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The first shots have been fired. Now time to trust in Webber and his clinical analysis of the current squad

18th May 2017 By Stewart Lewis 17 Comments

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Revolution is in the air.

The least interesting and eventful season for many years is set to be followed by the most interesting and eventful summer.  Stuart Webber brought in 15 players to Huddersfield last summer, and is clearly not averse to a similar scale of change at Norwich this time.

The actual extent of the coming ‘Webberlution’ (not my phrase, before you protest) isn’t clear. Alan Irvine is urging something more akin to evolution:

“It’s not a massive clear-out, that’s not needed.  Let’s replace the players who’ve left with lads that can improve the squad…not dismantle the whole squad”

Irvine (as someone rather scared by artificial intelligence, I hesitate to use his initials) might support his view by pointing to the final six games of the season.  Our 14-point tally was automatic promotion form, despite five of the six opponents being above us in the league.

However, I don’t think Stuart Webber buys it. Half of those clubs were without motivation (including Reading, whose playoff place was already guaranteed). The games against Fulham and at Leeds confirmed the soft underbelly of this Norwich team which I suspect Webber is determined to eradicate, however drastic the surgery.

It’s not a matter of replacing the players whose contracts are being run down. Our squad is too big, as well as lop-sided in terms of positional depth and wages in relation to age. More will need to be done, if Webber is to achieve the revitalization he’s looking for.

The limitation on his ambitions is more likely to be the difficulty of offloading established players with good contracts. We don’t know exactly who’s top of his list to move on, but we can be sure there are at least two or three names in large letters.

If we can’t offload them, it becomes more tricky.

Much has been made of the admission that every player has his price. This does not mean a fire-sale of City’s assets. What it means, as I understand it, is this: if we need to raise further cash to bring in fresh talent, we’ll weigh up any bids for our existing players in that context.

If we’re to sell a Jonny Howson, who could clearly be instrumental to our promotion push next year, I’d guess it would need to be an offer significantly higher than the amounts rumoured so far.

As I’ve said before, if we want a more competitive Norwich team next season we’ll have to put some trust in Webber’s dispassionate analysis. Most of us would love to see Mitchell Dijks starting at left back in August. If he’s been won over by the charms of Norfolk, it would be frustrating for City not to go through with the agreed deal with Ajax.

Yet it’s a lot of money; it simply has to be weighed up against other priorities and possibilities.  We wouldn’t thank SW for delivering an exciting left back and no central defenders.

Of course, we’ve had revolutions  – or at least revolutionary moments – at Norwich before.  Some of them I associate with the Gunn Club.

For several years my wife and I have been Gunn Club members, and eating there is part of our pre-game ritual. The food, wine and atmosphere are good, to the point that you sometimes forget there’s a game to follow. That’s been particularly easy to do in the last couple of seasons.

The relative relaxation, though, has been punctuated with moments of high drama.

On Boxing Day 2003 word spread round the room that Darren Huckerby had signed (not just the room either – I was told the news, somewhat disconcertingly, by the man standing at the next urinal to me).

Another stand-out memory is the announcement of Paul Lambert’s first home team selection, to play Wycombe on 22 August 2009. Eight changes to the previous starting XI we’d seen, on that fateful day against Colchester. Gone were the goalkeeper (not perhaps the hardest decision ever), the two central defenders and the entire midfield; in the place of established and familiar faces were the likes of Korey Smith.

Where the Colchester game had left us speechless, Lambert’s new team had the Gunn Club buzzing (not least “Who the heck’s Korey Smith?”).

I have a feeling the anticipation will be similar for the first home game of next season. How many of the starting line-up against QPR will start that game? My guess would be no more than half.

Interesting times.

A brief quiz, while we’re reminiscing. I trust you not to spoil the fun by Googling it.

Q1: Who were the three players of the starting XI against Colchester who kept their places for the game against Wycombe?

Q2: We did actually score a goal against Colchester while seven were going in at the other end.  Who scored it?


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Filed Under: Column, Stewart Lewis

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Comments

  1. martin penney says

    18th May 2017 at 7:28 am

    A good read indeed.

    “Where were you when Darren Huckerby signed” is right up there with Kennedy and Elvis.

    I happened to be in the car park of the Clarence Harbour before that Forest match. My mate had gone to his car for a smoke and heard it on the radio, or so he claimed. The rest of us didn’t believe him and asked what he’d been smoking.

    With Slim, that wasn’t a unreasonable question.

    Re quiz: I won’t spoil #1 for the rest of you because I only know two of them without Googling, but #2 was definitely Cody McDonald.

    Reply
  2. Richard says

    18th May 2017 at 7:42 am

    Don’t get this article at all. Having listened to Stuart Webber’S recent interviews he seems to me to be largely agreeing with Irvine’s analysis of what is needed. Centre backs, a left back which may or may not be Dycks and a different type of forward to what we have.
    Seems a bit pointless suggesting something different.

    Reply
  3. Nick says

    18th May 2017 at 8:45 am

    No idea on Q1; but it was Cody Mac who provided the consolation goal.

    Reply
  4. Andy Head says

    18th May 2017 at 8:50 am

    1) I’m going with Doherty, Nelson and Holt without real conviction, and 2) Cody McDonald.

    Reply
  5. Gary Field says

    18th May 2017 at 9:10 am

    Cody McDonald was definitely the goal scorer against Colchester.

    As for the three who retained their places; Grant Holt and Jon Otsemobor were two (both scored against Wycombe) and, from Stewart’s absentees clue, I’d guess Adam Drury was still the left back was the other?

