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"Bummed It In" ACN Pod 166
4 Plays5 minutes ago
It's the end of another Norwich City season, one quite unlike any other. One more chat then, before the summer of a World Cup DOMINATED by Canary talent...
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Transcript
Season Expectations and Early Struggles
00:00:21
Speaker
Welcome to Long Come Norwich podcast. Cast your minds back to the commencement of this campaign. We collectively craved to climb to the championship crown or at least a crack at the playoffs. Captivated by the coming of Liam Manning, we clung to the conviction of his coaching clout. Instead, we witnessed a catastrophic collapse. Manning conducted the curse of Carrow Road, crafting the cruddiest home form since counting began. It was cold, cruel and completely crap. Consequently, the board called time on his clueless conundrum and canned him. Then came the continental cure. Philip Clermont only caught in our clutches because surgery convalescence kept him from being claimed by the club of a colossal consequence.
00:00:53
Speaker
He crossed the channel to clean up our cluttered club from November onwards.
Clermont's Turnaround and Key Transfers
00:00:56
Speaker
We were in the relegation zone when Christmas cards were being courted, so kudos to Clermont, who calmed the chaos and calculatedly ensured we kicked and clawed our way back. Despite all manner of injuries, we kept a constant of clinical finisher up front, and our ultimate closeness to the top six was kind of cool.
00:01:10
Speaker
As for the Canaries transfers, we saw two absolute cold-blooded Cobras clear off, but we kept our core because we collected some instant classics. Pella and Paris have been completely captivating, creating a core that looks capable of a classy conquest in one calendar year's time. From unrelenting cock-ups to ultimate confidence in under six months, in Clermont we trust.
Reflection on an Enjoyable Season
00:01:32
Speaker
Claire, it wasn't to be in the end, but are we not entertained? It has been, aside from promotion seasons, I think it has been the most enjoyable season I've maybe ever witnessed, aside from when we were the very beginning, I started going in the Premier League under a Mike Walker. But this season, I think because we experienced the horrible lows of the first three months, it's been even more enjoyable to witness what's happened since Clement came in and took over.
00:02:03
Speaker
And i'm it it just fills you with excitement for next season. But I'm now also starting to feel a slight bit of dread.
Team Transformation and Coaching Impact
00:02:12
Speaker
seep in that we've kind of built up next season so high already that what if what if it doesn't come off? What if we don't do what we think we're capable of doing next season? But we'll come to that bridge next season.
00:02:26
Speaker
Yes, it's been marvellous. Pun, it' it's been a bit like... no This season's been a bit like a microcosm of this is what it's like to support not a big club, except we've crammed some we've we've crammed almost kind of a five-year cycle into sixs into nine months.
00:02:44
Speaker
I'd started an article for Alonca Norwich that I've never finished called Norwich City, the banter years. And I was trying to trace back to when the start of the banter years were. And then I reviewed my Word document and it was like kind of chronology of um what had happened probably since ground zero, which was BK-1.
00:03:04
Speaker
Was it BK8?
00:03:07
Speaker
I think that was ground zero for Norwich City, the banter years. But and yeah, sorry, when reviewing said chronology, it was ridiculous how many entries i'm featured for this particular calendar season right up to November. And then suddenly we weren't an unserious club
Clermont's Influence and Team Dynamics
00:03:26
Speaker
anymore. um And that is all down to one man. i don't think you can give it credit. I mean, obviously the players, but you know if you're looking for someone to credit, is it is him and almost him alone you know in terms of just turning this oil tanker around. It's it's really weird.
00:03:44
Speaker
It's just just been the weirdest of seasons. And in your intro, you used his name, Liam Manning, and I was like, It feels like 10 years ago. it really does.
00:03:55
Speaker
So much has elapsed. So much has gone. It just feels like it was just some really bad fever dream. but you know i don't I don't wish to be negative about the man because he's clearly going through some very difficult times at the moment.
00:04:07
Speaker
um But it just shows the marked difference in coaching. And you know and like all of these footballing models and projects as you know kind of Glenn Ridders home called them when he was on the pod all of those are absolutely reliant on top quality head coaches and we have one now and ah haven't felt as confident in a head coach for thus forever um i don't I wouldn't go as far as you, Claire, in saying this is the season that I've enjoyed the most since the heady days of Europe. I think that first season under Farka was just so beautifully unexpected. that the The second season, you mean? Not the first. Sorry, second season, yeah. The first promotion. No, i didnt know I did say aside from the promotion season. Oh, okay. Sorry. I thought, okay. oh No, no. i'm not It's not that. she did Yeah, she qualified that it was a non season a season that doesn't end in a bus stop parade. Yeah. yeah then that then that's completely fair because it's I don't ah don't actually think and and this goes for any Norwich season right
00:05:10
Speaker
I don't think I've seen a group of players as well coached. And I think we've been able to judge that because of what came before it. um you know where Whereas actually, you could say in all of the other seasons, you know it was probably that they were going from like ah you know a decent start, a decent base. But he took them from their absolute lowest and coached them into a really capable you know team who were pretty much from the form guide, you know kind of top top two or three ever since he took over.
