Well, that left us all with what used to be called a warm fuzzy feeling in business circles, didn’t it?
If a massive Danish drinks company did last home matches of the season, Sunday would probably have been it.
John Ruddy got his deserved send-off, we took apart an extremely poor Queens Park Rangers side and (sentimental voting or not – my heart voted for him when my head was screaming out Jonny Howson) our wonderful Player of the Season, Wes, filled his boots quite literally with two goals and a brace of assists. The Hall of Fame awaits.
Alex Pritchard ran off his knee injury – caused as much by the over-watered pitch as much as anything else I would suspect. Alex Smithies struggled to keep his feet in the six-yard box in the first half, although JR seemed to have no such trouble in the second (nudge nudge, wink wink). I would not want to see Pritchard sold, much less sidelined by injury.
A lovely moment occurred when the Barclay demanded Ruddy take the free kick that James Maddison eventually wasted and the cheers from the Barclay when he “Beckenbauer’d” two QPR forwards were sublime.
I also got to see Ben Godfrey for the first time.
The old banter between Barclay and Snakepit was back, too. That’s what ‘atmosphere’ is all about.
The lap of appreciation was well-respected, and it was good to see Steven Whittaker (expectedly) and Ryan Bennett (I didn’t think he’d bother but I was chuffed that he did) take part in it.
The apparent absence of one Steven Naismith may or may not be an omen for the future. The non-appearance of Messrs Bassong, Lafferty, Mulumbu and Turner says a lot about them, but does not concern me in the slightest.
Of course the day centred emotionally around Ruddy – I had no idea he would be captain until he appeared complete with armband and children. A splendid gesture from Russell Martin and approved by Alan Irvine, I now understand.
From a personal viewpoint, we’re doing the Upper Barclay shuffle over the summer – a couple I know are moving a few rows away in order to sit together and a guy nearby is introducing his teenage son into one of their seats. This means I have volunteered to move a row back to let them sit together.
It also means I’ll be sitting with a couple of ruffty-tuffty rugby fans who frequent The Jubilee. Bring it on 🙂
The occasion concluded with clapping, cheering, handshakes and “see you next season if not before” all round.
Obviously, on the walk home reality set in.
The “warm fuzzy” didn’t exactly wear off like the alcohol did, but perspective, reality and that horrible combination of hopes and fears for next season started to gnaw away.
I had no radio so couldn’t distract myself with the unique entity that is Canary Call. My focus was therefore unadulterated.
The process of distillation over, my concerns would be something along the lines of the following:
We surely have to keep Wes, Pritchard and Maddison. Yes, all three of them.
Ideally there would be a role for the understated, articulate person that is Alan Irvine, his post-match broadside notwithstanding.
The goalkeeping issue has to be sorted. Declan Rudd, Michael McGovern or Paul Jones? None of them fit the bill for me.
Ivo Pinto has to stay, I wouldn’t mind if we kept Timm Klose and The Beast should be retained if Ajax and his agent can be suitably persuaded. Likewise, I would hate to lose Jonny Howson and despite the Rangers rumours I would rather retain Graham Dorrans, who I thought was excellent on Sunday.
To state the bleedin’ obvious, we need at least two centre backs with more physical presence than Klose or Martin and a smaller, speedy striker who can get behind a defensive line to run onto Pritchard’s often exquisite slip-ins.
I am hearing increasingly positive things about Tom Smith. Hopefully he will be more actively involved in the hands-on element of running the club in the not-too-distant future.
And finally the one we’re all sweating on. The new head coach. I heard a very interesting suggestion yesterday (thanks, James!) about somebody from tier two of the Bundesliga. I don’t remember the name, but his pedigree was interesting, to say the least.
Your guess is as good as mine. I have always thought Uwe Rosler to be well and truly in the frame, and the demise of Fleetwood Town’s play-off aspirations would suggest that if it is him, he will be announced in the next week or so. We could do a lot worse.
Gary posted his Rip It Up link yesterday. My alternative would have been Everything Must Go but most of what needed to go that can be easily got rid of has, erm, gone. So that leaves me with the perfect reflection on this season: Led Zep’s Good Times, Bad Times.
The MFW team will be writing about all things NCFC as the revolution continues over the fast-impending summer; a personal thank you to all readers and commenters and enjoy the frustration of the hiatus 😀
Good reflections, Martin.
While many different points of view are (thankfully) aired on this site, I suspect we’d all agree the summer ahead will be interesting. Perhaps more so than the season just finished.
Despite Stuart Webber’s praise for much of what he’s found at Norwich, I suspect the changes may be more brutal than Martin envisages. More of that in my piece tomorrow.
