“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.” – Albert Einstein.
Well that quote now feels rather apt. I’ve kept my powder deliberately dry over the re-start, but having watched the same smorgasbord being served up game after game I decided on the theme for this article:
When it feels stale…it’s time to go.
Moi? You may ask… no chance. City till I die.
Farke? No chance. He worked miracles and for me, that buys him at least another two seasons.
Webber? Ditto. One bad transfer window aside, the club is in very fine fettle indeed.
So who’s left? The squad.
Since we began to look like genuine championship contenders, I have dreaded the prospect of relegation, not because of the financial implications, not because we will no longer adorn the final slot on MOTD and not because we will now be reduced to columns spanning two inches in whichever rag you choose to read on a Sunday. But because I didn’t want the team to be broken up. Disassembled. Sold off. Sent to the knackers yard.
I loved the unity. Big Timmy Krul at the back, our delightful young fullbacks, each of our four centre backs offering something unique yet similar. Our plethora of midfielders – whichever combination was put on the field, I loved; ‘Tetbull’, Leitner, McLean. A tricky, weaving interchanging front three that were all crowd-pleasers and the GOAT up top, swiftly followed by an emerging Idah (I think he’ll be a superstar).
I knew relegation would mean the breaking up of this squad and I would be gutted. The last time I felt like this was when I saw Fox, Sutton and Culverhouse depart within months of each other.
Yet, when a relationship starts to feel stale, it’s time to move on. And that’s exactly how I’ve felt since ‘project re-start’. Or whichever name you choose to give it. I just don’t have the love for them anymore. It’s a group that are stale. It’s a relationship that has soured. It’s time for change.
The incomings have been swift, wide and varied in their nature, but the outgoings (at the time of penning this) have been noticeable by their absence. But leave they will.
Quelle domage…?
Or, peut etre
Quelle opportunité…?
So here are my thoughts on who we should retain. Feel free to blow these out of the water or indeed proffer your own thoughts.
RETAIN:
Krul – All costs. We haven’t had so commanding a goalkeeper since Bryan Gunn broke his leg.
Hanley – Good leader and gritty.Zimbo – see above Aaron’s – retain if possible, I think he’s a good fit and I don’t think he’s quite ready to go.
Tettey – Retain, but I’m wondering what’s left in the tank to offer us.
Trybull – A Classy deep-lying playmaker and will excel again at Championship level.
McLean – Offers a good threat, physical, energetic and has an eye for goal. We will need that.
Onel – Not good enough for Prem yet but will offer a lot next season. His end product is slowly starting to improve and Argos could do with the sales.
Stiepermann – As above. Never really rated him, but in the Championship he can cut a dashing thrust and offers a physical presence, his height makes him ‘look big’ defensively.
Pukki – Retain if possible. He looked jaded, but then it must require monumental mental concentration to keep making runs with perhaps one in 10 of those coming to anything. The ratio will be in his favour next season and I expect the goals to flow.
OUT:
Lewis – I think McCallum will do as well if not better.
Klose – needs to go. Injury-prone and expensive. Also not that good.
Godfrey – if the figures being purported are correct, then we can get mega money for him now. He is still prone to mistakes, there is still a lot of debate as to his best position and I think we can find a replacement with buckets of cash left over.
Buendia – a classy little player. Yet his goals for column and temperament, for me, always leave a question mark. Another who could command a big fee and Dowell already looks a great fit for the Championship.
Leitner – hurts me to say it as I think he’s such a good player. Yet I think his personality is perhaps that of the Ravel Morrison type. Shame.
Cantwell – in his head he’s outgrown the club. Watching him over the last few weeks he looks like he is playing for himself or a bigger move. I think it’s in everyone’s best interests if a mutual departing takes place. Will always have a tougher time from the crowd for being a local lad and I get the sense he thinks he’s too good for us.
Rupp – he won’t leave. But I’ve seen precious little yet to suggest there’s a spot for him.
I’ll ignore the juniors here as needless to say I think Idah will have a big part to play.
I’ve probably forgotten someone but these are my thoughts. Will be interesting to see how close or wide of the mark this ends up being.
Good article Martin and agree with your thoughts. Hope Leitner stays as he is a footballers’ footballer who will make us tick in the Championship.Josip Drmic – leave in my book. Injuries aside Drmic looked totally out of his deep In the PL and doesn’t strike me as the type if player for the second tier. Max Aaron’s – I love Max but if we can get good money for him then let him go. Sam Byram is as good if not better (IMO). Mario Vrancic – keep. Is growing into the English game so should be very much at home in the second tier now.
Drmic! I’d completely forgotten about him (and that’s with using Martin P’s ploy of deliberate omissions…. 😉) which says it all really.
Definitely lose Drmic.
