During this last week of flaming June, I am not too sure if I would like to be in Dean Smith’s immaculate white trainers.
Following hot on the heels of our inevitable relegation from the Premier League in May or more likely April, I simply don’t want to remember, Smith now has the chance to mould his squad for the 2022-23 EFL Championship campaign.
Or does he?
The loan with a view to a permanent signing of the universally well-thought-of Isaac Hayden was an excellent start to recruitment.
Coupled with that though, a cynic might think that was an attempt by Stuart Webber to say ‘okay Dean, you can sign Isaac, but you’ll have to wait a bl00dy long time before the next recruit comes through the door.’
Rumours concerning occupants of the departure lounge continue to confound me as we have been told that there are unlikely to be incomings before outgoings and in terms of the latter, affairs seem to be in a right old mess.
Tim Krul’s projected move to PSV Eindhoven seems to be off the agenda – but that does not mean that other Eredivisie sides will not be interested in our penalty wind-up merchant. Far from it.
The name of Max Aarons continues to be bandied about in the media and I am yet to be convinced that Teemu Pukki sincerely wishes to hang around for yet another season in the Championship. Finland national manager Markku Kanerva has never liked the idea of Teemu playing in the EFL and has said so more than once.
Christos Tzolis has been told he can go if an acceptable offer comes in [allegedly] but so far the local media suggests that a loan to Belgian champions Club Brugge with a view to purchase is the most likely possibility. Bruges is a beautiful location, known as the Venice of the North, but quite how such a move might benefit Christos’ career progression I am not really sure.
Przemyslaw Placheta is touted as a target for the about to be taken over Birmingham City.
Will we get something like the £ 2 million we reportedly paid for him? Highly unlikely. Financial Fair Play legislation with regards to the Blues might very well scupper such a deal anyway.
We also have an apparently malcontent Milot Rashica wanting away, but there are no reports of any offers that I would take seriously.
As for rumoured incomings, we are clutching at straws just now.
Brandon Williams is available for £10 million from Man Utd – I won’t insult MFW readers by suggesting that he might be an option for us.
A player I really liked the look of, Scott Twine at MK Dons, has signed for Burnley for a quoted £4 million. It’s just a personal view but I think Webber has missed a trick on Twine who has that rare Dean Ashton-like ability to strike with either foot, is pretty good in the air and can also take a decent free-kick from outside the box, the latter of which wasn’t one of our Deano’s gifts.
So, in this moment we are left with jolly pictures from NCFC Official of the first day at Colney. These included the presence of one Todd Cantwell. Maybe it was just a mistimed snapshot from the official photographer but he sure didn’t look too happy to be at the Lotus Training Centre through these eyes.
The mind boggles.
We all have our own thoughts on Paul Lambert’s days at the helm. Personally, I felt he was fantastic during his tenure at NR1 but I fully understand that other MFW readers might have a different view to my own.
However, the one thing Lambert consistently did was to get his signings in early and recruit from the lower leagues without sanctioning extravagant fees, thus buying committed grafters who wanted to be part of something good and give everything to the Yellow cause.
Folks like Anthony Pilkington, Elliott Bennett, John Ruddy and Andrew Crofts. There were several others of that ilk too.
When it came to January deals [sometimes loans such as Stephen Hughes] Lambert had a classic phrase which went something like this: “I just thought I’d get a couple in to give the lads a helping hand”.
Things seemed to be so simple pre-Webber and worked out extremely well under Lambert who had no obligation to sign youngsters who might, or might not, realise a profit when they left.
But our Dean is stuck with this situation for the duration of the summer window and I doubt if he knows whether his butt is bored, punched or countersunk.
Mission Impossible? We’ll see.
As much as I’d like Deano’s salary, I wouldn’t swap my battered black matchday Nikes for his gleaming white alternatives. It’s quite difficult to feel sorry for a hugely well-paid football head coach, but in this case I really do.
Methinks somebody should have a word with the bookies who make us favourites for the Championship title.
All I can leave you with is this track from the Boss. It illustrates how I reckon Dean Smith might be feeling at the moment. Yes, it is Courteney Cox up on stage at the end, yes that was impromptu and yes Bruce played guitar on it live – when I saw him at Wembley in 1984 anyway!
