Unlike all the rest of our MFW writers (I’ve met most of them) and readers (I can only guess) I do something I guess you all don’t. I smoke. And more fool me.
I packed up for ten years when my kids were born, fell into bad feminine company and smoked again for a further five years. Packed up again for several further years, bumped into an old mate at Wembley with a few to spare and have been smoking around 15 small cigars a day ever since (bad lad, Dave). But I have an addictive personality.
It extends to Henry Weston’s vintage bottled cider, home-cooked salt & pepper chilli squid, Alfa Spyders, terriers and playing tennis when I should know better at my age. Maybe even the odd scrounged co-dydramol when I don’t strictly medically need it.
So, trust me when I say hand-rolling papers come in three weights – a little like Championship football squads.
Reds are too heavy, over the top and make you put in far too much tobacco. Expensive and ineffective.
Greens are the middle ground – perfect in every way – good value and they don’t leech away the baccy.
Blues? The thinnest of the lot, absorb the least deathly leaf and… burn out after three drags. Unfit for purpose, basically.
And that’s what our squad is just now – thin, fragile and on the point of burning out.
I’ve read all the stuff about how mentally and physically tired we were on Saturday. True; we have nobody left to switch in and out.
As much as I disliked Mr Wilder’s dad dancing at the end, I’m big enough to admit we were beaten by the better side on the day. It’s what we have to go with – they strung five across the middle and it worked for them. I’ll come out with it and say fair play to them as in my eyes they were worth their win.
Somebody commented on Gary’s piece yesterday that Chris Wilder is like Colin without the charm but he’s done a great job for SUFC. I’m anything but a fan but nevertheless, I respect what he has done for that club.
Anyone remember when we had the holy trinity of Gunny, Ian Crook and Ian Butterworth on board? It didn’t work, did it?
Maybe because one of them was a Scot, the second was from Essex and the third from somewhere in the North – I cannot exactly remember where just now. So not the genuine passion of a Wilder or a Colin – both Sheffield through and through.
Apart from Dave Stringer there has never been a passionate Norfolk man in a senior position at NCFC. It shouldn’t matter. Jose’s hardly Mancunian and nor is Pep. Klopp a Scouser? – of course not. I honestly reckon Wilder’s passion has gained a few points for them this season. Probably an old-fashioned view, I will admit.
Anyway, let’s see what the rest of the January window bring in terms of reinforcements to see the season out.
Daniel Farke no longer has Cameron Jerome, Yanic Wildschut, Russell Martin, Alex Pritchard, the dreaded Naismith or (by his own choice, which may well be a good one) Marley Watkins to see us home between now and May.
But we’re going to need a little bit more than we have (Spurs loanees with bad backs don’t count much just now) to limp towards battle’s end.
This lot are close to running on empty – and Brentford will know that on Saturday and attempt to take full advantage.
At least I’m not allowed to smoke in the ground, which kind of helps.
Kenny McClean confirmed but I’m inclined to wonder what the point is his loan back to Aberdeen? I’m assuming the 3 and half year deal was done for the princely sum of 200k with that clause to sweeten the deal, a Raggett if you will?
To me, McClean needs to be here now, regardless of whether we’re now on autopilot until summer (having missed out on a play off spot) because in that period I want to see a team that has some mettle and not fold like an origami nightmare. Moreover, McClean and whoever else comes in will need to find time to gel so why not get him in now? Reed is going back to S’Hmptn anyway, so it really doesn’t matter if he gets anymore game time and Trybull is still yet to put pen to paper over an extension. If promotion is the aim next season via play offs surely forging a squad now is priority.
I know I’m just speculating but 18/19 is Farke’s defining season, you would hope by the summer of this year he’ll have figured out his style, formation and ironed out the creases of his 22. The ‘work is progress’ is now heading more towards just ‘work’ now and still the same questions keep coming up – consistency, lack of attacking prowess, tiredness.
7 months in and I feel we’re still mid-October.
Hi Hilary – good post and thanks.
The best explanation for the McClean deal I can find is on the good old Daily Record:
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfer-news/norwich-paying-money-aberdeens-kenny-11891398
Apparently DF is hinting there are two more to come in this window.