    Reply
  6. Stewart Lewis says

    18th May 2017 at 9:18 am

    It was indeed Cody McDonald who scored against Colchester.

    As for the three survivors – I’d have got two of them, but needed help to get the third.

    Richard #2: Time will tell. At the moment Stuart Webber is at pains to acknowledge the good things he’s found at Norwich – perhaps fearing his hatchet man image was getting out of hand. There’s a steel about him, though. I suspect he saw City last season as very pretty when the going was easy, but lacking the mentality to deal with tougher situations. He wants to replace that with a winning mentality and doesn’t (I suspect) see it coming from just a couple of additions here and there.

    Reply
  7. Stewart Lewis says

    18th May 2017 at 9:20 am

    Andy #4: Your lack of conviction is justified! Respect for having a guess, but you’re somewhat off-beam.

    Reply
  8. martin penney says

    18th May 2017 at 10:26 am

    I’ve given up and Googled it – I’m not surprised at Andy’s guess as it would have been mine – although actually the answer is quite surprising.

    I’ll be asking a couple of questions of my own in my next article too – I’ve got a few days to think them up:-)

    Gary, can we send bacon rolls to the winners via email?

    Reply
  9. Alex B says

    18th May 2017 at 11:58 am

    Not long now till the end of the month an will the new head coach be in place as of today all comments in numerous papers and web articles are agreeing in will be a German.

    SW stated earlier this month that the prefered choice was still involved in club games so that ruled out the Barnsley and ex city player, aslo Pardew, Pearson, Hodgson and any other left field suggestions.

    Uwe Rosler involvement with Fleetwood promotion has ended now and is in talks with Andy Pilley on how to progress the club next season according to the Blackpool Gazette and wants to help the club gain promotion next season.

    David Wagner nearly completed his task getting Huddersfield to Wembley against Reading if he wins that game he will not leave them, he will want to prove himself in the Premiership.

    Jens Keller? I will be honest not a scooby on this but he hasda good run at Schalke according to reports also still involved in games in the german league 2.

    I would have hoped that city would have already had some talks to see who would possibly be up for the championship challenge at city.

    Incoming player from Barnsley?? Watkins on a free transfer just think it is a bit premature with not manager/coach who may not rate him.

    Reply
  10. Cyprus canary says

    18th May 2017 at 12:33 pm

    I think we are in for a long worrying summer. Irvine’s appraisal is not too far off the mark for me as too many changes at once could spoil what is good about the team and remember it IS a team game. A new defense will be essential and I am not convinced by Dyks’ defensive abilities either. Hopefully we will soon get the new coach and maybe begin to see where we are going. I would like to see a couple or so more departures like Dorrans, Tettey and Naismith and begin the rebuild around the rest. Time will tell but it may be a long wait.

    Reply
  11. Stewart Lewis says

    18th May 2017 at 1:20 pm

    Cyprus canary #10: Good points.

    A couple of snippets from my MFW interview with Stuart Webber may give us some indication about his thinking. First, he pushed back firmly on my question about too many changes being disruptive. If you get the players in early enough, and the Head Coach is clear enough about his expectations, SW sees no problem with a big influx.

    Second, though, he acknowledged that his planning for future windows will be more complete than for this one. His own late arrival, and the continuing absence of a Head Coach, means that things won’t happen as early or thoroughly as he’d normally like.

    It’s an interesting rumour that we’ve been in negotiation to sign Watkins. If true, either SW believe it’s just too good an opportunity to miss – or maybe he’s had some words with our potential Head Coach about it.

    Reply
  12. Jim Davies says

    18th May 2017 at 2:22 pm

    With Leeds allegedly coming in with a cheeky £4M bid for Jonny Howson, I’ve heard from a reliable source (me) that we’re about to make a counter-bid – a £400K offer for Robert Green? He’s still got what it takes as a goal-keeper, and it would have a neat “homecoming” ring to it to match their desperation to get JH, while filling in one of our gaps.

    Reply
  13. martin penney says

    18th May 2017 at 2:32 pm

    #11 Stewart: re your coda: so the new Head Coach may be English after all?

    No, the guy at Barnsley’s season finished a while back. But you could, just could, read that into your comment.

    This is how unsubstantiated rumours often begin:-)

    Reply
  14. Stewart Lewis says

    18th May 2017 at 3:33 pm

    Martin #13: Didn’t mean to imply that! Conversation is possible between Germany and the UK (even Norfolk…)

    For clarification, I have absolutely no idea who City’s new Head Coach will be. Never thought it would be Michael O’Neill, and it probably won’t be you or me, but beyond that…

    Reply
  15. Stewart Lewis says

    18th May 2017 at 4:47 pm

    PS If anyone’s up for a little further quizzing…..

    Andy #4 wasn’t right about Doherty and Nelson keeping their places – both were dropped. But who did Lambert replace them with in the centre of defence?

    Reply
  16. Alex B says

    18th May 2017 at 4:57 pm

    Lets have some wishful thinking Klopp is German any takers.

    Reply
  17. martin penney says

    18th May 2017 at 6:01 pm

    #14 Stewart: I reckon our very own James Finbow was on the mark with Jens Keller and I will soon be proved utterly wrong with my guess of Uwe Rosler.

    It could, of course, have been me but there were certainly restrictions on my projected role I could not consider.

    No alcohol before noon? They wouldn’t have got Peter Cook either.

    Good read and great comments.

    Reply

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