Blimey Martin your glass is completely half empty! Look at it this way: as it stands we could field the following team against Cardiff: Krul, Aarons, Hanley, Omobamidele, Dimi; Hayden, PLM, McLean, Idah, Pukki, Sinani (who imagine we have just purchased from Hudds). Ignoring the other likely exits, that leaves Gunn, Byram, Gibson, Zimbo, McCALLUM, Sorensen, Mumba, Martin, Hernandez, Hugill, Dowell, as a SECOND string. Not to mention the young Turks: Rowe, Gibbs, Springett.
So assuming Tzolis, Rashica, Cantwell exit stage left for at least the promise of another £20 mill in the coffers……..why should we get ansty about the upcoming season in a very poor Championship?
Hopefully you can see through my eyes that that glass is actually half FULL.
Whoops, you can add Sargent to the RESERVE eleven; and Placheta to the exits. Makes my optimism a little stronger. Though reveals my failing memory!
🙂
Hi Nick
Yes of course I get your viewpoint as well. It’s what makes the NCFC world go around, after all. I never mind hearing a different opinion!
Sinani could indeed do a job for us – from what I’ve seen the Terriers’ fans really took to him and let’s keep our fingers crossed.
I’m always loath to comment on a baller I’ve never seen play but he must be an option going forward I would imagine.
Cheers
I’m with you Martin on this one. Considering our relatively frugal existence in the Premier League we should have returned to the Championship with a more than sufficient ability to acquire the best players available at that level, to say nothing of the parachute payments we are about to receive (and for which we should be grateful!) In the past I have been one of Stuart Webber’s biggest fans but I do feel he has lost his way. He was so positive and effective on arrival but the current air of negativity at Carrow Road has taken us from the sublime to the ridiculous in my view. Where we are right now with a new season looming, to be told that we have to sell before we can buy is frankly unacceptable and someone has to carry the can for it!
Hi Tony
The rational amongst us, which I like to think includes myself, rarely ask the question that is: where’s all the money gone?
This time around I’m having my doubts 🙂
I’m shooting in the dark here but if you are the ex-ECN cartoonist of the same name I loved your take on Wordsworth’s daffodils and inflatable canaries all those years ago.
If you’re not, oh well!
Cheers
Sorry Martin but unfortunately I cannot make that claim, and neither am I the ex-Director General of the BBC! “All those years ago” applies though – I was a season ticket holder at Carrow Road for 35 years before moving up to work and then retire on the west coast of Scotland in 1996. All being well I will be at Celtic Park for the friendly against City next month.
Cheers.
Thanks for replying Tony – I said I was shooting in the dark!
Marty, the gulf between the Prem and the Chump is so big it’s difficult to judge how players that didn’t shine in the Prem might fare in the Chump. Having said that Danny took two brilliant Champion teams into the Prem and they failed and one of them went straight back up. I know we have a different manager and some different players but the bookies are seldom wrong. My kiss of death is a play-off spot, Danny was an unlucky Manager just hope Deano is a lucky chap and gets a good start.
Hi Cutty
A few people on non-Norwich related sites have been examining Dean Smith’s efforts in terms of achieving promotion from EFL to PL and it doesn’t make for good reading.
I don’t want the play-offs either. All Or Nothing, as Steve Marriott once said.
Cheers
Morning Martin – my take is that whoever we get Smith is unlikely to get us up looking at his previous record. As I said yesterday, cheap buys and free transfers have been best for us – Holt, Pukki and a few others – so stop wasting millions on players that have never cut it here. Keep well mate 👏 👌
Hi Kev
Same as I said to Cutty really – perhaps I should read all the comments before I start to reply to them but no chance of being able to do that today.
Can’t remember the last *big signing* who did anything positive for us myself – even Jon Newsome, Dean Ashton and Ashley Ward didn’t cost a fortune back in the day.
I’m fine mate, ta, and I’ll see you on the glorious 6th.
Cheers
Morning Mr P I find it a little off-beam that Burnley can spend £4m and seemingly we cannot, we were linked with him and a defender who has since joined Russ Martin at Swansea.
Helping Dean Smith it is not nor is it helping to calm the choppy waters of the fans. yes, there will always be some who jog along happy with the way things are going. I have never been one of those.
Re Lambert, he got us two promotions and kept us up and when he wanted a little extra to spend it did not appear to be forthcoming, it stands to reason he left. Mind he has not done a great deal since, though he was outstanding down the A140.
I find it difficult to believe Dean & Craig, agreed to this when they signed on, I believe they knew what they were getting into in premiership, But this new season sure they didn’t expect this inactivity, nothing against there guy, would love him to be the success that is needed. But I doubt it his record is nowt to write home about.
