#577 Captain America | PinkUn Norwich City Podcast

Norwich City’s play-off march continued at Fortress Carrow Road on Saturday with a Josh Sargent-inspired 1-0 victory over Sunderland.

The Canaries are now unbeaten in 10 Championship matches at Carrow Road – winning their last five. On this occasion, there were some interested spectators in Mark Attanasio and Labour leader Keir Starmer.

Join host Connor Southwell, Sam Seaman, Adam Harvey and Paddy Davitt to dissect another day of celebration in NR1.

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Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images

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Captain America to the rescue again for Nori City a one-nil win against sundland their playoff March continues Cara Road form extending to 10 Championship Games unbeaten five of those uh the last five have all been victories it’s um it’s quite something what they’re doing at the moment at Fortress Cara Road welcome

To this week’s edition of the pink.com nor City Podcast brought you uh in association with our sponsors if you can guess who that is if you’re watching Coleman of Norwich of course producers of the finest mustard and other condiments in all the land full roster of pinkin um Main Stays this this week

No seduc cons Salon we we’ve lost the exuberant French accent we’ve got a CV Midlands one instead I’m afraid I’m kind of southwell joined by Samuel SE Patty DAV and Adam Harvey Patty it’s um welcome back first and foremost I say that like it was a grand absence it was

Only it was only Blackburn away um another good afternoon very different type of win if we if we reflect on the two wins uh actually no first thing this is the first point I need to need to clear up Kenny mlan what what was it

That he wasn’t able to do on on Friday just to clear up because I think there was a little issue with the the tweet that you put out um when you meant to put walk I think but um there was a semicolon in place of the L and I think

There was some some thoughtful Minds so just it was definitely walk he wasn’t able today yeah you’ve lost me now mate I’m have you not have you not looked to your now there yeah clearly there’s been some uh error with the key uh well if I think

I did say stiff stiffness to his back so that’s pretty obvious but uh uh no doubt that’s been picked up on X so uh they can do one but uh yeah it’s I’m struggling with I’m struggling myself to be fair got a bit of a flu so um don’t

Try and ban me today Connor because it’s probably not going to end too well but uh yeah no I digress uh no he definitely well so David tells us braveart himself uh woke up Thursday morning with a stiff back and uh sounds like he was even this morning

Uh really had to go into the recovery center at Cony uh that new recovery pool which looks to have done done the trick uh Chris Burton is it the phys yeah the David was very keen to to give him a reference and uh and all the work that

They’ve done to get Kenny on the pitch and um yeah I mean the payoff for me was and he said this a few times recently David that uh you know Match Day minus one if his career as a manager he wouldn’t even consider playing a player who couldn’t

Make the final train session in fact it was Sergeant wasn’t it a few few weeks back actually um who had to prove his Fitness but he said it there’s one exception and that is Kenny mlan and uh thankfully the mayor was fit and available well available uh and it just

Typifies maybe what’s in that group and uh you know him more more so than than others you know we spoke to him at col the week before and uh that was a debate as well about top threes and where he would rank in the in the current top three uh for player of

The season but you cannot dispute that he is very clearly uh among the best players characters that Norwich have got in that group has proven it this season and he’s proven it again in a slightly different way today by not not giving in and uh not taking you know not taking

The route that to go sit in the stand and um you know declaring himself fit and uh they probably needed him as well obviously now we know that that was the case you know there was you know certain parts of his game maybe in Zara as well

In that first half you felt they could maybe have stepped on it a little bit more we’ll get into that in due course but you know you cannot deny that that that guy is um he’s pivotal to where they are now at this point of the season

But more importantly from here what they go on to hopefully achieve which is to get into the top six and then take it from there you know without him in the mix um I think they’ definitely fall short so uh yeah it’s a testament to that

Man but I’m not I’m not overly surprised and I doubt there’s too many Norwich fans that you know he would have done everything in his powers physically to combat a stiff back and um and the fact that he did is a testament to him uh and

The people around him as well and uh you know as David said you know he didn’t he was he didn’t really it was off the back of a just Sergeant question really and he didn’t want to necessarily take away from the team performance but he clearly

Felt you know that he had gone above beyond the mayor so fair play to him tonight but definitely a back yes definitely definitely a back and definitely walking I think that he was doing as opposed to anything else um yeah and he’s he’s played every single minute of this Championship season for

Nori City and and is a very elite club mostly of goalkeepers I think Ethan ampadu leads Matt Grimes at Swansea there’s a couple of others as well but a very elite club of players to have played all every single minute of every single game so far in the championship

Is incredible what he’s what he’s done um Adam before we delve into the game nice nice week away for you I think whilst we were in Blackburn you were watching Harriet town is that right in in in League 2 there was a bit of know interest there so tell us a little bit

About Emanuel adab boy AER yeah I start a little trip up to York to see my sister’s up there for University so I haven’t seen her well she’s back over Christmas but very brief occurrences in terms of me being working and her out doing things so uh yeah it was good to