And oh boy do we need them!
However I firmly believe the summer window will prove far more significant than this one, at least in terms of recruitment.
I too feel 18/19 must surely be Farke’s defining season.
Although Reed will go back to Southampton I can’t see he’s done enough for us to break into their 1st XI, unless they are relegated. If they do stay up I think he will be offloaded, but whether we would want him and/or could afford him is another matter.
I thought the situation with Trybull was that we have an option to extend to next season anyway, but not beyond that.
(Non- smoker here – 5′ 4” on tiptoes, when they said smoking stunts your growth, decided I better hadn’t….)
Marley Watkins is the interesting one – been publicly challenged to show his worth. There seems to be a suggestion that Abrahams will get a look in soon too.
I saw some of the Aberdeen game live on the BBC website on Saturday and McLean looked neat and tidy, read situations well and laid the ball off quickly – seemed to know what his options were without having to put his foot on the ball for 5 seconds. But the opposition weren’t up to much so it’s very hard to know how he’ll fare when he comes to the Championship in the autumn.
As for Mr Wilder, one big positive about our current owners is that I don’t think they would ever employ a manager like him. I would absolutely hate having a Warnock, Wilder, Lennon, Billy Davies or Pullis type in charge of our club.
Can’t argue with anything you say there Keith.
Apparently we came a little closer to Neil Lennon than I too would have liked a few years back. But it didn’t happen then, never will now and is therefore irrelevant.
As Hilary says above, next season will surely be Farke’s acid test.
Thanks for your thoughts as always.
Keith, you got your tin hat on and foxhole dug?! i.e. that last paragraph…
I doubt Keith will need those accoutrements – I’m sure most of us, deep down, agree with him:-)
I take Colin and Pulis on the same level – I really do not dislike them as individuals but intensely resent the level of football they bring to any club they’ve ever worked at.
Two of this football life’s great survivors. Big Sam completes my unholy trinity, Gary Megson runs them close but doesn’t make my top three.
I think a lot of fans feel that the squad is a bit lacking in numbers now, taking injuries into account, we have 17-18 fit senior players. Some of the youth prospects such as Cantwell, Middleton and Abrahams will probably be a more regular feature on the bench for the rest of the season (which is no bad thing in my view – thats how Madison got his break in the first team last season) but we do need a few more faces in to replace some of those who have left this month. Ideally, we need RB cover, a striker and possibly a winger (though Steipermann might make a good shout for this seeing as it is his “natural” position).
I think the temporary acquisition of Edwards from Tottenham will prove an astute piece of business which will take some of the stress off the creaking midfield, but its upfront where we really need the help – as good as Nelson is on his day, recently its just not been his day and needs to be rested for a bit until he can find his form again. Watkins just seems to be a bit of a waste at the moment and I cant see him playing much of a part for the rest of the season.
Thanks London.
My problem is that it NEVER appears to be Nelson’s day. Whether poor service from support playing with little width, inability to drift back and have a crack from the edge of the box or just plain shoulder-shrugging laziness I do not know. I’m not the head coach.
But just now I don’t like the cut of the Oliveira jib, I really don’t.
Good read Martin, can’t disagree that the squad is at critical levels of personnel, I too hope there are reinforcements on the way before the end of the transfer window.
As for Saturday’s match in the first half SUFC aggressively won the midfield caused us plenty of problems and took Madderson out of the game, fair play they did what they had to do. I felt we edged the 2nd half but gifted them the 3 points with that back pass. However, Tettey and Gunn have played well this season, we’ll have to allow them one gaff!!
As for the ‘passionate’ Mr Wilder he is doing a good job in getting SUFC into the playoff positions, As we know momentum after promotion from league 1 can get you over the line. However, childish bad tempered behaviour is usually just that……!! I’m not bitter……honestly 🙂
Yes it kind of reminded me of one of those old Western films I watched with my father when I was about seven. In black and white obviously, ha!
I’m not bitter about Wilder either and I know why he did what he did.
However I tend to feel the word dignity is missing between d*ck and drongo in his dictionary.