Who would take this shite shower ran club on? An up-and-coming manager looks the best bet to me., A seasoned guy, I am sure would not take on such restrictions. There always comes a time when the squad needs a little help, a fresh injection. It looks like we cannot provide that only with helping another clubs players get game time
Hi Lad
Yes the Burnley buy does indeed have a disturbing undercurrent attached to it.
I really hate to say this in some ways, but in my working life I really hope I would not have been taken in by this comparatively recent incarnation of Stuart Webber.
Surely you want to work for a progressive organisation [and that term fits football clubs as much as multinational companies] otherwise you are busting a gut just to tread water.
It’s early days so as ever we will have to wait and see plus I tend to the extreme side of cynicism on occasions, but I’ve got bad vibes about NCFC in 22-23.
Cheers
Totally agree with you on this Martin.
If the club is as well run as our owners try to make out how come we’ve ended up where we are?
Nick mentioned getting £20M for three of our players, that really is glass overflowing. All we’ll get, at best, is part of their wages paid and sent back at the end of next season.
With regard to Webber’s big announcement I’m still waiting for something positive that will help the club compete in the top divisions.
All I can see is a complete shambles and beginning to regret renewing my season ticket as last year was a completely joyless experience and the next one is starting to look a bit familiar.
Hi John
I renewed [as in didn’t cancel] my ST as well probably because I like seeing my friends at matches and anything else good that comes along is something of a bonus.
As for Webber’s big announcement it’s a bit like the new kit launch as in Forever Delayed, to reference Manic Street Preachers yet again.
The Club cannot even keep on good terms with the Archant guys and that in itself does not bode well. If you cannot retain your working relationships off the pitch, what could be the problems on it?
Right now I really dunno.
Cheers
This is all so deja vu.
Two years ago, post-relegation, we were definitely going to lose Aarons and Pukki, and Krul was never going to hang around risking his International place in the Championship. For want-away Buendia and Cantwell read Rashica and er, Cantwell.
Their agents can feed as much speculation to the media as they want but if there are no realistic offers they are going nowhere. Whatever one thinks of Webber he does seem to get decent money for our players. I doubt if many Cardiff, Newcastle or Villa fans are impressed by what they paid for Josh Murphy, Lewis or Buendia.
I’m more concerned about those prone to injury, or returning from one, than the ins and outs. Omobamidele, Sargent, Idah and McLean all finished the season crocked. Will they have fully recovered or are they going to be in and out of the treatment room? Byram is now a key player but he must still have long-term underlying issues that will need careful management over a long season – the new Tettey in that sense?
Logically it’s Hayden that’s the new Tettey, given he plays the same position, and he too is a concern. It looks like a great signing – but even in his last Championship season 5 years ago he only played 33 games. Can he stay fit and free of suspension for a full 46 games, or are we looking at another Matt Jarvis?
Yes, there are concerns. But on the positive side we have some decent players ready to knuckle down, about whom there doesn’t seem to be any speculation – PLM, Sorensen, Dowell for example – and a host of youngsters fired up to make their mark.
On balance my glass is probably half empty, but I reckon it will get refilled.
Hi Keith
As I said to Nick above earlier, although I’m an ingrained pessimist it’s always good to hear from somebody like yourself who is [slightly] more positive than me.
What continues to concern me though is that we do seem to have this habit of buying injury-prone players on the cheap and I do wonder if the vendors often *see us coming* in that respect.
Sorensen I do think is a good player Championship level – he’s proved it – but PLM and particularly Dowell I’m not quite as confident of.
Cheers
Good piece Martin.
Reasons to be cheerful?
Well, Dean Smith told us in January that he was perfectly happy with the squad and it was more than capable. What followed the dormant transfer window was total abject surrender. Was he lieing or toeing the party line? Either way its not a good look.
Our record signing is being touted around Europe for a loan without any benefit. Neither him or his transfer value will be available to help us next season.
Yet again, in spite of another brief sojourn to the top flight and all its attendant riches, find ourselves having to sell a prime asset before investing a fee on any reinforcements. We haven’t paid a fee now for a year.
15 players have been cut from the roster this summer, one solitary loan signing has come in.
Doubts remain around whether our better players will be subject to offers, which as we all know are seldom rebuffed by the shower in charge.
Pre season starts in 3 days time and we seem woefully unprepared.
Smith himself has precious little of the goodwill that farke took into the championship with him on 2 occasions and as such can expect to feel the heat from day one if things continue to go tits up in the land of sheep and coal.
