Players come and go at football clubs at a rate unseen in most other walks of life. I read somewhere a couple of years ago that the average stay was something like 2.7 seasons, so it’s never a good idea for fans to get too attached to their heroes because before very long they’ll be gone.
But, however hard we try, when it happens, sometime it stings.
Emi’s departure was heartbreaking in its own way but we knew it was coming. Inevitable. He’d outgrown us.
We were given early notice of Alex Tettey and Mario Vrancic’s fond farewells (as much as covid would permit anyway) – both leaving us with some great memories – and the termination of Mo Leitner’s contract was a sad but inevitable what-could-have-been type conclusion to his time here.
But then yesterday morning, the news a small group of us had been dreading.
The best ‘in the know’ NCFC source on Twitter said simply, ‘Another German down‘ followed by ‘👋 🦀’
We knew. And it did sting.
Then at teatime the club confirmed it.
Bugger!
Those of us of a certain age are too old really to have favourite players but I had one anyway and mine was Stiepi. Not because he was the best, the fastest, the most skilful or because he had the ability to get us on the edge of our seats, because, let’s be honest, he didn’t and was none of those things.
But he chimed with me. A character. Someone you felt you wanted to be mates with.
He was also unconventional and a bit of an underdog. And those who know me or read my column know what a sucker I am for an underdog.
He wasn’t the first German through the door but was in that first batch and is one of those you see if you shut your eyes and sing All the Germans…
His first season here was a little bit of a shocker in truth, although it wasn’t really his fault. In a midfield that contained Wes and James Maddison in its attacking areas, it was always going to be difficult for Stiepi to make hay in his preferred position – even though he claimed to be “born to score goals” – and he ended up being used mainly, to limited effect, as an emergency left-back.
I’d already started to warm to him by this point, so thought he did an okay job in what was clearly an alien position to him, but I was in the minority and can recall reading a tweet during his left-back tenure that went along the lines of ‘Marco Stiepermann proving yet again that just about anybody can become a professional footballer‘.
This particular tweeter wasn’t alone. In a frustrating season for everyone, Stiepi suffered his fair share of brickbats.
But the departures of Messrs Maddison and Hoolahan that summer left a vacancy for a number 10, and who better to fill it than a tall, gangly, unconventional German who was born to score goals.
And he did it brilliantly, albeit in his own unorthodox way. And along that way he built up an almost telepathic understanding with Teemu Pukki; one that was later to be emulated, perhaps even bettered, by Emi Buendia.
He got Farkeball. Whether it was his Germanic footballing background that helped him, or whether it was his footballing intelligence, or whether it was just luck. I really don’t know, but he did. He understood it perfectly and he understood his role in it.
He knew when to drop off deep – way beyond the remit of a traditional number 10 – and instinctively knew in which pockets to drop to literally start (or keep) the ball rolling. Those first few glimpses of Farkeball really kicking into gear with that beautiful ebb and flow of which we have become accustomed, happened with Stiepi at its core.
Still he frustrated a few with his ungainly gait and propensity to give the ball away, but he was in there to make stuff happen and so would play risky passes that, if they came off, could lead to a goalscoring opportunity. He wasn’t just there to play safe and sideways, he was in there to create and when it didn’t come off, some would perceive him as wasteful.
But he wasn’t.
He scored nine goals that season, including some real humdingers with that wand of a left foot, but surely his greatest achievement was having 2000 of our Suffolk brethren on strings during City’s 3-0 home win over the finest their county had to offer.
I give you…
For all his fine achievements in yellow and green, this one has to be right up there, along with his photographer-hugging part in the celebrations following Onel Hernandez’ memorable Boxing Day equaliser against Forest.
It was the season of his life.
The Premier League wasn’t particularly to Stiepi’s liking – those long legs didn’t allow those feet to move quite quick enough when up against the very best – but he did have his moments, and will always be remembered for his central role in that win over Man City. Always.
I do wonder if one of those two gilt-edged chances he missed at Anfield on opening day would have gone in things could have turned out differently but we’ll never know and even us self-confessed admirers had to admit that, among others, he struggled in the refined air of the Premier League.
I had rather hoped that we would see a return of the old Stiepi upon our return to the Championship but alas it wasn’t to be as his season was stop-start at best, punctuated by a positive covid test and then being diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus – a nasty illness that affected, among other things, his sense of balance.
It just wasn’t to be – albeit he did still chip in with a vital winner in the home game against Swansea – and the Stiepi we saw play only a peripheral part in the end-of-season celebrations was a far cry from the figure who celebrated hard in May 2019, and who was gloriously pictured munching on a late-night kebab on the Prince of Wales after the Blackburn game.
The glint in the eye had gone and the lack of game time and illnesses had clearly taken their toll.
The terminating of his contract looks to have been an act of kindness on the part of Stuart Webber, one that will hopefully allow Marco to reclaim his mojo while initially spending time with family back home.
But, as the man himself says, while he has always been a yellow and black, he’s now yellow, green and black, and will remain so forever.
He’ll be sorely missed by a few of us, but even more so by Kenny McLean with whom he’s developed a friendship that will endure way beyond the end of their respective playing days.
Whoever his new employees will be, they’ll be getting themselves a good player with a lovely left foot, a character, a team player but, above all, a thoroughly decent human being.
So, farewell ol’ friend. Go well. You’ll not be forgotten.