Lambo had his moments, but he would have shrank from a public performance such as that.
Thanks for yet another good comment.
Pleased you enjoy the smokes but my best mate, 63,(Watford Fan), died on Jan 5th from lung cancer resulting from years of smoking, so please think about giving up. Don’t matter what league we are in if you’re not around to watch, in any case enjoy your posts on MFW!
May be worth remembering our home form this season is abysmal and Saturday just followed a familiar pattern. Our away form is strong so Brentford will be a different kettle of fish I’m certain.
I don’t believe we are weak I just think expectations are too high. Three teams will be promoted this season. Bigger teams than us are battling for the honours, Wolves, Leeds, Wednesday, Villa, to name a few and how about Sunderland languishing in the lower reaches? We are a little adrift of the play-offs but when you look at the 100% changes that have and are taking place since last season, I reckon we are doing okay and there are plenty of positives. 3 points on Saturday and all will be fine.
Try vaping!
My intro re smoking was as ridiculous as “enjoying” the habit itself. Mea culpa, or my bad for the modern world. However it’s amazing what you think of on the way back from a game and retain in what passes for a brain when you wake up on the Sunday and start writing:-)
Sorry to hear about your mate. I did feel at the time it might have been a very leftfield way to kick my piece off and I assure you I meant no offence.
I’m not exactly sure of the level of collective expectation just now. Mid-table will do for me this season – I expected nothing more or less – but if I had to take a quick straw poll I think most of us would expect a play-off push next season.
Thank you Colin.
Thanks, no offence taken, Mick would have laughed anyway.
I’m a fan of the youngsters and would out Wesley,ASAP. Just got a feeling that it will come good I actually feel we have done better than I expected and have been ‘in’ most games even when we’ve lost.. Goals for the big dilemma, that’s where we need to strengthen but so difficult.
Jimmy Armfield & Cyrille Regis v Christiano Ronaldo , At least two of them will be known as ambassadors for the beautiful game, anyone got a mirror?
You forgot see-through, easily torn to pieces, useless when wet and blown away in the face of a mild gust.
Do you think if I was to fill up, roll around and lick the Norwich players they might actually serve their purpose?
You might get a few happy faces
Jeff I never thought I’d EVER get to say this online, but…..
What you consider doing in the privacy of your own home is entirely up to you.
As long as it doesn’t break the law, of course.
Martin ‘Troll Slayer’ Penney… 😉
Hardly a troll. I’m simply a Norwich fan with eyes that connect to my brain.
Reversed polarity one might presume!
Hi Martin
A very excellent summary on the city squad.
Would just like to mention the sad breaking news of the Blackpool and England great Gentleman Jimmy Armfield death this morning after a long fight against the Big C, and also the Barnsley ex Owner of the same, all the best to their families at this time.
Now to more mundane matters
Cty are favourites to sign A Fletcher from Middlesbrough played 19 scored 2 since leaving Man U on a free to WHA flopped so must be a good signing for city?????
Onel Hernandez city offered £1.7m no up date.
French forward reported deal was close last week no up date
Nigeria defender agreed deal with city reported in Holland, then Portuguese club were going to sign him he is still in Holland.
If all the rumours came true city would be back to a full squad, leaving Mclean at Aberdeen might be strange as we need reinforcements but it is also the sign of the times in that city oays no salary till he joins.
9 days to go and counting lets just hope that city are having talks with the players Farke wants in and can get them over the line.
Thank you Alex.
Yes I remember Jimmy Armfield too. Just about, tbh; also a great man on the radio.
I also saw Sir Stanley playing at West Ham when I was about eight – 3-0 to West Ham at half time and Stoke came back to win 4-3. He was fifty, I cannot believe it looking back. I actually saw him play, as tiny as I was at the time. What a privilege.
My first England heroes were Banks, Moore, Peters and to a lesser extent Geoff Hurst and Bobby Charlton. I have no such idols these days, as much as I like Dele Alli and Harry Kane they are not cut from the same cloth as the guys from over 50 years ago.
As you so rightly say, nine days and counting…
Smoking and supporting Norwich City – Guaranteed to increase your blood pressure!!
