I could have put it more clearly, but my point was about both the kit and the football being the priority. I couldn't give a fook about how the shirt looks with jeans.
On a quiet Sunday, I've had a look at how the squad is shaping up for the PL so far: GK: Krul•, Fährmann°, McGovern• RB: Aarons°, ? LB: Lewis•, Heise CB: Zimmerman, Klose•, Godfrey°, Hanley• DM: Tettey•, Trybull°, Thompson, Guilmour CM: Leitner°, Vrancic•, McLean• WR: Buendia° Roberts°, (Drmic•) WL: Hernandez•, (Drmic•), (Cantwell) AM: Stiepermann, Cantwell, (Leitner) S: Pukki•, Drmic•, Rhodes•?, Srbeny, Idah° (• International player, °U21 player) We've strengthened GK, WR and WL with new players (including Drmic's ability to play on either side). We've also added Drmic and Idah to the strike force, but so far, at the expense of Rhodes. For me, that's still a question mark, as is RB where Pinto, Passlack and Marshall aren't included and haven't been replaced, which remains a puzzle to me unless SW has a quality player lined up for that. Heise could be considered a new option as well, in that he wasn't involved last season because of his hernia operation. Generally speaking we have strengthened, but the question is whether it will be enough.
Great article from DDF on what lies ahead for Idah - The 18-year-old signed a new long-term contract earlier this week, until 2023, and found himself in with the senior professionals as the Canaries' players returned for pre-season season training. All of a sudden the young striker has been faced with a whole new challenge, no longer the star talent in the under-23 squad catching the attention of supporters with his goal-scoring exploits at youth level. Instead the Republic of Ireland Under-21 international found himself sharing a dressing room with experienced internationals like Grant Hanley, Timm Klose and - most pertinently - strikers Teemu Pukki and Josip Drmic. However, the teen will have plenty of support around him, players who have walked the walk already. Idah just has to look across to right-back Max Aarons to see that a breakthrough season can be achieved at a tender age. Jamal Lewis, Ben Godfrey and Todd Cantwell have all been brought through by Farke as well, who strikes a balance between being as demanding of his fledglings as he is the senior pros, while ensuring they feel protected both behind the scenes and while in the glare of public judgement. Football is an unforgiving world and Idah will know he is just at the start of his journey. Loan experience could still follow at some point but in pre-season he is set for chances to impress. https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwich-city/hard-work-just-beginning-for-city-academy-ace-1-6146222
Yes, it was great to add Adam to the senior squad list above and that adds another dimension to the pre-season games. He certainly had a stellar season last season, as DF itemises later on in that article.
Seen the strip in the shop today and seen a guy wearing it out and about. I’m sold on it. I think I really like it. The green is not as dark as it looks in some of those pictures. Which is good, also the shade of yellow gives a decent impact with the slightly darker green around it. Recon I’ll be purchasing it soon. There’s is something very “European football under the floodlights” about it!
Some people on Facebook are saying the sizes are on the small side and they are having to get a couple of sizes bigger than usual. I'll be interested to hear your take on it
I did see someone mention they were on the tight side. Thanks for the heads up. I'll have to wait for them to get the Large back in stock and try it on with the medium and see how it fits.
Great MFW article on the future of the club - http://norwichcity.myfootballwriter...utures-yellow-and-laden-with-under-23-talent/ IMO, we could be emulating Saints of a few seasons ago, when they were bringing in youff, developing them and selling them on for many £Ms - Bale, Walcott etc #timewilltell
But it could happen! That could very easily be the cherry on the cake for our ongoing superiority. The converse side is that by some miracle they win. The desperate claims to have ended the decade of defeat would be worth it too! Bah!
Back to PL level, in his survival lessons series David Freezer has had a look at what went wrong with Huddersfield's second season in the PL: https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwich-city/norwich-city-survival-lessons-huddersfield-town-1-6151644 It seems they went the way of Hughton and paid the price. I can't see DF doing that, but the challenge is to find some tweaks to strengthen the defence without losing our attacking potency.
Zimmermann is out for 4-6 weeks so will certainly miss the season opener! He had surgery in London last week on his miniscus
Michael Bailey believes Ipswich requested that they don't draw Norwich U23s in the group stage, presumably citing the same policing issues mentioned.
