If you know the club's financial situation, Rick, you must be the only person outside the NCFC boardroom who does. Furthermore, the risk profile has, I would say, dramatically altered for the better with the involvement of Norfolk Holdings, and the club has consequently become more business-like and less fearful in its approach to debt. We continue to talk as if NCFC is an elderly retiree scraping by on a fixed pension; those days are behind us, whether we like it or not.
Not many "elderly retirees scraping by on a fixed pension" can afford to put £11m into a football club. I'll wait and see on how much Norfolk Holdings are willing to put into the club.
I see that Cantwell has thrown his toys out of the pram at Rangers. At 26 now you would have thought he would have grown up. Can’t see many teams taking a risk on him. His days as a football player might be limited.
I heard from BBC Radio Norfolk that he is destined for U21 in the short term but might be given a run out at Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup on Tuesday.
It now looks distinctly probable that Renier Jesus is joining us. He has been in contact with Sara and his mother Susanna has started following Norwich City on some site. It is said that the deal will be completed in the next two days. At the age of 18, lots of top clubs, Arsenal among them, were interested, but RM beat them to it. So I would guess that Knapper has a very good inside knowledge of the player. This could be a hell of a coup if it comes off and we can unlock his talent.
Bids now coming in for Abu Kamara according to the Pink'Un, none of which have been at a level to interest us. Hull are said to be one of the bidders; I don't see a move to East Yorkshire as being quite what the want away youngster has in mind.
Grant Holt was 28 when he joined us. Duffy was? Barnes was? In football it can make a lot of diffence when you get the wrong side of 30.
Plenty of players well over 30 playing at a higher level in than the championship. How old was Holt when he was playing for us in the PL, I forget.
I did say 'can' not 'does'. I feel that the current set up buying the younger players is the best way forward. You obviously disagree and prefer the likes of Smith and Wagner buying the likes of Barnes and Duffy. A difference of opinion but that is life.
Don't put words in my mouth. I've never said we shouldn't buy younger players and I certainly wasn't a Smith fan. I do think there's a balance to be had and I would never discount a player just cause they are 30 plus. The truth is other than what you see during games you have no idea what contribution the likes of Duffy / Barnes make. Maybe some of our younger players are better than they would have been from having the likes of Duffy / Barnes around. Of the 2 I think Barnes was the better buy, but I wouldn't say either have been a disaster. You say the current set up like it's something new, it's not ever since Webber walked through the door and even before the club had always had a strong focus on younger players. Maybe a little more now the parachute payments have end and with the change of ownership. Not sure why you get the idea that Wagner only wanted older players, the evidence doesn't support this view.
Most teams have a balance between older and younger players. Last season, Wagner (and Webber) sought to restore the balance with some older players in key positions. Thorup did the same over his time at Nordsjælland, where older players in key positions balanced the younger players. He's made the same point several times since arriving at City. Holt and Pukki are previous examples of older players having a beneficial effect on other players. There is also a risk in paying big fees like £8.5m for a young player like Crnac. Hopefully that will work out over time, the way Sargent has done but it could also end up being a waste of vital funds if it doesn't.
https://x.com/nowdenblades/status/1828493835086725441 No idea of reliability... Anis Slimani, 23 year old central midfielder. Had few starts for Sheffield Utd in the last 15 months, but played in CM and across attacking midfield. Regularly played in a midfield 3 for Brondby before joining the Blades. Maybe not the DM that some feel we need, but otherwise the player profile matches our summer recruitment.
The only comment I've seen to explain it said that he was a weird signing for Sheffield United and they've never played him as an attacking 8, which is apparently his best role. Perhaps if he fits our system, and can be had relatively cheaply, it makes sense?
