The news in the last two days that Norwich City have been knocked back in their pursuit of two left sided, Dutch defenders is just so predictable from a fan’s point of view.
Here we are with five days to go (as I write this) in the transfer window and we’re left with nothing but the hope that Alex Neil and the board have some more ‘irons in the fire.’
The reality of these Dutch lads knocking the club back is that they haven’t liked what they’ve seen in Norfolk and by that, it’s probably Colney that is the problem.
If you come to Carrow Road itself, it’s a decent, smart stadium that sells out every week. There are some talented players in the squad and the geographical area is beautiful, so that leads me to conclude that it’s down to something else – probably the training facilities and of course, the current league position.
The majority of a player’s work life will be spent at the training ground, so the facilities have to be good, modern and technically up to date. Colney was built by Robert Chase in the early 90’s, based on the facilities he had seen when City played Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup.
At the time, it was bang up to date.
Now though, 20 odd years later, things are distinctly down at heel when compared to the competition.
Colney is probably the one aspect of Norwich City that has been neglected in the last decade as all available cash has been pumped into the squad – at least that’s what the board would have you believe. I have no reason to believe otherwise, I should add.
Getting back to these two Dutch lads, the fees has been agreed between the clubs and the players had flown over to conduct talks. They wouldn’t have flown if the salaries on offer weren’t to their liking. So, it must be something else and I’m pointing at the training facilities.
I read a few tweets last night from people who didn’t subscribe to my point of view and how did we sign the likes of Fer, RvW and Snodgrass, in that case?
The bottom line is that Fer and RvW were both coming from inferior leagues into the Premier League and were being handsomely rewarded on salaries that are not currently being offered at Norwich City due to relegation and for Snodgrass, it was a big step up from Leeds.
Naismith and Klose would’ve also joined for big money and regular Premier League football, never mind the salary cuts they will have had to endure after relegation – for Ivo Pinto, it was a big step up. If you pay them handsome salaries, they will come – never mind that Norfolk isn’t very fashionable and doesn’t have things to do, like night clubs for young, wealthy men. Do you think China has much for young footballers to do?
Money talks and if you’re being handsomely rewarded, most can put up with quite a lot at work. In terms of our league position this January, as Zeegelaar reportedly suggested, moving to a 10th placed Championship side is not exactly a forward step in his career.
If we were top two and running away with it, like the current top two, then I’m sure we’d be much more attractive as a destination but the reality is that we are currently no more attractive than a Sheffield Wednesday or Derby County and those two can pay more than us in salaries.
That’s what the situation is folks.
Had we mounted a decent promotion push then we wouldn’t have such a problem but the mismanagement from the board down and into the coaching staff means that we should be looking for players to whom Norwich City is a step up.
I admire the ambition but as Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May used to describe themselves, the board is ‘ambitious but rubbish.’
OTBC
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