P.J. Davitt's Blog, page 5

Nunez and his Norwich City challenge

A South American wearing the number 10 shirt. No pressure then, Nacho.

It was less the numerals on Marcelino Nunez’s back and more the metrics he produced in an eye-catching 90-minute outing in Friday’s 5-2 Premier League 2 win over Norwich City’s development rivals Leeds United.

A couple of goals, an assist for Adam Idah, the quick feet to earn a penalty slotted by Abu Kamara, and the type of involvement David Wagner would have demanded.

City’s head coach stood on the opposite touchline to the sizeable crowd in attendance at City’s training base, flanked by his coaches Andrew Hughes and Christoph Buhler.

The bitter winter chill put you in mind of Wagner’s paternal warmth when prompted for his initial impressions of both Nunez and fellow South American import, Gabby Sara.

A nod to the contrast in climate, and the need for extra layers, were words interspersed by what seemed a genuine excitement at working with the first two arrivals in what the Canaries hope is a talent pipeline from the other side of the world.

Much thought, attention to detail and resource has now constructed a recruitment outpost designed to navigate some of the complexities and red tape associated with sourcing players closer to home in Europe.

But that comes with risk. Wagner alluded to the different style of play and the unique demands of the English game in that same recent conversation.

Nunez adapted seamlessly in the early months, for all the broader struggles under Dean Smith’s direction, to get Norwich City consistently in the front rank of potential promotion candidates.

It was not only the quality from set pieces, recall that superb free kick in the summer sunshine at Hull, it was the range of passing, infectious smile and cheeky character.

Remember the ‘Panenka-style’ penalty chip in a League Cup win over Birmingham City, and the reaction of his amused team-mates as he re-joined them in the centre circle?

 The Chilean international looked the real deal. More so than Sara, who had to fully overcome the ankle injury that curtailed his spell at Sao Paulo and limited his bid to hit the ground running in Norfolk.

But there has been a growing sense of role reversal, which has accelerated upon Wagner’s arrival.

Nunez had a bit-part in two thumping Championship wins to herald a new dawn under the German. But Sara has looked increasingly comfortable in a fluid midfield mix that, at this early stage, is also extracting more from Kenny McLean, Kieran Dowell and Onel Hernandez.

So where does Nunez fit in? A deployment, albeit against a youthful Leeds, in that attacking ‘number 10’ role smacked of Wagner and his coaches wishing to assess whether Nunez can offer a different dimension in that creative pivot.

Josh Sargent has dovetailed well with Teemu Pukki thus far under Wagner, while Idah could have grabbed a couple of match balls against the young Whites if his finishing had been as sharp as his movement. But there are lots of hurdles to clear, and many different types of challenge ahead.

Get Nunez in the right areas of the pitch and there is no question he has the quality to exert the levels of influence he threatened when he first arrived.

But there was also a cautionary note in Wagner’s first public pronouncement regarding what the Chilean, and Sara for that matter, must incorporate to be residually effective in England.

 “The biggest difference is to take care of the ball in every single situation because, if not, you can get punished and this is something which we work on,” said the City chief. “Technically they have that football brain. Obviously the physicality is something they had to adapt too, and they did already.

“It’s a certain style they play in South America, and a different style to which we play here in Europe, especially in England, but now after nearly five, six months, they have adapted pretty well.”

Nunez showcased his technical quality again in a development game where his appetite for the ball and desire to be in the thick of the action was relentless.

But to do that when it really matters down the Championship stretch will require he gains the trust of his new head coach.

‘This is the chance I had waited for’ – Wagner on City gig

David Wagner knew Norwich City was the club for him to return to English football.

The German was unveiled as Dean Smith’s successor last week, with a brief to emulate his previous Championship promotion success at Huddersfield.

Wagner was hand picked by Stuart Webber after their successful double act with the Terriers.

Webber labelled the German the ‘outstanding candidate’ and Wagner has now revealed details of City’s approach.

“To be fair, everything happened very quickly,” he said. “So I was in Fuerteventura when the news came out. And we were on the way back. We often as a family spend Christmas there. And we already planned to go back, I don’t know exactly which day it was, but the news came out and a day later the first phone call came.