Spend a bit of time and then come to the Saturday and she’s like you know um we’ll do the sort of touristy sites on Sunday so what do you want to do on Saturday me being and me first thing I’ll do is look at all the football fixtures in the area um York

Unfortunately were away so uh harate sort of only a 30 minute train away from York so um very nice town so we had a little wander around there on on the morning and then obviously yeah you mentioned the Norwich interest um that was kind of what sort of for me picked

That game out um ader started that game um until today that was the only game he hadn’t scored a goal in um unfortunately which is probably my luck but uh yeah he was very very solid um against a a physically quite big hargate side um and

He sort of matched them um it was a few times where he brought the ball out really nice um some nice switches of play and looked you know probably almost a class above that level which is probably you know for him maybe next season if he’s not in and around the

First te pitcher at norwi it’s is probably a case of looking in at League one sides and trying to make that next step um so yeah positive from him um and a good weekend away of course probably a a better performance for for him than

Maybe you guys got to see it he would park but of course Norwich have resurrected that today and got the huge three points they needed yes uh let’s let’s not dwell anymore on that that H part Jo did quite enough of that last weekend Sam it’s um a very different

Type of win today you know we saw car as saying to to Patty before I very need to go on that point of order to to clarify his tweet um it it was a different type of win if if you think about the Watford game which was chaotic in itself and

Overshadowed in end but that Cardiff win as well eight goals in two games Norwich needed a different side today didn’t they to get themselves over the line and it’s um it’s always a good thing I think to see that a team particularly in the run that nor City have have that type of

Win in them I think yeah it’s kind of a a weird position to be in because usually when we talk about things in in these sorts of terms it’s where Norwich have been maybe the worst side and still come out with with the victory but I felt that they were probably the better

Team um throughout the game it just wasn’t and especially high high quality game I thought the conditions um played a bit of a part you could really see the injuries and the impact that they had um I think in fact today’s fixture more than anything helped highlight the the

Sorts of roles that ano Hernandez and Marcelino Nunes can play in that team um because yeah tactically it felt like more of a a difficult a difficult one Scout of the way it felt like more of a problem for Norwich to solve they really struggle to provide as much of a threat

In in wide areas as they have in in recent games so um yeah they definitely had to grind it out more than maybe they have in a lot of their recent home games but um when I was speaking to to fans after the game there did seem to be this

Acceptance that you can probably forgive them that especially in the context of the performances at Cara road because of how good they’ve been how how fluid the attacking has been at times and you mentioned that Watford game the Cardiff game obviously eight goals in two I

Think in fact as much as um it might be frustrating not to see as much entertainment uh as there was in those two games it was both forgivable because of that context and also probably in some ways refreshing to see that Norwich actually still can do that obviously

There was a period in the season where most of their wins were coming from defensive solidity and and uh maybe not the most entertaining games the one against QPR really comes to mind when I talk about that but um yeah as long as they follow this up with more fluid

Performances that get back towards where they were before this game I think it looks like a very very good win and a vital three points um when obviously they’re they’re chasing down the top six they’ve now cut that Gap to to just one point so you can see how big it is um

But you know as I was just getting at really that needs to be a game and a performance in isolation that you can forgive in the context of the rest of the performances as opposed to a signal of where things go from here just realized you got an America flag on your

On your jumper which is good timing that was intentional I knew Jeff Sergeant was going to score there you go I didn’t say to Adam at any point in that in that game today that he might be drying up that didn’t happen yeah there you go you

Can’t what is it a goal every 89 minutes it’s um I think it’s better than early in Harland as it stands in terms of uh goals per goals per game ratio um and we we we’ll come to Josh sergeant in a minute but paty I actually felt uh that

Sunland did probably as good a job as that any team has done at car for a period in terms of nullifying those threats Norwich had and obviously there’s two sides to this it’s lots of injuries from a Norwich perspective they had a lot of injuries as well Sunland

And and probably have a longer list but I felt the way that they and Mike DOD spoke a little bit about this after the game the way they they sort of tried to control the the center of the pitch a little bit they were quite Brave and and

Left the fullbacks one or’s fullbacks one-on-one at points as well and I think it was help by the fact that they looked quite tidy in possession there’s a lot of technical players in that side probably liked a little bit of a of a of a figurehead up front you know D as is

The case with most championship sides you drop Josh Sergeant into into their 11 for example I think they’d look a very different side but I felt and and that probably is is what makes it more impressive in the context of how nor City have won it because the first half

Was very flat generally but but Norwich looked like they were just struggling a little bit to to kind of get to grips with how Sunland had stopped them I think they’d set up a little bit different differently to to what they were expecting but in the second half

There was an improvement and the fact they were able to solve I guess the riddles that Sunland set for them that’s a another major plus kind of in their in their column tonight yeah I mean watching it first half I thought it was you know it was very clear gr hul’s just

Falling on my head there we go we did predict that might happen yeah that’s better than errant tweet mate that’s comedy gold that that’ll be on the how takes but uh we digress again uh yeah I mean I I thought they were I thought they were the better side first half if

