What a turnaround from Norwich City and our captain!
WELL, ANOTHER away win at the Oakwell, Norwich City now unbeaten in last 10 games. It is very hard to believe how Glenn Roeder had wave his magic stick at Carrow Road, after the poor Plymouth 0-3 defeat. Yes Glenn bring in players, and but he also ship out many players too, and most importantly is we can still get 3 points, with our living legend Darren Huckerby on the bench! It is absolutely unbelivable because in last 4 years, we cannot live without Hucks in the first starting eleven.
Two months ago, I say we are definitely going down, and it's still too early to say I am wrong until we get 50 points, but we are now marching on to the safety zone, game after game. Some of the fans may think are we too late to make the play-offs, but for me I have no hope of that. It is asking too much for us to have a long winning run, but we must make sure we will get into the 50 points mark first; then, anyway left is just bonus. I would say next season I will have a bit of hope to make the play-offs.
Comings and goings as usual but a bit more I expected, as five Norwich players leave the club, as goalkeeper Paul Gallacher, Joe Lewis, Chris Brown, Julien Brellier and David Strihavka had already clean up their locker at Colney training center, as the last three players are eventually signed by former manager Peter Grant. Paul Gallacher has a few frustrated years in Norwich, as he play 0 games in the Premiership seasons, and he is drafted into the first team becuase Robert Green leave us to West Ham, and we seems have no choice but to play him.
We have hope to him in the first few games, but for some reasons after Peter Grant arrive as manager, he's lose everything in his ability and suddenlyout of favour; Joe Lewis is even more frustrated although he is the youngest ever player to make the Norwich bench, but he never get a chance to get the first team shirt. It is quite clear Chris Brown will not have a future at Norwich City as his scoring record stun us already, scored just 1 goal in many games for a football club, no matter how unlucky he is, how working hard or even any excuses, for a forward point of view, it is absolutely not acceptable.
I AM a bit surprise about Julien Brellier does not have a future in the club. He is a bit of "Gary Holt type" player when we signed him, but sadly after the sending off against Wolves, he just never come back to what he should do for us; for David Strihavka, well, I think it's a pity about the limited chances he has given by the first team, and by the managers too, but it seems to be a regular problem we have in last few seasons, especially when you look at our young players from the academy.
"Dave Striker" is the leading scorer for the Czech league last season, although we know so little about the standard of their league, but being a top scorer, you don't assume he is too bad. I watch David a few times at Colney in the training match or shooting practise, he show he can finish and have nice techique, just about the on and off the field communication are too little, and how amazed I find that he speak to me the most at the Colney canteen than everyone!
I am quite annoyed about the manager always say, he is the man who look at the players day after day in the training ground, and so he knows how good or how bad they are, but do they really know training is much different than the match situation? I would assume, and well they should know it. Dave Striker never get a good run in the first team to show how good, or how bad he is.
I would never forget about my sharing of playing the PSP, the Winning Eleven 10 game with David at the Colney canteen, with he provides me the correct information of his height and weight, also he want the red boots on, also how nice a people he is. I hope I can reunion with David in the future, if not in Norwich, anywhere in England! Good luck David!
LET'S TALK about our new captain, because he get my lucky number 16 (as everyone know I am a long time admirer of our former number 16 Simon Charlton), Scottish midfielder Mark Fotheringham. To be honest I never see Fozzy play before because during my last trip to Norwich City, he's out injured, but already back to Colney for slight training. I even ask him when he will come back to action, and he nicely reply very soon, that's the last time I have been to Colney of my last trip.
Look back at Fozzy's career, he's never been a captain before, and surely a few people must raise their eyebrows when Peter Grant sign him, also give him the extention of his career before the end of last season; but the former Celtic man do very well not only to get back to the first team now, also impress the new manager. I wouldn't disagree Jason Shackell is a good captain, but for somes reasons, he's lack of confidence and lack of ability which I really cannot believe my eyes.
Fozzy is one of the brilliant performers in our 10 games unbeaten runs, as match report and fans comment say he is always try to make things simple, pass on the ground especially, some of the fans even compare him with "Chippy" Ian Crook, which is very promising. Let's hope our new captain can lead us jump out of the relegation zone permanently, and perhaps has a little FA Cup run.
TALKING ABOUT the FA Cup, we will travel to Gigg Lane on this Tuesday night to play Bury. We nick a draw from them as Dion Dublin say in last Saturday's game, which is very disappointing 1-1 draw for the Yellow & Grenn army's point of view, but give credit to Bury as they are quite confident and should have win the game in the second half. After the narrow penalty shoot-out win against Rochdale in the league cup first round earlier this season, we should expect there must be another titanic battle.
On the other Sunday when I see the Luton Town vs Liverpool game on the tele, I should say the magic of the FA Cup is still there! I do not really understand why Reading's striker Dave Kitson say he does not like the FA Cup, does he forget he is a former Cambridge United player, which his team always struggle in the lower league? The magic of the FA Cup is not about the minnows to win the cup, but to compete against the best players in the country, the money spinning replays and the LIVE TV games income are the big reasons for the small clubs to concern.
Good luck to the Canaries on Tuesday night! On the ball City! Just a messge to the regular readers to this column, as my 7-a-side team "RedKop United" is now back on track and I need to organise friendlies month after month, also my work hours extend to 10 hours per days (which is terrible!), so my column will switch from weekly to monthly in the next few months, but I won't give up that's the main point, also please leave any comments on the message board, as I welcome all either positive or negative comments. It is a joy to watch and reply it. :-)