Well, it’s matchday and I’m getting ready to go to the Carra to watch us take on the quieter side of Merseyside, aka Everton. Enter Mrs P stage left who slaps me round the kisser with a Yarmouth bloater and reminds me that I’m not doing that at all.
Being rudely shocked into reality I thought that instead, I’d take a look over my shoulder at some of the Hispanic players who have graced the Carrow Road turf over the years.
I’ll start at what I believe to be the beginning with Victor Segura.
He was picked up on a free by Mike Walker during his “second coming” in 1997. I’m sorry to say that my only abiding memory of Victor is his being carted off against Ipswich with a bandage around a bloodstained forehead during the first half of a long-forgotten game.
Javier Garrido was with us from 2012-2015. He was initially signed on a 12-month loan from Lazio with an option to buy which we promptly took up. He was the master of the overlap and his crossing and dead-ball delivery from wide was pretty sharp too.
A very popular player, he earned his own song which he admitted he liked very much:
“He likes to eat paella and now he is a yella”.
Quite what Alfred, Lord Tennyson would have made of that couplet is anybody’s guess but Javi appreciated it for sure.
Most folks would say that Martin Olsson was an improvement on him but I remain unconvinced. I think Javi’s currently playing lower-level professional football in his native Basque country as his career winds down.
Dani Ayala was one who simply didn’t fit for one reason or another. A physically imposing centre-back who was prone to the odd error and when he did stuff up it could sometimes be in spectacular fashion. He was also terribly injury-prone.
He came to us in 2011 on a permanent from Liverpool during the Lambert incumbency and stuck around for a couple of seasons before being sold on to Middlesbrough. Yes, he did feature against us on that glorious day at Wembley, but true to form chose to have an off-day. He’s still with them as I write.
There was certainly a generous side to Dani as one of the first things he did on his arrival in Norfolk was to offer to go into local schools to provide some free Spanish lessons.
Here cometh the enigma that was [and still is] Sergi Canos. He joined us from Liverpool in 2016 after a hugely successful loan season at Brentford. We paid quite a bit for him [dunno how much exactly] on a lengthy contract but Alex Neil refused to play him in anything but Cup games.
A Barcelona academy product, I feel he was a highly skilled wide player we never really got to see enough of. As the wheel turned we sold him on to Brentford, where he is currently experiencing mixed fortunes.
If anybody is wondering why I chose the word Hispanic over Spanish, the final three will surely explain my reasoning.
Jonas Guttierez was an Argentinian that we loaned from Newcastle in 2014. The man with the Spiderman mask if you recall.
He had survived testicular cancer [which was kept pretty quiet at the time] and then manager Chris Hughton used his Newcastle connections to get him on board as a January loan. He only played a few times for us before Hughton was sacked and that basically was that. A brave guy who was actually very much braver than most of us realised at the time.
Onel Hernandez is Cuban-German and therefore just about creeps into this article under the umbrella term of Hispanic.
We all love him, despite his ability to trip upstairs and knacker himself for a large part of the season. He’s speedy, direct and is the first Cuban ever to play in the Premier League, just as Kei Kamara was the first Sierra Leonian. Kai scored a couple in the Prem but Onel has yet to do so.
He is well-known as Mr Argos, which is really quite genuinely endearing.
Who provides the finale? I think you’ve already worked that one out.
Yes, it’s Emiliano Buendia as we all knew all along anyway.
The diminutive, flamboyant and often tetchy Argentinian-Spanish playmaker is a joy to watch, he simply is. There’s no point in my praising his skills as we all know what he can do. As it stands he has the most assists by slip-ins [through balls] in the Premier League.
He very quickly got his own song and there is this charming clip of him singing it himself.
It’s surely a case of let’s enjoy watching him while we can.
When I recently did a round-up of our Welsh lads I deliberately left a few out to see what you good folks might come back with.
This time I’d be really grateful to anybody who can expand the list.
Muchisimos gracias los todos, as they say in Old Costessey.
And if someone thinks Nelson Oliveira is technically Hispanic, fair play to you – but keep it to yourself.
Lucciano Becchio? Leeds reckon we stuffed him up. You mentioned Nelson and of course there is Ivo Pinto. You could include these two if you widened your definition: ‘and the Iberian peninsula’.