00:05:39
Speaker
That's ridiculous. That shouldn't happen. you Yeah, I think when you follow the human element of this season through, know, Manning and and seeing how much someone who has is clearly capable is not able to perform when, you know, to your point, like they're going through trauma of ah a mental health point of view or or noise outside of football, which quite rightly has to take precedence and, and you know, try and move on before you're ready to. and From a human point of view of...
00:06:12
Speaker
Clement putting his surgery and his convalescence and first before jumping back into into coaching because he could have coached on crutches. I'm sure there's plenty of Europa League teams who would have been happy for him to walk about in a boot or whatever or drive around in a little golf buggy during a pre-season tour. um but But so from that point of view, from the point of view of the individual players, like you say, the the people who we thought we'd signed a few absolute duds and who we were...
Emotional Journey and Fan Experience
00:06:40
Speaker
and I mean, you you never write anyone off because you're so level-headed, but some of us who aren't so ah patient thought that we'd had an atrocious time. I mean, Napa, you've seen a man's career be saved by a very, however much involved he was or not, a very shrewd appointment by a football club has meant that Napa quite possibly keeps his job. We'll come to that shortly. and When you would have thought,
00:07:04
Speaker
I mean, at the end of October, start of November, the idea that he, um, isn't the first thing that we're opening this podcast with, IE, you know, i would, I would have bet my bottom dollar that, um, if I was told he was still in post when we were doing an end of season pod, I would suggest that we'd be kicking off with how many days or minutes do you think it will be until, until the corner flag. Right. So the idea that that is now hardly a news story, it just shows that. and From a human point of view of the fans, the fact that we went from, you don't know what you're doing, and you're not fit to wear the shirt, ah we want our club Norwich back,
00:07:41
Speaker
Um, bored out, napper out protests. do you remember the, uh, the, the lady who looked a bit like, um, uh, uh, Mrs. Weber is putting fingers up out of the window. that was, that was this season. That was this season. Like these are all things that feel like they were, that's a different team, let alone a different season that, that, that that's the same football club. There was, um, riot police protecting the boardroom from in in the same season as we've just had, ah Clement and, and his, um, rent a grandkid family that he sort of clustered around him on the last home game. Um, it was, it was bonkers really. Yeah. That those that those two two states at a football club can exist through the momentum that's been created by one man. I think coaching is right. that the The one thing that I would pinpoint that is um that was noticeable on the last home game, I didn't watch the whole game ah attentively at all, dip dipped in and out, yeah obviously nothing for us to play for and I was i was away with the family.
00:08:55
Speaker
and So the last game of the season that I watched every second of was, was you know, our home our last home game. And and what was what was just so noticeable was, ah despite the fact that there were periods of the game where it was going our way and it wasn't going our way, etc., the unrelenting press was,
00:09:16
Speaker
and the coordinated nature of the press and the fact that the press does not change no matter who comes on, whether it's someone we think is going to be a starting 11 player for next season or it's someone who is making up the numbers because other people aren't fit. It doesn't matter if it's Liam Gibbs playing out position. doesn't matter if it's Chris Goran who we're not sure is going to, you know, should be leading the line. That's right. that you know Whoever it is that comes on, Claire, they they know that's what it takes to be a front line or ah just a midfield player. And There were several things like that, wasn't there? That that you just think this this is markedly different. And you can see it. i'm not you I'm certainly not informed from a coaching point of view. and If Muggins here can notice it
00:09:56
Speaker
Well, I mean, when he first came in on his first day, he said, i this is what I demand, changed it to demand from the players. And he clearly does. like They all know exactly what they need to do and they all absolutely need to deliver it. Like he said on Saturday, if anyone turns up and thinks...
00:10:18
Speaker
we're on the beach, we've got nothing to play for and doesn't put a shift in, then they're not going to be playing next season. And clearly they they took that on board and listened. I mean, I didn't really see much of the game on Saturday either. I was out. of out But from what I've seen and heard, it was a pretty great performance that you know we maybe didn't deserve to lose. Certainly in the first half, we were outstanding by all accounts. So, And that was literally with nothing to pay for, but, you know, pride. So if he can still get the player to deliver that kind of level of performance in an absolutely meaningless game, it just shows how much he must be thought of in the
Player Contributions and Future Prospects
00:10:59
Speaker
dressing room. They really like, it's such an overused phrase, but they really do look like they would run through brick walls for him. um
00:11:07
Speaker
and you can see why he's just got an aura about him, hasn't he? It's just like, Was it Magoma who said in the week and he's like a father figure? Yeah, yeah. And you think, well, he's only just he's only just got here. And also he's been at Brentford, so he's been in and around an environment where they've had a coach that they really looked up to. I never rated him. and But he he was really looked up to there and and he he oversaw, he was at the club as it went up through the leagues and and all the rest of it. So you you would imagine, as in and other players who have gone up through the leagues under him. So you would think that, yeah, that guy would have had some aura.
