Another blogger to take up the offer of an MFW guest spot was Paul Usher, co-founder of new football fans site, www.headersandvolleys.co.uk. Here he offers his take on the impact of NCFC lockdown, and launches a phrase that will soon be as familiar as Webber-lution. Enjoy…
Let’s face it, this seemingly never-ending hiatus from football has been pretty hard to take. Strange, when you consider we have three months over the close season like this every other year. I think it is mainly because it COULD be on, and we could be basking in this glorious sunshine at Carrow Road after a couple of cold pints in our favourite pre-match boozer.
I’ve been trying to clutch at the positives: we haven’t lost in a while, we aren’t relegated (yet) and the re-runs of beating Ipswich on YouTube have brought some great memories flooding back.
Another thought I’ve had is that transfer market rumours seem to have gone quiet, and for a club like Norwich (for whom the media are much more interested in as a seller than a buyer) this kind of feels like a good thing.
Given the likes of Max Aarons, Jamal Lewis, Todd Cantwell and Ben Godfrey were never far from the transfer rumour pages, it has been a welcome break from the prospect of having the heart of that glorious promotion-winning squad ripped from our grasp.
Relegation or not, it seemed that a Daniel Levy or an Ed Woodward would pop along with a hefty cheque to tempt our young starlets to the fame and stardom a top-six club brings, but this virus-enforced break has at least stopped the rumours. And with talk of players’ values decreasing with the same rapidity as PPE in a hospital stockroom, the summer transfer market could be quieter than usual.
There is a part of me that feels we may just get one more season from some of our boys.
Which brings me to the possibility of Emi Buendia leaving the club, or Buexit as my friends and I have dubbed it.
I need to get my head round this possibility, but it actually makes my heart ache to think about it. Sure, Emi has his flaws, and Daniel Farke has been right to challenge his best and most creative force about this at times, but I think we can all agree Stuart Webber pulled a masterstroke to sign him for just £1.5m from Getafe.
I could keep going with the superlatives to describe ‘Football Heaven’ for my word count would break. I don’t think I have seen a player with such all-round skill, passion and ability grace Carrow Road. And I think Wes Hoolahan is God.
We all admire his through-balls, assists, little tricks and stepovers, but how often does a player have those qualities as well as being an excellent tackler, interceptor and being able to dribble past opposition defenders like they weren’t there.
My friends and I share the belief of his similarities with Carlos Tevez in his prime – stocky and bolshy, yet gracious. Sure, it is a common criticism to say Emi could add more goals to his game, but let’s remember he’s only 23. How he hasn’t broken into a relatively poor Argentina national side, I really don’t know.
What I can’t help but feel is that Emi is different to the others. We have already had a rumour of Atletico Madrid and a £15m (pah!) bid a couple of weeks back; and clubs in the UK and abroad would be churlish to ignore him. Realistically, any team would have to pay at least double that amount to take him, but given the possible recession in transfer fees, paying £30-40million now could prove to be a bargain.
I firmly believe he’s that good. As much as a move back to ‘sunny Spain’ would pain me, Atletico and Diego Simeone may be the perfect club for him to develop further. I’m sure Emi would cherish the opportunity to link up with a former Argentinian great, whose teams are known for their solidity and flair in equal measure.
For Emi and any potential suitors, the only stumbling block aside from this god-awful disease may be the pleasing pig-headedness of Stuart Webber, who will want as good a deal out of any kind of Buexit as he did when he entered into the agreement in the first place.
One thing’s for sure, on this occasion I would be more than happy with a ‘No Deal’ scenario.
Paul is the co-founder of new football fans site, www.headersandvolleys.co.uk which includes articles, challenges, quizzes and merchandise. During lockdown, they are hosting a weekly interactive online quiz named ‘Football in Isolation,’ details of which can be found on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/headersandvolleysuk/
Good blog as much as I love the flair of Emi, he was dreadful early in the season and gave away more goals than he created. We seem to have been more solid in the games that he sat out, which gave me bit more hope of staying up, but if he was to reproduce his Wolves at home performance more often, then he’s a keeper for me. Stay well everyone.