“And to be fair, I immediately said to my family, ‘This is a chance I had waited for. If this were to happen, I will be there, it’s a no brainer’. For me, it was clear.

“To be honest there were some moments and situations in the last nine months, and it is always twists and turns for a family if a situation pops up, maybe some conversations, interviews or whatever. Then you don’t have the real gut feeling. But it’s still in the air for the family.

“But everybody could see in my eyes if there is a possibility for this to happen, it will happen for sure. No matter what will be on the left or on the right, and everybody supported that.”

Webber defends his City record

Stuart Webber has outlined why David Wagner is his choice to lead Norwich City’s Championship charge – and defended his own Carrow Road record.

The Canaries’ sporting director and new head coach held a 46-minute press conference at the stadium covering a range of topics.

Webber mapped out why he wanted to push for a reunion with Wagner, after their previous success at Huddersfield.

The City chief also responded to questions whether he has felt the heat on a personal level after a turbulent 18 months on and off the park.

This is what Webber had to say on..

Appointing Wagner

We went through a process of speaking to people, A lot of people wanted it. As you could see from my phone records, if you have them. Within English football this is seen as one of the ones you want. Because it’s a stable club, it’s a club that has grown off the scale in the last few years.

We’ve got a thriving Category One academy, we’ve got a fantastic fan base. It’s a club that given coaches time. And if you ask most people either wanting to become a head coach, or who have been a head coach and want to continue being a head coach, maybe at a slightly higher level, it ticks so many boxes.

We were very clear on the type of person that we wanted and what we wanted to see. And that made the search narrower, it made it short. With our previous working relationship, obviously I knew exactly what David was about and what he brings. He would always be the first choice.

But at the same time you also have to speak to other people and then present to the board my recommendation. I mapped out all the strengths and weaknesses and said my recommendation is David, do you support that? Obviously they did so that is why it takes a little longer.

Only four or five days, which isn’t a long time, but it can feel like a long time certainly in this industry. It was very clear that we knew the type of person we wanted. And then when David showed real keenness to come, it became pretty easy.

Are you feeling the heat?

I think it depends which way you look through it. Over the past 18 months we won a title and played in the Premier League. Others might look at the last 18 months as a disaster. If that’s what people think then that’s okay.

I’ve never been shy of taking responsibility for things but do I feel the heat? Absolutely not. Because I think what’s important is, internally, are we growing the club? Are we going in the direction that we need to go within the parameters we work within? Which everyone is well and truly aware of what they are. I’m very fortunate that I don’t listen to the outside noise.

I don’t watch, I don’t read what you guys write, I am not a member of Twitter so life’s okay. Ultimately it’s about looking forward. We’ve never made a secret of, since the day I walked in the door, we want to be in the Premier League, and we want to stay in the Premier League.

Every decision I’ve made at this football club is with the intention of that happening. Have I got everyone right? Absolutely not but I challenge anyone to say they’ve got every decision right in life.

No one in this room has for sure. But it’s about constantly trying to do the right things, constantly trying to grow the club, and then leaving it in a better place – and hopefully that is one day in the Premier League. I think this club has got the ability to get there and stay there.

I think the people of this county deserve that as well. It’s a football club that deserves that. But that doesn’t mean you get it. We’ve got to earn the right to do it and we’ve got to keep trying to find a way.

Paddy Davitt: Dean Smith’s demise is a sad City story

Goodbye, Dean. Not sure you will be missed by too many Norwich City fans. 

A head coach who won fewer games in charge than Glenn Roeder, and seemingly fewer friends judging by the toxic reaction that accompanied Smith down the tunnel against Blackburn and Luton.

A people carrier swept him and his assistant, Craig Shakespeare, away from Kenilworth Road in the dead of night, as the squad he left behind trooped onto the coach.

There was more than an echo of Daniel Farke’s ignominious exit in the bowels of Brentford’s away dressing room. But that, for the majority of City fans, was where the parallels ended.

Whether what unfolded in sickening fashion on Boxing Day proved the tipping point for the watching Stuart Webber, Neil Adams or the board only they can answer.

But Smith has gone. A Webber appointee who arrived on a ticket as an experienced head coach; one capable of offering a port in the storm that tossed Farke overboard.