00:11:42
Speaker
and But that's interesting that so quickly he's dropped the F-bomb on Clement. Punt, I want to get into the squad because obviously we talked about players and and humans. gi me Give me two players who are your, if you're Clement, are your two absolute,
00:12:00
Speaker
um ah I walk out of the door if these two players are sold. Like they are my first two names on the team sheet next season at the start of August and I'm building a team around them.
00:12:13
Speaker
I mean, you're not going to be surprised by my first pick, and that is my beautiful blonde boy, Pella. Me? Yeah. Yeah. No, you've gone too gray for me now, mate. You're not blonde enough for me now. Sorry for that. I haven't been blonde since I was about nine, but yeah, it was a stretch. I admit it was a stretch.
00:12:30
Speaker
ah um Pella, I thought he was great on Saturday, really good. And you you talk about the press and the intensity. I think, yeah know, I wouldn't, I think Norwich are really good in transitional moments. And I think a lot of that comes from Pella Mattson because he's just got this relentless energy about him, which sets the tone.
00:12:48
Speaker
um And I think he's key to to whatever Clement is going to want to do next season. Yeah. And then I think Jose Cordoba, because as much as he wasn't in my pick for... Well, because he's he wasn't... it He's not a pick for like player of the season for me, although if the season had maybe been three or four months longer, then then i think he would have been a... ah Well, he would have missed loads time because the World Cup. Well, yeah, that wouldn't have been fair.
00:13:14
Speaker
Yeah. But I think he's so, right now, he's so instrumental in the way that we play. um he is There is a noticeable difference when he's not in the team.
00:13:25
Speaker
And I think... You're probably talking about Cordoba, Mattson, Kenny and Kellan. I think if you took those any one of those four out, you'd notice. Any of the other players, I think, are probably a bit more interchangeable.
00:13:41
Speaker
Yeah, we saw that. right and But don't cheat. you're starting to add too many players. um so i've already taken one You've already taken one of Claire's, right? Claire, you can have... Pella's safe. Cordoba is safe. pe is safe ah cordubu is safe who Who are your ah your Mrs. Clement and what are your two that you're adding to that that you are basically saying fit as long as fitness is okay, they start on that first Saturday away at Charlton?
00:14:13
Speaker
Can I just say, before you did you do that, and you know audio listeners, you know which is the only kind of listeners that we have for this podcast, would not have seen the twinkle in Claire's eye when you said you are Mrs. Clement.
00:14:24
Speaker
That's not true. I didn't know that. They are lying. That is not true. um I mean, I wouldn't mind. um um John literally took all of them. How am I supposed – there's no one left that would be, like, worthy of, like, that's it, I'm leaving if they sold them. you love them all. Go on. Pick them.
00:14:50
Speaker
I mean, you'd have to go with one of the strikers, Jove or mo but we're probably buying another striker anyway that's supposedly going to be more expensive and therefore possibly even better.
00:15:01
Speaker
We've linked with three this week. Well, yeah, exactly. I'm not sure they'd blow me away. Yeah, but to be fair, when we signed Mo and Jove, we were hardly cartwheeling in our gardens. That is very true. Yeah.
00:15:19
Speaker
um don't think I don't think I would have said Mattson and Cordoba. I'm a little bit worried about... And I think Kellen might be the one that maybe does go. Maybe we get an offer from him for him. i Maybe Cordoba after the World Cup, potentially, if he's in the shop window a bit there. But I would i would would be upset if either of them went.
00:15:43
Speaker
But i don't think i don't think and I don't think anyone's not replaceable, so... Well, I think you can make... Apart from Pella Matson, I think he would be for You can make a business decision on Kellen because of his age and because ah because there's going to have to be a lot... It feels to me like fullback is going to be an area maybe of the biggest shake-up. So we know Jeffrey's going in and we know, and you know, there's a chance that, you know, Kellen's been linked with Everton a lot. That hasn't gone away, has it? No. And and and also, you know, look he's, a he's
00:16:14
Speaker
he's and he I think he's got so many levels that he can go up through from a ceiling point of view. I mean, the way he, um in that last home game this season, the my favorite moment of that game was, I can't remember. might've been Kenny,
00:16:33
Speaker
and there was a diagonal ball across field and he took it out of the air onto his chest in stride and it just sort of rolled down him and and as if as if he was just ah breathing in and out and he was just inri and and completely took him past the the defender.
00:16:51
Speaker
That is a skill level at that age when he can also mix it with you know Millwall and Borough and and and s Stoke and people who want to kick him up in the air and he'll give it to...
00:17:03
Speaker
you you think you you'd be rubbing your hands as a coach of a Premier League team thinking I can, you know, I could really do some damage with him. So given just how much his stock has risen and how much because of his nationality and age and profile, feels to me like we probably could get quite a lot of cash for him and we could sell him and sort fix our fullbacks. It feels to me like we're probably going to get at least three fullbacks this summer.
