Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
"Where have you been" ACN Pod 139
756 Plays21 days ago
Clare, Jon and Tom look ahead to a season of ManningBall. It's been a busy summer of ins and outs, we touch on the highlights here and make some guarantees for Saturday and the season.
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Episode Focus
00:00:21
Speaker
Welcome to Long Come Norwich podcast, the mildly madcap, massively meandering, mischievous, mostly merry, mildly moany, magnificently muddled chap about Norwich City. We'll be mulling over the maelstrom of signings, marvelling at the pre-Millwall madness to come and making mostly meaningless predictions for what's hopefully a magical, momentum-filled Manning masterminded march back to the
Host Introductions and Pre-Season Overview
00:00:40
Speaker
Premier League. I'm joined by Punt and Claire.
00:00:43
Speaker
Let's get at it.
00:00:48
Speaker
Punt, there was a pre-season in real life at Carrow Road. Tell us all about it. You were there. Yeah, I went to a game at Carrow Road, um which was actually quite fun. And considering I really dislike pre-season friendlies most of the time, yeah, this was all right to be at.
00:01:03
Speaker
The atmosphere was phenomenal. I'm pretty sure everyone would have seen the viral clips of the away fans. They were amazing. They were amazing in the pubs beforehand. They were amazing in the pubs.
00:01:15
Speaker
Afterwards, um they just made it a ah proper spectacle. But actually, in terms of what was on the pitch, I think we got a real insight into what a Liam Manning side looks like right now.
00:01:27
Speaker
And it's fairly tough. It's fairly obdurate. It's pretty clear that we've signed to I wouldn't say big lumps, that's harsh, but two big lads at the back who also have a little bit about them in terms of ball playing as well in Darling andnna and Medici.
00:01:47
Speaker
And it looks like we we're going to build from a solid base, but actually we're quite good in transition. We're quite good in terms of setting traps high up the pitch in terms of
Manager Liam Manning's Influence
00:02:00
Speaker
our press. Yeah.
00:02:01
Speaker
So, yeah, it was all felt quite nice. Now, we all know it pre-season. could mean that we go and lose 7-1 to Millwall on the opening day, you know, and and then we have to steal their manager or something weird like that.
00:02:13
Speaker
But, no, actually, it felt it felt like... All of the deficiencies that we saw at last season is what Norwich are seeking to address with urgency right now. Now, whether that means we go too far and then we lose some of the the you know kind of goal scoring capability that we had last season, who knows? But and it's all about balance, isn't it?
00:02:36
Speaker
Well, one of the things that the Pinken lads picked up was the simple fact throughout preseason that we do seem to be at least trying to, with repetition, win the ball higher up the pitch. Therefore, you are, in theory, more likely to create chances um if you are constantly yeah getting the ball and recycling the ball and getting it off the position of the opposition.
00:03:00
Speaker
and earlier on in their individual moves, so i.e. we're able to start creating moves ourselves. So Claire, we'll touch on Manning first because that seems like the biggest headline and then obviously we've got a very, very busy summer to to to get through.
00:03:13
Speaker
um Just a little bit. Yeah, so let let's start with Manning. Business done promptly. and we've now had the We haven't got to do any kind of knee-jerk reactions because we've heard a few press conferences. where I feel like you know because it's been a few months, this is the plus side of us disappearing for a while. and we we you know we can we can I feel like ah we've got a got ah got a feel of the guy. So what are your what your kind of initial impressions after the first summer of Manning?
00:03:41
Speaker
um I really like what he says. um i like how he's going about everything. I loved, I mean, the stuff coming out of the pre-season tour with the competition seems like a genius idea just to get that kind of team spirit, the winning ethic in.
00:03:56
Speaker
I really, really loved all of that. i don't I don't love watching him speak, if that makes
Social Media Strategy and Player Leadership
00:04:02
Speaker
sense. I don't think he's quite as charismatic as some of our more recent managers. But that's not to say I don't like him and I don't like what he's doing and I don't like what he's saying.
00:04:11
Speaker
mean like Dean Smith? yeah Even he had a little bit of charisma about him. ah Yeah. um But yeah, I think that's probably it's early days, isn't it? I think once we've actually had some games and hopefully winning games that we will see it and maybe a sort of more cheeky side to him a little bit. but He seems quite ah serious, I think. But maybe that's just what I've seen so far. He's just got a job to do and he's doing it.
00:04:37
Speaker
It's interesting you mentioned the preseason coverage, that the the stuff that the social team have been been putting out. I caught a cup in consuming preseason content. I guess that's why my algorithm served it up to me.
00:04:48
Speaker
I had ah a Southampton thing, a very similar piece piece um on my socials of Will Stills um kind of speaking to the team, addressing the team. And it was so unbelievably boring. I just... I thought the opposite. I thought, why are you putting this out? that Surely that's going to make the Southampton fans feel kind of like they they haven't got a great team spirit. seems so boring. I had like a round of applause for the new lads. There was no, um there wasn't an omelette in sight, Punt.
00:05:12
Speaker
So yeah, come on, Punt. you' You've actually seen Manning football in in real life. What's your feeling on the and the initial Manning season so far? So I think Norwich put out a really similar piece of content where Manning was introducing himself to all the backroom staff.
00:05:27
Speaker
And they looked, well, there was a couple of them that looked thoroughly bored with the situation. um i agree with Claire entirely, you know, in in so much as I've really liked some of the things that he said.
00:05:40
Speaker
I've really liked specific issues that he's addressed. And, but it's the way he says things. But, you know, do I think that, He could command a room full of professional footballers in a way that might be able to meaningfully inspire them. That's the thing that I'm a bit worried about.