I’m honest um yes I know there was that Sergeant chance that sort of Hit the center nor sorry no I thought Sun the better side yeah absolutely yeah no because they were controlling the game um orbe it I think there was one shot on target for both teams in that first half

And that was a Sunderland effort but um just the movements the rotations they had across the center of the par e Quay was very good I thought and and they had a high line you know they condensed the play and um and they were very aggressive in their press as well so

They did have to decode a few things second half and um and you could argue that you know it was still very even I think dods himself said postmatch that he thought it was a bit of a basketball type of feel to him watching on the sidelines you know they

Had spells of wouldn’t say dominance but where they had felt you had that they had the upper hand and likewise Norwich I mean they did have one or two decent chances in the second half SAR had a great chance science had a chance could have done better with uh Barnes had one

That came back off the bar and was was smothered at close range before Sergeant’s goal so but equally you know Angus gun has made an excellent save I think not having seen it back but in real time it felt like he pushed that against his own bar um from bar I think

It was and uh you know there was one or two other slightly panicky moments particularly in that felt like quite elongated uh stoppage time I know it was 5 minutes but because it was quite a tense feel around the place that um you know the game was a bit too close

To h a guns gol for my liking but uh yeah I mean said it wasn’t it wasn’t very high quality Affair but you know I I thought they look like very much still a work in progress and that’s understandable given the managerial changes they’ve had this season um but

You can see they’ve got something to work with there and of course massive Miss for them is the boy Clark I mean he was he was Head and Shoulders best player on the park on WE side in the reverse game uh which say ran out fairly comfortable winners and um I think I’m

Right saying did DOD say say like 35% of their goals are down to that man so you take him out of any side in the championship but this Sunderland side then they’re going to look a little bit lacking maybe in the final third so but that’s you know that’s the cards Norwich

Have had had to deal with that the other side of the equation this season on numerous occasions so it’s gone from today in that respect and uh but yeah I I I would have thought a half time that that Vagner and his coaching team and those players the senior ones

Particularly would know they needed to pick up the pace because it was too comfortable and it was Sunderland who were not dictating but the game was suiting their eye I felt more than Norwich um and that’s credit to that the fact that they came out second half and

And got the job done orbe it it wasn’t a a rip roaring Cardiff or Watford Style game as we’ve seen recently car road but for me that that’s even more pleasing that they can get the job done because that is the charge that’s been leveled

At on now in the last two away games black burn and QPR both from winning positions they’ve let them slip where you wanted them to game manage those better today they’ve game managed it perfectly you know they kept the clean sheet they’ve got J sergeant at the

Other end of the pitch and while he’s on the pitch they’re always going to have a carry a threat um and one moment from him was enough to get the three points so you know I’m actually probably more encouraged watching that that that they’ve won it in a in a different way

Maybe to just free rolling and and burying teams under Avalanches of goals you know that they can they can’t eek them out because there’s Absolut no doubt between now and the end of the season on the road more so than maybe at C Road they’re going to have to probably

Grind out a few wins of that nature and the fact that they can do it uh is quite encouraging I think because you know to get into the top six it’s going to take a little bit more than just kind of uh you know rolling over teams you you’re

Going to have your backs against the wall and uh and and probably have to to win when you’re not at your best and then today you would say that was the case so um yeah I think I think Vagner particularly will go home tonight and feel that’s that’s another in the Box

For him yeah I I I felt it was um a more pleasing by more pleasing I mean it’s probably a more satisfying feeling behind today’s win than what they did against Cardiff because uh don’t want to be disrespectful but Cardiff were rubbish really when they came to carod

And wasn’t disrespect didn’t well they they picked up but I’m basing it on on one game at Carro at Carro they were they were as bad as I’ve seen here um this season what Watford is why I didn’t feel necessarily great but still had some individual quality that was against

I think a a better better team than perhaps the points that that they’ve got on the board um actually for for large portions of this season before maybe the chaos ensued after Tony M they were very much in that top six hunt so the fact that norwi have built an eight-o cushion

To them as well is is is a massive thing and I guess hadam we’re um you know it’s taking us 16 minutes but we’re we’re back talking about Josh sergeant again aren’t we because that had all the makings of a goal as draw really that game and it’s it’s it’s one moment it’s

A Ben Gibson cross and then it’s three glorious touches by by by that man 11 goals in in what 15 now I think it is it’s it’s just remarkable what what he’s done and he’s he’s basically won nor City two more points than perhaps they they would have won without him today

Yeah I mean that’s kind of a theme of of what he is you know he doesn’t even necessarily have to be on his game at all points but you just know if he gets that one opportunity that there’s nobody else in a Norwich shirt you’d rather that you know opportunity fall too and

As today proven you know the sort of ability to to swivel and put it in the back of the net and it’s earn them another crucial three points and there’s been sort of multiple OPP multiple times that that’s happened this season you know sort of go back to Southampton at

Home where they weren’t great at all one chance he buries it and it’s kind of those moments and um that’s why so he was such a big Miss um in that spell when he was out from the end of August right through to Christmas because um you know it’s all hypothetical but you’d