With Farke went the drive for Norwich to do things differently. To act differently, to take a more holistic approach that focused as much on the mid- to longer-term strategy as the turbulence of a 90-minute quest for results and three points.

That is not to overlook the transformation at Colney or the commitment to cultivating academy talent. But what has happened front of house has lost its appeal, its sense of originality and its freshness.

Smith was at pains to point out he was not Farke. He would not attempt to act like Farke. Few really expected him to. But his failure to communicate a philosophy, or his coaching principles to a group of players who had been over this course and distance successfully twice before, is the reason he failed to forge any connection with the Norwich fan base.

Those jibes, post-Blackburn, in response to stinging cat calls there was a ‘narrative’ centred on his style of play did him no favours. Privately, elements of the squad he leaves behind might well open up about the deficiencies in his coaching set-up. That is not to absolve Grant Hanley or his team-mates – they must shoulder their responsibility for this malaise.

Smith’s follow-up performance after the Hatters’ reverse bore all the hallmarks of a man who wanted to be put out of his misery. He cut a disconsolate figure as he trooped across the pitch in front of those travelling fans at the final whistle, with only Ed Wootten for company.

The revelation his family was now staying away, and in his opinion what had unfolded in the past week or so marked the lowest point of his career, was uncomfortable to hear on a human level.

For all his faults at Carrow Road, Smith was a decent individual. Perhaps he will now get the time to ‘grieve’ that eluded him when he was jettisoned from Villa, before a return to the game.

In truth, the focus cannot simply rest on those in the dugout, on the pitch or even higher up the food chain. They win as a club, they lose a club. But that lack of direction, that sense of drift has been palpable for all of Smith’s tenure.

He had to front up too often as the spokesperson for an organisation who have turned inward. Finance chief, Anthony Richens, told club channels any talk of a ‘disconnect’ was over-played. He may wish to reconsider. But that is for another column and another day. This is a dissection of Smith and his 13 months in charge.

He took over seven days after his own dismissal at Aston Villa, with Norwich plumb bottom in the Premier League and with only five points from 11 league games. He left them fifth in the Championship on the back of three wins in 13.

There was a huge degree of sympathy, even slack afforded him, as he piloted a squad of players he effectively inherited back to the Football League with a jolt. There were some notable moments. That first home comeback win at Carrow Road against Southampton on an opening night when he was serenaded not berated.

A flicker of life at the turn of this year, with back-to-back top-flight wins over Everton and Watford that heralded the true emergence of Adam Idah as a frontline option, and perhaps a gathering sense the script was not written.

Alas, Idah’s season would end in the very next Premier League game against Crystal Palace through a knee injury, and the curve plunged south.

Injury and illness, particularly that Covid period around the turn of the year, proved further handicaps in a scenario largely beyond Smith’s control. But you could argue the ‘sliding doors’ moment had already come and gone, late on at Newcastle barely three games into his tenure. A basement battle on Tyneside against a club below them in the standings, under new management in Eddie Howe.

At 1-1, Pierre Lees-Melou spurned a golden chance in stoppage time that late November night in 2021 to seal victory. What that would have done for both Norwich, and Newcastle, one can only surmise.

But a failure to harness real momentum, or any sense of forward propulsion after another top-flight tailspin overseen by Farke, defined his successor’s tenure.

Even in the less exacting surroundings of the Championship there was only fleeting passages where Smith’s Norwich threatened to evolve into a consistent results machine, forged on performances that suggested the players bought into his methods, and those methods were residually effective against all manner of Championship opponents.

The concessions at Luton, and the pallor of their limp first-half offering at Kenilworth Road, was compelling evidence for the prosecution.

When Dimi Giannoulis effectively gifted the Hatters a soft opener, Michael Wynn Jones threw his arms up in frustration, sending his yellow scarf into the air. By the final whistle there was nothing but an air of resignation from the Norwich contingent in the directors’ box.

To pick up only one win from the last seven at Carrow Road was an indictment of Smith and his coaching team.

To return to the thorny topic of ‘narratives’ the belief still holds this group of players are good enough to be moulded into a promotion-challenging force. But it will not be Smith who tries. It will be another roll of Webber’s dice.

