Have there been any? Following on from the conversation about the potential return of The Wolf, and also a mention of Drazan Muzinic, it got me thinking about other foreigners who have worn the shirt and I honestly can't think of a single Canary signed from overseas who has been anything like a roaring success for us. Matty Svensson did ok, Bassong has been pretty good, and we had the odd half-decent one during the mid-90's/early 00's in Steen Nedergard, Cedrick Anselin but by and large the vast majority have been completely toilet. Is there a club who have a worse track record with signing overseas players? Not sure I can think of one. And anyone got any idea why this might be?
Denis Van Wyk did OK Papa Diop spat at someone and sent away Jens Bethal Askou did OK Kevin Keelan was born overseas, is that clutching at straws? We really do have quite an awfu record with foreigners. Who is our most successful? Probably Wes Hoolahan but he's hardly exotic.
I cannot think of anyone else, (if we are excluding Ireland) it has to be between Nedergaard, Van Wyk and Bassong. Anyone remember Henrik Mortenson?
I think he came on in my first ever game at Carrow Road. 1988/9, after I moved back from London, Essex, etc. Anyway, Rosario was surely a Roma gypsy, so that must count?
Aage Hareide did ok from memory, though I was only a young un back then. And at least we made a few quid out of Leroy Fer, despite him flattering to deceive. Far easier to remember the crap ones: Segura De Blassis Strihavka De Waar Jurgen Colin (who went on to have a decent career elsewhere at least) Helveg Jonsson Libbra Ottosson Mortenson Van Wolfswinkel Brellier I know there are probably loads I haven't mentioned, but actually we haven't had all that many compared to other clubs - any idea why that would be?
We didn't sign him from abroad though did we, he had already been playing over here for several years before he came to us
ah, viva Marc Libbra.......... Had a really good pre-season, burst on to the scene in 19 seconds of his debut against Man City, and instantly turned to sh1t! Just how he did that I could never work out. Considering we all saw what he could do for that fleeting moment, it was almost heart-breaking to see him be so bad forever more.
I guess this is just coincidence, but the trend seems remarkably consistent. Perhaps being a 'family club' very much geographically grounded in a local area makes it harder for foreign players to adapt? Just a thought, (which I probably don't believe, since Norwich is a far more sophisticated city than, say, Ipswich, who were one of the first clubs to integrate foreign (Dutch) players into the FL).