Love to know where Norwich would be if he would have been available for all those months because he for me there’s probably not any better Strikers really in the championship you know you look at his goals per minute rate at the moment um he is the complete Striker and David

Vagner kind of I suppose I spoke quite quite glowingly about him again in his postmatch and what he does for this team um yeah he’s a huge player um and a player that you know I think we mentioned on the podcast maybe a few weeks back you know a player that

Definitely will be uh of Premier League interest this summer um not something you want to think about but it’s um that’s just Testament to him and his form at the moment um and long may it continue because uh there’s some really big games ahead and you know they go to

Midlesboro midweek and you know we know Middlesboro you under Carri know they’ve maybe not been in in great form but they’re still a good side and it’s kind of game that you know might be a rainy night in middleb on a Wednesday you need

That one one chance to go in the back of the net and you know as as was the case today um he’s the man you’d hope it’d fall to and You’ back him to score it yeah we had All Seasons at carosa there was one moment in the in the second half

We had sunshine in one box and basically a storm in the other which was which was quite incredible but um Josh Sergeant’s a storm in the Box there’s a there’s a segue for you and he and and he was this afternoon three three glorious touches Sam but but that is

The quality that he has and dare I say and Adams kind of articulated it nicely there I’m not I’m not constantly trying to sell J sergeant I don’t but that it was a goal befitting a player who increasingly feels like he’s above the level that he’s playing out at the

Moment well I’m sure that’s something that’s that’s running through his mind at the moment he’s one of probably a few players at the moment that not only will be desperate to get into the playoffs and get into the Premier League with Norwich but maybe have that cushion that if it doesn’t happen

Um they’re likely to have Premier League clubs obviously interested in them I thought it was in a way it was it reminded me of how we talk about goalkeepers at times in terms of the fact that he didn’t really have too many clearcut opportunities in the Box he wasn’t especially good I actually

Thought uh throughout the N 90 minutes most of what he did was com to the halfway line um collecting the ball with his back to goal and not really having too many options as Norwich tried to sort of Force the ball through through the middle of the pitch and then to to

Pop up with a moment when the ball comes up to sort of 10 15 yards out in the 81st minute and to dispatch that chance um I think shows a Readiness that really is important for for Strikers especially if you’re going to be successful in the Premier League and uh I think that’s

Something he actually struggled with um when when Norwich were in the Top Flight it felt a little bit like whenever he got a chance that there was this panic in his head of you know oh I’ve got a chance I’ve got a chance I’ve got to

Make the most of it um there was a that open goal he had in that nil-nil draw with Brighton it felt a little bit like that um he was snatching at chances he wasn’t really um quite concentrated on them you felt and then that moment today was was exactly what Norwich or probably

Most teams in the bottom half of the Premier League need in that division really they need somebody who can absorb 80 minutes of not really having exactly what they want maybe having to do more of the hard work um side of the game and and less of the enjoyable bit in the box

And then to still pop up with with your one big chance and and score it so I think that bows well for for his future career I’m sure he hopes in the Top Flight it does feel that inevitably between now and his his retirement there will be a few seasons in the Premier

League whether that’s with with Norwich or not and how soon that is remains to be seen but you’d suggest based on his his form this season that there will be club’s interested in him and uh probably the only way that Norwich can be absolutely sure of of his Services next

Season is to get promoted indeed and it’s it’s uh you know we spoke a little bit about where the game is at in terms of number n’s py but I think he’s he’s really interesting because Sam referenced it there he came to Norwich in the Premier League he was it was it

Was too soon for him really in terms of that opportunity and where he was where he was at the transformation in terms of him and and his game if you look at that that kind of um Raw uh player who who knows it he signed from Verde Breman in

2021 to where he is now he can go in behind he can come short he can score with his head he can score with his feet he could I don’t know score with whatever um whatever he has really he’s he’s he’s ruthless he’s lethal but he’s

So important I know there’s been a lot of focus on what he does in the Press but he’s also increasingly and Sam referenced it there to me it feels like he’s becoming increasingly important to the way that nor City build up as well oh he’s yeah he’s always pivotal really

And Vagner you know when I question well put the question to him about he’s won you another game he wanted to shut that down and move swiftly on to the press that he’s the first line of the press with with Barnes and it’s his it’s his overall impact within that template and

And we saw you know the contrast is with each passion game that he scores and and shows what he’s all about with that period when he wasn’t available and then Barnes alongside uh it’s night and day in terms of what this Norwich output is or this

Outfit is sorry is capable of and uh probably concerning that you know they are so reliant on him as an individual but then in the last segment we just talked about Clark and Sunderland and maybe that’s the championship may maybe the difference of one or two individuals

Is even more marked than than going into the Premier League but there’s I mean there’s a maturity to his game now as well and a confidence you know the fact that teamuk is moved on he wasn’t really going to get a chance ahead of him in the position and

The pitch he wanted to that objetive now been removed that obstacle um and he’s muscled his way in there and you know it was sort of maybe him and Adam that’s how it felt like at the start of the Season who’s going to you know succeed