Retain Byram and Mario at all costs.
Thanks for reading
A very good summary of events. However, factually we had the worst defensive record in the top 6 European leagues, but people are still talking big sums for our defenders? Time for a fresh start. The recent signings – on paper – look good, so if we can get good money and have players that can compete at Championship level in our squad, then all is not lost. Maybe a season to rebuild in the Championship, and then push on, with hopefully a better, and hopefully not injury prone squad.
Totally agree on the injury proneness. Bad luck or bad player management. We’ll never really know, but it’s certainly cost us.
BMouth have a dreadful defensive record and Ake still fetched £40mil…
Hi Martin
I’m with Glen L [above] on this one in that I’d also like to see Mo Leitner and Mario stay.
For me there are too many unsubstantiated rumours concerning the potential “for profit” outgoings for me to second guess anything concrete but I reckon Ben, Todd, Max, Emi and Jamal continue to look the most likely departures if we believe the gossip.
And that’s half a team!
Missing Vrancic and Drmic from the analysis
Vrancic would a strong squad asset in the championship Although friends have heard rumour he might be leaving this Summer, to whilst Drmic like Rupp might be much more suited to the championship level
£10 million for Lewis From Liverpool seems too cheap a price and undermines our it will take silly money to prise away our Crown Jewels stance, furthermore Lewis, Arrons, Onel and Planceta are Our only speedsters
We need to sort out an understudy to Krul and more Starters with pace and physicality imho
Lastly looking at Fulham last night they had the loan talents of Harrison Reed were impressive and our loan signings last year were poor – one or two good loan signings could make a big difference next season
Starting 12th September 46 games are going be condensed into 8 months making most weeks a real slog Saturday and midweek, Saturday and midweek so it is crucial to have a large and deep squad and fingers crossed not pick up too many injuries for any team to be successful
Its certainly a quandary when we have so many sought after defenders and a defence with a poor record. Not just last year in the prem but for the previous seasons in the champ. We leak goals. Individually good but as a unit bad. It maybe that they can’t play together as a unit, or that its poop poor defensive coaching. So , I propose maximising the cash on 2 if not 3 of them and start again around Byram ,Zimbo and McCullum, get in some new defensive players – defenders and defensive mids ,Sorensen’s a start. And a new defensive coach who knows the ‘English ‘ game.
I’m not particularly bothered who stays or goes, no player is here forever.
However, I will be mightily hacked off if Emi goes to Leeds. He should go to a big, high profile club and shouldn’t spend another season struggling at the bottom of the league.
An article with great energy, MM! Brimming with possibilities and positivity. My guess is we’ll lose a couple of big ‘uns (transfer fee wise) and two or three of the also rans, reaping a total of £25-35M. A good return on little outlay. The proof of the pudding is next year and the year after that. With all these high quality youngsters in the wings things could look pretty rosy in 18 months’ time.
As Don says “no player is here for ever“. The business plan requires us to develop and sell players, Accountancy Football is our future, we fans can pin player valuation charts on the wall and chalk up the valuations week by week and pour scorn on the poor clubs such as the Binners.
This is such a great comment.
It shows how how mindsets have been distorted by marketing ploys and clever catchphrases. Gone are the days of being excited about who we’ve bought. Now our enthusiasm must be around how much money we can generate through sales to prop up the club’s “self sustaining” model.
It’s now sacrilege to suggest we try and retain and purchase the best players we can.
What a world we live in.
Hi Martin
Lewis to LIVARPOOL to be an understudy for Robertson just can’t see it myself just to play league and fa cup games that would be a sideways step
Godfrey to Germany or Italy I can see that but going to Man U or Spurs I think wouldn’t help his career 1 poor game for either and he will be dropped.
Cantwell where would he go Leicester but they have Maddison,
Spurs have Alli, Le Celso, Moura
Man U have Greenwood, Marshall, all player in similar positions.
Liverpool, Man C to be a squad player with not much game time.
Arse-nal who are rebuilding but would he get game time, there could be a Red Bull offer if they sell Sancho.
Aaron lots of noise from clubs but no one has made an offer so possibly Spurs or Arse-nal and an outside chance of Chetniky.
We will be sorry to see some leave but Delia will be crying if they stay.
10 weeks plus of silly season you go then 2 weeks of domestic transfers only let’s go back to the old days where transfers were open for 8 months and only closed in the last month of the season much more drama.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Keep safe and stay healthy
Norwich transfer rumors have no reality, they are made up stories to try to make huge value to players who have very low value. Players like Cantwell, Aarons, Lewis, Buendia and Godfrey has very little value, they are championship level players. Season before Huddersfield were similarly bad as Norwich, at the end of the season they were able to sell Billing 16,5 million and Mooy 6 million and couple of others. Overall they got 31 million. They had similar transfer campaign where they made up all kinds of transfer stories how all top teams in Europe are very interested to buy their players by huge amounts. Billing is known international level player, Norwich has only 1 known international level player Pukki. Drmic has been but several years a go. Pukki Norwich have to sell because player is unhappy and unwilling to play again for Norwich. National team managers are all the time in contacts with their players, their job is also guide players. They know exactly what is going on. Pukki was free transfer so free transfer again would be fair. Forcing players to stay is bad business always.