I always liked the “Stieperdude” as Martin likes to call him. He didn’t often give the ball away, and when he did it was usually in tight situations when defenders were closing him down tightly as he tried to create an opportunity for Pukki. I wish him well for the future, and thank him for his gracious leaving statement. I hope he finds a new team back in Germany, and that his Epstein-Barr problem doesn’t come back again.
Amen
Hear hear, well said Gary.
if you can’t sentimental about a few players then what’s the point of even supporting a club?
Hi Gary
Could this be a dismantling of the old guard with Klose, Trybull and Zimmerman out the door closely followed by Drmic all by mutual agreement is so then let’s hope SW has some players that can fill a bigger hole than the financial one has created.
Some will say why have I mentioned Zimmerman well just as Marco was such a great surprise too many of us would it be after all his injuries if SW cut his losses on this and that would be a great shame to lose another iconic player in such a short time.
As you say players come and go leaving some good and bad memories.
Questions like did we get to see the best of him ie Kevin Reeves forced out by Chase or why did we buy him ie Naismith.
Marco has and alway will have his distracters but he took city to his heart so I will say thankyou for the memories and good luck in your future career
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Stay Safe and Stay Healthy 🙌
That’s a fine and well-deserved tribute.
I too will miss the Stieperdude who certainly had his moments, particularly in that glorious Championship title-winning season of 2018-19.
And let’s never forget that heartwarming moment when he was pictured [kind of] cheerfully washing Daniel Farke’s car as a forfeit for some trumped-up charge of dereliction of duty during training.
The way things are going we’ll have to direct *all the Germans* towards the coaching team. Particularly when Lukas Rupp and Zimbo are on the bench.
Wiedersehen Stiepi and danke.
Well… that saves me having to write my own eulogy as that just about sums it up.
Auf wiedersehen Marco. You gloriously unpredictable bugger.
Great article Mr G, of his goals the one at home against Hull is my top. He weaved this way past 2_3 players and slotted a cracking part footer home. In the space of a few yards. He was different to many other players unorthodox to the normal what is expected. For that I loved watching him.
No doubt the illness and darn virus drag a very fit human down, so he had it bad. Some other club is in for a treat. As fans all we can do is to say a big thanks. Stiepi for all, plus not wanting forget Mo.
Great article Gary!
Have to confess I never like the way some fans criticise players – there were some particularly nasty references made about Marco on one of the other Canary sites over the last few hours … not really necessary.
Donner und Blitzen, we’ve let some talent go over the last few years! Started with Wessi for me, and here we are seeing the rear lights of Stieperdude, Leitner, and a few more besides.
I guess we all get it, the team plays a specific brand of football, its successful, attractive, and OURS courtesy of Daniel Farke’s abilities as a coach and the players who expand those methods successfully on the pitch for us!
I entirely hope the guys leaving us find positive new clubs, and massive success around the next career-corner, some of these footballers – Marco, Wessi, Trybull, a few others – are indelibly entwined in the success NCFC have had over the last few years!
Good luck Marco Stieperdude, onwards and upwards !!
OTBC !!
Thanks Kev … dare I ask where unkind references to Stiepi appeared?
Hi Gary,
Have looked, now cannot find them perhaps they’ve been cleaned up from the EDP site which now appears to have no comments at all.
It was remarks like his not being good enough to play for NCFC, which is clearly untrue as he participated in our first promotion alongside the rest of the squad, and always had a zest for his game.
I wouldn’t like to put up with the concoction of illness Steipo had to deal with recently myself, but not everyone possesses the ability to empathise.
Handbags really, I wouldn’t worry about it Gary,
OTBC !!
Great article and a worthy tribute to a type of player that every successful team needs.
Superb article.
It’s often the ‘unsung’ players that fans have the most affinity with. Over the 55 years I have supported the Canaries, my favourite players have included David Stringer, Trevor Hockey,Phil Boyer, Mick McGuire, Keith Bertschin, Andy Linighan, John Newsome, Trevor Putney and Steen Nedergaard. All totally honest 100% triers. I view Stiepermann in the same regard. Commitment without ego.
My sentiments entirely Gary. Good luck to a brilliant team player. Are we playing 5 aside in our first pre-season?
It is a shame that Steipi has been released. He was a good number 10 in the Championship. He was a better player than many gave him credit for. In the 18/19 season there was many a time two players would try to get the ball off him. He looked like it was impossible for him to get away with the ball but he often did an then played a perfectly weighted through ball to Pukki.
I wish him good health and that he is able to continue his career. He was a good signing whatever some fans might say. He was just short of Premier League standard. There is no shame in that.
Ah the ‘Dude’ of Stieper.
Goodish, but at times not as good as we needed.
Er left back in year one ,played midfield and kicked ass in year 2. Premier league , not quite up to standard , year 4 the virus done him . So as we go back to a level he’s not , its a win win .
I hope we are helping him get a place to play.
Lovey tribute, Gary. He was gangly, he was at times frustrating…but boy when he got it right, he couldn’t half pick out a through ball….
Lovey read and he will be missed
Great tribute Gary.
He was superb in 2018/19, as you say Gary it was the season of his life.
He also did a very good job at left back, which i think gets overlooked.
I am sure had it not been for his dreadful illness he would have contributed a lot more last season, especially when you consider the no 10 position was a bit of a conundrum for Daniel last season.
And just how vital was Marco’s 84th minute winner against Swansea in last seasons championship?
All the very best for the future Marco OTBC