00:05:56
Speaker
And I guess at the start of this process, when I looked all the available managers or all the managers that that perhaps were on Norwich's radar, Liam Manning was quite high on my list. And the reason that I think he was is because he seems to have left every club that he's left.
00:06:10
Speaker
um in a better place than when he found them. and And I think for for someone like, for a club like Norwich, that's really important um the you know that coaches are able to to improve.
00:06:22
Speaker
but yeah Has he actually been sacked or is he just left to better? Did he sacked from NK Dons, I think, when like he finished third and then, I think I might be wrong, but I think he finished third and the next season they struggled, but there was mitigation around that, I think is, is I might be getting that wrong.
00:06:37
Speaker
But, yeah, There's something a bit monotone about him and there's something a bit with the stuff that he says is a little bit high performance-y. It's all quite generic. Do you know what mean? It's all that kind of, you know let's believe hard enough and everything's going to be all right and you know look after your processes. and and It's just, i don't know, that kind of management bullshit bingo stuff that i'm ah I'm not a massive fan of.
00:07:00
Speaker
But look, if the players buy into it and if the players are behind him, then brilliant. I really like the fact that he seems to have acted pretty decisively on the likes of Shane Duffy, on the likes of Brad Hills, on the likes of Anis Ben-Slamane. You know, as much as I might have tried to keep him around the squad, it looks like actually they're looking to ship out players that he's actively identified perhaps aren't for him.
New Signings and Defensive Strategies
00:07:22
Speaker
So, yeah, I think ah think the initial signs are positive. I'd just like to see a bit more character out of the man. And as Claire says, I think that you know maybe we'll see that down the line as he as he gets comfy um in his Norfolk roots.
00:07:37
Speaker
I'm looking forward to seeing him prowling ah a technical box and seeing how he is in ah in a real competitive game you know when when it's on the line, when there's a goal in it or you know it's tight towards the end of the game because and that's something that that translates and can get can get the crowd um you know on on their feet as much as a a crunching tackle when you've got you have got ah a manager remonstrating with the fourth official or, you know, G and up their their boys.
00:08:04
Speaker
and So Claire, let's talk about some of these transfers. You mentioned being decisive. Centre back seems like a really sensible place to start because you already mentioned Darling. Now, Darling, like I can't recall um having a ah player signed particularly from within the championship where so many other championship um pundits and fan media have gone, yeah, we would have liked him.
00:08:33
Speaker
So let's start there. we've got this, we've got a couple of units at the back. and you You comfortable that we've we've effectively bought a new, you know, centre-back partnership?
00:08:44
Speaker
Yes, very comfortable. I think it was very much needed. i think saying their units is probably a little harsh. and Possibly their size is is is a positive, very very much so.
00:08:56
Speaker
But I think they can also play a little bit from what I've seen so far. Darling in particular. Yeah. um Apparently he was very impressive yesterday. Obviously, John, you were there. But um things that I've read say he was particularly impressive yesterday.
00:09:10
Speaker
And ended up as captain as well. So we've obviously got that side of things for him as as well. And the goalie, um I think he's the player I'm most excited to see.
00:09:22
Speaker
um ah don't know why particularly him. I think... He seems like a ah proper goalie, like he's got a crazy character. He looks massive. and He looks quite intimidating. Big Vlad.
00:09:35
Speaker
Yeah, Big Vlad. Kovacevic. I got our Serbian porter to teach me how to say his name properly. Kovacevic. Yes. um ah But he, yeah, i'm I'm excited to see him. And I think the three of them together, from what I read about yesterday's game,
00:09:52
Speaker
They seem very comfortable together. And so, yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing them and hopefully a massive improvement on what we had. I mean, I love Dangus, but he had his faults.
00:10:03
Speaker
um So, yeah, let's see what's ahead. Yeah. I mean, he made he made some good saves at times and kept us in games at times last season. And, you know, I think he was, personally, I think he was slightly unfairly maligned for for the balance of how many good saves he made versus how many mistakes he made. But, you know, the stats really did point to him being, you know, one of the worst goalies in terms of saves made and in terms of being able to... It was definitely our best, though. Well, this is it. i mean The backup was, well, not really backup. That is the thing.
00:10:35
Speaker
That's the thing with regards to, and again, we the age-old thing of, do you give the credit to Napa? Do you give the credit to ah Manning? But the fact that we have actcisly we've acted decisively in centre-back and not accepted coming, bringing back, you know running it back again, because that was just an area of such weakness for us.
00:10:52
Speaker
The fact that from a goalkeeper point of view, you've hit the nail on the head there, Claire. um The fact that, yes, we've changed Angus because of the contract situation, but we've also gone, we need to completely clean house. Because, you know, Reyes, season loan at Peterborough makes perfect sense. Very young lad. yeah and Clearly technically technically good good um and and comfortable playing that possession football. That was really obvious in the short glimpse we saw him, although, you know, he was playing during a bad run for Norwich.
00:11:20
Speaker
So, yeah, let's go and see him get some minutes and see whether or not he with some with some men's football at ah a decent level Peterborough, he can come back a bit of a shot stopper. But the fact that Napa and or Manning have gone, now, come on, we shipped so many goals last season. We would have been top four comfortably if we'd have even been average at the back, right?
00:11:40
Speaker
With the number of goals that we were banging in. So
Transfer Window Tactics and Team Optimism
00:11:43
Speaker
yeah that's that was that was a fantastic thing to see. And what i love about this season, this pre-season, which... gives me great confidence in the momentum of going into the season.
