One word that was used more than any other after City’s 1-1 draw against ‘that lot’: character.
The team had character to get back into the game. To field our youngest ever defence in the second half in the heat of an East Anglian derby. Louis Thompson had character to stay on when injured.
All laudable accomplishments and rightly trumpeted by those of the “glass half full” persuasion.
As always with every issue surrounding Norwich City, there are those of the “glass half empty” variety as well. They were keen to point out that we were sneaking away from a match against a team who were bottom of the league, had dropped their goalkeeper and best player, and only managed one shot on target to test out perennial bench-warmer Dean Gerken.
Glass half-empty it may be, but it’s equally true.
The definition of what constitutes character in a football player is down to individual interpretation. Look back to Paul Lambert’s all-conquering team and we had a team full of character, personified by a series of last-minute winners as we took the game to the opposition, always confident that we would win in the end.
For me, that team was as full of individual characters as it was collectively; Holty dragging us up the pitch by the scruff of the neck, forcing his will on the opposition; Wes, impishly imposing himself on the opposition, finding the little pockets of space that defenders didn’t want to be dragged to; Russell Martin, professionalism and leadership personified.
But one individual who impressed me and didn’t always get the praise he deserved was Chris Martin. A natural goal scorer and “one of our own”, he was never really adored by the Norwich crowd as much as he probably should have been.
Much of the reason why is shrouded in murky rumours of off-field indiscipline, and a reputation of cocky arrogance that was at least partially consistent with snippets coming from Colney and assorted managers he played under.
But one reason I had a lot of time for Martin was that he took that attitude onto the field. He played with a niggle and bite to his game. If he couldn’t tackle an opposition defender, he would always at least position himself in a way that would spoil the pass they were trying to make. He was a constant irritant and pleased to be so.
For a player who had acquired a reputation for being self-centred, he worked extremely hard doing dirty work for the team.
When I look at Sunday’s City team, I see a lot of good lads. While we may question the quality produced at times, we never question the effort, and we have hard-workers. But do we have winners? Players that can impose themselves on the opposition and lead the fight rather than just be carried along with it when it’s going for them.
I’d have Grant Hanley alongside me in the trenches any day. Ditto Onel Hernandez, who aside from his creative abilities has a combativeness and aggression that won’t be brushed aside when there is a 50/50 ball to be won. And Alex Tettey is not outmuscled by anyone when there’s a second-ball to be won in the midfield.
But over and above that I’m not sure who we’ve got that really wants to win. Who will throw themselves into the battle and fight like a caged animal if need be? We’ve got some lovely lads, but have we got anybody with the edge to not only compete, but to actively unsettle the opposition?
The answer is that we have. The problem is he’s been sat on his backside for months. And he might just be more trouble than he’s worth.
This time last year Nelson Oliveira was attracting bids from Reading and Premiership Swansea of £12 million. A year later, despite it being made abundantly clear that he was available for transfer, nobody has moved to take him on. The reason why is unclear but a combination of an extremely poor Championship season, high wages, and a growing reputation for being high maintenance all contributed to the lack of interest in our former hot property.
I won’t list all the question marks over Nelson that have emerged in the past twelve months, but two things are certain regardless. The first is that properly harnessed, he can be one of the best strikers in the Championship. Without question. The second is that, when it comes to fiery attitude, Nelson will not be found wanting.
Stuart Webber has stated previously that if Oliveira didn’t find a new home by the end of the transfer window he would be integrated back into the squad. How far his attitude has become toxic behind the scenes is not something those of us outside Colney are privy to.
His not-so-subtle criticism of Daniel Farke’s possession football over the summer on social media would appear to put him at odds with the direction the management are trying to move. And he showed last season that his style and Farke’s are not a perfect match. Compromise would need to be entertained, possibly on both sides.
Farke may not want him back but equally, Webber may see Oliveira as one of our last potential sources of significant transfer income IF we can get him up and scoring. And if Webber was serious about Oliveira returning the irresistible force may be about to meet the immovable object.
He won’t have enjoyed the fact that no team prioritised him as a target during a window in which he was patently desperate to get out of Norfolk and he has a point to prove much further afield than just Colney.
It could be a car crash of ego versus team unity. But equally if, and it’s a massive If, for the good of the team and ultimately his career, Oliveira can stow the attitude and use the passion and skill that he’s blessed with, he could be a difference-maker.
God knows we could do with a fully-engaged Nelson Oliveira with an axe-to-grind taking it out on the rest of the division. This is one to watch over the coming weeks.
It’s a good opportunity for Farke to demonstrate that he can manage people.
The most important part of his job is man management, without which he has no hope in developing a new system and style of play. It’s the one thing Ferguson and Clough possessed in abundance.
Equally, though, he needs to impart efficient man-management with respect to the whole squad, not just the problem players like Oliveira.
Without knowing the in’s and out’s of what has happened, it is hard to say for sure how toxic Oliveira’s attitude has become, but it does appear that the player has burned through multiple chances.
Point being, don’t be surprised if Oliveira continues to be frozen out, not because the relationship between Oliveira and Farke cannot be repaired, but because the steps necessary on Farke’s part would undermine his working relationship with the other players.
Farke can’t be seen to be weak or too accommodating. He’ll lose the other players if he does come across that way.
It’s still his job as manager to resolve the problem to the betterment of the team and the overall business plan.
Oliveira looked one of the best strikers in the division prior to the Webberlution. You cannot treat all employees in the same manner and expect the best outcome.
The money Webber and Frake are on means they should possess the necessary management skills to get the best out of Oliveira.