The initial excitement surrounding g the media frenzy regarding American investment has subsided with tge dearth of good news in that regard and the realisation that were still paupers, as ever.
On top of all this, the greedy hypocrites have hiked the price of one of the most expensive match tickets in Britain by a further 7 per cent.
The smiths and webbers are still here. In gods name, why don’t they just go?
Hi Chris
I hope you don’t get any Cardiff fans on your back for that remark 🙂
Yes I agree with all you say but I’ll pick up on one point. I don’t feel Nick’s £20 million estimate is realistic in that I would reduce the figure to £12m at best.
And we all know where 50% of that would [not] end up.
Milwaukee money? It’s probably a long game so I won’t make up my mind just yet.
But if it’s a deal between Michael Foulger’s shareholding and Mark A it’s not going to be of any tangible use to us in the short or even medium term.
Cheers
I agree Martin, cantwell et Al are practically worthless. The prime asset to which I refer is max aarons.
I can’t help but feel the foulger link is a red herring. Simply hoovering up the foukger holding g makes no sense for anyone with the probable exception of foulger
Spot on in both regards.
I read somewhere that the actual share value can be set by the Board on any given day but I dunno how true that is!
Hi Martin
Well the Cricket match might get started before lunch so we could still get a result if the heavens don’t open up and Friday the final of last years 5 test series against India will be played out so we do have a little to be thankful for from one sport.
As you and a few have mentioned is Webber fit for purpose has he outlived his time or as we all suspect his attention is up some god forsaken mountain looking f9r a lonely g9at herder that can play South American football or maybe a Nepalese Sherpa can be a surprise package.
Sadly the EDP/Pink-un columnists have jumped on unfounded speculation about players going and the story of Webber telling players to find themselves another club just doesn’t sound right as it leaves no space for negotiations.
Will S&S be here in a few weeks is the burning question broken promises and lack of spending could see cracks appearing in this brittle relationship, openness was the byword 5years ago now it is staying stum not a peep out of Alias Smith and Jones or their front man Webber come the world Cup break or maybe sooner things could all smell of roses if the team starts well but it could be the other way if we have a poor start
Hi Alex
We really shouldn’t blame the Archant guys too much – all they can do on a newsless day in the close season is to monitor the internet and hope there’s something to C&P. It’s a case of taking the King’s Shilling for them really.
But as soon as the action returns they will have something to sink their fangs in to.
Stuart Webber was genuinely a breath of fresh mountain air when he arrived and was well supported by most MFW readers and writers alike.
Many opinions regarding his credibility have changed over the last 12 months.
Cheers
I can understand your concern Martin!
We’ve signed precisely nobody on permanent terms and if that remains the case, you would seriously have to question how much the club really wants to get back into the Top Tier?
Not wanting to stay up is one thing – there were fans and people I know within the club that questioned the clubs desire to stay up last season – but not wanting to get promoted is something even more unpalatable.
We were so underwhelming last year, a lot of faith is being placed on poorly performing players to perform. And without the manager that signed them. And a lot of want aways.
How is this is recipe for success this season? It isn’t.
Unless the board actually backs Dean Smith, he should walk, because he didn’t come to Norwich City for a Panda pop and an old tin of Spam.
If the board don’t back the manager yet again, it should be they who walk.
It reminds me of a book by, I think, Sir Thomas More.
*Utopia* was ironic in extremis – I once found a battered copy of it left behind on a Lufthansa flight and only read about a third of it.
I got the point though.
Hi IR
Having read your comment I sincerely reckon you should get in touch with Gary and donate us a guest blog.
I introduce some pretty obscure references myself but the concept of Spam and Panda Pops on a football site beats me up completely.
Syd Barrett would have enjoyed your comment as much as I did – if not more.
🙂
Excellent summary Martin.
I think the trouble maybe that age old problem with us and that is wages.
I know it is hard to believe but we have too many players as things stand. So before any come in there have to be departures because of how the club has to operate.
I am in the middle of the argument on this one. Is it disappointing that no other signings have followed Isaac Hayden through the door ? Massively. But on the other hand as things stand we still have Teemu, Grant and Andrew has signed a long term contract.
Some of these players may well come good in the Championship and do I wonder if the standard of that league is not what it was. The promoted top three teams this season all had lower point totals than the previous season.
Where I agree with you wholeheartedly Martin is the number of unhappy players Deano has to deal with.
