Norwich City have long claimed not to like doing deals late in any given transfer window, and we’ve consistently heard this mantra from Paul Lambert to David Wagner, with both Alex Neil and Daniel Farke pretty much riding the same train too.
Dean Smith had a couple of windows too, but these I seem to recall involving a mish-mash of injured players and loans of the most unfortunate type, so excuse me for referencing the likes of Isaac Hayden, Marqinhos, and the doyen of the quick and totally unexpected recovery that was Aaron Ramsey and getting off the topic with marked alacrity.
We found ourselves in the strange position last Friday evening that with three hours to go, we had agreed to sell Andrew Omobamidele to Steve Cooper’s Forest and loan in South Korean international Hwang Ui-jo from the same club, whilst moving on to get Sunderland centre-back Danny Batth in on a free to set the butterflies really racing for those who get their kicks from stories originating in takeaway chain car parks.
All three deals were completed on time with the gift of an official time extension in the case of Batth and that was that. We even attracted some national media coverage for a while. 
So what did Posse members, Alex Bain and Bernie Owen make of the window as a whole?
Yesterday Gary’s article on all things Attannasio drew lots of interest from our readers, so we’re going to stick to the straight and narrow of the transfer window in this particular piece.
Our previous Posse article saw things getting a bit fruity, so just to spell it out in tablets of stone:
Alex knows his opinions found a few naysayers last time out, so to save repetition in the comments section I’m putting my size nines in early doors and saying these are his opinions and he is fully entitled to them, just as every single MFW reader is equally entitled to express theirs – in fact, we love your comments, as you well know by now!
My role here covers editing language and style, but stops right there too as I do not edit opinion. MFW editor Gary wouldn’t have it any other way
Tell us what you reckon, Alex…
“Early doors we seemed to have completed most of the transfer business only spending about £3 million on fees.
“So far the ones that arrived early have settled in and the club has had a good start, now it’s getting the two later arrivals up to Wagner’s fitness levels and bedded into his system.
“Andrew Omobamidele departing so late in the window does leave a sour taste but I suppose we all expected it. Whether the fee was £11m or £20m none of it went towards recruitment.
“Max Aarons and Milot Rashica similarly went mid window but again the money looks to have gone towards either the club’s running costs or a big black hole called £60m debt.
“Lastly there were a few recruits for the Academy that all come with potential – let’s hope we see some of the results in years to come.
“Will this be the end of Mr Webber and see a new Sporting Director appear over the horizon?
“If that’s the case then I will say thanks for the memories of two great promotions followed by two terrible relegations and you just might get praise for attracting these new recruits if their progress helps take us to a top-six finish.”
And it’s over to a whimsical Bernie…
“We started with a flurry of free transfers out. Bye guys you know who you are. Teemu Pukki you go with our love, but Kieran Dowell, well if you reckon you’re League One standard go to Rangers to sit on their bench.
“There were the usual releases and free transfers to get the higher-paid off the payroll.
“Early incoming, well done the recruitment guys, there were free transfers by the bucketload. Barnes, Sainz, Duffy and Stacey. But I guess we pay them well. It’s the old free transfer rodeo – no fee but a good wage.
“Then there were reports of moths seen hovering around the Carra as the purse strings were released and a chunk of moolah brought Christian Fassnacht in. Don’t worry, Max Aarons was sold to cover that and then some, and before you could open that box of Turkish Delight, Milot Rashica had joined Galatasaray, er no, make that Besiktas.
“Tim Krul you go with our blessings, you owe us nothing, and good luck.
“So far so good, no need to sell or buy anyone else, and then Sarge knackers his ankle. I thought we could juggle up front and not buy as whoever comes in will have Sarge wanting his place back by November.
“Twas not to be. In comes Hwang, 31 years old and never played a game in the UK, even though he came to us from Forest. Ok, he played one more game than Sarge in the 2022 World Cup finals.
“Then a rumour becoming fact that Andy Omobamidele is off to Forest for £11m to £20m, depending on your source, and we replace him with a 32-year-old tin bath! [Don’t you start Bernie, his name is Danny – Martin]
“Until the final day of the window, we had done well, but yeah but no but…
“I’m not impressed about the incomings on the final day.”
Just as we were breaking out the spaghetti hoops [we don’t eat beans anymore, it’s a long story], Cutty rode up and asked us a question.
“I don‘t know what music Marty will choose to accompany this piece but sticking to the transfer window I suggest The Ride Of The Valkyries from that long-lost third cousin of David’s, Richard Wagner. [No chance mate, it’s Led Zep – Martin].
“The last two in have yet to kick a ball for us so are untainted by Saturday‘s fiasco. But they look on paper to be an excellent fit. Wagner‘s revival of a goal-hungry squad l think is back on the cards. If Webber‘s transfer swan song has secured the right players on next to no money he‘ll be entitled to give us a two-fingered salute when he gallops off to Valhalla.