His judgment was backed by a board who even now, one strongly suspects, retain elements who yearn for the giddy excitement of peak-Farke times. But this is a different Norwich.

With one exception.

The fan base remains as loyal and as committed as they were before Smith, before Webber, before the majority shareholders. ‘It’s all our fault’ was the ironic refrain from a few who braved the cold of Kenilworth Road.

To question their backing, even unintentionally, was rightly the accelerant in Smith’s demise.

It accentuated his failure on the training pitches at Colney, and various Championship outposts since an opening day defeat to Cardiff.

Those shaping the direction of travel from here would be advised not to take such loyalty for granted. And listen.

Dean Smith has ‘no regrets’ over Blackburn barbs

Norwich City head coach Dean Smith had his say on the fall out and reaction to his fan comments after the Blackburn defeat, ahead of the Championship Boxing night trip to Luton.

This is a transcript of what Smith had to say, exclusively to the PinkUn, on the events during and after last weekend’s defeat to Blackburn – including his post-match comments directed towards fans.

“I think you have to process it. And I’ve said many times, since I’ve come here, I’m in a privileged position of being the head coach of Norwich City, and never, ever have I took that for granted. I believe I’m good at my job.

Yes, the reaction wasn’t great. But my intent has never been to drive a wedge between myself and the fans, it’s always been to try and bring us together. And I just felt, you know, after 12 minutes of the game, I thought that was tough to listen to. I understand. I haven’t got the credit in the bank that a lot of the players have got.But some of the players were getting stick that early in the game. I think I’ve looked back on the stats and at half-time Blackburn’s expected goals was 0.01. We’ve conceded a goal to an own goal. I’m not a punch bag, I feel that I have a right to defend those players.

There was never any intent in my comments after the game because the be all end all is we need the fans, we all need to be together, to get to ultimately to where I want us to be, which is a promoted team who can then go and stay in the Premier League. I still firmly believe we can go and do that.

(Do you regret your post-match comments?) No, no regrets at all. I’ve got no apologies to make for what I said after the game. But my intention was not to drive a wedge, my intention is always to bring the place together. And there’s a lot of work that goes on here which is unseen.

The environment at the training ground, the culture here at the training ground, the learning environments and what we want to see in terms of how players express themselves on the pitch. I understand the fans frustrations, I do. And, you know, I’m as frustrated as they are, because we want to see fast flowing football, we want to see us winning football games.

You know, and yes, there was emotion after the game. And I’ve always said that. I have tried to be as honest as I can, in every question that the media have asked me, without compromising, obviously, private stuff that players don’t want me to. That happened after the game.

And we have to look forward, we have to go and get a good result or good performance against Luton, because we know the margins in this game are very, very slim. And it can change very quickly.

I can’t change what happened, it happened. But the biggest thing for me is that we try and go and get three points for the fans. And let’s not forget on the road this season our fans have been unbelievable. I remember at Birmingham City on that night, Sunderland, Rotherham and Swansea.

They’ve actually dragged us over the line at times away from home. And we started so well at home with the performances, and the togetherness that I felt with the crowd against Millwall and Huddersfield and Coventry. There connections are there. Just unfortunately, over the last month, six weeks, something is broken down a little bit, and we need to rebuild that.

(Have you followed the reaction to your comments since Saturday or not?) Everybody’s got an opinion, and they’re entitled to an opinion. I have no concerns what people are talking about in regards of myself, and never have done. The world has changed. Now a lot of it’ll be about people wanting to get likes or follows on social media, and that stuff doesn’t concern me and never has done.

As long as I can put my head on the pillow each night and know that I’ve done all I can or gone out and done what I set out to do that day, I can live with that. I work hard and I’m pretty tough on myself whether I think I am doing a good job. Like I said earlier, I still believe that we can get promoted this season. I certainly think we will do.

(You said earlier you don’t have the credit in the bank a lot of other players here have at this club. Chris Sutton, in his latest Pink Un+ column this week, felt some Norwich fans have not been prepared to give you a chance since day one. Do you agree?) I think from the moment I came through the door, in any management job I’ve had, you know you are not going to please everybody. There’ll be people who follow Manchester City who still don’t get why they pass so much with Pep Guardiola.

