The joy of hindsight!
As we enter another year with a good point at Palace and no doubt another eventful twelve months for Norwich City, I’ve decided to look back at some of the things I’ve written since the end of last season. Some of what I said makes me cringe (apologies to Gary Docherty and Glenn Roeder in particular) while other comments make me appear to be a modern day soothsayer. Read and weep!
MAY
On Jason Shackell
“Although still prone to some basic errors and dodgy distribution, Shacks has the ability to be a regular for many years and perhaps be a future skipper.”
On Gary Docherty
“I won’t lie. When I heard he had been given a contract extension I was disappointed. For me, the big centre half is simply not up to it. Hopefully just retained as cover and nothing more.”
On Mark Fotheringham
“..it is also true to say he really hasn’t set the world alight. Has been very very poor from set pieces which is a worry. Fingers crossed on this one.”
On Simon Lappin
“I am hoping for much more to come next season.”
On Luke Chadwick
“I’m worried here. Luke came to Norwich with a reputation for being injury prone and so far it has proved the case here too. Are we going to see much more of him?”
On Ryan Jarvis
“Has a year left on his contract but I have a feeling he’s not going to figure too much.”
On Chris Martin
“Has slipped away a bit in form and fitness since the contract wrangle. If he keeps his feet on the ground and Grant gets the best out of him, then he could go far."
JUNE
Season prediction
“Realistically, this Norwich squad is not capable of making the top ten.”
On Grant
“In truth, despite all the criticism or praise that Grant has attained so far, nobody really knows what he is capable of. He could turn out to the best thing that ever happened to Norwich City, or he could be a disaster.”
On the Turners arrival
“Don’t expect them to splash millions and millions…also if they can bring new ideas and impetus to what has become a very stale City board.”
AUGUST
Season prediction
“I would have said with our current squad…about 10th. Not likely to struggle but just a couple of defenders short of the play-offs.”
On Shackell’s appointment as captain
“..brave decision to give the captaincy to Shackell…he’s not a kid anymore and perhaps need a push to make that next step up….hopefully Shackell is mature enough to accept the challenge and thrive alongside it.”
On Julian Brellier
“my big hope”
On Grant’s spat with Safri
“a manager who probably throws teacups at the wall if he’s been given a plate of Digestives at half-time rather than a packet of Hob Nobs”
On Grant’s comments about Jamie Cureton
“I do worry that he takes it way too far sometimes.... I just hope his comments in general don’t come back one day to bite him on the bum.”
On the defence
“Now let’s sign a big centre half and get that party started!”
SEPTEMBER
On Grant after the first cracks begin to show
“Maybe he’s going to be the best thing since sliced bread or maybe he’s an absolute lunatic who will take us unimagined depths.”
On Brellier’s wretched display at Wolves
“We have bought a midfielder who has contributed nothing except a red card and conceding a penalty, and quite frankly would have looked more at home in the Parc de Princes last night playing against the Irish.”
Season Prediction
“I always believed we needed a couple more players just to make the play-offs. It looks evident now that we need far more than that. League One is a serious possibility this season if not next.”
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER
After Grant’s departure
“One year on and we were in just the same mess as when Worthington left. October arrives with Loftus Road again, and suddenly there’s a major vacancy to fill.”
Glenn Roeder’s appointment
“When I heard Glenn Roeder had been appointed Norwich manager this morning, the blood nearly drained out of my face…he wasn’t my first choice, or my second. In fact, he wasn’t even on my choices list….even some of the lesser names would have given me a bit more of a lift than the perennial failure that is GR.”
3 days later…
“I was a bit harsh on Mr Roeder. I'm certainly behind the guy and perhaps with a clearer head than I had on Tuesday, think he can do better job than I first thought.”
After the Coventry win
“I was pretty critical of Roeder’s appointment but…he has impressed me greatly. There is something about Roeder’s manner that betrays everything Peter Grant was about. If Glenn gets us to 4th from bottom on goal difference with the last kick of the season, then he’s done his job.”
Happy New Year Everyone! OTBC! :)