00:11:55
Speaker
And this might be completely... um serendipitous I don't think they necessarily planned this way but it's the fact that we've had couple of signings little break couple of signings little break right we haven't had like a sick signing week we did we seem to sign seven goalkeepers in 48 hours but apart from that little flurry of goalie action it really has been nicely rolled out so for example and we're recording on Sunday evening and topic is it topic or topic topic topic so me hit on the end of every name and you we've probably signed them yeah
00:12:27
Speaker
Amazing. So Mirko has signed and Pantic looking at him. and And obviously I've done my thorough research of looking at two different YouTube videos.
00:12:40
Speaker
He looks a player. He's a big, I've just watched his um club interview where he's flexing his muscles. He's a big boy. um um So we seem to be signing strapping lad.
00:12:51
Speaker
I just want to go back to Vlad for for a moment, actually. Yeah. um a Big Vlad, please. TM. Big Vlad. He was definitely big. He is definitely a big boy. um He was the one actually yesterday, and I didn't i meant to mention it when summarising the game, but I thought he looked superb with the ball, excellent in terms of his distribution, and Medici and Darling clearly trust him with his feet.
00:13:15
Speaker
He flapped a few crosses and there was a one and save. I was like, okay, he kind of spilled it. I think he might be someone who's had a couple of difficult years or a difficult season and he might just be building back. So I think i hope really hope that fans are patient with him.
00:13:32
Speaker
But he is definitely confident. Yeah, yeah. especially Especially where I sit in the upper Barkley. Yeah, definitely. The bloke behind me definitely won't um be sharing him. So yeah that was the one that i I just had a little bit of concern around around him. He's definitely confident with the ball at his feet, though. I mean, he you know, kind of he dropped a shoulder and took someone on and then pinged it into midfield. and you're like, OK. Yeah.
00:13:53
Speaker
that's going to set Hearts Racing everywhere. um Well, he did that in one of the pre-season games, didn't he? And it's risk-reward, isn't it? But I think he will give a goal or two away a season because of that. And it's just actually the benefits that you realise. Hopefully, people will see that. But to get onto Topic...
00:14:08
Speaker
um But people have been saying, whether it was lazy punditry or not, but people have been saying we need sign a big strapping CDM who can play at six since Alex Tetty left or Oli Skip left or whoever. We haven't really had anyone of that ilk.
00:14:24
Speaker
And he definitely looks like that. And, you know, he he mentioned in his club interviews about how tough, you know he can tackle. um And he seems like a really confident lad. And he's from Novosad.
00:14:36
Speaker
So that's amazing. You know, twinned with Norwich. Beautiful. you know the This is the first priest or the first time really I've ever known our location seems to have been ah positive Yeah.
00:14:48
Speaker
The coach which the and all the coaches, obviously, you know, East Angley and and Harry Darling was attracted to coming back because he's from Cambridge. And now this guy is saying that it's fake that Norwich came in for him because Nobby Saad. So amazing. I've never known it.
Player Transfer Considerations: Sargent's Role
00:15:04
Speaker
And Chris Gorham. I'm your forward, Chris Gorham, who who you know was following in the following the footsteps of Teimapukki.
00:15:15
Speaker
Typically, you wouldn't get this far into a podcast pre-season without mentioning such an exciting forward player. So come on, Claire. Chris Gorham. <unk> I love him. um was say he He is, that is ah a properly exciting transfer. Talk about people fluttering their eyelashes ah yeah when when we made the Darling transfer. That was another one who seemed to be on a lot of people's, well, if he's going to come to England, I hope we can get him list, right?
00:15:41
Speaker
it was um It was quite a coup, wasn't it? And to get him for the price that we did, we obviously had some sort of insider interest. Knowledge. Maybe it was Oscar. Thank you, Oscar. But um yeah, I'm um a little bit concerned that he he doesn't seem like he's properly fit yet because we haven't really seen an awful lot of him. Did he look fit yesterday, John? Yeah.
00:16:01
Speaker
ah He got probably 25 minutes, half an hour, something along those lines. um I can... Okay, so i will I will confidently predict, having seen him for that long, you know because course it's a solid enough sample section to make predictions about his performance.
00:16:15
Speaker
I will confidently predict that he's going to get booked a lot and he's going to get injured a bit because that boy likes flying into challenges. And and I think actually that will probably... massively suit Manning if he if he wants to do that high press.
00:16:29
Speaker
Kvistgore looked like he was well up for that. um yeah and an after three yeah And actually, um one i mean he's only about 5'9", something like that. But the boy's got a leap on him. He won a header and flicked it on. And I forget who it was. might have been Sernach.
00:16:45
Speaker
Didn't read it. But I was like, whoa, okay, that's that's kind of new. Sargent wasn't doing those kinds of flicks. So, yeah, I'm all in on him. I'm excited. But then the last time I was this excited about a striker, it was a Ricky. So I'm trying to remain calm. Don't get carried away, Claire. this is yeah ah the The thing about this transfer window is...
00:17:09
Speaker
ah We can afford for a couple of them to fall over, bearing in mind that we signed that many. If we keep Josh, then we can definitely afford for the Tayers to be a bit slow on the start. Okay, so that counts as transfer. I would not have put very much cash at all on the 3rd, as we record this, of August.
00:17:28
Speaker
Sargent still being a Norwich player. I thought he would be and one of the first to go. So obviously we know that he was close in theory to to moving back to the Bundesliga and that Wolfsburg apparently was Josh that that turned that down. i thought it was really interesting that that came out, was briefed, was was released by the agent, was released by the club. That's easily the sort of thing that wouldn't have come out. You know, what we'd we'd heard that the that the teams the teams couldn't come to an ah ah and agreement or that the the deal had broken down.