That’s football, and that’s why there’s so many opinions. There’s some people that I will never turn around and that’s normal. It was the same at Aston Villa, same at Brentford, same even at Walsall. Even the same when I worked with Martin Ling at Orient. That’ll never change. But the biggest thing is, I do understand the frustrations of fans, but we all have to be together to be successful as a football club.

(You said after the Blackburn game you are proud of your record. Do you think the jobs you have done at those previous clubs deserve more respect?) I can’t control that part. All I can do is work hard to make sure that, eventually, when I leave Norwich City football club, I’ll leave it in a better place. That is always my aim. I’ve always said I’m a custodian, as a head coach, as all head coaches are, and your job is to leave it in a better place when you leave.

(You also said you have been in the game long enough and seen examples of similar situations when it can turn again. How do you do that? Is it simply results and performances from here?) To clarify that statement after the game, I meant it was a good thing we are away next, because of the level of hostility that was at the ground. Can you imagine if the next game was at home and we concede first or lost that game.

If we go to Luton and put in a good performance and get a good result it certainly buys us some time against Reading in the following home game. I just didn’t think it was fair to those players after 12 minutes to get on their backs.”

Paddy’s Pointers: Five observations after Norwich City’s 2-0 defeat against Blackburn

Paddy delivers his Blackburn verdict after Norwich City’s 2-0 Championship defeat.

1. Toxic 

The first sustained chants directed towards Dean Smith were clearly audible 10 minutes into the second half. By the end they had reached a crescendo. When the dial shifts from a disgruntled minority then the red warning light should be on inside the Norwich City boardroom, and around the members of that executive committee.

By the end Carrow Road was a seething bear pit of angst; frustration on the pitch and disenchantment off it. Now it requires a response.

This was not the by-product of yet another home defeat. This was bigger, deeper and irrefutable evidence the problems run deeper than a malfunctioning team under a head coach seemingly unable to impose his style and philosophy to produce either consistent results, or performances.

Smith is front of house but the silence from sporting director Stuart Webber needs to end. The external lack of scrutiny from those in positions of power has gone on too long.

He will not get any but Smith deserves a sliver of sympathy for having to be the public face of this organisation. Whether they wish to hear it or acknowledge it.

Just listen to the voices of their fan base, and clock the ever-expanding swathe of empty seats.

2. Fighting talk 

Smith did not shirk his post-match media duties. He acknowledged the hurt and the unpleasantness he felt hearing the scale of that adverse reaction towards him and his methods. He also spoke with the air of a man who did not expect to be sitting across Webber or the board any time soon.

There was a defiance to his tone and an unshakeable belief he is capable of turning this around and bringing the disgruntled back onside.

He also met squarely questions about his own future. He reiterated a mantra he outlined on his first day in the job, a week on from his departure from boyhood club Aston Villa when he was unveiled as Daniel Farke’s replacement.

Essentially he is not in control of his future or what happens to him. You could debate that, given his job security hinges on his ability to put a winning team on the park.

He also sought to protect his players and highlight the pressure even the experienced members of his squad now feel operating at Carrow Road.

But that is a direct result of City’s chronic output in front of those home fans. One win in seven is a regressive trend. Smith shot back with the statement Norwich could have gone third with a win and had won three of their past five. But he must know it needs to turn to stand any chance leading this into 2023.

3. No excuses 

Smith’s call to stick with an unchanged starting line up, after what unfolded at Swansea took some understanding. A clean sheet win, yes, in Wales but anyone who watched that dreary display in possession, and still felt the underlying signs were positive, was deluded.

Maybe Smith felt given the solid defensive platform that withstood the Swans’ pressure those in possession of the shirts could build the attacking dimension. But bar Josh Sargent’s tireless display against Rovers it was more of the same. Norwich flatter to deceive, there is little in the way of any penetration or even a cohesive pattern of play.

When they do enter the final third there is lack of precision or clinical intent.

You look at the calibre of resource available for this level – from Sargent to Teemu Pukki and even Adam Idah – and it is a mystery why Norwich is unable to muster any real sustained threat level. That must land squarely at Smith and his inability to mould a template around two of the most potent forwards in this league.