00:17:30
Speaker
and What's your price what's your prize for Kellan then? Because I don't think right backs go for loads of money anymore. 12 with add-ons. 12? Is that all? I'm not having that. I'm not selling him at 12. I don't think we'd get more than that him.
00:17:51
Speaker
I also think, I think for Kellen, his next move is so important. Yeah, but with like massive sell-on, 35% sell-on
Squad Rebuilding and Transfer Strategies
00:18:00
Speaker
or something. Still got to be more than 20%. You're playing football manager too much here, mate. I've never owned football manager. Oh, that's great. Maybe you should.
00:18:11
Speaker
Yeah. i yeah I'm just trying to realistic. 20 yeah he's not many I don't know if you get them for him. Great. My point is, yeah and new deal you're going to get if we get double digits, that if we get double digit millions yeah up towards the 20 mark, yeah a deal worth 20 million or eventually up to 20 million over three years or whatever,
00:18:33
Speaker
um My point is you're you're able to get two very, very good, very good proven championship fullbacks for that. and And then you take one sort of flyer and then you keep the best one or two that you've still got in the squad and you move yet and try and move the others on. and that You know, Chris Eni, when fully fit, is excellent.
00:18:52
Speaker
but he, but the, you but the when fully fit part, I mean, come on, didn't have an answer for keeping Chris any fit. So it'd be very, very interesting to see. i mean, I hope they've they've been there. Their pre-sit, their off season's nearly finished. They're nearly due to be back in again. So I hope they enjoyed their break. Um, I hope none of them flew too far away for holiday because they'll spend most of the time off on the plane. Um,
00:19:15
Speaker
it'd be interesting to see after a Clement, you know, off season, just, you know, can we try and fix this fitness hoodoo? Because and the amount, to your point on, you know, his coaching,
00:19:27
Speaker
the amount of problem solving that he was having to do through injury. um Think how much bandwidth, think how much team shape. I mean, having to do things like spending time with Liam Gibbs on trying to get him to play right back this week or left back this week or right midfield this week, things like having to to work with Chris Gorin, who isn't used to playing in that kind of role. This, this is actually what I want for you. You know,
00:19:52
Speaker
If we were able to have a relatively settled starting 11 with just the sort of one in and out based on rotation or fitness or whatever or form rather than injuries, all of that bandwidth could go on more shape, more attacking, more... creative, maybe being better at set pieces. So um I think that's a real interesting variable going into next season, whether or not he, with his new team or impetus or what have you, we see a change there. and I want to now move to the slightly less, that the constructive criticism portion of the the transfer.
00:20:30
Speaker
Claire, coming to you first, who is the one player... that you say, I'm walking, unless he you find a route for him not to be in this football club anymore?
00:20:42
Speaker
Well, I mean, we've already shown the door to probably the likely candidates for that, haven't we? I'm not sure in the current team that have been playing that there's anyone i would really want to show the door to.
00:20:58
Speaker
even Even the ones we thought we wanted to show the door to turned out to be quite marvellous players. So I think under Clermont, they're almost all capable of of being decent.
00:21:12
Speaker
um The only one I would say...
00:21:18
Speaker
has been probably disappointing in terms of what we were expecting. And I love him. And um I don't really want to say it is Fiskarden. Scrappy do. Yeah. And I love him.
00:21:32
Speaker
And he he puts in so much effort, but he's just not quite what we thought we had signed, I don't think. Whether that's to do with the fact that he doesn't really suit how Clermont wants to play. We've been through this before, but...
00:21:46
Speaker
i wouldn't I wouldn't want to like shove him out the door and say, someone, please take him. i don't think I don't think I feel like that about any of the players that we've still got, the ones that haven't already left or will be leaving. I've got three. duff Duffy obviously would have been the one, but he's going anywhere.
00:22:03
Speaker
I liked his appreciation post. Very selective editing. been good for him for still saying thank you. I mean, he could, honestly, i would I would not have disrespected him at all for him to have just said, thank you for all the money, lads. Yeah. Yeah. but I've really enjoyed the money. Yeah. i' I'm glad that he's going. I think, you know, he was, yeah.
00:22:26
Speaker
Well, yeah, I don't want to go into it, but yeah, I'm glad he's going. Okay. So, Punt, you've got three straight away. Yeah. And this is off the top of my head.
00:22:37
Speaker
um Fawson. don't think he's it I just don't think he's ever going to be what phil Big Phil wants him to be. just don' think he's it is i don't think he's anywhere near strong enough and I don't necessarily think he's got the presence in his mind to be a Norwich City footballer in this squad. um I'd also ditch Juracek. Oh, yeah. yeah yeah i would i would jess and forgotten about him I would jetson Grimshaw as well and I'd be looking for a better backup goalkeeper because i just any time I've seen him, he worries me. and like Vlad worries us, right bob me and Tom anyway.
00:23:17
Speaker
But ah I don't know about Grimmy. I'm not having him. So, um yeah, there you go. That's my three. i I don't think Forsen gets anywhere near a starting XI if we don't have the injury problems that we have.