00:18:00
Speaker
And then it was almost like the next day or or kind of later that day, it was like, no, Josh has said So thought that was interesting point because I don't, i don't I can't actually recall, especially from a Norwich point of view, ah can't recall hearing that a bid is there or thereabouts and then the player saying no.
00:18:17
Speaker
And it's weird. So like all of the noises that Norwich have made about, or, you know, ah the actual agent talk um this summer around players that Norwich might sign or may look to sign.
00:18:29
Speaker
You think, well, Norwich have done the investigative work to make sure that the players open to the move. Otherwise, why waste your time? And you'd have thought, you Wolfsburg, and Sarge's representatives were having similar conversations and he was receptive to it. So, yeah, I think you're right.
00:18:45
Speaker
you know It does seem really strange. I have a theory that it was because he was having such a great time on the on tour with the competition that he couldn't possibly leave his team in the lurch because he wanted to they go to win.
00:18:59
Speaker
That must be it. maybe must yeah Maybe he's planted something in the um allotment up at Kony and he's just... to see it bloom. Sunflower competition like on Blue Peter back in the 80s. Well, there's a long way of pre-season, not pre-season, thankfully, there's a long way of the transfer window left.
00:19:18
Speaker
And i I mean, I still can't believe that he... and Even with the injury concerns that come with Sargent, he's such a goal threat. He's such a consistent goal threat. The fact that it took him so little time when he came back from a relatively long layoff to immediately be the one of the most threatening, well, now the most threatening in terms of goals for game once he was back in in the championship.
00:19:41
Speaker
I don't understand why he would still be here unless it is, for example, promised a new deal. And, you know, it feels a little bit... and two cup half full, Claire, I really want to believe that it is that he's he's seeing all these the signs coming in and maybe getting the feeling that actually it doesn't matter if he scored because last season you might score two, you might score a hat-trick, we're still going to draw at best because of what's happening the other end.
00:20:08
Speaker
Maybe he has bought into the fact that, look, I'm on decent money, I've got a decent length of contract. Yeah. um I am going to be given the captain's armband, right, which I thought was very significant because even if someone is being a good professional, he does air quotes for an audio medium, and even though he's being a good professional, it's one thing saying, no, he's training well still, he's not getting his head turned. It's another thing handing the lad the captain's armband for two games, and which which kind of...
00:20:34
Speaker
you you open yourself up there to the other lads if he does end up then going. So I feel like if they weren't fairly confident, there's there's at least a 50-50 chance he stays.
00:20:46
Speaker
Am I being too naive there, Puntich? Or do you think that is still you think that that could be that they do think maybe 50-50? If I'm going to lay money... or do they not care about an armband at all? I mean, they gave it to Wright and he's about 12.
00:20:58
Speaker
I think if I was going to put money on whether he's here or not, um come whenever the window closes, 1st of September or when it whenever it is. Slam shut, you mean? Yeah, that's the one. um I think he goes.
00:21:11
Speaker
And I think we go into the market for for another forward player. And and from what Ben Napa has indicated, that that might be a significant sum of money. So, you know... Hopefully, it's someone who can remain fit for 46 games because that's that's clearly Sarge's deficiency, isn't it?
00:21:26
Speaker
um Otherwise, I think be looking I'd 38. That would be an upgrade. But I think we'd be looking at, you know, if Sarge stayed fit for 38 games a season, one, he'd probably have about, you know, 15, 20 more Norwich goals to his name.
00:21:38
Speaker
And two, his price tag would be astronomical. But the only... The only thing I can see is can't see a destination for him right now. There doesn't seem to be like lots of clubs circling that necessarily need a striker.
00:21:52
Speaker
Now, this might sound nuts, but if someone like Isak does go to Liverpool, does that then set, you know, kind of a chain of events in motion where strikers are then on the move and and clubs need forwards? And, you know, and someone like, I don't know, maybe just thinking laterally, I said Brentford, I think would be a really good fit for Sarge for some time and they are losing forward players.
00:22:12
Speaker
So there might be something in there and it might just take... they've so much cash. I think they'd be looking... I think your logic is downed. But like you're talking about, the merry-go-round is like Brentford buys someone, the person that Brentford buys from, which is a sort of next tier down, they then... You see what mean? So can see him going to... But he's got to stay in the shop window for the World Cup, right?
00:22:32
Speaker
And that's the thing that that's where i think he goes, because he will be not agitating for a move, but he will be encouraging his agent to get him a move because he wishes to represent this country. I don't really agree with that, though, because he got in the USA squad with Norwich and has done several times. But I i heard or read that the reason he got dropped from the USA team is because he wasn't performing in the USA team.
00:22:56
Speaker
Yeah, I spell that as well. So I don't really think him being best striker in the championship is necessarily going stop him getting selected for a USA team that aren't exactly full of worldwide sort of legends. Yeah.
00:23:13
Speaker
It was weird that I thought that Pochettino went with like almost a predominantly you know kind of um full of MLS players in one of their recent squads. I thought that was really, really strange that he'd he'd taken that decision and there was only like two or three that that were outside of the American League.
00:23:29
Speaker
And Sarge has been linked with the MLS as well before, hasn't I think you know he was subject to a £20 million pound bid last summer, you know was was the chat. It'd just be such a weird move to go back to America and such a waste of that boy's talent to to you know to to languish in a league like that.
00:23:47
Speaker
But you know again, he seems, I think the what but positive around Sargent is he seems really family focused and he's settled in Norfolk. So it's not like, you know right, I want to get out.
00:23:58
Speaker
it It's actually, it's going it's going to be, and this is maybe this speaks to the Wolfsburg decision. It needs to be the right move. It needs to to feel right for him. And maybe something just smelled bad or he didn't want to go back to the Bundesliga, you know, kind of once he started to ponder it properly. but But yeah, I think, you know, to your question, Tom, I think he's he's probably gone.