I really enjoyed my day which started when I left home at 7.00, drove 175 miles, and met friends for a beer at 11.00 which is extremely early even for me.The game was entertaining and unusually stress free and ended with me thinking that at least this wretched season ended with most people in the stadium once again liking the team and having an optimistic vibe about next season (how many clubs would get a full stadium for the most meaningless of end of season games by the way?). The afternoon was spent watching an excellent band called the He Hews (I think) in the Wildman so an excellent day all round.
So I’ll follow the forthcoming shenanigans with anticipation. I have no idea what we’ll look like next season and from now to August seems a long, long time.
So, following this season I know that Something Better Change, Stuart Webber seems to be in Complete Control and I’m off to enjoy my Holidays in the Sun.
The ‘warm fuzzy feeling’ is indicative of what could be at this club. After 2 wasted seasons on the trot, we still pack ’em in at the end to cheer failure.
I like to think the board have identified the problem and are rebuilding the infrastructure to ensure we get established in our rightful position competing alongside Southampton, Bournemouth, WBA, Stoke etc.
Stu Webber seems to have installed confidence with his intelligent summations, and he is certainly a man not to be trifled with (as AI discovered on Sunday night). I hope he too doesn’t end up ejecting the teddy and eventually walk away in frustration.
In addition to finding a coach who can work with Mr Webber, we will need to get a good keeper and a powerful leader at the heart of the defence (at least). If we can’t pull them out of a hat (unlikely), we’ll have to pay big for them and that means selling Howson (very likely). And then we’re back to asset stripping to fund gambles.
If SW gets it right he’ll be a hero; if not we have big problems ahead. Indeed, Stuart (1), the close season will be gripping stuff.
OTBC
The warm fuzzy feeling for me is the expectation of a good season 2017/18 and hoping for a top two finish.
Lots of the comments rescently have been mine included about possible departures to fund incoming players, I would expect clubs with rich benifactors will look on city as easy pickings at bargain prices.
Take the players that might come in to this category Klose, Pritchard, Naismith, Dorrans, Howson, Pinto we will never get back anywhere near what we paid for them, there are a few younger players that just might get a bit more than we expect for them but overall we will lose loads.
Players that shouldn’t still be at the club Mcgovern, Jones, possibly Rudd that leaves us with just one keeper Remi Mathews young but having a reasonable season in Scotland can he step up.
Looking at what is needed a whole new defence, losing the few players that are high earners but are hanging on for sentimental reasons, Martin and Wes both players have in the past looked to move on when Lamps came calling but now their careers are all but done are saying how much they want to end their careers at city, Sorry I am not a sentimental get rid but still allow Wes to have his testimonial to say goodbye.
#1 Stewart: as always, I’ll await your article with interest.
I am not one to object to change – however brutal – if it’s in our collective best interest.
Perhaps I’m becoming a little laid back:-)
The Bundesliga link might be Jens Keller https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jens_Keller who has done an amazing job at Union Berlin this year, almost getting them promoted for the first time in their history. They lost at Braunschweig last night meaning that they can’t go up but Keller may be ready for a new challenge…
#3 Don: your comments are always pretty much on the mark in my view.
I am glad you enjoyed your day as much as I did mine. I remember going in the Wild Man as a UEA studie – they didn’t have live bands then.
I can imagine Mitchell Dijks listening to “Should I Stay Or Should I Go?” and I hope it won’t be “London Calling” in his case.
And as for “The Guns of Brixton”, maybe we should leave that to a man with more relegations in his backstory than possibly anyone else in history.
I love The Clash references in your posts.
#3 Azores: Yes, I feel the GK situation needs resolving. Equally, I don’t think Jonny H will be on his bike anytime soon. He does a great job for us, most of us love him and he appears to like life in these here parts. Fishing is his thing, and where better to indulge in it?
Something like £12-15 million coming in to the Board could change that, of course.
But he and Dorrans looked pretty good to me on Sunday.
It may, of course, be a complete red herring in terms of timing, but, Fleetwood’s season ended on Sunday, yet the latest series of SW interviews suggest that the Head Coach appointment is still projected for two / three weeks after the end of the season.
Alex B #4: So you really think we’d “never get back anywhere near” the £2.3m we paid for each of Jonny Howson and Ivo Pinto?
Can’t say I’m convinced. Anyway, I hope – and suspect – it won’t be put to the test.
Hi Stewart, basically I was trying possibly that added up the total spend for those players we would come out losing if they were tobe sold.
Just read comments made by Mr Stone saying that players would have to be sold to bring in others and that tere wouldn’t be a fire sale good luck in that.
I live in Blackpool but am from Gt Yarmouth first game at city 1958 and try to get to all local away games as possible and never lucky to get home game when in Gt Yarmouth had season ticket from 1967 to 1980 when we moved this way.