00:23:33
Speaker
He's great for a last-minute winner, though. Well, he wasn't in the last home game of the season. He had a golden opportunity, which he didn't even get on target. I fair enough. He wasn't a tap-in.
00:23:44
Speaker
But you should be getting that on target. Now, i don't think he i don't think he is um I don't think he's got the physical attributes and I don't think he's got the all-round game. I can see ah how a data profile could could identify his ceiling being strong.
00:24:01
Speaker
But again, he's another one who hasn't managed to keep fit. so no i yeah because But this is the thing, right? Even though and it's an it's a it's a it's a perfectly laudable sentiment that under Clement, they can all be good.
00:24:15
Speaker
Under Clement, they've all got better. They've all played a part. ah However, we are going to need to get rid of some that we don't actually mind because we cannot have a squad of 42 players. So Clement has said, I need better players to finish top two. Atanasio has come out and publicly said, we're going for the top two, which means we're going to invest in the squad. We know we've got Sergeant money. We know that there isn't a recognized number nine, anything like the stature of Sergeant. So we know we're one very, very recognized international striker down. which if you're going to be in the top two of the championship, you should have a proven international. I know Mo scored, you know, has played a bit for Australia, but you know, that, that is a, there is a big step down, even though Joe has been brilliant and I think he's got a great seeding and I think Torre is a raw talent.
00:25:02
Speaker
Again, think Torre has got quite a lot to prove from a technical point of view until he's going to be um a a first choice striker. If you had everyone fully fit, I don't think Torre keeps Jovan out of the squad of Jovan's fit. not out the squad, out of the starting 11. If both those two players are fully fit, I think you are starting, Jove, unless Jove's on a really bad run of form. Because we we mustn't forget just, i mean, what was it, end of December into January, Jove looked incredible. I mean, because you can't forget how fast he is. You know, he is also rapid to turn. He also offers a slightly different style of physical game. He was unplayable in some games. He's super, he is superb. And he's got, a he's got a nasty streak, which Torre might have, and we haven't really seen so much, but McCartan is a proper bastard to play against
Goalkeeping Evaluations and Risks
00:25:51
Speaker
as well. Like he's not, not frightened of mixing it up. And I love that in two or three of the replays of his goals, his shirt is sort of almost off his back because he is having that tussle with the, they I think it was Stoke was one of them where he's, he's literally sort of mid fight with, with, with a defender as he is slotting the ball home.
00:26:06
Speaker
I think it's a Stoke way game. um So i I don't want to get rid of Torrey. He's not on my list. but My list is is probably also Grimshaw, if that's the only way to get Vlad onto the bench. If not, then I would say we we find... i i think that Vlad and Kvisko and Going are my two predictions for slightly surprise transfers because I think they've got a market and I think we could recoup...
00:26:33
Speaker
either in a season-long loan to not have any wages to worry about or actually be able to sell them on. I think we need to upgrade on Vlad. I would rather... Vlad has made... In the last two games the season, Vlad made two or three outstanding saves.
00:26:48
Speaker
But for me, there is far too many mistakes... ah that we got away with last season. And Clement will have watched that and he is not going to want to have carried that much risk, I don't think, going into the new season. Now, again, he's got pre-season to work on that with Vlad.
00:27:04
Speaker
But for all of Vlad's heroic sometimes... i I just, i I would rather have someone who can never get to 9.5 out of 10, which Vlad can do twice a month for five minutes in a game when we need him. I'd rather have an eight out of 10 every week ah who who who never pulls off the absolute worldie, but also will not lose his head and just roll the ball to the opposition because he thinks he's better than he is on the four.
00:27:28
Speaker
ah that that that's might I just do not want a character as a goalie like that. That's not what want for my goalie. However, if he is in goal in August and he is what Clement believes is number one, he will have my full back in. And he's ever so likable as a character.
00:27:42
Speaker
Yeah. that's i'd i'd almost I'd rather that be the character of my left winger, not my goalkeeper. I don't know, I kind of like it in a goalkeeper. But also I think from where he was at the start of the season to the end, he's improved quite significantly, I think. Enough that I think he should be allowed to have another season with us. I don't yeah i think all goalkeepers are capable of calamity. i mean, he has definitely got that in him. Definitely. There's calamity, but there's there's the completely unforced overplaying calamity. There's the avoidable thing. think that's being coached out of him now, gradually. He definitely does it less often than he was doing.
00:28:25
Speaker
But maybe over the summer, they'll work on that even more. I don't think he's going anywhere, but I understand what you're saying. But you see, my point with those two is that that we need to rebuild this squad and we can't all be net new outlay, not just because of but but because of just the pure, the squad size currently is enormous.
Transfer Window Speculations and Awards
00:28:43
Speaker
Yeah. and Because we've had to keep replacing players who have fallen over. So and there's there's the people at the end of the contract, which is not that big a list. We've certainly had longer lists of people out of contract at the end of seasons. and And so we then need to, we probably need to move on another level
00:28:59
Speaker
four five realistically, because yeah I can't imagine they're bringing, I can't imagine they're not going to bring in at least four seniors to compete for starting, if not five. yeah And then they're probably going to bring in another two or three under 21s who are sort of on the bubble, like Errol Mundell, sort of Kellan Fisher, like, well, we've bought them. They they might go in the under 23s, but actually, oh, crumbs, they're already brilliant. Let's put them straight in the squad because we've got Flimac Clement who couldn't get them to that level really quickly.