00:24:17
Speaker
um But we're putting a lot stock in giving him the armband and giving him responsibility in preseason. And I quite like it. You know, it kind of shows that, come on, look, you could get yourself back in the Premier League with us.
Transfer Strategy and Player Versatility
00:24:30
Speaker
So there's a still in transfers. and we haven't touched on Diallo yet. Um, and I thought the schlup signing, uh, made perfect sense, you know, relatively low risk for, for incredible experience, certainly experienced at the level that we, we tend, we want him to play.
00:24:48
Speaker
um you know, he's played a lot of years at a higher level in terms of, we want him to play. Okay. A couple more years worth of tread on the tires, but, and he is um, I, think, a really, really sensible signing. And in in years gone past, he would have been one of the signings we were most excited about, you know getting someone experienced in to to kind of hold down a position. So it adds that competition for places. We think it's going to be three centre-backs as the first choice, which means we're going to need those.
00:25:17
Speaker
and And again, a lot of the introductionary press conferences or the the the notes released to media when we've signed these players has been... He can play in multiple positions. We like the fact that he is flexible. We like, you see what mean? And Schlupp was another one of those where he you know he can dip do fullback. He can play left side in midfield. We can play him slightly and inside if we want to.
00:25:38
Speaker
So, um and and anyone else, Diallo or Schlupp or anything that you want to touch on before we kind of move on, Claire? Diallo, aside from looking like he's about 12 years old and could snap in half if anyone just yeah poked him, clearly that's not the case because he can hold himself on the pitch by the look of him and apparently is supersonic fast. So I'm very excited to see what he's all about. And he certainly did a few good things yesterday from what I saw in the highlights.
00:26:08
Speaker
and And even just... um Juracek, he feels like a new signing because I haven't even seen the man yet. I think the two games he came on for, I wasn't at. I think I maybe saw him warming up once. That's about it.
00:26:23
Speaker
So, if he's actually any good. you think it's you that he's avoided? It's a bit harsh. That's a great point, though, because...
00:26:35
Speaker
But again, he's had that full pre-season. Why is he not starting over Diallo? He's not fit. That's the noise. He's not fit. And I'll be i'll be really honest. like So I was sat in the, um what do they call it now? The city stand or the main stand? don't know, whatever the club referred to it as.
00:26:52
Speaker
Maybe it's got a sponsor. Yeah. He looked a little bit out of shape, but I thought. ah you know I mean, I'm i'm someone who you know sports a little bit of a dad bod, but i thought he was developing one. Now, that might just be the way that he's built and he's incredibly fit and you know can get himself around. But I was like, if you've had a long layoff like you know and and then had quite a bit of time to get yourself right like you need to be in shape mate but he should be attacking this season the the club have placed a lot of stock in we went and got him in January because actually this summer he was going to be really popular and there were you clubs circling um and we've spent what five six million and quid on him like he needs to show a return on investment that that's the whole model that's the whole thing that the Atanasios have been talking about
00:27:37
Speaker
But he got the good wrap for his shape. So when when they started appearing for pre-season again, the the um again, the Pinkham boys were talking about what good shape, that he looked like he'd been in the gym. He looked like he'd bulked up. Same as Forsyth. Maybe that is a bulk up rather than a... Sir Natchez, I would say, the one that looks like he's bulked up.
00:27:57
Speaker
Maybe it is also the new kit as well. Maybe it's just, you know, the way that it hugs
New Kits and Fan Reactions
00:28:02
Speaker
him. What a fantastic segue. I want to talk kit. So we've now seen all three, although one of them is a leak, not not necessarily official. That tremendous work from Amanquar Fawson to just just, oh, I didn't know it was released. So this man, Amanquar Fawson, has...
00:28:19
Speaker
basically in a club of interview said, oh, i was I was so fucking happy when he scored those two goals. And now he's leaked a kit. It's like, the boy is just an absolute menace. Like, superb. Right. So, Claire, I'm going to go in order of and release.
00:28:33
Speaker
ah So, first, home kit. I would like marks out of 10. I don't want any comments. Just a straight marks out of 10 for the home kit, please. 10. Wow. Puntish? I'll give it an 8.
00:28:45
Speaker
Okay. ah Now the third kit, Claire, marks out of 10.
00:28:52
Speaker
I despise it. Three. Wow. Three. My goodness. I like the colour, but not pattern and pink. Either pink or pattern. Not both. You've always said that just in your day-to-day life. That's just one of your sayings. Hunt.
00:29:08
Speaker
um I have a 13-year-old that probably gave it an eight. I'd say I'm... Initially, when I saw it, i was like, oh quite like that. And then i saw it on someone one on Saturday.
00:29:21
Speaker
um I was like, oh, no, actually, no. i'm not I'm not sure that's built for the average fan. um So, yeah, five. Okay. And then the leaked kit from our friend, Forsen.
00:29:38
Speaker
I hope it's an AI and it's not real because I think it's dull as dishwater, literally. It looks like a goalie kit to me. The shorts don't match the shirt either. Yeah.
00:29:50
Speaker
it's like a bit of petrol blue green isn't it uh go on don't say blue um claire hasn't i'll go after claire she hasn't given a mark i'm sorry pardon sorry oh four you started so well claire um i'll give it a five again tom you haven't given any ratings are you going for Well, i I'm not as big on the on the home kit and as as you guys. I think it's fine, but I really don't like that collar. I didn't like it originally. I like the... I love collar. I love a community i love that collar. That's why I gave it 10. I'm wearing a collar. Look at this. I'm wearing third kit European. the original as well.