The king sort of thing and uh it’s very clearly there’s no debate orbe ader is banging him in for Celtic but um that’s a different discussion point at the moment but for Josh Sergeant at the moment um you know you wouldn’t would you swap him for any other forward player in the

Championship I don’t think you would um and that’s aest to him and uh and how he’s he’s obviously a very intelligent lad that he’s you know he’s he’s came in as we’ve discussed here you know he struggled maybe at first season orbe at Premier League level and maybe England

More broadly in the English game and and demands on the striker in the English game and what you need to add to your game but he’s obviously gone away worked on his game um realized there was areas that he needed to improve and I think Chris Sutton one of his recent columns

Spoke about it and he knows you know better than any any in terms of the Striker’s toolkit and and he said that you know the the elements he’s added to his game um he’s just now a far more rounded operator and uh at his age you know with the right mentality

Um you know where could he go and and you fear that he’ll probably look bit like um you know the sort of the Madison cycle PR prior to that he will outstrip the development of norch city and if that is the case then it’ll be about cashing in uh to the best degree

Possible whether that’s this summer or Summers to come but um yeah there’s there’s nothing that you watch from him now that makes you think this is a ceiling that he’s just a championship grade Striker I think he clearly now um could go higher how high and how good

You can be be well that time will tell but uh it’s just good it’s just good to see because you know a lot was made of that recruitment window wasn’t it um you know jalis again we could get into that debate as he scored two more today but a

Window that wasn’t fit for purpose in terms of equipping that Norwich Squad as they went into that Premier League season um fine but but this now tells us clearly it wasn’t a bad piece of business it was just right time maybe wrong player wrong wrong cycle um but I

Don’t think anybody disputes now that that even what they paid for him they’re going to recoup that and more and that will again have to be another tick in the recruitment box orbe it wasn’t the readymade article everybody hoped it would be that we’ keep Norwich in the

Premier League that atas that wasn’t to be but uh let’s hope we get back there with Josh Sergeant yeah indeed he’s uh I spoke to him I can’t remember what the game was but it was a couple of weeks ago and and he made the point ad him that this his

His first sort of year as a a number nine and I I keep thinking back to pre-season I think it was was it was Olympiacos they played at Caro this year wasn’t it and I remember speaking to him after that and just thinking that there was it was it’s weird to kind of

Articulate but his his shoulders seemed broader he seemed more confident he he kind of spoke a lot better than when he first arrive where he’s quite shy and uh quite media trained let’s be honest and and he’s and I think pad’s right there’s an element of him that feels like he’s

Kind of grown into himself a little bit more as a as a personality and you’re seeing that on the pitch now as well and you know equally I remember Ashley Barn saying at the start of the Season that there was a player there who didn’t know

How good he was and how good he how good he could be he’s he’s not going to keep up this this rate of score if he does then you know he’s going to be worth a lot of money come the summer if he’s scoring goals every 89 minutes I doubt

He’ll be able to to maintain that um nor and and this I guess is is part of a wider conversation maybe even about the the strikers I know Ashley Barnes has been chipping in we’ve got a bigger look of Sydney van hyonk as well they’ve obviously lost players in in wide areas

As well as Patty said it’s so important now that there isn’t that this this sort of overreliance on him and people relax because you’ve got a guy there that’s going to score the goals because as as as maybe Blackburn proved last week if he doesn’t score then it can often mean

It’s frustration for Nory City so that formula and that sort of riddle that David Vin has got to solve now is how to get goals from from other areas as well as Josh Sergeant which admittedly is probably not nicer um conundrum to have than maybe a few that he’s had this

Season yeah I suppose that’s kind of where you look at someone like Ashley barn and hyon Off the Bench you know hopefully if he gets more minutes like honk did today 30 minutes you know that will hopefully help him in terms of his match Fitness and his sharpness and you

Know there’s there’s lots of games to go 11 big games to go and there’ll be moments in games where maybe Josh Sant isn’t having his best game and you know you you need that impact Off the Bench almost what Adam was in that spell um sort of around the the Christmas period

Some really big goals and it is about kind of other players you know sort of chipping in but to be fair to you know the whole Norwich group this season there has been goals from all areas which was kind of probably the issue last season you know they didn’t really

Have goals coming from anywhere but Pooky or Sergeant which you know kind of then leads to lead you know yourself a little bit you you won’t score a goal if if those players aren’t on the pitch where now it feels like they’ve got goals from

All areas but um yeah he’s he’s so big for what they’re trying to do still moving forwards and they really can’t afford for him to to get injured um again because um yeah even when he’s not on it you know he’s one one one moment one game and if they get into the

Playoffs you know such a such a key player you know those games are always kind of on a knife edge and it’s one moment and and he’s such a you know sort of player if he gets that opportunity in the Box he’s going to take it as I sort

Referenced before so um yeah I think his confidence you can see it in him um he looks sort of you know much more happy player um a player that’s maybe settled in in Norwich obviously he’s got a young family as well and I suppose that’s always you know sort of a an extra