00:29:27
Speaker
So that that's going to be a really exciting thing, I think, over this summer to see, you know, who who the new charges are that that we fall in love with. and OK, so we the end of season player of the season awards ah went pretty much as we predicted, which is reassuring. and But we didn't we always... We we all predicted Pelham Atson and then Kenny won it.
00:29:50
Speaker
No, no, but the top three was our top three. Yeah, I voted for it, but said Kenny would win it. Our top three. we we we They were the three. And and we also said shout from from a shout-out from a young point of view, Oscar, as well. so we we We did. Fair, fair. Very unlike us. You're something right. yeah We can get the easy ones right. and But I think we should do some rewards that are ah a bit more interesting than just who did good running around. So with that in mind, you've given us a bit of hand on the old socials. Claire, I've seen your handwritten list because you've sent us a picture of it. So take us through some notable end of season awards.
00:30:30
Speaker
Well, my favourite one is from Matthew McGregor is who's the best fist pumper at the end of the games. I personally think it's Jose Cordoba. i think Yes, yes, yes. Very like fluid with his fists. And yeah his timing is perfect.
00:30:51
Speaker
Very good rhythm. He's experienced with that, I reckon. yeah yeah So he'd be my vote. you goingnna Are you going to suggest yours or am I just carrying on?
00:31:03
Speaker
Kellan's wasn't very good and when there was a game relatively early in the fist bumps that wasn't... He's got a great towards towards the end of the season. i think that would be very harsh on Kellan.
00:31:15
Speaker
there was an early There was an early iteration of... Because because it obviously wasn't... guarantee that that was how and it wasn't always three now they seem to try other than the last game the season they seem to make it be three so it's but it's sort of but had it it's had its own um rules like all of these things be established in the early days none of some of them were doing kind of a almost like a dice shaky thing they weren't like some of them we there was even some open hands this is what are we doing we're not air or high five it was terrible that Yeah, bless him. Well, yeah I don't think that... I don't rate Oscars either. I think Oscars are very weak.
00:31:51
Speaker
I think he would improve dramatically. Oh, but he's a lovely boy, though. Torres are weak as well. Torres are a bit kind of floaty in the air. Yeah. You know, like, nah, nah. Yeah. All right, next one.
00:32:03
Speaker
Okay. um The next one was from Colin Anderson. was What was the worst goal we scored? um He suggests Chris Garden versus Sheffield Wednesday, which was a bit of a scrappy... Everyone fell over. Everyone in in shot is on the floor at some point. yeah like the the one the one that bounced off Torre for his hat trick, that wasn't a masterpiece.
00:32:27
Speaker
There was one that kind of, I think it was a McCarma goal where he just kind of almost hit his left ankle when he was trying to put it in with his right foot. I can't remember who that was against, but it was. Yeah, that was when he scored three scored twice in one game.
00:32:39
Speaker
wait did Is that the that was that when he was offside? When it came off his hand. Oh, no, I think it's earlier than that. It's even earlier than in the season, I think. There's one that he just kind of bundles in and he doesn't know a lot a lot about it.
00:32:52
Speaker
I also, there was the first game of the season that that ah Josh Sargent bummed it in. do you remember that one? Oh yeah, but that was, I loved that. Like closing down a key. The fact that he asked it into the goal is quite, think about how many. The funniest goal, maybe that's the funniest goal.
00:33:10
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. but i Think about the 10,000 times you've seen, 10,000 times you've seen a striker try and do that. And we find actually seen someone bum it in. All right, we'll go with, we'll go with the funniest goal for that one then. um So the next one, Sam Pitcher said, who's the best player made of Play-Doh, i.e. weak and flimsy, I guess.
00:33:34
Speaker
Ben Krasenny. Ben Krasenny is just, yeah. But he's always injured, isn't he? played a bit. He has played a bit, but he's always, you know he's always he either looks he either looks like he's playing like he's injured or he is injured. Surely Eurosek has got his body. Oh, yeah. I mean, yeah this is a strong category for a lot of the squad.
00:33:55
Speaker
None of Diallo's limbs are round enough to be made of Play-Doh. Maybe that's the problem. He's not made of Play-Doh. He needs to be made of Play-Doh. Fortin's legs are quite bandy. Maybe he could be made of Play-Doh. Almost like falls in that way. Not like Drury's. They're not as bandy as Drury's. No, but once you've had Drew, he's bound your legs your football club. If want medical term, valgus deformity, if you want the medical term. Always rely on... I was going to say, this is only the second time this season we're learning a new... And the last time, the last one you told was really rude.