00:30:31
Speaker
I've got the original. I don't like the collar on it. and So it's it's not it's not it's not to my taste. It's it's perfect it's perfectly fine. there's it's I don't like it when we don't really look like Norwich, if you see what to mean. So I like that it's... No, but like the the for example, the pinstrips... How does it not look like Norwich? No, no, it does. That's my point. Oh, it does. No, you fool, Punt. that's my My point is, it i don't like it when our home kit is, I don't want a wacky home kit. I want our home kit to just be very, very straightforward.
00:31:00
Speaker
It's for us to look like West Brom away. That's what you don't want. No, I don't want that ever. and But I do, um I like, I very similarly to you, i well, no, very similar to your 13 year old. I really liked the pink kit and then likewise saw it in real life.
00:31:17
Speaker
And it was almost pe peachy pink. it wasn't It wasn't the shade that I actually thought it was. Similarly, last year last year's HomeKit, I liked Yast's HomeKit a lot more on the release than in real life. it it in On the release, it sit they've done whatever they've done filter-wise to them the picture. They tend to do that in every release video. It's a really different color to to actually what it ends up being, you know, with.
00:31:40
Speaker
to the naked eye. i would ah like i' I've not got problem with pink plus pattern. So I love pink. I love wearing pink pink. Pink's probably my favorite color anyway. I love it. So I would have been really, really up for a pink kit. And I probably will still buy that one, and especially when this season is incredibly successful.
00:31:57
Speaker
So, right, we've covered the transfers and we've covered and the ah Manning and and we all seem relatively positive, but naturally need to see some some real football. and We've done kits.
Season Outlook and Listener Engagement
00:32:08
Speaker
Let's do some listener questions. um And I'm happy to address the one that we got the most, which was where the fuck have you been? we also We also got quite a couple of like Ian Wright, I thought you was dead style memes as well. Yeah.
00:32:22
Speaker
Yeah, just just address that. And the future of the pod, Tom, you may wish to talk about that as well. we're not currently We're not currently dead, and as far as I'm aware. and we've had ah We've had a busy old time.
00:32:35
Speaker
ah There's been lots of bits and bobs going on in real life. Obviously, nothing is more important than football. And nothing is more important than talking about football for free for people in their ears. And we have missed chatting around it.
00:32:47
Speaker
We are very much hoping that ah we will be with you regularly on a Monday to start your week by recording late on a Sunday so that it is relevant on a Monday morning to start your commute, to start your dog walk, your cat walk, your hamster walk.
00:33:02
Speaker
And we really are going to do our best to be regular this season because it is very nice how much people have said, where have you been? Although people tend to say it in quite an angry way, i think the sentiment is they would prefer if we were in their ears.
00:33:16
Speaker
So we're going to try and be relatively predictable this year. We'll do our best and let's hope real life is a bit more calm and if anything, bit more boring than it has been for the last few months for a couple of us.
00:33:27
Speaker
So list of questions that aren't to do with the podcast. Yeah. All right. Let's start off with our good friend who does the artwork for the podcast as well, Ben Stokes. And he asks, I'll come to you first, Claire. If Sarge does go, is a beefed up championship ready Ante Sernac now ready to bang the goals in?
00:33:47
Speaker
I think looking at him yesterday, yes, by all accounts. um I think he got a bad rap last season. I think he had a lot going for him. he he did a lot that people weren't really noticing so much. And um I think this is going to be his year. He's had a season the Championship. He knows what it's all about now. He's had pre-season. He's bulked up a bit. He's ready to go. So, yes, is my answer.
00:34:11
Speaker
Maybe not quite as good as Sarge, but that's going some. But, yes, he's definitely ready to step into the boots. And we've got Chris Gorham. to And Matthias, yes. Yes, yes.
00:34:22
Speaker
Lovely Matthias. <unk>exy You're a sec if he ever gets fit. Oh, yeah. oh yeah i can i I completely agree that he could easily lead a line in the next season and a half for a championship club. I'd love it for it to be us. and I completely agree with you, Claire. i I actually was a real fan of his debut season.
00:34:42
Speaker
Bearing in mind it was a debut season, he was one of two or three players who I don't think, like Oscar, for example, I don't think they would have expected to give him anywhere near the number of minutes they did. yeah um And I thought...
00:34:54
Speaker
and you hit the on the head when you said, you know, things like running off the ball, things like being available for a pass that doesn't come. You know, a lot of Borja, Sainz's goals and attempted shots, you know, Sernac was in a really, really good position that had he been laid in, he probably had a relatively straightforward chance, but Sainz is constantly looking to cut inside and get his goal. Now, the fact that Sainz converted so many of those lower likelihood chances, I guess Sernac can't go knocking on the manager's door, be cross about it.
00:35:22
Speaker
But, know, I mean, he was very popular around where where I sat, um you know, with many people saying similar things at halftime. Cernus is having a good game again. He's he's not really getting the rub of the green. He's not getting the ball laid into him.
00:35:35
Speaker
I think physically he's really good. His touch is superb. He's got such a fantastic touch in the air, really good on his chest, really good at getting the ball down promptly. You know, you talked earlier about big Vlad Puntich, you know, dropping a shoulder and stepping in and pinging one.
00:35:52
Speaker
the diagonal ball to him and with the, his ability to kind of sort of do barrel chested runs, you know, head down running with the ball to kind of bring everyone down into one particular corner, you know, towards his flank, ah meaning that, you know, last season, the likes of science is then available on the other side of the pitch or Sergeant is able to peel off to the the far side of the the penalty area. He offers so much going forward.
00:36:16
Speaker
um Yeah. I'm, I'm a huge fan and I wouldn't want, I'd want Chris Gorham to really, really, demonstrate that he is going to be and as good as we'd hope he to be.