A very good read Andy and I think it voices what a lot of us have been thinking.
I tend to be on the side of the fence that reckons we don’t need him on the pitch. However, quite how his value plummeted from eight figures to apparently nothing in the space of 12 months is beyond me.
Farke doesn’t seem to do fall-outs, so I wonder which way the finger should point?
We have Jordan Rhodes one of the most prolific strikers in this league, in the front line and still goals are as scarce as Rocking Horse Poo. Would Nelson do any better ?
I doubt it, but as everything else it won’t be known until it is tried
Every player knows how DF thinks about NO. They will lose complete faith in him if he plays him now. (if they haven’t already).
Just NO. What are you thinking!
Nelson didn’t like the system – essentially the lone striker becoming isolated too often – and saw that wasn’t going to change, so became disinterested. He wasn’t the only one.
A different manager could change all that, but for as long as Farke is here, it is in nobody’s interest that he remains at the club as it is a waste for all concerned.
I agree with your comments regarding Martin. I liked him, but some fans wanted him to be a Saint on and off the pitch, but I couldn’t have cared less. As long as he was doing it on the pitch, that was all that mattered, but the criticism that Norwich City have become increasingly lightweight is fully justified and that is largely down to Farke and his Konkreter Fußball.
Whilst Farke deserves praise for the introduction of the youngsters, to me he seems to have a problem with implementing established players into his teams. For example we hardly played to Jordan Rhodes’ strengths on Sunday.
The same thing happened with Marley Watkins last year. He had performed well with Barnsley and is now playing in the Championship with Bristol City. Farke could get nothing out of him. Ben Marshall excelled in a good Millwall team last season, here he has mainly been played out of position and seems to be falling by the wayside. Kenny McLean looked a good signing, I know his progress has been hampered by injury, but he too, in my view, has not been played in his strongest position.
I don’t rate Farke’s chances of getting anything out of Nelson very highly
Thought-provoking stuff, Andy.
Asked about Oliveira recently, Stuart Webber recently went out of his way to praise his attitude and professionalism. Stuart also indicated that if Nelson was still at Carrow Road when the window closed, he’d be a full active member of the squad.
I can’t see him replacing Jordan Rhodes, who’s clearly more in tune with Farke’s thinking and takes up far better positions when we go forward. But as you rightly say: when his mind & heart are in the job, Oliveira can be an exceptional striker.
Over the past couple of years I’ve been disappointed at our lack of interest in Chris Martin. People he played with at Norwich say two things about him: he was a great natural talent, and he undermined it with a bad and immature attitude. He now sounds much more grown-up, without losing the ability. I’d have him back like a shot.
Hi Andy
A very good read.
As with Martin I hoped he wouldn’t be needed mainly on my part due to the rumours of discontent that seems to have surrounded him last season.
Looking at his career it has always been short term success and a period of nothing he has had loans and about 12 different managers/coaches none have succeeded in getting him to harness his undoubted talent for long periods so the question to ask is it him or the coaches that are wrong.
He isn’t a loan striker and at times played his best football along side CJ at city so over the next couple of weeks city should try him along side both Pukki and Rhodes, Farke needs to be more pragmatic and find away to get him on side but it is a two way street Oliveria needs to do the same show the coach he is willing to adapt to a new style or at least put in the effort.
Webber needs to get involved promise him a transfer if a reasonable offer comes in but stress that those offers will only come if he is doing it on the field, maybe he feels unloved we don’t know but it is Webber than needs to sort this out for the good of the club from £12m to zilch in a year isn’t good for the self financing model.
Is it down to a player under contract to decide that he doesn’t want to play under a particular manager or system? If so, hopefully, he isn’t being paid.
Maybe he will still get his move before the window finally expires in Portugal.
I think he could easily play the Rhodes role if he tried, but if he isn’t bothered just keep disciplining him and fining him his wages until his contract expires. Any player who thinks he is bigger than the club or has more power than the manager will always lose.
Incidentally, if we only had one shot on target how did we manage to score a goal and make Gerken save twice from Tettey?
Interesting questions and opinions here but………..
If he wanted away would he not have played out of his skin last year to attract bids ? Who’s to say he might play in the team but because of a possible belief in his self-worth just not bother, to spite manager/coaching team etc ? And who would the fans blame ? The manager of course.
Seems to me, and this is just an opinion from a fan, not would-be manager or even an expert, that we need to be building our team, not perhaps putting in “possible” disruptive elements. A team of 11 will not gel completely unless you are very lucky – look at the “bought for millions” teams in the Premier that somehow do not win the League because they are individuals not a team.
So yes everyone’s entitled to their opinions, but the with the number of expert managers we now have in the stands , should Farke go, we will have no problems in recruiting another manager quite quickly.
All expert man managers I hope like Cloughie and Fergie ( both long gone) – I tried for for many years and it is hard – never mind 11+ overpaid boys run by greedy agents.
All I would like is hear some support not the constant whinging and media led campaigns to remove managers before they have a had a chance. The youngsters may not survive the barrage of moans unless they are strong and who can blame them for wanting to go – eg Murphy, Redmond etc
ps if Olivera plays and fails the team – will those who asked for itto happen, admit it was a mistake ?
The ultimate dilemma – the only way to offload Nelson is probably to play him so he regains some form so another team may be willing to take a punt on him. The downside is having to deal with the downside which invariably seems to follow the player around.
Having been at todays open training session, Olivera looked like he wanted to put on a show for the small crowd at Carrow road but was lacking in any real form, always looking to find room for a shot but rarely hitting the target if he did. A long way short of first team form for me