 2015/16 stamped all over it. It was an exercise in fitness and if, as it appears, the majority managed to get an injury-free 45 minutes under their belt it was job done.
The club’s decision not to open the doors to the media may have irked Archant but as a rule cobweb-ridding of this kind usually offers far more to the players and staff than it does to spectators. And it’s done, their stay at luxurious home of English football is over and they can now return to the real world.
And that real world entails a trip to the seaside on Tuesday when in the evening they line up against Lowestoft Town as part of the Trawlerboys’ thankyou to club stalwart Micky Chapman.
As a footballing spectacle I suspect it will be of a similar ilk to that witnessed by the groundsman at St George’s but it’ll be a return to 45 minute halves and another step for the players on the road to full fitness, following on from what sounds a gruelling regime in Burton.
Intriguingly, said group of players still includes one Timm Klose and (whisper it quietly) to date there has been virtually no mention in the national media of ‘interest’ from clubs in higher echelons. Whether we can keep his presence in the Fine City sufficiently muted until August 31 remains to be seen but he doesn’t half suit that new shirt.
In terms of new signings, while we still await any white smoke, news that Liverpool had accepted a £2.5 million City bid for their Spanish winger Sergi Canós appeared promising, albeit for now at least that trail appears to have gone cold.
One suspects there is an offer on the table awaiting the signature of Master Canós but his agent has urged caution from his client just in case something better crops up.
So it’s a waiting game, one that has given us all time to do some interweb research on said Spaniard, which has revealed a speedy, tricky right-winger who has represented his country at every level from Under-15 to Under-19 and who impressed many in his loan spell at Brentford.
Be patient folks.
Elsewhere, talk of nasty old City slapping a £20 million price tag on Robbie Brady has caused a rumble or two, not least in Leicester who, while initially being in the box seat, seem to have lost interest in signing our most prized asset; the Foxes instead preferring to throw £16 million in the direction of CSKA Moscow for the services of Ahmed Musa.
But that’s fine. We’ve long accepted that one of the better players in Euro 2016 won’t be gracing Carrow Road again but what the club must do is scrape every last pound it can out of any deal. If Nathan Redmond departed for circa £11 million, it seems perfectly reasonable to demand considerably more for one fresh from the tournament of his life and who still has two years to run on his contract.
I doubt very much that when he finally departs it will be for £20 million but as a starting point for negotiation I think that Steve Stone – or whoever is the current arm-wrestler – has called it about right; at least it is if City’s desire for value is greater than their need for instant cash.
A new face or two will eventually arrive, but for now Alex Neil appears to be securing the services of those he knows will do a job for him in the Championship – Graham Dorrans being the latest to put pen to paper on an extended deal.
There was some scoffing of course – Dorrans’ ordinary Premier League season saw him give Russell Martin a decent run for his money as the season’s fall guy – but as we gear up for a season in the second tier the Scot is well equipped; his ability to keep the ball a useful one given the not unreasonable assumption that City will see more than their fair share of the ball this season.
If the club was bracing itself for another tilt at Premier League survival then Dorrans and Steven Whittaker would have been on the fringes and beyond but it’s not and both proved last time round that the Championship is well within their comfort zone, so no complaints from me.
And then there’s Ricky. Oh Ricky…
Never before has one who has done so little been on the receiving end of such unconditional adoration. Well, apart from Becchio… and Lafferty… and Wilbraham.
I completely get that most of us are romantics at heart and love nothing more than to witness the rise of an underdog, but at some point common sense surely has to kick in even if he does possess lovely hair, a cheeky smile and a great attitude.
Ricky may get a chance or two to shine over pre-season and may even notch a tap-in or two along the way but even if he hangs around I just can’t visualise him having the wherewithal to contribute to a promotion push.
A failing on my part perhaps?
But… if he does get into double-figures in the Championship I’ll (un)happily wear an Ipswich Town shirt on the last day of the season, which – as those who know me will confirm – would be undiluted agony.
“On the Ball City…”
With you most of the way there Gary, though I’m surprised at your attitude to RvW.
I think, given good service and lacking the selfish Snoddy in the mix, I would not be at all surprised if the Wolf’s Winkle becam the Dog’s Gonads! OTBC
Ricky has to go, as you say, common sense tells you he’s not good enough and become a joke to supporters of others clubs. Head in hands is the reception I get everytime I mention Norwich fans want him back in. There is also the small matter he is being offered for pittance to get rid and purchase a player that can actually shoot.
i think we should keep klose under wraps until transfer deadline day,then no body will buy him (tounge in cheek )
Why not change the guys position and see how he fairs
Oh Ricky – that annual conundrum.
The fact that he’s hardly pulled up trees in either La Liga or Ligue 1 over the past couple of seasons does little to suggest a likely change in personal fortunes should City persist with him during the forthcoming Championship campaign.
As ever, I’d be delighted to eat humble pie on this one.
This summer is shaping up to be even more disappointing and mind boggling that’s last summer. Canos being the latest farcical offering. He clearly isn’t keen to join, or he would be in yellow by now. As always, I strongly suspect we are engaging in a half hearted negotiation whereby there would be no great alarm if the player said no and the money went back in the wallet. Van wolfs winkle featured yesterday because he was the only option, not as some fourth chance saloon outing to see if he can rediscover the form of his youth. ONe must hope that the injury sustained at palace is sufficient to put off any potential suitors for the services of Klose, as he remains out biggest hope for a competitive season, a Thoroughbred centre half.
There’s no doubt RvW could score plenty in the championship. In his last game for us at Rotherham (championship opposition) he scored one and had another ruled out which should have stood. He could have had a hat-trick and was the most prominent player on the pitch and was at the heart of all our best moves. I watched his games in La Liga and while not scoring many, he got involved in the play a lot and notched a few assists, though he only played a few games due to Ruben Castro being so prolific. His passing was very good and can create opportunities from very little. If he’s willing to stay, i’m sure on the evidence of the Rotherham game he’d make an impact and get back among the goals, and he’d have Naismith to link up with (i’ve a feeling they’ll suit each other.) If he doesn’t want to give it a go it’s probably best for him to leave asap and not go through the whole pre-season thing. I personally hope he’s willing to have a crack at the championship, at least until Christmas and see how it stands. It could be the perfect place for him to find form again.
I would imagine that any positve comments towards Ricky would be ones of support and encouragement and would not be based as you suggest on his physical appearance.
I cannot see that your negative,patronising piece of lynch mob mentality is going to do any good for our club.
And “not pulled up any trees” is exactly the expression Roeder used about Chris Martin’s loan to Luton as a reason for not bringing him back.
Try finding somebody else to pick on, preferably somebody not at our club.
Gilster – A tad patronising maybe (although was intended as tongue-in-cheek) but ‘lynch mob mentality’? Seems a tad harsh.
And I’m not expecting there to be too much opportunity to ‘pick on him’, which I certainly wouldn’t do anyway.
I simply don’t think he’ll make it, but am quite prepared to eat a massive helping of humble pie if he does so.
Canary101 – You must have seen a different game to me v Rotherham or through extremely Ricky rose tinted glasses.
He was average and scored a goal (which I sadly missed as I was in the loo).
That said I’d like him to do well, as I do all our players.
@8 Glister – the “pulled up trees” expression was actually mine and I think his record over the past two seasons speaks for itself.
If Ricky does get game time in the Championship, just like all Norwich players, he will receive 100% support from me. I just don’t expect him to play much, but, as I concluded with my previous comment, I’ll happily eat humble pie if I’m wrong.
what are the chances of being in the loo answering natures call at the precise moment van wolfswinkel scored his only goal? That’s unlucky.