With the new Sporting Director now in the house, there may be lots of outstanding decisions that Webber either forgot to make or couldn’t be bothered to make, but among his list of to-dos is the pressing matters of players’ contracts that expire this summer.
So, in no particular order…
Ben Gibson
Out injured at the moment and his contract expires in May, so he is free to agree a deal with interested clubs both in the UK and overseas. It will be his last big move.
At present, there are no rumours circulating about a new deal and so I suspect his agent will be scouring his little black book for possible destinations. But the question is, will City let him leave on a free come the summer, or offer him a short-term deal hoping to recover a small amount? For me, I would let him leave if he’s not going to accept a large cut in his wages. So thanks and good night.
Dimitris Giannoulis
Another who is out of contract and may wish to play at the top level back in Greece. But will he want another year or two in the Championship and possibly a cut in his wages? Again no rumours of clubs interested in taking him in January but why would there be when he can sign a pre-agreement?
He may still be our best option at left-back so, for me, he should at least be offered a new deal now, and if he says no look to sell in January.
Prezmyslaw Placheta
Has never really proved his worth, for me, but is that because he hasn’t ever been given the backing of the management at the club? His loan to Birmingham started off with some great performances, with John Eustace saying how good he was at learning a new position as a wing-back, but then an injury curtailed his loan and his progress.
Wagner has tried to convert him into a more conventional defender but with limited results, so is he a now winger or a defender? I suppose the jury is still out on him. There are no rumours of other clubs interested in him but perhaps he could still come good under the right coaching?
For me, another contract is a worthwhile gamble. I would assume he’s not one of the highest earners at the club and we could possibly benefit in the long term.
Jacob Sorensen
The club’s only natural defensive midfielder with an injury list as long as an NHS waiting list. In his time here, he’s never had a run in his preferred position but has covered other positions very well.
Again, like Placheta, I think a new deal should be offered as we could benefit in the long term both if he proves to be the long-awaited Alex Tettey replacement.
Sam McCallum
He was a £3m signing from Coventry after starring in Jamie Vardy’s V9 Academy. He looked good at Coventry and did well at QPR on loan and it was said many other clubs were interested in him prior to City paying big money (for City that is). But was he a panic buy by Webber? One of those where we hoped to sell him on for a profit?
If Giannoulis leaves then we will need a left-back and McCallum is the only other obvious option at the moment. He may be worth a new deal in the hope he can kick on and show more of that early promise.
Adam Forshaw
So we release the injury-prone Sam Byram – who signs for Leeds after proving his fitness – and we then sign the Leeds equivalent, in Adam Forshaw, on a one-year deal. He has looked okay in the few minutes he has played but hasn’t done enough for a new deal as yet. Could he still prove an asset?
Jon McCracken
One of several keepers who are out on loan, McCracken is currently on loan to Accrington Stanley, the club of David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd. Realistically, he needs to move on for the sake of his career and I wish him the best of luck. With the list of keepers at City, I can’t see him getting close to the number-one shirt anytime soon.
Dan Barden
Since his illness, his progress has stalled after showing some good promise in a few first-team games. Like McCracken, he realistically needs to move on and find a club that will give him game time to kick-start his career.
Danny Batth
A last-minute signing in September and only thanks to injuries has he been given a chance to show what he can do. Can he oust Shane Duffy or Grant Hanley to get more game time when everybody is fit is the question. The only way he gets offered another deal is if he is given the chance to earn one.
Let us know your thoughts on who should stay and who should go.
***
Finally, a song I hope Martin would approve of from one of his favourite bands…
Personally the only one I’d keep would be Bathh .
Hi Canaryjim
Thanks for the reply
I think Sorensen might be a good bet to stay and only one of his injuries have been while playing.
It seems he’s getting injured either in training or while recovering from a niggle – maybe it’s how the recovery programme for players are working and might need looking at.
I wouldn’t keep anyone with a poor injury record. From that list no one jumps out as irreplaceable.
Hi Ali
Thanks for the comnent.
I just think something isn’t right with the individual recovery for each player.
Sorensen, Placheta and McCallum are all young, so could be long-term options and with no money to spend I can only see freebies and journeymen being signed in the near future, unless we keep a couple with potential.
Sorenson, Batth Giannoulis , along with McCallum. Sorenson is a class player when he can get a decent run with picking up an injury and his his natural position. DM.. For me,a valuable player to have in as he can slot in 2 other positions if injury happens during the game.
Cannot see how two left back can be let go leaving nobody in house. the income from them would be so small to make an impact, I think Burnley at the time saw us coming for Gibson, so many mistakes for a player of his age and experience.
Thought Forshaw would be a good addition, didn’t realise he was injury prone, knew he had a bad one and saw him play when coming back, he looked half decent to me. BUt given Webbers habit of buing injured players it is about right. (Jarvis Byram Hayden,Normann) even Sara was injured when purchased the one that turned out OK.