00:34:30
Speaker
Jovon's avulsion or whatever was. Avulsion? That's rude. Jovon's Volvo it wasn't it? is rude. Yes. No, it because it wasn't that. Right. Swiftly moving on. Next one was for oh and from a certain A-Lorn. Who's got the bounciest runs?
00:34:47
Speaker
o So I can tell you who's got the worst run. yeah The worst run is Jack Stacey. He runs like he needs a poo all the time. like so shocked god ah like um is jo I feel like Jovan's got quite a bouncy run, hasn't heads around on his toes I think it's Scrappy Doo. I think Chris Warren's really bouncy.
00:35:11
Speaker
yeah he he runs like ah He runs like someone about to see the Fosbury flop because that's effectively all all of his football actions involve him getting up to the height he should be. I think my favourite person to watch running, who and sadly we haven't watched that much this season. Philippe Clement? No, not with two new hips, maybe he can. But um is Mojovo. I think he's really beautiful to watch. running.
00:35:36
Speaker
ah We haven't seen it enough. so Yeah, go I forgot he existed. and Wow, we've got him to come back. yeah That's another reason Kellan might be sold. and We've got... Kellan's a right back.
00:35:49
Speaker
Mohova's a left back. It's going to be fine. having to sell a right back If you've seen this season, our fullbacks play all over the place. and ah Because they have to.
00:36:01
Speaker
Not a bounciest run, but a floatiest run. Mahoma. Magoma. Oh, yeah. He's a glider. He's a glider. He's a glider. He's a glider. He's a glider.
00:36:12
Speaker
Yeah, he is. he's what What a player. I'm already looking forward to a fully fit, full pre-season ah Paris Magoma. can't wait to watch him. He's just got to learn when to release the ball.
00:36:23
Speaker
but if I want him in the 10. I want him in the 10. Yeah. yeah Yeah, that's fair. But what about Slomani? he's He's a really good person to come on. He's a really good person to come on ask him ma homeme's scott after got... Why do people get his name wrong? one goingma gets After he's got his hat-trick. We've got a lot of players that got very similar names. That's the problem. Mahovo. Yeah, you were just talking about Mahovo. I'm also thick, so... Yeah.
00:36:48
Speaker
I've got brain impediment. The last one, which I can't really answer because i I don't eat these, but what's the best away hot dog that you've eaten?
00:36:59
Speaker
I mean... I haven't eaten a away hot dog for some time. and My son has eaten some. Blackburn, yeah? Well, um i'll take I'll take your word for it. and there I saw one consumed at Brum.
00:37:14
Speaker
ah We had one at Bristol City last year. We had one at Cov this year. So you have had No, I haven't had them. I we as a collective. I paid for them. Yeah. ah yeah But i mean, as as I so said, when the question first came in, 11 year old boy is is, you know, if it's fast food, it's it' there's not really any rating beyond, yeah, this is nice. That's about it. They're all good is the answer. yeah I'm being fed. So the world is okay. Okay. Right. Yeah. That's that's it. That's the lot.
00:37:47
Speaker
Wonderful. Well, I'd want to wrap up with some, ah just like a moment of what, you can't say what we remember this season for, because as we covered earlier on, it's been so batshit with, you know, starting with calamity and catastrophe and then, then Clement coming in and, and i I think it's the, well, I'll go last.
00:38:13
Speaker
Punt, give us ah give us a moment that you either really will remember this season by or and as now the season has finally finished, you're sort of reflecting on.
00:38:24
Speaker
There was a goal. i can't even remember who it was against. Maybe it was Millwall. um I'm fairly sure this was them. Maybe ah they all kind of amalgamate into one for me. But there was there was three players on the pitch. It was Jack Stacey into Oscar.
00:38:38
Speaker
Oscar with like a kind of slaloming run. And then I'm pretty sure he gives it to Mo for a tap-in. Might have been Millwall away. Might not. I can't quite remember. Yeah, that track's timescale-wise, yeah. and i mean the cell And I thought about it at the time. Easter Monday.
00:38:56
Speaker
Actually, in terms of Clement as a coach, none of those players really would probably be starters in a Clement team. Jack Stacey at Ryback, no. Kellen's in ahead of him.
00:39:08
Speaker
Toure, McCalm is in ahead of him. Oscar, Maybe, you know, you can maybe make an argument that Oscar would be a starter, but there's there's lots of talented players in those areas. But it just spoke to me about how good a coach we've got, that we can score a goal that beautiful with second string players. And I think for me, that's where it was like, oh, actually, we're really good and it doesn't matter who's on the pitch because, you know, we have we have a structure and ah ah you know around our team that has been exceptional for a good three or four months.
00:39:41
Speaker
that's the I think it's a really good way of remembering that moment or rather the context of that moment. What about you, CBT? I think the moment I thought, holy shit, we're onto something here, was the away game at West Brom when we won 5-0.
Season Highlights and International Successes
00:40:01
Speaker
five nil Was it five now? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll just watch that in complete kind of stunned awe of what what was happening. Like how how have we gone from being so very terrible to this within the space of effectively at that point? I think it was...
