“We never get what we want. We get what we expect. Winners are never surprised by the victory. They saw it in their minds’ eye every day while preparing for it. What are you expecting?” – Matt Grotewold.
These words adorn the walls of Colney, and they’ve never been more pertinent for Norwich City. As part of an off-season re-decoration of the Lotus Training Centre, it’s no coincidence the quote was installed straight after the conclusion of the Canaries’ confidence-lacking, soul-crushing 2019/20. That season they accrued 21 points, scored 26 goals and left the Premier League with a whimper, an acceptance that they could not compete.
That sort of resignation is not what Stuart Webber is used to. He’s used to defiance, an ambition that was lacking for large parts of that fateful year, and a confident attitude that’s so key to what he sets out to achieve. ‘Integrity is one of the six values woven into the club’s new home kit.
Acceptance of underdog status is so averse to what Webber believes, he was irritated by the response to Norwich’s 3-2 defeat of Manchester City, surprised by what a shock the people of Norfolk perceived it, and the “over the top reaction” to the upset.
It’s easy to be irritated but it takes skill, drive, and initiative to act, to take the necessary steps to turn that underdog attitude around. The proof, as Webber’s boss knows better than anybody, is in the pudding.
Of course, a season in the Championship helped. Norwich were the bookies’ favourites to win the league and when Emi Buendia and Todd Cantwell remained at Carrow Road many believed they’d walk it. They did and there’s no underestimating the boost that can provide, even if it was expected.
But football fans are fickle, and it doesn’t take much to turn title-winning jubilation into misery and negativity. Weeks after City returned to the ‘promised land’ they sold their own ‘football heaven’, as if one paradisiacal metaphor bore enough weight for a small club from Norfolk.
Off-pitch matters also turned sour and there was a feeling that this most vital of summers was off to the worst possible start. Panic had set in among the fan base, but the old mantra grew stronger: “Ignore the noise.”
City fans were not far away from a mood changer, and the knowledge that Angus Gunn was not far away was surely a beacon of optimism within the club; and then Milot Rashica; and then Billy Gilmour; and then Pierre Lees-Melou, an experienced operator on an elite level secured for an absolute snip.
Throw in a widely popular new strip, a fun and familiar principal partner and the transition of Ben Gibson and Dimitris Giannoulis from temporary to permanent Canaries, and it feels like City are emerging from their moment of chaos.
What will please Webber the most, however, is not the excitement ensuing externally but the internal ambition shown by these signings, a direct juxtaposition to his last top-flight adventure. In that window, less than £1million was spent on transfer fees. This time around £30million already has been.
The Welshman has not only brought in a wealth of experience, talent, and recognisability, he’s done it in typical fashion, striking at the right times and securing excellent deals.
Rashica certainly would’ve cost Aston Villa more than Buendia when they were linked with the Kosovan in the summer of 2020, yet set Webber back only a third of the price the Villains paid for the Argentine. That he’s managed to secure a top performer from a Ligue 1 side that had European ambitions for less than £4million is frankly scarcely believable.
Gunn may well progress into a starting role for City and £5million for that is certainly smart business. Webber managed to snatch Gilmour on a season-long loan even with the prying eyes and interference present from the likes of Wolves and Rangers.
Gilmour is a player compatriot Kenny McLean is particularly excited to work with, as he told The Athletic: “I was with the physio when he mentioned we were interested in him, so we googled him. If the videos I’ve watched are things he can replicate here, then we’ll be lucky.”
McLean also discussed the crucial expectation creeping in at Colney, explaining why things will be different this time. “Last time it was ‘We’re going to Anfield!’ Now it’s ‘Let’s go and show what we can do.’,” he said.
“It’s not about going to take in these lovely stadiums and ‘Woah, I’m playing against this player’. We’re there because we deserve to be there. That’s how we need to look at it; that we’ve earned our place back and now we don’t go there to make the numbers up.”
City are not done with transfers, either, and with each addition, the Championship champions will target the same level of prestige as the players already in the building. Depth on the wings is surely required, the club would like to bring in another centre-back and replacing the increasingly-likely-to-leave Jordan Hugill with a Premier League-class striker will be difficult and potentially expensive.