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Hi Roger.
That’s a good and accurate shout.
Becchio [half Italian?] was brought in on an exchange with Steve Morison of course and there were a lot of personals behind that deal.
He was never given a chance here tbh but the Real Madrid of the North continue to love him. There must have been a great baller in there but we didn’t get to see him at his best.
Pinto was great and I really rated him myself. One not to be forgotten.
Thank you – great comment.
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Ignasi Miquel, Signed from Arsenal 2014, played in a couple of abject cup defeats. Contract ended early by mutual, went back to sunny Spain I think. Was an answer on an NCFC trivia quiz card, I’ve no recollection of him, does anyone?
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Blimey Ady you’ve done me there.
I kind of recall the name but… no, I’m an honest guy so I don’t really remember the player.
He was a centre back who didn’t come up to scratch and was shipped out early doors is all I can remember. I never saw him play.
Thank you – good one.
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Saw him play in a pre-season friendly at Gorleston, Ady. He was regularly getting out-muscled by the Gorleston centre-forward, which didn’t bode well.
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Dani Pacheco. He was fabulous and a great loan signing. How could you leave him out????
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Hi Richard.
I wrote this piece around ten days ago and lo and behold since then Archant put Pacheco in their cult heroes series – and quite rightly so.
Yes he was indeed great for the short time he was here.
My face is as red as a Middlesbrough top for omitting him. It wasn’t deleiberate.
Great one. Thank you.
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I really wanted us to sign Dani Pacheco permanently. His positive comments about NCFC since he left have endeared him much more than anyone else who only played about half a dozen times.
Sergi Canos will provided one of the greatest moments of last season by scoring in Brentford’s win against Leeds on the day we drew at Stoke, effectively knocking them out of the running and making us strong favourites.
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Hi Don.
Why we never saw Canos feature more I will never know.
Only Alex Neil can answer that of course.
As for Pacheco I can only refer to my reply to Richard [above].
In between replying to you and he I’ve realised that Pacheco shares his surname with Muhammad Ali’s fight doctor, Ferdy Pacheco who before the Sat TV days prominently featured in one of my favourite shows: Great Fights of the 70s.
Cheers as always.
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I remember Canos’s arrival well because in an early interview he told Archant he didn’t mind where Alex Neill played him in the side. When a player says things like that it always makes me suspicious that they are taking things too much for granted. I don’t think it ever occurred to him that a big fee, and probably big wages, didn’t automatically earn him a place. And of course the Murphys also broke through that season, perhaps a little quicker than had been expected.
As with several others the big mistake was paying out far too much for a player not sufficiently hungry to repay the fee.
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Hi Keith.
You’re a little cynical there [pot calls the kettle black] but I understand your point of view completely.
The Murphy bros remain enigmatic. Maybe they really weren’t that good all along but both gave us plenty of entertainment while they were here nonetheless.
Would I like Josh or Jacob back? No. Zero need for either of them.
Your final sentence sums up Stephen Naismith to perfection and should be reserved for he and he alone.
Thanks as always.
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Some interesting memories there. In a similar vein, Spain hosted the 1982 World Cup and England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland all qualified. Can you name the sole Norwich City representative in those squads? (Clue: He not only made the squad, but was made captain of the side…)
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I’ll have a guess at John Devine
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Alas, no, Don. A fair guess mind you.
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The only time I’ll ever quote Wiki in my life but it’s Don 0, Chris 1.
Devine was capped for the Republic of Ireland at every level, winning thirty caps in all, with thirteen of those coming for the senior side. He made his senior debut on 26 September 1979 against Czechoslovakia, and his last cap came against Norway on 17 October 1984. He never played in a World Cup or European Championship finals, as Ireland did not qualify for any tournaments during that time, although most of his caps were won in European and World Cup Qualifying games.
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Has to be Martin O’Neill.
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Correct Wanstead Canary! Nicely done.
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Yep I’m with you Wanstead.
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Hi Chris.
I can only guess at Martin O’Neill. It very well might not have been him but Googling takes away all the fun for me so I didn’t.
Don’t tell me it was Gary Doherty!!!
I know, wrong Ireland.
Cheers pal.
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Correct MP! Interesting and prompting article as always.