Read in the local papers Rosler in talks to extend his contract with his staff they have already had tacks with Fleetwood chairman on next season, Mr Andy Pilley will be a hard man to deal with and will expect loyalty from Roslerand also offer him funds to get promotional next season, Monk is my prefered choice, Leeds waiting to finalise the latest take over but it seems strange the new man hasn’t taked to Monks about next season already as Monk’s has said he expects that to happen next month.
Good point Gary, and would also seem to rule out Monk.
Lovely piece Martin (and good to see you on Sunday) but you have forgotten the keeper on the books with the most potential. Remi Matthews is very highly rated at the club and did a great job at Hamilton this season. Think they’ll bring in an experienced number one but think he may be number 2.
#8 Gary: I’m starting to realise I’m probably wrong about Uwe Rosler. Your sense of timing defeats my assertion. But I really thought it might have been him. More fool me, I guess.
#6 Jason: not the name I heard; I think the link was to Schalke04 tbh but thanks for your idea.
Maybe you’re right
Alex B #10: Thanks for the clarification.
Actually I’m not convinced it’ll be either Rosler or Monk – but the simple truth is I’ve no idea. Can’t wait for the revelation.
Bit of similarity between us! I grew up in Yarmouth too (to be specific, Gorleston). Was a NCFC season ticket holder in my years there from 1966 to 1976, but didn’t give it up when I moved to London. Still an ST holder 40 years on.
Hi Stewart it wasn’t that I wanted to give the ST up but not only moving to Blackpool I was working in Nigeria, Cameron, Israel plus most of the Emirates, Qatar and Yemen (7 years) for my sins.
Always kept up with city and met many city supporters in all the places I have worked with many good hours of remembering game my favourite was sitting in the Watford box when Ron Saunders side gain promotion to the old first division even the watford announcer couldn’t ruin it by saying Millwall had won and were promoted ahead of city before he correctedthe result at the time I was at RAF Stanmore Park/ Bentley Priory good times.
lets hope for more next season
Good article. Disagree with the Snake Pit ‘banter’ though. As a season ticket holder in the Lower Barclay A block, I can say the so called ‘banter’can be quite malicious towards our own fans. Would be better for them to get behind the lads on the pitch more often.
12) Martin – my comments are no more than speculation on my part.
I suspect that the majority of the due diligence has already been done. It’s just a case of waiting until the season has ended.
I may again be looking too much into SW’s comments, but I was encouraged that he mentioned most European football ending in a couple of weeks before going on to mention play offs here. Probably all smoke and mirrors, but fun to speculate nevertheless.
Alex B #14: Good stuff. Never meant to imply any criticism of you!
We’ve seen plenty of highs and lows over the years. As you say, let’s hope for an exciting next season.
Thanks for the kind words Martin which I read while I was Lost in a Supermarket.
#15 Leon: Yes, I agree with you, you could get the impression some in that area feel they are a breed apart, which hopefully they are not.
I was simply referring to the “Barking/Snaking up the League” exchanges which have always made me laugh and have been largely lacking this season for obvious reasons.
There is (just my opinion) some apparent malice in that area that does not manifest itself in the Barclay. I would never leave the Barclay:-)
A great article Martin, I found myself nodding at every point you make.
In the spirit of the subtle responses by other contributors, I would like to add a few points. As Don #2 states, something better change! With that in mind it’s good to see that a forest of dead wood will no longer be hanging around.
Martin states we should keep the holy trinity of hoolahan, Pritchard and Madison. Tolouse (ahem) them would leave us with no more heroes. On a serious note, if the old Duchess was to hawk off Pritchard, for me that would be a deal breaker with the new set up. Since Irvine had the brainwave of actually utilising one of the top dozen players in the championship he has been a revelation. Who would have guessed? Not Alex Neil obviously.
The Beast, as Martin calls him may be a little rash in the challenge for the premier league, he may mellow with experience. Therefore better to stay with city than to become just a peasant in the big shitty.
With summer approaching I look forward to more articles on all matters Norwich city, I comings, outgoings, the speculation, the excitement ( hopefully) as mr Webber attempts to Straighten Out the club.
With thanks to Messrs Greenfield, Black, Burnel and Cornwell.
#20 Chris: let’s hope we sign some peaches over the summer:-)
Chris (20). You got some Peaches in there.
Let’s see who else is told to Go Buddy Go and that the changes go further than Skin Deep
Hi Stewart none taken just alittle background and ahappy memory.
Hi Martin, the name I gave you was indeed Jens Keller from Union Berlin.
#24 James: poor memory on my part.
I really enjoyed our chat – even if I forgot the most crucial portion of it.
Maybe Jason and yourself will be proved correct after all:-)