As Melvin Sitti floats across the pitch in Kidderminster, waiting patiently for his next clever touch or classy swerve of the hips, there’s a feeling his chances of breaking into the Norwich City first team are diminishing. He’s been moved from attacking midfield to the wing to defensive midfield and nobody seems to know where he really fits in, much like his Carrow Road career in general.
He’s playing in a difficult game for City’s Under-23s, a 3-0 loss to a talented Wolves side gearing up for the Premier League 2 Division Two play-offs. It’s nearly four months since the end of his disastrous loan to Belgian side Waasland Beveren, where he made not a single appearance and barely resembled the impressive, elegant midfielder Norwich sporting director Stuart Webber signed in January 2020.
Amongst a team of youngsters, some even promoted from the Under-18s, Sitti feels like an old head, an experienced figure among a naive team whose top stars have already been sent on loan or into the first team.
The Frenchman’s technical quality is undeniable, but it’s the calmness in his play that stands out. Wolves’ Owen Otasowie, the most experienced- and arguably impressive – player on the pitch, is clearly talented and physical but Sitti is the only one that feels like a first-team player.
So why isn’t he one?
When Sitti arrived from Ligue 2 side Sochaux nearly 16 months ago, those at the top of the Colney hierarchy were sure he’d be first team-ready sooner rather than later, and that he could be part of the solution to the midfield problem they had diagnosed in the Premier League. The reality upon arrival was rather different.
The problem with the current recruitment system, where Webber signs players for his head coach, is that they can still fail the Daniel Farke eye test after they’ve been signed. When Sitti arrived, the German coach recognised his talent but disagreed with the idea that he was ready for a starting role; an issue compounded by the strength in depth provided by Oliver Skipp, Kenny McLean, Jacob Sorensen, and Lukas Rupp.
Sitti’s aptitude for Farkeball was also questionable and is not obvious where he fits into Farke’s preferred 4-2-3-1. The 21-year-old is, in my opinion, at his best as an attacking number 8, most likely to flourish in a 4-3-3 with one midfielder at the base of an inverted triangle, flanked by Sitti and one other. But Farke’s system changes for no man, and this may well prove another barrier to his success in NR1.
Thus, the decision was made to send the young midfielder on loan, joining fellow desertee Danel Sinani in Beveren, where the Luxembourg international has enjoyed mixed fortunes. Quite why Sitti struggled to make his mark in such a disastrous way is relatively unclear, although zero appearances with no injuries suggests more than technical issues.
Sitti’s needless sending off against Leeds Under-23s hints at an attitude problem; the second of his yellow cards coming for a petulant kick of the ball after a decision had gone United’s way. Webber does, however, filter potential signings through a famous “no d*ckhead” sieve, and attitude problems significant enough to entirely rule a player out of involvement seem unlikely to have slipped through the net.
Sitti may well feel that he’s simply unlucky. Kenny McLean’s stellar season was by no means a guarantee, and, had injury problems persisted early in the year, the Frenchman may well have found himself thrust into the first team picture.
Sorensen, signed with little more fanfare than Sitti, struggled in a similar way to him before a problematic Xavi Quintilla injury brought him to the fore and into Farke’s consciousness. It could be argued that Sitti just hasn’t had a break. Things just haven’t fallen his way and when that’s the case, talent is worth very little.
Anybody who’s watched David Wright’s development side this season will tell you that Sitti is a talented player, head and shoulders above most in his age group. Whether it be through luck, attitude or Farke’s personal preferences, he’s yet to make his mark. But he’s far from giving up.
Thank you SS. Sitti, Sinani, Bushiri, Nizet, Fitzpatrick,, McAlear, et al., were, if memory serves, recruited in the same window. Whilst we ponder first team first choice arrivals the fate of these young players makes equally fascinating viewing. I suspect Neil Adams will be busy this summer. DF and SW deserve our trust in making sure that this group get the same TLC in their career paths as any other recruit to the NCFC family.
The loan out system worries me. Going to the wrong club can unfairly have a bad effect on a player’s career. Perhaps Waasland Beveren wanted to develop their own talent.
Look at the case of Omotoye v Omobomidale. Tyrese looked excellent at the start of the season, perhaps more of a prospect than Andrew.
I wonder why we sign players like Sitti ,Soto and Sinani if we are not confident they can make the grade. We were looking for an immediate return so we should have been looking for the next Pukki or Buendia.
I don’t agree with the argument that it doesn’t cost anything. We pay a massive amount to agents and still have to pay a percentage of some out on loan.
Good luck to the new lad we’ve just signed, he’s got a massive mountain to climb, Look at Carlton Morris on the brink of the Prem with another club after an eternity of loans.
Sitti looks a quality player, silly sending off in a game with many red cards, but we have a player in the first team with a similar temperament.
Unfortunately it is not an exact science. It will be interesting to see whether we continue the large scale academy recruitment with an expectation that only a small % will make it at Carlow Road whilst the message is clear that first team recruitment will be few but high quality.
Thanks for the excellent information, Sam. With City’s record for signing promising youngsters it’s good to know how they’re getting on and where they might eventually fit in.
This is a strange one so glad you have highlighted it.
Interestingly Sitti did not travel to Germany for preseason so was never in contention even though he is posted on the club website as part of the first team squad. Then went to Belgium and I did read somewhere that he had hamstring issues there. Having watched a few under 23 games he looks a class above but seems to me that he needs to get on the ball more and dominate such games. Can’t win them all but will be interesting to see how it all develops. He was given a long contract so perhaps a slow burner. The other odd one has been Soto who has not featured for weeks.
Many years ago there was a young player on trial at Spurs and the Great manager Bill Nick couldn’t see him fitting into the Spurs set up.
It was his assistant manager and Martin Peters that convinced him to persevere with said player who was Glenn Hoddle.
I am not saying that Sitti is by anyway cities own GH but maybe DF needs someone to whisper in his shell like and convince him to give him a try.
Many players as we know get disillusioned at clubs through lack of a chance and it comes back to bite them more times than any will admit to.
MK Don’s seems a good place to send him next season Martin’s just might get him to find his best position if DF thinks he can make it
Interesting article. I saw the leeds game and there wasn’t a tackle in the whole 90 minutes. Very watchable until the referee started reducing our numbers. Sitti along with omabamidele and Mumbai were streets ahead of their team mates, including the disappointing nizet, Martin and Dennis.
I recall reading that sitting had been injured during his loan which was why he wasn’t being utilised.
Excellent point made as well regarding omotoye, who wasted 6 months failing to play at an abysmal Swindon outfit when he would have been better served banging in goals here. His profile has shrunk considerably since moving there. Loan for loans sake in reality.
With hondermarck and adshead due to return mcalear in the wings and the lad from Bolton finding his feet we are well stocked with young midfield talent and the next steps in their development will be most intriguing.
Hondermarck is out of contract this summer. He only featured very late in the season. Unfortunately he may be released despite often being considered the ace in our young pack.
I didn’t realise that Nick. If that is that case it’s a shame because I’ve liked what I’ve seen of him.
When it comes to who get the Farke pick , i don’t have a clue but I trust? the guys running the show . They’re better at it than I am. And you .