The fact that we went into Saturdays game without any replacement forwards was a major concern for me and tells you all you all you need to know about how disinterested the club are about Promotion. If they were serious, then that would have been sorted. Period.
As much as I want ‘Farkelife’ to succeed, I cannot see it. Too methodical, too boring, lacks vision – though it does have ‘Chucklevision’ with it’s ‘from me, too you, from me, too you’ pointless passing – but most importantly, does not play to the squads strengths, which is a must in this league. Instead, it relies on a system that the squad aren’t good enough to play on a consistent level.
Many talk of 2018/19. Farke has the safest seat in the entire football league as the majority shareholders put friendship and personality before business, but it will be interesting in the sense if we continue to be mid table fodder, will the majority shareholders act? I think it will be an emphatic no, though I suspect it may be the straw that breaks Balls’ back after wanting Neil sacked after relegation.
The key player here is Webber. Two more transfer windows will bring us to the end of the 18/19 season. If there is no significant improvement he will have no excuses and neither will Farke. But what deep down is their remit, other than for Webber & Stone to sort the finances out? I would be very surprised to see Webber here at the start of the 19/20 season, regardless of what happens on the pitch.
It’s all hypothetical of course, but I cannot see Farke turning £7K per week players into Championship winning material, so ultimately the majority shareholders will have to come clean about what their real ‘ambitions’ are regarding Norwich City as they cannot hide behind transition indefinitely.
You’ve clearly never watched ‘The Mighty Ducks’ with Emilio Estevez..! I’ve got faith in the project so long as consistency starts to happen. We’ve proven we can mix up the tactics to effect (Sheff Weds, Birmingham away, Bristol away) but not for sustained periods. Which has driven me crazy to be honest.
Given the gap between the POs and us now we’re on a hiding to nothing – I want to see experiments (I think we’ve started to see the odd one, the implementation of the 352 for example) and those younger players on the fringes dropping in from time to time (see Cantwell at Chelsea). Caveat time – so long as the drop isn’t close…
Looking forward to Brentford on Saturday – great Roy of the Rovers ground, proper footballing club too (especially after the menace from last weekend). Went there for Carabao cup and had a fantastic evening! Not really bothered by the result on Sat as I think it’s fairly certain we’re off the pace now but hope to some good football at least.
In a weird kind of way it’s more like Cool Runnings to me!
No idea where that one came from but… as my favourite all-time movie is the 1922 FW Murnau/Max Shreck Nosferatu, I’m hardly clued up on modern stuff.
Although I love Shawshank – my second fave ever, After Count Orlok doing his stuff obviously.
Experiments? Another six points on the board first please. You can do things from 43 you can’t do from 37.
We’ll limp over this season’s line:-)
Blood pressure’s good thanks.
Some – by no means all – of us MFW writers propose that the Smiths don’t actively want promotion because they are scared of it on several levels. I’ve realised that for some time after repeated disappointments and so have more than a few others. The excuses of the ever-present apologists continue to stick in my craw.
We are fortunate that the site itself and Editor Gary allows all of us to express ourselves in our own way, whether we read, write or comment.
I have said many times on MFW recently that if Stuart Webber chooses to leave we are in the poop.
When you said: ” the majority shareholders put friendship and personality before business”, you were spot on beyond belief.
If I could swap your word personality for my word malleability I’d say we’d cracked it between us,
A great post as usual – thanks.
Blue papers are the best by far, you damned fool! 😉
Ha!
Only for fireworks…
Well the revolving door has started to bring players in now confirmed by the EDP and they are saying city still interested in Onel Hernandez and Fletcher who isn’t scoring to many,
I would just like to see city recruit someone from left field that will make everyone go WOW where did that come from.
That’s what some of us are saying about Marley Watkins; probably not in the way you hope for
Don, yes I agree with that but he might just turn the corner at some time and show us what he can really do, just as he did at Barnsley.
Lots of moans about the Mclean transfer and loan back but I can see both sides, and now he is secured for City lets get a couple more in who will play this season.