Webber will, however, have confidence that he’s up to the task, and expectation that he’ll complete it well. Expectation that is quietly creeping into this ambitious Norwich City squad.
Little mention so far in the media of cities expectations the usual computer generated prediction of where clubs with finish and city are in the bottom 3 along side Brentford with Watford, Burnley, Southampton and Newcastle in close proximity.
So we have 3 major permanent signings 1 loan signing and 2 X U23 and another soon to join from Ipshite with the fee being decided by the FA at about £500k+ add ons.
So is everything going to plan we can only hope so but one major signing I hope will soon be announced is that of DF I can only assume that the new recruits wouldn’t have signed unless they were confident of Farke being here longer than 1 more season.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Stay Healthy and Stay safe
I think the predictions for the bottom six that you mention Alex, are probably not too far off, though the actual positions may be contentious. It could be any three of those with maybe another as a wildcard, maybe Brighton or Palace.
(By the way, Alex, thank you for not using emojis in your recent posts! Much appreciated!)
It is now getting exciting Samuel.
On the surface it does seem like a lot of very good business has been done. We are not there yet with signings but definitely getting there.
I remember a conversation between me and some fellow supporters a few years ago on all our new players and it was quite amusing. Marty being as optimistic as ever was positive of a playoff push. Though as we pointed out he had not seen any of them play !!! Me and Nick were much more reticent with such predictions.
When asked why he thought all these players coming in were any good he said it was his trust in Stuart Webber and unbelievably he was more than right and we stormed to the Championship Title.
Webber by his own admission left Daniel Farke short in quality the following season in the EPL, but personally I think the crippling injuries and the delayed completion of the season due to Covid were just as much of the problem as lack of really good pre-season signings.
I feel the players coming in look the part, getting Billy Gilmour was a amazing bit of business by Stuart and Daniel.
I still feel we need a centre half, right back if Max goes, holding midfielder and a forward if Jordan Hugill departs.
On the subject of Hugill, personally I would keep him as he offers us something different to Idah and Pukki and unless its because the boy wants to play every week, which is fair enough, I would definitely hold on to him at least until January.
Imagine if we had given Iwan another years contract in 2004 would his 3-6 goals have kept us up ?
I’m not saying Jordan is Iwan Roberts by any stretch but he does offer a physical presence.
Good article Samuel!
We’re building a very talented squad, and I believe we will stay up, we need to aim at finishing 15th maybe a little bit higher, at season’s end..
The squad is older, wiser, well-augmented, as we have a great recruitment philosophy and a great understanding between Webber and Farke who know what they want and have the ability to get it, which is key to this season..
I think we need another striker to work with Super-Teemu, so buy, or already-bought, or don’t be afraid to experiment with current squad members, ditto I still think Emi’s replacement is already here as in Todd Cantwell.
Additional recruitment will be adding cherries to a great cake!
Happy, looking forward to a new Premiership season brought to us by Canary-Power.
OTBC !!
Bring back Olly Skipp to partner the new French geezer, and we can all start singing ‘Skipp to Melou my darlings.” You heard it here first….
That was bl00dy dreadful Andrew and you know it 🙂 🙂 🙂
That’s not quite as bad as my comment that Lees-Melou will ‘cut the mustard’ (as he’s arrived from Dijon!!)
#illgetmycoat
I’m more excited about the French lad than I am about Gilmore. I recognise the difference in quality, but Gilmore is a Chelsea lad, I feel our new Jean Yves De Blassis will be the next generation of Stiepermans, Vrancics etc. He’s the right physical profile, so he’s the got the right platform to build on. And he looks far more energetic than Super Mario ever was, regardless of position played. Can’t wait to see him and McLean, which will free up Gilmore to express himself
yes, we’ve spent more than last time we got promoted, but that time we didnt lose any of our best players. This summer we’ve lost our two best players, Emi and Skipp. We’re still weaker than last season.
Completely agree with the fact we all need to have higher expectations and encouraged by our transfer work so far but it must be noted that although we’ve spent £30m we’ve sold a player for £33m so technically we spent less in net terms than last time out abd I expect a couple more significant signings.