Placheta
, I am unsure about, never had a proper run at things, the club has rarely been in a position to give that, perhaps this season now is that time.
Two young keepers perhaps allowed to find a club and even help them at least the club can do.
I am hoping for hopefully a better type of player ( at least not injured or prone) brought in and not a load of Arsenal’s future players
Hi Canarylad
Thanks for the comment.
The Arsenal connection will be heavily suggested in the coming weeks and months.
Three players at the top of BK’s Arsenal loan list for January prior to leaving have already been suggested but he also has their list of potential players being released, so maybe they could be given trials for free signings.
I had hopes that Dan Barden, ex-Arsenal would have been given the No 2 slot and Reyes No 3 but Long seems to have cemented the No 2 position and that could change if Gunn is sold to the highest bidder in January – possibly Leeds.
Gibson will go and we’ll be able to pay another 11 players on what we save. Sorensen is quality, we must try to keep him although he might want to go. Batth is definitely worth keeping and perhaps Forshaw.
We will have a new manager soon so it depends his plans for the left., perhaps he would bring in some more defensive full backs. Placheta is our best and probably only left winger in the old sense of the position. Barden was excellent when he stepped in a few years ago, it’s a shame that without his illness, we probably wouldn’t need Long. McCracken has made a great improvement, we need someone as third choice, perhaps it will be Reyes.
Hi Gil
On the keeper side we still have Mair who won promotion with Notts County and is now performing well at Gateshead, so he could be another come the end of the season where a decision needs to be made whether to keep him or sell/release, as he really does need to kick-start his career.
Decisions will have to be made on all the players out on loan. Tomkinson and Hill both have potential as centre-backs, and Kamara looks good at Portsmouth, so let’s hope our loans out start to improve
Thanks for the comment
I’d keep Batth and McCallum.
Is there any way we can release Duffy? To me he is not championship level demonstrated by the number of costly mistakes he has already made. Handley will soon be back to partner Batth and we have several promising youngsters in this position.
New Director of Sport, new broom would be the best solution to our current woeful squad.
Hi JohnF
When the club announced Duffy getting a 3 year deal there were many asking why, was it a panic deal as he was available and the club just wanted experienced bodies to shore up a leaking defence also Hanley was a long term injury.
The problem we have now is cancelling his last two years could cost the club his full salary unless we can find a mug to sign him even on a free let’s hope an MSL club comes calling.
The youth CB’s out on loan seem to be doing OK so the future looks a little brighter on that front or is it Rose tinted glasses, Godfrey on his way out at Everton and Andrew Omobamidele not pulling up trees or getting game time at Forest, both gave us supporters great hope of what could be.
Thanks for the comment
I think many of us were impressed with Duffy at the start of the season. Wagner seems to have played him in every game, plus he’s played in internationals.This is after a long time out,perhaps he has needed the rest,He certainly has been very active, having no cover from full backs or midfield.
The only reason to extend any of these contracts is if we couldn’t afford to purchase anyone better (or at least someone with potential).
None of these are Premier level players and never will be. If we have any hope of promotion and surviving we need players who can grow. I don’t see this lot improving much.
Hi David
A great reply thanks
Yes we do need players that can adapt to the Premiership if we get promoted in the next couple of seasons.
City seem to have a problem with using players in their best positions and have signed players that aren’t suitable for the English game ie Tzolis and Rashica.
Was it an Ego trip to spend such sums on unproven players due to their Data Stats and did the recruitment team put boots on the ground to watch them.
Sorensen was said to have been scouted for a while yet brought in and played in any position except his best one, Placheta was similar so again were both EGO signings by Webber hoping to make a big profit, I would give both a new deal as they have potential whether it’s under Wagner or someone else, losing both for zilch would just be a shame.
Decisions will be made soon I presume hoping that maybe we can sell those not wanted in the January Transfer Window to garner a few sheckles to help shape BK’s plans
The unknown in all of this Alex is the coach, like who will it be?
Now Delia and Cardiff (away) have muddied the waters for Ben Knapper it is still highly unlikely to be David Wagner.
The intervention by Delia to give Wagner a vote of confidence and the shock win on Saturday put Knapper in a right old spot. This is yet again the way we do business. Shocking.
To be fair it seems to me Wagner will be given time to see how things improve after the injuries clear up. I don’t know enough to say about the goings on at Colney as to whether that’s fair or not. But to me, we won on Saturday with back four straight out of The Wacky Races, and still conceded our usual 2 goals.
Unless Wagner can start getting clean sheets he will be gone, he is on the thinnest of ice.
Ben Gibson I think is certain to go, there is no way that we can pay his wages, I also think Sorenson will almost certainly go, sadly, but his injuries will tip the scales against keeping him. Forshaw, by the looks of it the same as Jacob.