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for your response, and I am glad you enjoyed the article. I agree he has been up and down, but I think looking at the stats he is right up there.
Still has plenty to learn, but I think he could be a success wherever he goes…hopefully at Norwich for a little longer!
Paul (author)
Hi Paul
A very interesting read.
Will we actually see the Premiership finished this season? Not sure on that.
Just this morning on Sky, a numpty call Neville suggested that they look at playing the remaining games in countries that are clear of the virus.
1 Are there any such places?
2 Would any country risk letting people in from a country with the virus?
3 Sky and BT would want to be involved, so more risk of the virus spreading to the country concerned
4 Would the Government allow such a hair-brained scheme?
5 How would EUFA and FIFA react?
Transfers are an emotive subject for any supporter. We all want to keep our best players and improve the team at the same time and will we see a fall in the players’ value. Can City risk holding on to players hoping that the prices might increase? And Brexit will cause problems for many clubs. Only time will tell.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Keep safe and well one and all
Sadly, I don’t think ‘ll see Emi again.
I’m sure that he has been ‘tapped up’ by clubs with greater resources than us and promised things that we can’t compete with-money, trophies and the chance to be recognised by his national team (Norwich players don’t get picked regularly for major international teams-it’s the law).
I can’t see Webber letting him go on the cheap but who knows what football finances will look like at the end of this process.
I just hope that the recruitment team continue to provide us with new heroes.
The most worrying thing about NCFC (if it comes to it) selling off a number of players, particularly young players, is that it will eventually unsettle the manager. He will inevitably tire of his best efforts almost coming to fruition then being sold from under him.
If a player is 28 and has given four or five good years to NCFC, then there is an argument for exchanging that player for a decent wad of cash. In fact that fits Robert Chase’s stated modus operandi. But if you’re selling hot prospects at 21 or 22 who’ve only had 18 months in the first team and haven’t really flowered to achieve yet, then the manager may start to consider his tenure as rather pointless. Unless he considers his role as running a youth scheme for richer clubs and denying his current club any prospect of genuine success.
Finance will always dictate, but as a club, is that really where you want to be?
PS. Best wishes Paul and good luck with the new website.
Hi Paul.
I enjoyed reading that – and “Buexit” could indeed become part of the English language for a while. In Norfolk anyway.
“Another thought I’ve had is that transfer market rumours seem to have gone quiet” is the only point of disagreement for me.
I’ve no idea how you source your news but once I’ve been to my inbox and checked out MFW I go straight to NewsNow, normally around 0600.
It is still chockablock with rumours surrounding Max and Todd on very much a daily basis. And of course there was a piece from a vendor of speculation that questioned which of four big six clubs Emi would go to. Ironic timing given your article appearing today of course 🙂
The rumours will not go away I’m afraid.
Anyway a great piece and I’d like to echo Chris S {above] and wish you all the very best with your new endeavour.
Hi Martin,
Thanks for your reply and the best wishes, it is kind of you to say you enjoyed reading the article.
You may be right about the other player rumours; I don’t tend to subscribe to things like Newsnow as it gets a bit much with all the transfer rumours. I have probably looked on football websites a bit less during the lockdown!
Thanks again. OTBC
The ‘haves’ will be shopping around for potential bargains, that’s for certain come ‘lockdown’ parole.
Emi, Todd, Max, Teemu there will be interest for sure.
Will SW be forced to listen, I suspect he may have to given his number one priority is the long term financial well-being of our club. If any go they will have my 100% blessing and thanks for all the happy times they’ve given us. £15m may become the new £30m of course but that doesn’t matter too much if £15k per week becomes the new £30k per week.
At present I don’t mind if it’s friendlies and Adrian Coote, Paul Dalglish and 40 something Jamie Cureton want to play for us, I will just be happy when it is safe to watch footy once again!
‘Emi…. Buendia,…from Ar….gen….tina’, has been one of the very best I’ve seen though, several times last season it was like watching Diego ‘bloody’ Maradona at Carrow Road of all places, wonderful talent, we’d love it if he stays and we can see him again at his fluent, enigmatic, best, fingers crossed!