00:40:20
Speaker
six weeks or so yeah maybe eight weeks and yeah I just thought bloody hell we've got an amazing manager we have got decent players some players that have just come on and completely surprised us out of nowhere yeah that was it I think and I just thought we're gonna be okay Because at that point, West Brom was still in and around us as well. So we were basically playing our rivals at that point. so of them did. were and shoulders above them.
00:40:52
Speaker
If you look down at you know who finished in the three or four places above the relegation zone, and you know Saints obviously have had an amazing push up there and they they struggled early on. West Brom recovered a bit. Yeah.
00:41:06
Speaker
you know, the Charlton's and the Portsmouth's and the Blackburn's, you know, they had a nerve wracking. The thing that we were worried about, I remember we were talking about in in February time when we you know we were saying that it it might take until April for us to to genuinely be safe here. And then we proceeded to be top of the form league for three months. So um that was the end of that. But yeah, i think that's ah I think that was, I remember how much laughter there was.
00:41:31
Speaker
ah in the in the replays of the goals because didn't Chris Zenni score brought a worldie as well? hes cup Did he score a couple in that game, Chris Zenni? He definitely scored one worldie, yeah. yeah because i think one end and He absolutely blasted one in. I think he scored two in three games or something. Oh yeah, maybe that was it. He scored one at home as well. from the corner They were both from the corner of the area. And yeah, no that was that was ah that was a special. I watch watch i mean, im sadly it wasn't there. as midweek game, wasn't it? i was watching that on the telly.
00:41:57
Speaker
Oh, yeah, I was on the telly, but then you get even more joy because you get to watch all the replays and all the celebrations over And it and all laughing in the replays. all laughters, exactly. And then I think after that, quite quickly after that, we played Oxford away, didn't we? And that was also quite joyful.
00:42:12
Speaker
um And then I think at that point, it's like these are the teams that are around us. We are quite clearly so much better than any of these teams and we are in a false position. We are going to be fine. And it turned out we were 20 points better than Oxford by the end of the season, which is mental.
00:42:32
Speaker
Yeah, that is madness. Yeah. Loads of joy, loads of mentalness. um I think they they' they're good ah good barometers to measure the season. and My ah moment of this season as a Norwich City fan, or particularly as me as Norwich City fan, was Kenny's goal for Scotland.
00:42:53
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Not even an orange moment. Brilliant. So i'm I'm allowing myself to give that because I think he has been just Captain Fantastic as, know, I love him. He's...
00:43:08
Speaker
top three all time. I just, I just love him. He played, he plays my favorite position for a footballer to play. He's the type of footballer that I like. And he's, a you know, 300 plus games came up this season. So I wanted my moment to concern him, but actually with a goal I celebrated the most, probably at home this season was probably his free kick.
00:43:27
Speaker
and in terms of a goal in open, well, not in open play, a goal in the middle of the game that wasn't a a clincher or a late comeback, which obviously has got more on it. But I was just so delighted for him to score that. And it was really that was a really happy home game generally.
World Cup Anticipation and Season Wrap-Up
00:43:41
Speaker
and But when I thought about that, I then thought, well, actually...
00:43:45
Speaker
Probably the goal I celebrated the most in terms of, you know, again, not last minute limbs, but just thinking of a moment and how significant it was, was just Kenny scoring that unbelievable worldie to wrap up World Cup qualification. and And, you know, hopefully his back's okay and he'll be on the plane. course his back's okay. Yeah.
00:44:06
Speaker
And there's so many World Cup canaries. There's so many for us to follow with interest. And hopefully they'll get some game time. We used to get excited if we had one ex-player playing. Yeah, Leroy might come off the bench for 15 minutes. He didn't even play for Norwich when he was there. But now how many have we got going? Five or something ridiculous? Yeah, I think it's five, yeah. If our mate's not injured.
00:44:26
Speaker
but they're all But they're all almost certainly going to get game time. you know they're not They're not fringe players. And one of the snakes won't be there, which is just hilarious. so um We get to play against one of them, Cordova. going to be Well, that's that might push up his... When he has Kane in his pocket all night... Might want Harry Kane to score a hat-trick in that game just to...
00:44:46
Speaker
I think I'm going to be in France for that game. So I think i'll be watching I'll be watching him somewhere in France. I think I'm going to be away for a work trip. I think I work there. That's a 10 o'clock one. Yeah, they're all late, aren't they?
00:44:57
Speaker
I think that's our later one. ah But yes, um incredible season in lots of different ways. And yeah we are all obviously incredibly confident that it's going to be nothing but positive all summer. Claire, thank you for your first complete debut season. Obviously, you've been a guest many times. Thank having me. It's we've never had it's factual to say we have never had so many compliments about one of the and regular pundits because the regular pundits have been me and John you have been a particularly popular addition and so thank you for that and hopefully you'll join us again next season to talk about this nonsense and and whatever you do to pass the time other than watching all of the Canaries in the World Cup I do help you keep safe i hope your loved ones keep safe please mind how you go