Yes it’s funny how when we need every able seaman on deck cutlass in hand our Marley seems to have gone all badass on us.
Can’t say I think much of him on what little I’ve seen tbh.
I think that the ‘Wow, where did they come from’ acquisitions were Tryvull, Zimmermann, Vrancic and Franke (whoops, maybe, in the latter case). Hopefully there will be more, if not this month, in the summer.
Gents
Trybull is injured again – it seems that he plays a few great games and then has a BACK, KNEE or GROIN problem.
He signed on a free for 1+1 and has now been offered a 3+1 contract just after Xmas which he has confirmed he is thinking over.
Question:
1) Why is it taking so long for him to put pen to paper?
2) Does he really want to extend his tenure at city even for the plus 1?
3) Is he waiting to see where City will be playing next season before he signs?
4) Would you call the way he is acting to the offer as showing disrespect to City?
5) If yes to No 4 do we really need him?
I did hear from a source that Trybull is on very low wages by the leagues standards, If his new deal is at the upper end of the alleged £7K wage cap for new players, he may think he is worth more. It may be a case of 2+2=5 here, but the way Norwich City are downsizing we may even struggle to hang on to the less obvious members of the squad.
This is a strange one. I understood there was an £8k cap on all new contracts too – we won’t argue over the odd grand!
But then I read from two (very) different Scottish newspapers that Kenny McClean has signed for £12k a week.
I can only assume the Scottish papers have got it wrong.
They usually do!
Ah Martin, I was just about to congratulate you for writing a piece after a defeat and not mentioning that you wanted the owners out.
But then I read the comments and off you go again…
Kind of Derek, but more in the spirit of agreeing with Inside Right than generating the sentiment myself. And in the interests of pedantry I didn’t say I “wanted them out”. Not this time anyway:-)
That’s a fair point and, to balance things up, I agree entirely with your comments regarding Nelson.
i’ll be honest I didn’t think Sheffield were ‘all that.’ You could say they did just enough and didn’t really get out of second gear but I don’t think they had many more gears in the box. I expected to be absolutely trounced considering all the previous perceived shernanigans we got up to at their place. And the celebrations by Mr Wilder was perceived by me as more from relief than absolutely taking us to the cleaners. There were glimmers of some good play from city at times and there are some players who seem to be getting “the Farke way.”
I think fatigue was the main contributor to their goals rather than Sheffield being excellent.
I know this is rather positive from
me as I’m usually banging on about our illustrious leaders. However, I saw green shoots on Saturday. My main concern is, how long has it taken for the players to get what Farke wants to do? Players need bedding in both mentally and physically, so this is the ideal time for them to come in and do it ready for next season. That way they’re briefed and ready to slot in seamlessly when the inevitable fiurther player sales occur.
Easier said than done I know, but if I see an effort to achieve this then my faith in the new system will be enhanced.
I’m sure that’s what Farke wants, so over to you boardroom…
Er, I said, over to you boardroom! ?
Oh, and by the way, your smoking history sounds spookily similar to mine. I’d just say I agree that vaping is the way forward, haven’t had a snout for a year now!
Give it a go and Cheers Martin!
Thanks Chris.
No, Sheffield didn’t rip up any of those proverbial trees but they were stronger and harder than us and took both the chances we gave them.
As I said somewhere else up top, I’d rather have 43 points on the board than 37 before too many experiments begin.
DF hinted two more will come in during this window and we need bodies even if only to fill the bench. Let’s hope Mr Webber has done his stuff!
If anyone wanted proof of how broke we are, this is it. One striker during a pivotal period in our season. We just signed a player on the cheap who will be no use this season. Plus a nonleague club who dismissed our offer as derisory. How derisory can you be for a non league player?
Quite simply, if you’re interested in promotion, this isn’t how you go about it. Webber better be working on some amazing deals, the clock is ticking..
David we ain’t gonna get promotion this season whether we want it or not (my version is “or not”).
Nobody of any great interest, value or wage demands will be arriving this window, as I’m sure most of us know.
All I’m now looking forward to is seeing what we look like in August. This season has nothing left in it of any consequence. 2018-19 will show us our medium-term future.