Benefit for a play you know they’ve kind of got that that sort of um home Life Element as well which he’s probably got here now as well and he sort of feels like a popular player amongst the group but also you know as the fans absolutely

Love him you know and sort of more serenading again for him today and you know you can imagine for a player who’s on the pitch you know what sort of that does for your confidence when you’ve got a crowd fully behind you you know where you go back to to the Premier League

Sort of spell when he was there and I’m not saying it was a laughing stop but you know that Miss against Brighton does make it really difficult for you and you know you’ve got criticism coming from all areas now there isn’t really any critics you know he’s he’s literally um

You know everything’s fully prais on him and he’s kind of the the player that everyone or fans you know um sort of focus in on so that definitely helps and you know let’s hope if he does get back to the Premier League he can go and prove himself again because he is a

Player it’s definitely fueled on confidence which is kind of typical for any Striker you know you kind of see that a little bit now with Adam eer and Celtic I know different complet different level but you know a player that’s playing regularly banging in goals and and his confidence is running

Through his veins and you know he’s sort of reaping the benefits from that so um yeah Josh Sergeant can’t get too low or too high really and as long as he maintains um the maturity that he has um yeah I think he’s going to go far and um

He’ll still chip in with some really big goals this season even if he has a little dip in in form yeah AB absolutely and you know he’s got he’s got Dean Smith fighting his Corner in America now and bigging him up so so that’s uh that’s that’s I’m not sure if he needs

That or not but but there you go um one I I don’t want to call it a concern but one element I think there is and you know everyone universally would agree that keeping in fit is so important but equally I I I do just fear if they lost

Him because of the type of Strikers that they have it might become a little bit of a struggle they haven’t quite got anyone who I would say is is and having watched van hoyon for half an hour today I don’t necessarily think he’s this either and I don’t think you know maybe

We we thought he was but the player who can kind of stretch teams and get him behind and press in the way that he does that I think would be a little bit of a concern um you know van hon clearly is of a very different profile to to Adam

Who you know had a lot of flaws at nor City but certainly in terms of his physicality and his presence did uh did give them that outlet particularly as we’ve referenced away from home part two of the show we’ll be doing bring the heat be talking about wide options uh

And we’ll be asking the question is there any problem that isn’t answered by Liam Gibbs you’re listening stroke watching to the pink.com nor City Podcast after another home win a one-nil victory over Sunland this afternoon at Road and uh yeah a brilliant feeling once again in nr1 which brings us nicely

Onto bring the heat the segment brought to you by our sponsors Coleman of Norwich who are very kindly uh sponsored us this season and you can see an array of brilliant uh iconic Nori City shirts um who supplied by by uh by Billy who has an unbelievable collection I think

He added to it this week with a a match warn long sleeve Marcelino Nunes uh FA Cup anfield um shirt which is uh which is good he’s I I’ve been to see his collection and he’s very specific so every version if there’s a shirt with a different uh like competition on the

Sleeve or anything like that he has to get the version so uh like norch had their their their one last week didn’t know the rainbow one I’m sure he’ll be he’ll be clamoring for one of those so thank you Billy for for the shirts hopefully I’ve filled enough time for

You all to think of a a bring the heat winner um Sam I’m going to start with you who gets your nomination for for this week uh Demetrius yanis uh there were actually a few times when and I think it was understandable given how how the in possession play was unfolding

But there were a few times when fans questioned um maybe how quickly Norwich were moving the ball forward they were getting frustrated at some um backwards passes was one occasion when you knew this as you can imagine as a left back was uh very very close to the city stand

He definitely heard some of the reaction to his his pass backwards and um turned around and and had a little Shout at the stand so um yeah I thought that was a bit of a bit of heat but all okay cuz they ended up with with the three points

Yeah we had an episode with Kenny mlan in the second half and in similar lines as well maybe we’ll get into that in a second Paddy who brought the heat for you this week straight today well I’m going to go back to this this errant

Tweet and it’s got to be the back room stuff and the deep heat on Kenny ml’s back you know whether they have I’m assuming are we’re going back to like black and white football maybe they don’t even use DP I don’t know other products are available I’m sure but I

Would imagine there’s some sort of inflammation of the bik that would have been treated to get the main man as he has become this season Josh Sergeant clearly but uh you know Kenny mlan on the pitch for Norwich is massive and um and if anything that required to

Get him on the pitch today fair play so um yeah I’ll go with David Varner’s hat tip to Chris and all the sports science and medical staff well done guys and goals and the new recovery pools at col which I think played a role as well Adam

Who uh who’s your nomination this week I’m actually going to go for Ben Gibson I thought he had a another game that probably will go under the radar very solid um see another a clean sheet for them um the defense as a unit today a really big clean sheet of course in in

Helping them grind that a huge win but I thought his overall play today you know everything that kind of and to didn’t really have kind of a big physical Striker almost what they you you look at Blackburn last week and Sam Gallagher it’s obviously a completely different

Task but I thought everything in terms of what was put on his plate today he dealt with you know well and in terms of bringing the ball out from the back which is probably one of his his better strengths um was positive so um yeah I