4. Changing man 

Despite those early second half cat calls Norwich did respond in positive fashion. They were unable to find a breakthrough and were punished late on, with the aid of another deflection to deceive Angus Gunn. But it felt like it was the arrival of Onel Hernandez who offered a spark. Liam Gibbs also added drive and energy in the middle of the park.

Should those at board level opt not to yield to the demands of many who had left Carrow Road long before the end, then Smith must surely shuffle his pack for Luton. Ben Gibson was hesitant again after arguably one of his better showing in recent months at Swansea.

With Andrew Omobamidele fit and available it would be a suprise not to see him return alongside Grant Hanley at Kenilworth Road. But Smith’s confirmation both Dimi Giannoulis and Todd Cantwell were fit and merely overlooked will only spark a growing glamour for the City head coach to make changes.

With Marcelino Nunez preferred to Aaron Ramsey on the bench even in defeat it underlined again there is a depth to his Norwich squad. They do not lack for options in the search for answers.

5. What next for Isaac? 

City’s Newcastle United recruit is an impressive leader but he increasingly carries the air of a player still seeking to regain the match sharpness and physical peak conditioning that will take time after such a long period out.

When he was unveiled as Smith’s first summer signing there was a genuine ripple of excitement a Premier League upgrade to that problem area in defensive midfield could unlock plenty of potential.

But a setback on his road to recovery from a knee injury turned into a prolonged period on the sidelines.

Hayden is now getting the miles on the clock and building the endurance in his legs but there is a lack of control to Norwich and a disconnect from back to front.

That would be unfair to shovel the responsibility onto Hayden’s broad shoulders alone. But in a situation where Smith has problems piling up – and no real discernible way forward – how he can manage Hayden in a wider quest for a midfield formula that can get Norwich upwardly mobile becomes a greater issue with each frustrating episode.

Boro chief Scott aiming to copy City model

City’s former head of recruitment Kieran Scott reckons Middlesbrough’s big name coaches Michael Carrick and Jonathan Woodgate makes his job easier than when he worked with Daniel Farke at Carrow Road. 

Boro’s head of football is finalising his January window transfer plans to push the Teessiders into the Championship promotion mix, under recently appointed former Manchester United and England midfielder Carrick.

Scott, who worked closely with Stuart Webber in a four year spell that brought two titles wins and a crack at the Premier League for the Canaries under the unheralded German head coach, is striving to emulate that success in the north-east.

The likes of Emi Buendia and Teemu Pukki proved astute signings, and Scott is drawing heavily on his experience in Norfolk.

“I have been lucky enough to win in this model at Norwich with Stuart Webber and Daniel Farke in a similar scenario,” he said. “Albeit, I would say – and no disrespect to Daniel – Michael is a bigger name as well.

“Everybody knows who Michael is and everyone has followed his career and even foreign players are aware of who he is and Jonathan as well.

“It does make it that little bit easier when you mention those two and it is very much easier talking to central midfielders at the moment as they see who they could potentially be working with and centre-backs. It certainly makes it that little bit easier.”

Boro hit back to win 2-1 at Norwich in the final Championship game before the World Cup break, but Scott is targeting new blood in January to build on Carrick’s early impact.

“The window is going to be an opportunity to really hone in on some specific players that we like,” he said, reported in the Yorkshire Post. “Then going into the summer it gives us a good six-month period now to really putting our work in to who (players) are going to make us a lot better and not just ‘sticking plasters’ or ‘that one will fill in there’.

“We want to move away from that and hopefully bring in players that make hopefully a big splash and move the club up the division, and hopefully into a new one.”

Paddy Davitt: Smith, Farke and a changing of the guard

Dean Smith clearly had an inkling of the personal as well as the professional challenge that awaited him when he took the Norwich City head coach job. 

You can peel those layers away, with the benefit of hindsight, for a revealing glimpe of how Smith was thinking upon replacing Daniel Farke as we approach his first anniversary at Carrow Road.

One of his soundbites, in particular, from an opening press conference on November 15 last year, flanked by sporting director Stuart Webber, has stood the testament of time.