How did this comment get moderation 🤔😂
Oops … sorry mate … slipped through my moderation net. Comes under ‘it takes all sorts’.
Always glad when we get an “expert” who is “in the know” on here. I bet his post code is either 40 miles south of here, or somewhere in West Yorkshire!
Sorry Martin came across this today a funny read
http://c.newsnow.co.uk/A/1041790795?-11057:808
The lovey ‘pair of tits’ mug was the best part of that webpage 😂😂😂
A passable attempt at Suffolk satire, but I don’t think it would make it on to Have I Got News For You. Also, they seem to have forgotten we won two League Cups, and made the final on another two occasions. History is in the eye of the beholder, to paraphrase a better known saying.
Great article and agree with much of your thoughts, particularly on Cantwell, I think a move would now be best for all parties and it will be interesting to see if he can make the next step up in his career.
I get the feeling Aarons and Godfrey may also feel they’ve outgrown us and don’t expect them to stay.
I see this morning that Leitner and Trybull have been told they can leave and Lewis speculation has been ramped up a notch.
It will be shame to lose these three who all have their talents individually but again if we can get decent fees, then this might be the right time to move them on.
In an ideal world I’d like to keep Beundia and Pukki, but this may be wishful thinking.
I’m also no doubt in a minority here but I’d like to keep Rupp, he’s a proper ‘player’s player’ and highly disciplined, but I accept he offers little as a forward threat.
One thing I am certain is that our lineup on September 12 is going to have a very different look about it!
Cantwell to replace Grealish at Villa…. ?
Had to laugh at the ill-informed contribution from ‘Let Him Go’ who claims Norwich have only Pukki and Drmic as internationals. Without thinking too hard I can add another 7 full internationals from the current first team squad.
Krul, Lewis, Klose, McGovern, Tettey, Hanley and McLean would be my seven without thinking too hard. Plus we’ve got Todd, Ben & Max as England under 21s.
Ben captained the u-21s at least once.
And I guess Onel would probably make eight although I haven’t looked it up.
Onel can’t play for Germany as he isn’t registered and Cuba only select players living and playing in Cuba no overseas so Onel saud in a interview
Yep true – I looked that up myself after your post.
Bl00dy Butler 🙁
I see Pukki’s value going one way and that is down. Thus, if we get a half decent offer he will be sold. It is a guess who else will go. I think’ Emi will force a move. I like Leitner and Trybull and remember how well they played against Newcastle but maybe their time is up. I would move Drmic on too.
City by all accounts wanted Rhodes but Sheff Wed wanted a full return on their outlay to fend off FFP and for the 2 previous seasons Drmic was scoring on average 15 a season so looked a good recruit on paper and that is where he should have stayed on paper
In my opinion.
Most the players performing in the Premier League were performing in the championship. So no need to gut our team of all prem talent when the aim is to get back up and stay there.
Goalkeeper
If Krul gets an offer for a premier League team then let him go play in the league he belongs in, if not then keep him. We need a new age distribution goalkeeper and should be working on that in the background either way.
Defence
Should try to keep Aarons, Godfrey, Lewis, Byram, Zimmermannn and Hanley as they all performed at various times. Already got another fullback to challenge which is good, just need another decent CB.
Midfield
Cantwell, Buendia. Hernandez, McLean and Tettey for his final year, the new distribution CDM and pacey winger are good additions.
Strikers
Keep Pukki and Idah
The rest did not perform well enough at Premier League level so should be let go either this summer or next if getting to the next step is truly the goal.
How i saw the last two seasons defensivly was the problem of zonal marking. The opposition soon worked that out ,At the set pieces they put the two attacking midfielders in the centre of goal where our two centre halves were situated. Then brought there own two centre halves and put them on the two smaller full backs at the far and near posts and won the headed ball each time,
One of my pet bug-bears. I have yet to be convinced that zonal marking works at any club. The attackers making a late run get a height advantage over static defenders, and they get a better look at the flight of the ball, so know where to make their runs. We also tend to bring everyone back to the penalty area, so have no out ball if we do win it. If you leave one player with pace up the field, they will leave two back to ensure they cover him.
Indeed, we’ve conceded too often from corners and free kicks. Do people think we should bring in a new set piece coach to work on this kind if thing?