I know I keep harping on about it, but I’m still struggling to get my head around the almost serene way the City fanbase are effortlessly gliding their way through the run-up to a new season in the Premier League.
For a whole host of reasons, we truly are in unchartered waters.
While Daniel Farke has spoken another of ‘one or two additions’, to date only Josip Drmic, Patrick Roberts and Ralf Fährmann are in the house – the latter two season-long loans – and the only angst on social media is around who’s next to be rewarded with an improved contract.
If 5 pm arrives are there’s no announcement, folk get twitchy – although to be fair there aren’t many of the Class of 2019 left to be rewarded.
But what a sensible way Stuart Webber and Co have gone about spending the additional money that [note] won’t start filtering through to the City’s bank account immediately. Nothing silly, nothing outrageous, nothing especially risky, but instead a succession of thank yous to the heroes who got us to this position in the first place and who have now been tasked with keeping us there.
And while that may be a different route to take to almost every other team that has been promoted to the Premier League in its history – and certainly differs from the Aston Villa theory – it’s one that makes perfect sense for Norwich City and the unique path the board have opted to take us down.
But, as I’ve noted before, these contract extensions are not borne of sentiment. Every single one has been hard-earned and awarded because Webber and Farke believe in this group of players and believe that, both individually and collectively, they are good enough to operate at the very highest level. It also obviously offers the club financial security if/when the player departs.
Only time will tell if the aforementioned faith is justified but there’s no doubt it’s absolute and will fill those awarded with new contracts with an enormous sense of belief and confidence (so wanted to say ‘wellbeing’) – qualities that are an absolute must when entering the rarified air of the Premier League.
Of course, the scoffing has already begun as it emerges that the £20 million figure quoted in the national media as Farke’s transfer ‘war chest’ looks likely to be not far off the mark. I’ve already lost count of the number of Twitter ‘experts’ who have gone early with their predictions and who have, to a man and woman, City down as unequivocal certs for relegation with 20th place absolutely nailed on.
It’s the total certainty that’s so amusing/irritating – as I’m sure it will be when the professional pundits start delivering their pearls of wisdom in the form of a Premier League 1 to 20 – and the complete dismissal of our chances of doing anything but plummet back from whence we came quicker than you can say ‘parachute payment’.
And when justifying it, the response is invariably the same – “you’ve not spent enough money” or sometimes… “you’ve not got enough money”. All clever stuff that proves only that said expert is not quite as clued up as he or she thinks.
But, as we keep telling ourselves, it’s something we have to get used to, and as Stuart Webber puts it, we have to ‘ignore the noise’, however difficult it is when most of the comments are so ill-informed.
I await eagerly the thoughts on our chances from the perceptive minds of Sam Allardyce and Dean Saunders.
Like most of the Yellow Army, I remain confident of our chances of holding our own, especially having witnessed first-hand the lovely football this band of brothers can play and their willingness and desire to overcome any hurdles put before them.
We know there’s a mountain to be climbed even to reach 17th, but the unerring belief of those in charge that this is do-able is infectious… and when listening to either our Sporting Director or Head Coach, you’re left believing that they’ve got this. It’s all in hand.
And here’s the thing – whatever happens over the next ten months, next summer will be a very different spectacle to this, and I’m not talking about the European Championships 2020.
City will have either survived – in which case our head coach and star players will have caught the attention of those who are not self-funded – or will have proved the experts right and be preparing for a Championship campaign, and therefore ripe for cherry-picking by those who will have been impressed by what they saw.
Either way, with the best will in the world, this squad will be the subject to ten times the scrutiny it has this summer, with the best and brightest being tempted with offers way beyond those we can match.
All of which makes the work of Webber over the last couple of months all the more crucial. The players are being rewarded and the club is being protected – the classic win-win.
But that’s a year down the line and a lot can, and probably will, happen before then. In the meantime, I’ll try not think too hard and adopt the ‘let’s just enjoy the ride’ advice that I offer so freely to others.
Just one more thing ….. C’MON ENGLAND #CWC 🙂
I’m always bemused by the almost obligatory pre-season pundits predictions. For sure, (just like the MFW columnist predictions) they’re only being asked by their editor to assist fill some column inches before the real stuff begins. But, just like the MFW columnists, most of it, certainly outside the top six, is pure guesswork.
Hi Gary
Watching England this morning and enjoying your article as always.
Headlines from Villa about their big spent is they are buying qualilty for the club’s future seasons in the Premiership, didn’t anither club sprout such sentiments last season and get relegated.