Think his form at the moment is is certainly playing a big part in in norwich’s kind of resurgence almost of sorts um since kind of the Christmas period and you know bear in mind what he’s had to deal with off the pitch and everything you know I think that’s a

Credit to him and and his kind of um professional you know sort of a bit uh professional nature um as a player you know he’s had to deal with criticism and he’s obviously proven those doubs wrong um and you know whether he’s certainly player that probably won’t be here next

Season but you know if he can be part of a team that’s successful come the end of the season then um you know that was a great way to go out of you know what’s been a sort of difficult you know spell at Norwich lots of highs lots of lows um

But let’s hope he can end it on high I was going to go for bang Gibson and I don’t know who to who to go for so I’ll just I’ll just back up uh what you said and uh and say here here and uh cop out

At that but yeah I thought he was I thought he was very good today actually in all aspects in POS in possession as well and um you know we spoke about it I think might have been last week’s pod Sam or another there’s a few players who feel like their performances have picked

Up in in recent weeks and uh his and I guess it’s probably coincides with what you spoke about in terms of everything at home settling down a little bit and um yeah he’s um I don’t want to say he’s looking like he was in in in 21 and that

Title winning season but there’s there’s definitely more shades of that Ben Gibson than perhaps ones that the um different versions that we’ve seen subsequently which is uh which is good to see so yeah Ben Gibson for me um and yeah I tried to be a bit more creative

And think of a different answer and literally couldn’t think of one so there we go um Paddy injuries again for for nor City Marcelino Nunes absent today with a a hip issue it doesn’t sound like it’s it’s um going to keep him out long so I think he’ll be back for for Ram

Next week which very much feels like Kenny mlan at Center back and that type of game in terms of lots of the ball and uh but we’ll see how it transpires it might be very different um chain Duffy obviously a little bit of a a setback

There the big one on L Hernandez um with with a broken foot that’s that’s going to put him out for the for the rest of the season so we we’ve kind of spoken you know in recent weeks and David vgan has spoken every opportunity about the importance

Of keeping a squad fit suddenly looks a little bit of a light nor City squad doesn’t it it did today I felt um and I don’t know I was I can’t said this in my fa but one stage there six Wingers this season and they’ve been left been left

With two now so it is and I guess it re reaffirms the challenge that they’ve got in these 11 games doesn’t it even with nun and Duffy and Etc all expected to be back within this month well hopefully yeah I mean it is it’s knif Edge in that

Regard um and we we’ve seen it graphically Illustrated you know you lose one of your real key players I.E a sergeant for any length of time the detrimental effect it has on the season at this stage that I’m afraid would be terminal um to to in terms of the top

Six uh to lose any of those front line operators the ones who are Inked in um cannot be done with without front to back hanger gun throw him in there mlan Sergeant clearly as well and uh whereas in the wide areas I mean yeah Johnny Row

For me is is the one clearly with his output this season who is the huge Miss onell it’s a shame for that guy because I thought he was rounding into one of those more productive seams of form that he’s he’s had in his entire Norwich career um chipping in with goals and

Assists um his impact as well you know either coming off the bench or starting game so on a personal level that that is a blow for the lad but you know if they can get John row back and it that it’s just about bridging between now and then

And and Science and fashion act in their own way I thought you know put it to David after the game and he was happy enough with their output uh and uh for me it’s just a holding pattern now if if if they can produce sufficient elements of wing play Within the overall context

Of what Norwich are trying to do with the ball and how they progress it up the pitch until the point Johnny row is back then who knows I mean it’s shaping up the the season’s going into OT in terms of playoff football steady steady shaping up you can take shaping up how

You want but uh lowercase s but uh at this stage but if that is the case then then John row will be back and hopefully of a fitness level he can play a significant part but they have to get to that point and uh the fear now is

Without wanting to talk up anym Doom um is that you do lose a science or you do lose a fashion act or heaven forbid any of those other players are referenced and then because we’ve been over this terrain pre Christmas and it was very hard for Norwich to sustain what they

Were trying to do uh you would fear the worst so it it does feel now it’s almost the every time a player goes down or every time we pitch up at Cony for a pre-match that you’re going to probably be holding your breath a little bit um

For fear that we get the bulletin that we got last Thursday you know which is to paraphrase David a very bad week for them so uh yeah hopefully you know hopefully that recovery pool and all the other assorted uh gizmos they have there can uh can just manage the situation I

Mean every Sunderland you know as they proved today you know every team at this stage will have key players out or or injury issues my own team K kov have got some big players out at the minute and and that’s the nature of it when you get

To this part of a very grueling Championship season so just trying to navigate a path through as best as they can now and um and it doesn’t maybe help in that regard the fitness and Recovery aspect that they’ve got a midweek trip to Middlesboro no it it it doesn’t I

Guess uh Sam you know we’ve spoken about Pathways a lot this season and uh obviously we we saw today Keno on the bench finy Welsh on the bench it’s the first League game that that Welsh has been on the bench for I think there was