00:36:27
Speaker
but As far as I'm concerned, it's Cernat's position. It's his shirt until proven otherwise, because i think last season he was one of our most consistent performers. Probably never got above a seven and a half or an eight.
00:36:40
Speaker
Don't think he had a game below a six and a half or a seven. I think he had a few stinkers, but I think he's 20 years old playing in the championship. Yeah, I think i think he did. um But what I would also say is... 20?
00:36:52
Speaker
so He was 20 last season, i think, when we signed him. He might 21 now.
00:36:59
Speaker
He looks it. But I completely agree with you guys. I think he's now ready to go. ah In his highlight reel when we signed him, there was a lot of the types of goals that he scored, which were pretty much the exact goal that he scored yesterday.
00:37:14
Speaker
You know, kind of actually can it drop your shoulder, get around a man, but actually take a decent shot from the edge of the box and it and it nestled in the corner. So I'd like to see him do loads more of that. um It was interesting, I thought, in Manning's post-match that he talked about Sernac quite a bit and identified...
00:37:31
Speaker
what he thought Sonac's strengths were. I thought it was interesting that he was talking about him in in glowing terms. So I think you're right, Tom. I think it is his shirt to lose. Also, I think on an off-the-pitch note, he's now got a lot of fellow, is it Balkan? you know yeah Serbian, another Croatian, Bosnian.
00:37:51
Speaker
Yeah, so there's there's a sudden influx of people that he's going to have you know be able
Rivalries and Playoff Significance
00:37:56
Speaker
to talk to. Yeah, so that's going to help him as well, isn't it? Yeah, definitely. um Trigger to next question. We have Matthew McGregor.
00:38:06
Speaker
um Pick one. Avoid defeat against them down the road or a playoff spot. Tom. um
00:38:17
Speaker
It's one of those hypotheticals where you want at least one more data point and because of avoiding defeat to them... is important because the ah the run of being unbeaten is such a prize and it's so funny and it's such a source of of joy.
00:38:36
Speaker
I feel like um the the next defeat, when it eventually comes to them, the The subsequent two, three, four, five, six derbies will have so much less riding on them than each one feels like it has now because we've got so much more to lose than they've got to win. So them winning, they'll get to finally flick the Vs and say, we finally beat them all now.
00:39:03
Speaker
and Whereas we'll go, oh, we don't get to sing that song anymore. and And so I almost feel like if we lost in the, is it October the 5th or something? If we lost in that game, I almost feel like the return leg, it's a little bit, there'll be a little bit less on it. Now, league position wise, it could be vital. They could be right up there. We could be right up there, et cetera. But in terms of like that rivalry, yes, it will still be fierce. Yes, it' will still be bitter.
00:39:24
Speaker
But yeah, There is a small part of me that just thinks I'll take the playoff spot because it is only that there's, you know, 46 games.
00:39:35
Speaker
I'd much rather win way more of the 46 games. I don't want to finish 17th and go, ye but yeah, but, know, draw at Portalu Road and we nicked a 1-0, right? I love that on the evening of each of those games and for a few days afterwards.
00:39:49
Speaker
But then when we're playing, you know, whoever it is, Southampton or Leicester or... whoever like two weeks later i'll sort of already forgotten that that happened on until we sing the song again right so maybe but i would i would go for playoffs but i and i agree go for playoffs but and here's my but around this the We've only really had a kind of, what, six-minute insight into what it's going to feel like to lose to Ipswich when, was it Luke Chambers scored that goal?
00:40:22
Speaker
Mick McCarthy chucked the Vs at the Ipswich fans or it told them to fuck off. and And then Tim Closer. It went well for him. Yeah, it did. did. But we've only had a few minutes of that's what it felt like.
00:40:36
Speaker
And it felt desperate at the time. I was like, this is awful. This is gut-wrenching. I think we've forgotten quite how bad it feels. But I do agree with you. I i think I'd take a playoff spot.
00:40:49
Speaker
What about you, Clare? and beat them, forfeit the playoff spot because we're going to get automatic promotion. I'm not sure that was part of the question. But that's the thing about the data point. That's the thing about the data point. That's the thing about the you need one more piece of data. So effectively what it said was guarantee not losing.
00:41:09
Speaker
It doesn't say that we'll beat them. but I can have a playoff spot and win them. If you'd have said and what but definitely missed the playoffs. ah Okay, so they're finish eighth and we beat them twice.
00:41:20
Speaker
Yeah, i'll take that. We're still going to win more game yeah still going to win more games than we lose. yeah Okay. All right. I think I'd still take the playoff spot in that instance. um Last question. We'll finish with Richard Freezer. He also asked, where the hell have we been? I answered that.
00:41:35
Speaker
Been busy. After that, he said, who finishes higher? Norwich, Scum, Birmingham or Wrexham? Claire.
00:41:47
Speaker
Oh, my gosh. Yeah. I hope that Norwich finish above Ipswich, wherever that may be. But um I think Wrexham are going to not do you so well this year. I think ah the players they seem to bring in are pretty old housebeams that they seem excited about because they're names that they've heard of, but I'm not sure they're really going to cut it um at this level.
00:42:14
Speaker
Birmingham I'm a bit worried about. So, yeah, maybe they'll be close. So I'll go... just because this is what I really, really want, with whether I actually believe it. Norwich above Ipswich and then Birmingham top three.
00:42:28
Speaker
Oh, wow. I don't know, mid-table somewhere. I agree with your Wrexham prediction just because i don't I don't think Parkinson is a championship
League Competitor Predictions
00:42:36
Speaker
manager. but don't think he's got that pedigree about him. My prediction would be that they sack him before the season is out.