“There are people who have written us off already. My daily way of getting better is trying to prove people wrong. This is the next part of my journey.”

For ‘us’ he could have substituted ‘him’ because after that initial bounce it has felt like Smith has been fighting his own rearguard action ever since. To the point earlier this season the City boss made it clear he is not Farke, he will not act like Farke and he will continue to do things his way.

That has been the unspoken subtext, and the source of not so subtle social media chatter at various points, as Smith tried to navigate another crash landing in the Championship – one he effectively inherited from the German – to now position the Canaries in the front rank of the promotion contenders.

From style of play to personality there have been plenty seeking to make unflattering comparisons between the two.

Farke’s impact on and off the park was seismic in a spell that will stand the test of time with any in Norwich’s modern history, a period with the most glorious highs and debilitating, dispiriting lows whenever his methods were subject to searing examination against the best.

A Manchester City Carrow Road win proved a dreamy island in a sea of top flight despair.

Smith is now striving to clear the same high bar Farke managed on the club’s previous two tilts at the Championship.

Easy to package his appointment 12 months ago as a marked departure.

In some respects, unquestionably, but eight of the starters at Rotherham United last weekend were players already in the building when he first arrived.

That is less a changing of the guard, and more an evolutionary track, under a head coach who perhaps, it is fair to state, is far more willing to embrace pragmatism than his predecessor.

The relentless churn of players and systems, not all of Smith’s making given those chronic injury issues this season to the left side of his defence, hindered the drive to settle on a consistency in selection and performance.

But the signs are there. Not only if you glance at the current Championship standings -which despite that prolonged recent fallow period in results – leave Norwich well placed to challenge for an automatic promotion spot the other side of this upcoming domestic pause for the World Cup.

But it is as much in the manner of three recent tussles with Stoke, QPR and Rotherham. Three very different opponents chasing different goals but in the best moments you could detect a common thread to Norwich’s play based on a cohesiveness and control that had largely proven elusive.

Aaron Ramsey now looks like the goalscoring attacking midfield option he was first touted, when the teenager followed Smith from Aston Villa on a season long loan. Gabby Sara’s influence at Rotherham, bar that one aberration for the Millers’ equaliser, and the vibrancy of his link up down the right with a rejuvenated Max Aarons, should set City hearts aflutter.

The Brazilian brought a drive, energy and dynamism which was missing from some of the stodgier displays under Smith. While anchoring it all, with each passing game successfully navigated from his long fitness nightmare, is Isaac Hayden, Smith’s first signing and his on pitch general.

There is an uncomplicated, unfussy manner to how the Newcastle loanee operates, but you can already see his vast experience and ability to improve others around him in the middle of the park.

Leading from the front is the understated Smith. A man who in public has had to shoulder too much of the public focus this season, but who has perfected the art of rolling with the punches.

That win over Stoke was big on many levels but as always there was a refreshing candour from the City boss, rather than any attempt to downplay the significance of a win that alleviated some of the ‘edginess’ around Carrow Road.

He may baulk at playing to the galleries like his predecessor but there is a stoicism to be admired and an inner drive to improve that should not be discounted.

That ‘edginess’ will linger until results improve markedly on home soil.

Middlesbrough will be no pushovers this weekend under new boss Michael Carrick. But beat Boro in a controlled manner and the sense this is Smith’s collective, and Smith’s Norwich, will gather pace as he prepares to mark his own personal milestone.

PODCAST: No dressing it up, City

The latest edition of the Pinkun podcast got stuck into the good and the persistently bad after Norwich City’s 3-2 Championship defeat to Preston.

Host Connor Southwell was joined by Paddy Davitt and Samuel Seaman for episode 509 in our long-running podcast, recorded hours after the final whistle at Carrow Road.

Dean Smith’s side started in flowing fashion, capped by Josh Sargent’s early breakthrough, but the residual concerns around control, composure and cohesion from front to back were exploited by a well-drilled Preston.

“It was more of the same, in terms of the bittiness, and the disjointed nature of the performance,” said Davitt. “But what wasn’t there in contrast to previous games is they were unable to find a way.

“That aspect, for me, has been coming because it is asking a lot to go the well, game after game, and dredge something when for the quality of player they have in this squad at this level, they are not really imposing themselves on opponents.