I hope Max Aarons opportunity for a big club move has not passed him by, he has been fantastic for us but the truth is will we get anything like £ 15 million for him now ? I doubt it.
Todd who has been the antithesis of Max has put the club in a mess, as do they just get him off the wage bill and say goodbye to £11 million or persevere with a totally pi**ed off player ? Whatever the ins and outs Todd failed at Bournemouth massively. And he must now really except a lot of what has happened is his own fault. He had a great chance to prove Norwich City wrong but all he did was prove his doubters were correct.
Milot Rashica wants away as was shown by his efforts at the end of last season, depending on his attitude it is in the best interests of both player and the club for a parting of the way.
I have said on here before Tzolis is one lad I would have given a go in the Championship but it seems that ship has sailed.
Sinani, Hernandez, Platcheta and even Hugill will all be assessed by the coaching staff as to whether they can cut it in the Championship and I expect their futures to be decided by the end of the next transfer window.
Personally I would look to move on Josh Sargent and perhaps more controversially good old Kenny Mclean and Ben Gibson if good offers came in. Perhaps all three would do a job in the Championship
( Kenny and Ben have proved that) but we know by now that they will not make it in the EPL.
The grass is not always greener elsewhere as many a former City player has found out the latest being Jamal Lewis. A thought for all these guys itching to get away.
Finally, I do wonder if in true Norwich City FC boardroom thinking that this present squad can get them promoted back to the EPL so lets not spend any money this season lets save it for next ?
I hope not because it is possible that this squad could get us back up, but it is by no means a certainty. Lose Teemu and Grant then forget it.
Funny how great thinking, ala the transfer window last summer, can come back and bite you on the A**e 😂
Hi Tim
I think you’ve nailed it with your reference to *unhappy players*.
We have far too many of that ilk right now and for quite a variety of reasons.
Do we know the precise ins and outs? No of course not but on the basis that thhere is no smoke without fire I can identify a solid half a dozen players who would rather be anywhere else than here today as Elvis Costello sang until he withdrew Oliver’s Army from his repertoire.
This situation has been festering for over six months now and the one thing that remains certain is that malcontent spreads like a virus.
During my working life I would have jumped ship at Christmas with these circumstances bubbling under.
Cheers – good comment once more.
🤣 I think its fair to say these duds are more likely to end up in Johannesburg than the banks of the Mersey or the Tyne!
But there’s no danger. It’s a professional career.
Good one 🙂
Unfortunately I believe our squad to be a vast amount of average to good Championship level players. There’s no player that (based on previous seasons) will excel at this level barring Pukki. Even he struggled in The Champ without Buendia.
Our loanees were returned to sender, there’s no apparent bids from Premier teams (or perhaps even Championship). Who wants our players? I’m not even convinced we do. Which of our squad, if in another team, would you want us to purchase?
Whatever our recruitment strategy is/was, it’s certainly not worked.
Hi Dave
You’re stating the bleedin’ obvious but I can’t disagree with you 🙂
Webber’s Delia-inspired recruitment policy has come back to bite us on the butt in extremely big style and effects of that will be demonstrated next season for sure.
It’s not impossible that we could be relying on Sargent as a front-line striking option next season – and that REALLY scares me.
Cheers
Still too many players on the payroll and that is down to Webber.The last few years hes brought in players for the future,it has not worked out so now its bit him on the a##e..The squad last season only needed around 3 or 4 better players,instead i beleve it was 9, average recruits instead..Its a mess that lays with Webber but id rather someone else sorted his failure out than the Welsh mountain climber himself.
Hi Tonyb
Great point – but who is going to be invited to come here to sort it out?
Dean Smith’s options are extremely limited as I hinted at in the original article.
My black take on things at the moment comes from more than one angle – too many admin and hospitality staff have left recently for my liking.
I think French call it une malaise generale.
Merci
We just might see a resurgent TC due to reasons out of my ability with words.
Just get the deals done both ways asap. It’s no good to the club or players to bring in 4-5 new players in the last week of the window.
Hi Bernie
I’m not considering Cantwell as a squad member this season.
Dean Smith might have other ideas of course!
Cheers
Interesting article.
I could be wrong but the Springsteen concert was 1985, about a week before live aid. I was there too. Kinda hoping that Carrow road might be one of his uk stops next year.
Hi Julian
Yes you are quite right – it WAS 85 and Miami Steve guested for the last hour of an epic show – we were lucky to get the tube home, he finished so late!
Cheers