“Football is a funny old game.”
For me, it’s a good window from Webber
For what it’s worth I would say the window was a bit more impressive than the other guys seem to reckon.
I can see the wisdom in Batth, as for just one season the age factor becomes far less important. We simply had to get a body in there to replace Omobamidele and given that type of notice, not many Sporting Directors would not have pulled a time-served Championship player out of the hat in the way that Stuart Webber did by moving a notch or two down his list of centre-back targets to make sure there was somebody decent available to us at scant notice. Things got pretty close to the edge, time-wise.
*** Maybe we should play this as the walk-out music against Stoke on September 16 as not only does it sum up our thoughts during most transfer windows it is also guaranteed the players are awake from the get-go against Alex Neil’s unpredictable Potters:
For me it was a very good window and to support that view I put together a starting team and subs from new arrivals (U21s in brackets)
GK Long
RB Stacey
LB (Montóia)
CB Duffy Batth
DM Forshaw
CM (Manning)
WR Fassnacht
WL Sainz
AM Barnes
ST Hwang
Subs: (Reye), Fisher, (Adegboyega), (Lima), (Forsyth), (Ogwuru)
Only two starters are U21s and Fisher has already been elevated to the first team at the expense of Mumba (for a profit of £1m). Forsyth has gone out on loan to gain experience but the other U21s all look to have the potential to move to the first team as the older players complete their contracts. Even the wages of those coming in have been covered by those leaving (Pukki alone was on £50k/week). That that has been accomplished with a considerable net profit makes it a very good window indeed IMO.
Hi Rick
Well said mate.
I think the team you have set out there is very much in defiance of those who feel we are lacking in depth.
Our squad – I counted 29 members – numbers enough to provide all the cover we need WHEN everybody’s fit and available.
I heard exactly the same as you about Pukki’s wages and Dowell was on much more than I had ever believed!
Cheers
Thanks for the comment
And Yeah a bear full team and subs in one window.
Wagner had his detractors last season and injuries didn’t help now he has his own squad things can or should only get better.
Hi Martin.
As I always said, opinions are just – that one person’s slightly tainted views or maybe through Happy Clapper Glasses.
Living a long way away I suppose my opinions may be more of the tainted view and the simple reason is taking in views from the media and forming, rightly or wrongly, from what is digested.
Opinions can, of course, change and I have no axe to grind with how we have recruited from the FA Charity shop as all have performed above and beyond – so fair game to the recruitment team.
One rumour that circulated was that Omobamidele knew he was already leaving and that Bristol City was his farewell. Also Forest said they had a number of offers turned down, so maybe all the delay was around getting in a replacement and the loaning of Hwang might just have done the trick, but the clubs state both deals were separate.
Batth looks good short to medium term signing and hopefully will not stall any progress from possible academy players.
Webber will always cause arguments among supporters over his tenure. He came in claiming he needed to get the poor recruitment out of the club and start afresh, which went well, and this window again h ehas done well with no money to spend. It just seems when he has a pocket full of lose change he overpays trying to upgrade the squad.
Injuries apart, the squad looks fit for purpose, we now have to start the next phase to rebuild that starts in October with the pre AGM -can we announce a new Sporting Director? The last info says six people were identified and, like the Attanasio slow takeover, will SW stay in situ until the end of his notice or begiven a golden handshake?
I suppose all will be revealed in time and those that might think they know just might share with us their wisdom?
Hi Alex
Nobody cares any more but Hwang and Batth being independent deals isn’t something I can easily buy into!
No way am I getting drawn out on the Attanasio issue. My financial knowledge isn’t up to it so I’m keeping my gob shut for now and leaving it all up to everyone else to enjoy talking about.
All I can gather is that MA seems to know loads of things to bring to a meeting that offer sound advice but nothing about football or the running of a football club.
Oh, and he’s happy to spend the next 2.5 years learning about the Norwich way of doing things.
Its no wonder I’m concentrating on matters on the grass right now 🙂
Cheers
Morning Mr P and his posse, Comparing this window to some of the others, this must go down as one of the better ones, With the signings of Pukki, Vanric, Steipadude, and Krull still top of the pile.
How can anyone complain about experience we are well-endowed of the stuff from front to back, my only concern is lack of a little more speed.across the back.
If anything Stacy is defensive wise, a bit of an upgrade on Max. I really like the look of Fassnacht, has something about that will be clearer as the season goes on. We still have players coming back from injury Hernandez, Sorenson and the unknown Sainz, spoken of by Turkish commentator ” He’s a good passer, and likes to pass the ball a lot. He’s very strong at reading the play. I think if Norwich use him in the midfield rather than up front, they’ll get more out of him.” Also, “he can be prone to losing possession if there is pressure on him in those situations” Sounds to me he will fit right in.