“The concern now is they go to Watford, if they don’t get a result there, you felt that frustration in the ground at the final whistle. A smattering of boos, nothing untoward, but the atmosphere was completely dead for the duration.

“What had been insulating them, to a degree, was they were getting the results and the points. They remain joint top by dint of Sheffield United losing.

“So you have to caveat everything by saying, ‘take a look at the league table, take a look at the points on the board’ but a lot of people have underlying concerns which are not going away until we see some evidence.

“What we saw against Preston is if they throw in those charitable defensive concessions they will probably fall the wrong side of results, and if they fall the wrong side in these upcoming games, against the likes of Watford, Sheffield United and Burnley, then it won’t be enough just to look at the league table, because that will be looking a lot less healthy than at the moment.

“Alarm bells would be too much, off the back of one defeat, but it does graphically illustrate there are some issues in terms of the personnel, where they are playing on the pitch, what is Smith trying to do with this group.

“They are not going away, and they couldn’t mask it against a well-organised, well-coached Preston.”

– You can listen to the full episode of the Pink Un Podcast here – and don’t forget to hit the SUBSCRIBE button to ensure every episode downloads via your chosen podcast provider.

Smith takeaways: Hayden frustrations; Pool reflections; Reading warning

Dean Smith had his say on some of the key issues ahead of Norwich City’s Championship trip to Reading.

The Canaries’ boss held his pre-match press call at Colney on Monday morning.

This is what Smith had to say on the following.

Isaac Hayden fitness update

Isaac’s back running now after a 10 day rest period. It is always a concern when you bring in a player who was fit. We have to remember that he had an operation last season, but he trained for six weeks with no problems at all at Newcastle towards the end of last season. He came in for the first week and trained with us and it was fine. Then his knee started swelling up.

He’s a clever lad. Very intuitive and talks to us about the game. He was talking to me on Sunday about the Blackpool game. He’d obviously watched it and wanted to talk about the different incidents, what happened and where he felt were good. He is a guy we were looking forward to working with and he isn’t far away.

Rest of the squad’s fitness

Of the ones who were involved at Blackpool, Grant (Hanley) had a couple of stitches. You know, that’s the life of the centre back. So he’ll have had a few of them over time. But apart from that, everybody else is fine. (Todd Cantwell’s quad issue?) We’ll have a look later today (Monday). I’ve not had our medical meeting yet, but I believe he was planning to train today. So if he does, he’ll travel.

Regards the longer term ones, nothing different from last week. Dimi (Giannoulis) is back on the grass, but not training with us.

Blackpool reflections

I felt we could have been better in our build. We didn’t build it up as well as we could. I felt we were a little bit rushed on the ball at the back. I thought we pressed them really well and won the ball back in really good areas. When we got into the Blackpool half I thought we were really good on the ball, but we need to stay on the ball a lot longer than we did.

(Did you do anything tactically or positionally for that purple patch after Teemu Pukki’s goal until half-time?) No, not really. I mean, sometimes it’s just players passing the ball a little bit better, and a little bit better movement. We give them scenarios, and we want them to come up with solutions.

And I thought we had some good rotations after the first 20 minutes, with Kenny (McLean) just dropping in at left back, Sam (Byram) going on a little bit higher, and Onel (Hernandez) dropping into the pockets of space. I thought that caused them a few problems and helped us to connect a little bit further up the pitch.

Reading’s start (one place and two points behind the Canaries)

I’m never surprised to see anybody up there at the top end of the Championship. Look at last year with teams like Luton and Huddersfield. Reading have won the same amount of games as us. So we’re obviously aware of their threats.

 

They are definitely a danger from set pieces. A big team, a big strong team. I’ve watched a couple of games and some of the clips, but they’ve been hit as well at times. They got beat 4-0 at Rotherham and Sheffield United scored four. But their home record (five league wins out of six) has been really good. So we’ve got to be very wary of that.

(Paul Ince factor) I’m probably surprised he’s been out of the game so long before he came back in at Reading. I thought his record was really good. He started at Macclesfield and MK Dons and worked his way up to Blackburn as well. I’ve got a lot of respect for him.