00:42:42
Speaker
I think Parkey might go. also think Ipswich might win the league. Oh, no. I know. I've just got this weird feeling.
00:42:54
Speaker
Nah. All right. Well, time was well set up as they were last time. I think Parkinson doesn't get to Christmas and as manager and because I think they've spent so much money.
00:43:05
Speaker
and they They don't seem to have followed the same pattern or logic as the signings they've made in previous You know, they're they're really skewing older and they're really skewing names, which they might be doing for sponsorship or whatever reason to help them kind of balance out so they can spend all this cash to stay within the rules.
00:43:27
Speaker
But I think Birmingham's signings are really, really sensible. They went, they had a really good squad last year. So if it's not, I think it's going to be Norwich, he says, based on, you know, nothing other than hope.
00:43:41
Speaker
and But if it isn't Norwich, I think Birmingham are going to going to cause a lot of cause a lot of noise this year. i i think that they you know I've got as good a guess as as anyone from a fan media point of view, looking at reading other bits and pieces and and looking at what across the different clubs have done.
00:44:00
Speaker
There's a few clubs that have made a lot of noise, obviously Wrexham included, but yeah, the noise they've made, nearly everything I've read I've gone, that seems perfectly sensible and logical um rather than, yes, I've heard of him. I think I saw him play in Premier League five years ago.
00:44:16
Speaker
Nice.
00:44:19
Speaker
So we need to do some predictions that we obviously based on the back of that, um that question we've predicted kind of generic, generic positions for Norwich a bit, but this is crucial.
00:44:33
Speaker
We have to get these predictions absolutely right because on this podcast, we don't make predictions. We make guarantees. So yeah let's start with an easy one, a gimme. So Claire, I want you to guarantee me the scoreline for Millwall on Saturday, please.
00:44:51
Speaker
Guaranteed scoreline. I'm um feeling positive. I'm going to to Norwich. Love that. Puntich, can I have a guaranteed scoreline for Saturday? I'd quite like us to go and lose 4-0 because every time you lose to Millwall 4-0, good things happen. No, I joke.
00:45:11
Speaker
yeah um um I think we'll draw 1-1. I think we'll win 4-0. and Now, I would like, irrelevant of how anyone else finishes, um Claire, I'd like to guarantee Norwich City's finishing position this season.
00:45:28
Speaker
I set myself up for that because I just said we're going to win and the league. of minute eo I don't really think we're going to win the league. and I think fourth. Love that.
00:45:40
Speaker
Pantic? um Eighth. okay And I think that's progress. That's good. Of course it is. But I mean, it's not progress that I'm going to predict. It's not what we're aiming for. If I get to guarantee something, might as well guarantee something that makes me happy.
00:46:00
Speaker
Because that's how guarantees work, mate. Yeah. It is, yeah. That is very... that is very um the Eighth is... You can be incredibly disappointed and heartbroken come mid-May with eighth, right? Or you can be... ah Do you know what? it was you know We had those difficult injuries and we had that difficult period and then to go on that great run to get so close in eighth is... you know We're set up well for next season. so It's going to be eighth, but it's going to be like last day of the season and we're still in it. It's a highly enjoyable season. Manning ball's like the best football you've ever seen and we're going to win the league next year.
00:46:33
Speaker
It's that eighth. There That's what guaranteeing. He's guaranteed this season, that next season. He's brave. There you go, mate. There you go. Okay. i'm I'm going to guarantee that we finish...
00:46:44
Speaker
third and Because I think it's going to be a bit like last year where there is going to be a bit of a you know the haves and the have-nots. There's going to be three or four teams that break away. I think we might see that more and more in the championship going forward. I think we're going to be maybe a little little cut beneath two teams that run away with it.
00:47:04
Speaker
um but we're going to be and we're we're going to have a lovely date at Wembley and we're going to go up in the playoffs final. So who's going to run away with it then? Who do you think you're too old to run away I'm afraid that's not ah that's not part of the guarantee. You can't guarantee that.
00:47:17
Speaker
Yeah, I can't guarantee that. i mean Because if anything, Pun, it would be silly ah for me to base such a thing on such a guess, whereas I'm completely confident I've got enough data available to me to guarantee that we not only finish third, but we win the playoff final.
00:47:32
Speaker
Okay. Yeah. Brilliant. so That's nice. okay So there you Well, it's been lovely to get around the microphones and talk about Norwich City again. Goodness knows why we haven't been doing it more regularly.
00:47:43
Speaker
We'll do our best. i've We've given you our guaranteed scores on Saturday, so you can pretty much just pick the one that you want. You can either go with Eeyore, Doom and Gloom, Puntich. That's that not not bad.
00:47:55
Speaker
Well, it's the first game of the season. There's no reason to say anything other than... i will say i've only seen I've only seen us lose twice in two and a half years as a season ticket holder.
00:48:08
Speaker
I mean, obviously, don't go to every single weekday game, but... I'm lucky child and I'm going on Saturday that's all I'm saying okay well there we go so if that doesn't give you a reason to get down Paddy Power I don't know what does and thank you so much for listening thank you for your patience while we got back round the mics enjoy the season many twists and turns to come mind how you go
00:48:55
Speaker
Welcome to Long Come Norwich podcast, a mildly madcap massively meandering, moderately... No, still can't do this. Welcome. Welcome to the Long Come Norwich...
00:49:10
Speaker
Welcome. Welcome to the Long Come Norwich podcast, a mildly madcap massively meandering, moderately... This is too hard. I need to get rid of... Get rid of get rid of moderately. Moderately.
00:49:21
Speaker
moreauly Moderately. Moderately. It's too hard to say.