Hwang has probably the least known about as I believe he has not played a full game on these shores , there is more known about his usage of a social media platform than football. Although his return was reasonable in S Korea,Japan and France . Appears a little like a last minute desperation to me, to help push through Big Andy’s departure. Barnes to me looks the top of the list, which surprises me personally, as I moaned a fair bit, in getting him. Nice to be proved wrong.
When all fit and returned we have a decent looking squad, hopefully good enough for the play-offs. Whether Webber will be here remains to be seen, I would personally hope a new man has hold of the rudder, especially if we do manage the P word.
As I mentioned above Webber is hopefully going to depart soon and a new Sports Director can make a start on forming his own plans with Wagner.
The dreaded situation of Webber staying in place to see out his notice must happen as it will undermind the new man’s authority at the club.
Another problem could be having Webber’s wife still on the board once he’s gone to pastures new.
Hi Lad
No disagreement from me on any of that.
Hwang is certainly an unknown quantity to me.
Bernie and I were talking about Hwang’s social media last night and he sent me a link that showed just how strongly Hwang is fighting the allegations against him.
That raft of signings that provided the launching pad for the first Farke promotion will forever remain in our memories!
Cheers
If the measure of success is whether or not the team and their performances have been improved by the changes in personnel, then this most recent window looks to have been a resounding success.
Hi ScotCan.
I would only resist using. the term *resounding success* because I have my doubts about Hwang.
It’s not all about one player though, I realise that that.
Cheers
Yes, it is perhaps a bit early for resounding, Martin, but the early signs are good and I did deliberately frame a very narrow criterion for success. 😉
Regarding Hwang, from what little I have seen the situation does seem to be quite complex and I am inclined to the view that he is innocent until proven guilty.
I will be curious to see how he performs as a striker.
I thnk that’s the only sensible thing we can do with Hwang – put it aside for now and wait and see how it all comes out in the wash.
I am as much concerned about him on the pitch tbh but perhaps some of that stems from my guilt at knowing nothing about him whatsoever 🙂
It looks a decent window but the manager has to get a tune out of them – if not its a wasted one. Let’s see if Wagner can pick it up next two home games the – jury’s out. He won five out of first seven games last year then lost the plot. Hope he can but not overconfident .
Hi Kev
Yes, I can get where you’re coming from with that one – I know that possibility is a very real one, believe me.
I would say from your post that I’m a fair bit more confident than you on this as Wagner would surely have learned from the last time, plus he and Webber have moved the egos on during the summer.
Cheers
Hope so Martin – I’d like him to succeed but…
Yeah, *but*.
The biggest small word in the world!
I don’t get what keeper Long (who didn’t want to play second fiddle at Millwall) has benefitted by this move, unless Gunny is going in the January window or Webber thinks he can spin him onwards for a few mill?
However, by all accounts he’s an efficient keeper!
The whole window seems to have been a shot in the arm for consolidating the club, followed by later attempts to get promotion. Duffy and Stacey seem generally solid – in Duffy’s case the quicker he and Gibson learn to work together the better. Getting Barnes was a very astute move.
I know we all appreciated Aarons and Andrew O, but really they, plus Pukki and Krul, had been through two relegations as well as two promotions – perhaps a fresh challenge for them and a fresh defence for NCFC was a very good idea?
All in all, I think it has been a very successful transfer window and Webber has done a very good job. It will be interesting to see what Hwang brings to the party – he’s a dark horse but then so was Pukki.
Looking forward to Craven Cottage!
Led Zeppelin Martin, you’re spoiling us!
COYYs !!
Hi Kev
It was certainly time for Max to go for everybody’s sake, especially his own to be brutally honest. Big Andy [it’s great not having to spell your surname out any more, mate!] has probably left us a year early cos this incarnation of Forest is no place to develop 🙂
As for LZ I wish I could have got GT/BT done by the original band but there was nothing out there anywhere with John Bonham in it apparently they hardly played it live after Immigrant Song kind of took its place in the live set
Cheers!
Cheers
Sorry Martin, only just saw your reply, my pc was murdered by some Russian hacker a couple of months ago and I’m still digging my way through the crap!
Yes, Andrew O has joined a club which is probably expecting him to be either on fire from the first ball, or stuck on the bench most of the season – but then he would’ve been under scrutiny wherever he went so the pressure shouldn’t bother him too much.
Was it £29m or £11m?
Jason Bonham did a top-notch replacement job for Bonzo at the 02 Arena all those years ago, Led Zeppelin are still stunning even in retrospect!
Bring on the Potters – COYYs !!
I can’t really argue with the window, holes plugged cracks suitably papered over. Quite what the Attanasios will take a further 2. 5 years to glean from the powers that be is beyond me. Perhaps how to run football club for 3 decades without threatening any real progression ?
Hi Kurt
I’ve decided to leave that topic alone for a while in order to observe transatlantic harmony for the next 30 months.
I hope Mark Attanasio has a huge suitcase to store his plethora of new-found knowledge in. It should be well on the way to *half-full by the end of the season.
Cheers