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Hi Martin
Cuellar and Safri not Labi.
Do you know the only South Rhodesian that played for city???
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
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Hi Alex.
Carlos Cuellar is another good shout I’d forgotten about.
Youssef Safri will feature in a piece I’ll shortly be doing about our African contingent when I get around to writing it. Yes, Joseph Yobo will get a mention too.
As I said to Don [above] I don’t Google until after I’ve posted but that Zimbabwean might just have been the short, rotund and largely ineffective midfielder Matty Pattison in the Roedent era?
Is your grandson walking yet? You’ve had two days by now:-)
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The South Rhodesian was none other the Sandy Kenyon, Matty was one of 2 south African the other was Surman.
My little Noah is walking now we have to get all things out of his reach.
Stay safe
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Ha!
I had no idea Sandy Kennon was from the land of Cecil Rhodes and his mates from back in the day.
I knew about Andrew Surman obviously but you’ve put a new slant on my African article which I’ll have to re-intro now and complete it in the morning.
I doubt our younger readers would recognise the name of Sandy Kennon. Although I’m very much aware of him I certainly never saw him play myself.
Enjoy the company of little Noah – we always found the elastic bands the Posties drop the worst. And toddlers’ little heads are just tall enough to bump into everything at that age.
Good luck and keep well mate:-)
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He was born in Jo_burgh but played international for Zimbabwe, saw he a few times in the cup run when he took over from KN and games till Keelan from our sub continent of India took over.
We have had a varied selection of 1 off players from around the world
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The reason I mentioned Safri was Morocco was part Spanish empire I think
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Depends on your history mate – I think it swung a bit when Morocco invaded with their colleagues during the middle ages and about 50 years later the Spaniards went and took over Morocco in an act of revenge.
I’m sure you, me and Youssef Safri don’t care too much:-)
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Marty, you said on another piece I’m knocking on a bit so here’s a Norwich Spanish player from the past, a goalkeeper in 1947, Antonio Gallego. He played just the one game, it was reported as “He didn’t set the Wensum on fire but he will develop with experience.” In 1956 Sid Plunkett, playing for Yarmouth, scored a five minute hat-trick against him when Antonio was in goal for Biggleswade. A more recent one who I did see was Victor Segura Abascal 1997-98, a central defender and former Spanish Under-21 international.
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Funny you should say that Cutzy …. there’s an Ed C-L article scheduled for next week with the headline… ‘FROM THE ARCHIVES: Not heard of Vasper, Gallego, Dennington & Ronson? Read on…’
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I’ll look forward to that one – I always like Ed C-Ls lookbacks.
Peter Vasper I’m aware of but the others? Flip knows.
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Hiya Cutty.
I kicked off with Segura but the Spanish nomenclature is different to our own as you might well know.
The middle of our three is the one they use, so every time I spoke to my proximo Carlos he greeted me as Jonat[h]an. I showed him my passport for clarification but he didn’t get the concept. Rural Mallorca..
Mrs P unusually has three Christian names which confused Carlos a bit but we were always Jonatan and Suzanna to them. Learning one of Sue’s middle names was Theresa, the same as his wife, it pleased him immensely. But she was nonetheless always Suzanna and I was Jonatan. Wonderful, giant-hearted people.
Let’s look forward to what Ed C-L comes up with.
Keep well old pal.
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Marty, I should have realised that Segura is Abascal, this stay at home routine is turning my brain to mush, forgot what day it was on Thursday.
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Hi Cutty.
Your distant cousin Sue’s number two son, Jonny, reckons he’s got it but being a sparky rather than a Royal or the PM cannot get tested. We reckon we might have a mild version of it too which is factual rather than psychosomatic.
He’s off work for I think another nine days but works for a really good company near Norwich owned by Plymouth Brethren folks, who are very ethical and socially minded so he’s on full pay which is some consolation.
Don’t worry about the mushy brain – I was supposed to complete an article about our African guys this morning and completely forgot so thanks for shocking me into life.
Take care.
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Has everyone forgotten the King of Spain?
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Ha ha ha!!!
As you well know Simon Lappin is a true Scot.
I enjoyed that comment – I nearly swallowed the teeth the NHS cannot currently give me due to, oh well, you know what.
Nice one Keith!
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