I think Dimi will definitely go, he probably wants to, so that will leave a choice for our coach, do you think Sam McCallum is good enough? His recent loans have all gone well except here he doesn’t seem to convince any of our coaches.
Is his situation like the Bali Mumba experience here? didn’t feel “loved” and couldn’t wait to leave to go back to Plymouth.
Placheta is a real dilemma. He has looked really good coming on as sub lately, funnily enough I would keep him if we can afford him.
And Danny Batth, he certainly looked an improvement on what we have on Saturday, so again wages allowing he could be a good addition.
But if there is a youngster ready in any of those positions then we must get back to the Pathway Plan that Stuart Webber had in his early days. That he ditched😂
Hi Tim
The big unknown is what had Webber put in place prior to leaving and if any of his last decisions can be changed.
All or none might now be considering new deals that Webber made and has he approached possibly signings for the January Market.
BK will surely hope that up coming decisions are left to him and as you say Delia and her backing for Wagner puts pressure on him to make things work in the short term.
Thanks for the comment
Here are three Gunners youngsters Norwich could potentially look at…
1
Reuell Walters
Able to play at right-back, left-back and centre-back, Norwich could well gamble on the services of the versatile Walters to help fix the leakiness present at the back currently under Wagner.
Relying on defenders such as Danny Batth recently – the ex Wolverhampton Wanderers man reaching the twilight of his career at 33 – a fresh face at the heart of defence could do the Yellows the world of good and Walters could offer Wagner’s men something different with a quick, mobile figure in the backline.
Cited as an “attack-minded” defender according to the Arsenal official club website, the teen starlet is deserving of his first loan away from the north London club – playing in eight straight games for the U21’s recently, the 18-year-old even captaining the side on occasion.
2
Bradley Ibrahim
Norwich could also do with reinforcements in the centre of the park, mainly in defensive midfield.
The only out-and-out defensive midfielder present in Norfolk at this moment in time is Jacob Lungi Sörensen, but the young Dane finds himself sidelined with an injury at this moment in time.
This is where Ibrahim could come to the rescue if signed on a loan deal this upcoming January, the 19-year-old excelling in this role for the U21s currently.
Rising through the ranks in north London – formerly U18s captain – Ibrahim is a key starter for the Premier League 2 Gunners now with the teenager even scoring versus Brighton on top of assisting a further two strikes in his last outing.
Ibrahim is ready for the step-up to senior football having appeared in first-team squads at Arsenal, with Norwich now a potential destination for the promising midfielder.
3
Amario Cozier-Duberry
The Canaries could well be in the market for another winger this January, with fears mounting that Jonathan Rowe could be leaving the building – Premier League interest intensifying in the standout 20-year-old.
Amario Cozier-Duberry could well be just the talent Norwich are seeking, the teenage star dazzling defences and proving “unplayable” – as per Jack Wilshere – at youth level for some time with trickery and skill.
The 18-year-old isn’t just a showboater with no obvious end product however, netting four goals in his last two U21 games including a brace against Manchester City last time out.
When Webber and Farke arrived everyone assumed that because one had worked at Liverpooll and the other with Klopp we’d be borrowing some of their youngsters. Now the same’s being said of Knapper and Arsenal. OK, if it happens that there’s a lad there that our scouting and analysis teams identify as being a good fit, then it might be easier to put in place than otherwise. But I wouldn’t bet on it happening.
The most disappointing name on that list is surely McCallum. Far from being a “panic buy”, he was following in Maddison’s footsteps as a top prospect from Coventry’s academy. But in truth he clearly has not, to use racing parlance, “trained on”. If one manager doesn’t fancy a player, that’s normally down to the manager. But if 3 in a row don’t, then clearly something isn’t quite right with the player. Just the fact that he’s been relegated in the pecking order below Placheta, who barely knows the position, surely says it all.
Whether it’s application, or inability to learn, who knows? Has he asked to be given some game time in the U21 squad to get back to his best, or just drawn his wages? Or has the injury he had at QPR done for him long-term? Bottom line is that it is always a risk with recruiting younger players – it’s very hard to predict who will be able to make the step up and who will tread water.
Well said. Wonder what happened with Bali Mumba then? If McCallum was not rated by all/any of our managers surely Mumba would know that and have wanted to stay in the house. As it is he wanted out. And larruped us 6-2. Maybe Mumba smelt the coffee.
Hi Keith
At the time we signed McCallum it was rumoured that Liverpool, Man City were all interested and it’s the same with young Kellen Fisher, Bromley have openly said City out bid Premiership clubs to get him.
Is McCallum playing in a defensive role that he’s not comfortable in under Wagner, Smith said he loaned him out to get experience and game time, Farke agreed a to Coventry wish and loaned him back so really didn’t see much of him.