Sheff U the strange one Wilder said all his squad would be given a chance to prove themselves in this league and so far he has dumped 4 of his main stays from his squad, £8m for a player that had one good season in the Championship might seem expensive but possibly could be a bargain if he adapts to life in this league.
Pundits knocked Fulham for not giving the promoted players a chance but at first praised the club for it’s spending saying that are having ago, then later said bringing in players with no premiership experience was crazy.
So far the only accrimony is with Villa board and Smith he wants an experienced GK and the board are not willing to pay either the high price or go for an older player with no sell on price, just maybe cracks are forming in the relationship.
City well you are right no disgruntled comments so far but as we all know that can change at shirt notice, it will be nice to see Aaron signed up next.
Will we get another CB in or will Team Farke wait for Zimbo to be fit, is there another RB on the horizon or will they look to promote from within, Could there be a return for Reed or Rhodes 25 days and counting till the window shuts.
There will be many twists and turns, surprises and shocks for all clubs till Aug 8th so much to anticipate for all.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Meant to add so long to Oliveria and hope you finalise you transfer to Athens and enjoy the Dachma/Euros you will be loaded diwn with.
Thanks for the short lived memories
Agree 100% Gary.
I would have hated to see us do a “Fulham” and go on a massively risky spending spree. Not that was ever going to happen under Stuart Webber, he has rightly rewarded all the players from last season.
Max, Ben, Jamal, Moritz, Teemu and Emi just off the top of my head would definitely all interest Premiership clubs so I believe as we are keeping them, (or getting £££ millions now they have signed these new contracts) we do have a very good chance of survival.
And if I have heard correctly from Stuart and others behind the scenes the aim is to make us one of the top 25 teams in the country, that means either as a Premiership club or one battling for playoffs in the Championship. I think this is a realistic approach.
What gives me a lot of hope for our survival is the quality of these players. I have supported City for over 50 years and this promotion/champions is the only one were for so many games, especially at home it was our attack against our opponents defence.
By their own admission Stuart & Daniel will not be here forever and I think Stuart Webber’s overhaul of the Under-23’s is another great step. He has said he will not leave our club in the lurch, I think this is another long term plan from him. Young and hungry players who you can bet have been vetted thoroughly as to their personalities as well as their abilities.
Let the critics have their say, but the real talking will be on the pitch and I think these players will surprise a few. OTBC
All the media negativity towards NCFC creates such positivity for us all. Not sure some out there actually properly recognised our Championship title success. I just love the no fuss, fair and efficient way we are now operating plus the brilliant media snippets, e.g. new kit & Mario Vrancic videos.
I reckon we will bring in one more astute signing to complete a good summer’s business.
Glued to the TV, come on England, bring Cricket home!
Sense & Sensability is not confined title wise to a book sitting on a shelf somwhere, not in my house, not enough room against the bio’s of Hucks, Iwan, David Janson, John Thaw with Holt’s soon to be added.
I cannot see how anyone in the canary-nation can be moaning about the recent events at Carra. But no doubt there will be. For some winning the premier League Euro champions and FA cup would not be quite enough,
Everything connected to Premier League is connected to money, so no surprise the scoffers are lining up with their own individual take on City, but not one will have set foot in Norfolk to have a read of our local papers or have surfed over to read of this site. They really do need to do that, to get the real nuts & bolts of the blue-print.
I do think that many of them cannot wait to be proved right, that we will fail mainly because of money, but they are crafty buggars, because when we do not fail. They will spin another line of how brave we have been and how they had secretly wanted us to suceed. a win – win situation for them, all about looking and sounding good on camera
Sod them I am glad these pundits (cannot call them experts) are not classed as City supporters, we have our own .
I cannot wait to Raise my middle finger at them
Gary, I’d rather be in our position than Newcastle’s. We may not have been out doing a Villa (or a Fulham?!), but we’ve recruited wisely, and importantly, retained our main assets (otherwise known as the Director of Football, the Head Coach, and the players), while the Geordies have lost a great manager, and both their best goal scorers. Oh, and they’re also stuck with Mike Ashley! By the way, even big Sam had enough sense to turn them down. Poor old Brucie!
Don’t worry Jim I’ve made more – and probably worse – gaffes than that!
Gary G unfailingly takes out my errors in articles before they’re published but I’ve made myself look a right dipstick in the MFW comments section on occasions.
Articles can be revised before submission but comments can’t really be dealt with after they’ve appeared.
My worst MFW stuff-up was confusing Emi Buendia with Tom Trybull over their respective shirt numbers. That was seriously embarrassing:-)