Maddison was a once in a lifetime buy from Coventry and was Webber hoping for lightning to strike twice maybe, both Coventry and QPR have seen the best out of him yet neither Smith or Wagner can get a good preformance out of him so just maybe it’s what they are asking him to do or their style of play something isn’t working that for sure.
Have we a squad unfit for for purpose or a manager time will only tell but we have Gibb, McCallum, Sorensen, Sara, Nunez all signed for how they played in specific roles yet none are being used in those roles, Idah playing out wide isn’t his natural position, square pegs and round holes or just maybe we should go to Woolies and get a bag of mix and match.
We sold Mumba because according to Wagner he wasn’t defensive minded yet under Schumacher at Plymouth he’s scoring a few goal, defending well and using his speed.
Sorry this should be about the named players above but for me it’s down to the manager and Sporting Director to adapt the players to how they want to play and Wagner has no clear plan A, B or Z and Webber wanted more success on the slopes on some mountain than at Carrow Road.
For me, keep Sorensen and maybe McCallum. Both may want out but I still remember Sorensen subbed on for Hanley (injured off) schooling both Christiano Ronaldo and Marcus Rashford playing right side CB. Premier League quality there. Until Max Aarons put his arm round CR for the inevitable penalty which he converted we were on track to draw. McCallum we need as sole remaining LB when we let Giannoulis go, provided someone dins into him where his responsibilities lie as a left BACK, defending. Baath we keep. Best CB since Klose. Duffy and Gibson can’t go soon enough too many mistakes in both of them.
Hi Roger
I agree Sorensen seems like a new Tettey when he first arrived and when ever he has played give everything for the team, injuries and for me a poor recovery plan has hindered his time at the club and most of his injuries have come on the training ground.
I personally don’t think Colney has a good record in getting players fit after a major injury maybe that another to add to BK’s list, just look at Byram at Leeds not missed a game this season.
McCallum being our only LB is scary and his only understudy is injured at Accrington and who’s over seeing g his recovery the medical staff at Colney.
As usual at Norwich, finance rather than football will dictate squad decisions.
Sara, Rowe and Gunn could be p0tential targets for clubs in the lower half of the Premier L:eague, but we have few other options to raise cash, and their departure would deplete our not-very-deep talent pool even more.
Sorensen, with his dismal injury record, is our only real option as a much-needed defensive midfielder. He is a composed footballer but lacks the aggression and ball-winning drive of a Tettey or Skipp.
If Gibson goes, we will be left with three ageing centre-backs (Hanley, Batth and Duffy) and one promising youngster in Warner.
Overall, the squad is not well-balanced, lacks standout performers and has become steadily weaker in Webber’s final few years in charge.
Much will depend also on how the long-playing ownership saga finally plays out.
So Knapper and Wagner face the daunting challenge of simultaneously building a fresh squad, motivating average players to find something extra, injecting a steady stream of talent from the youth set-up, and keeping the books more or less balanced.
Lambert and Farke did the promotion trick, so it’s not impossible,. Let us hope Knapper finds a recipe to repeat their success (after which we would, of course, being Norwich, expect the cycle to restart following immediate relegation).
Hi Alan
A nice rounded comment so thank-you for that.
I agree with it all and can’t see anything changing in the next couple of years except that Iphite will be crowing and taking all the plaudits until a bigger club snatches their young manager
Number one, Gibson must go! Who else chooses to pass back to his keeper so often from the half way line. bet Gunn would be pleased to see him go.
Not what you would expect from the highest paid player on the books.
Incoming…….just no more from Dads Army. Think those signed by Webber in the last window was like someone wanting to take revenge!!
Hi Ken
Thanks for the comment.
One rumour is Wagner wants an ex Reading CB who’s 31 Liam Moore as Duffy’s partner in crime and hasn’t played a game since being released in May.
The more I’m seeing from Wagner the more I see a Roeder style team and that’s not a good look.
Enjoyed the article! Due to a combination of poor injury records, our poor financial situation, unconvincing form, and/or the need for a reset, I wouldn’t resign any of them.
McCallum, Placheta, and despite all the good will, Sorenson, have all been at the club a long time without ever developing into first team regulars. Baath is clearly not fancied for whatever reason and seems he was only thought of as a back-up…perhaps if he impresses in the 2nd half of the season, this could change. Gibson has been error-prone ever since his impressive first half-season. Forshaw – looks decent, but always injured. Young Gks – agree with you; need to move on. Giannoulis has (at times) looked good this season, but has also has periods in the past when he’s impressed, and times when he’s looked very shaky. I imagine he’s on pretty decent wages, so perhaps his wages mean it’s an easier decision to let him go.
In better times, for example under Farke or Lambert, we signed young, hungry players who thought playing for Norwich was a step up and a great opportunity. I believe that’s what we need to get back to.