A Bristol City in the cup earlier on the season he was he was in it as well and I wanted to to highlight that obviously as being positive and nor City bring for young players we’ve had lots of those conversations um throughout this season but I wanted to kind of reference

Another angle to that which is the knock on that those two being in the thir Pedro limo didn’t uh play for the 21s either which we can only assume is Fitness related given he wasn’t involved in in or’s first team match they Squad but the knock on is it had is they were

Able to play five 17 year olds in their 21 so as we said for the squad fitting out it’s it is going to present even if it didn’t today for for for Welsh and [ __ ] feels like there are going to be moments where nor City are going to have

To call on them and that that is in itself I guess a positive and it is as we’ve spoken about lots of times it should be a real key pillar of what this football club is about yeah definitely and I think you saw the importance of

That to fans from the reaction to Welsh and [ __ ] not only being announced in the squad which I think especially across sort of social media inspired quite a positive response but also when they went out to to warm up if you like a real life audience um they they were

Very warm with them as well so you can tell that the fans really have the the hunger for that and as you say they’ve they’ve managed to sort of thin out some of the the fringes of the squad and that does provide opportunities as he said

Not only in the first team but also the knock on effects for the younger players and um yeah that can only that can only be a good thing I think if say Christian fastak gets injured today or you know and then obviously Liam Gibbs ended up

Coming on right wing and as he said we’ll we’ll talk about that but in that situation you imagine pretty much David Vagner unless he wants to start Trucking fullbacks into into those positions would have to rely on those those Academy players so um yeah I think it’s

It’s definitely a positive I did see a couple of people sort of questioning the decisions to let go of of the likes of shlav poeta and things like that and I understand that in hindsight when injuries happen you do have those sorts of concerns but um whatever criticism

You have of of Liam Gibbs and probably especially David vag’s use of Liam Gibbs you wonder how much more of an impact the real Fringe players that that Norwich have let go would have had on that game than maybe a Finley Welsh or a kabo could have could have had so um

Yeah I think in terms of the first team they actually haven’t lost much um Quality in depth they have lost players to injury and that happens to everyone but I don’t think although this probably isn’t the most exciting crop of of under 21s that that Norwich have ever had I

Still think the better players in that crop are good enough to be competing on the fringes of of the Norwich Squad and um I actually was was listening to a bit with this is a bit of a tangent but I was listening to a bit with Alexis mallister talking about that sort of

Clutch of of youngsters Liverpool now have in around the the the sort of first team they’ve got there and I think when you have a first team that knows there’s such a high quality of young player pushing them in the first team that will only improve their levels there’s

There’s countless evidence of how much players improve when they’ve got better players behind them so um yeah I think the more that Norwich can get those players involved especially the better players in that group the better it is for for everyone so uh yeah good for the

Fans probably good for the perception of of David Vagner as well and um given what Ben Napa said when when obviously he spoke to the media what what it would be about a month ago now um it’s clearly a priority of his as well so yeah good

News for everyone I think there’s an element and I understand you know the the whole stuff about oh you know why you let poeta go if you if you then shorten options but I think you have to look a bit you have to look at it a bit

Bigger than that in terms of uh you know uh we sit here now norch might finish in the playoffs they might not e either way is you know a young player in that position is is going to be way more beneficial to them than than sheem with

The greatest respect to him than than he is in in the long term and developing that and in terms of value that that maybe they’re able to to to get from those types and the experience that they would have they would have had from today alone I think is makes it a

Worthwhile EP um exercise and obviously they’ll be they’ll be training regularly as well Adam is is there a fear because I said nor have gone from having really four good senior wide options row Hernandez fashion act science having two and and you’ve got players there use

This reference on on the team news video that we did you’ve got one in fash who feels like he’s probably scored more goals than his performances have warranted and science who maybe hasn’t quite scored as many as perhaps some of his moments within games um have orianted as well I think both are

Probably on the periphery a little bit too often for my liking there’s different reasons for that science well both their first season in in English football but um there’s just a little bit of an inconsistency I think that that we’ve seen with boha science but but when he does produce he produces um

Is that is that the fear as well because we’ve spoken about sergeant and and overreliance on him there’ll be people now looking to the bench looking to the squad and maybe feeling there aren’t quite enough options to to change it and not just in terms of of personnel but in

Terms of profile of of player as well yeah I think you kind of look at the wide options I mean fash and signs are very different players um asille fasack probably be more more of a benefit to Norwich Off the Bench this season sort of he comes alive in the Box almost he’s

Not really kind of natural wide man he’s uh he’s not really someone who takes on on men and you know he’s sort of um he doesn’t always look comfortable out wide I think he looks better when he’s in the Box um but I mean obviously you know

He’s going to have to to start games now and um is going to be about Fitness you know and obviously they can’t afford for any of these players to to dip in terms of Fitness or performances because you know they are now effectively in the the

Key sort of run of the season and the every game now is is massive in terms of what the outcome of the season’s going to be so yeah I think I think there has got to be a concern in terms of the the general sort of perception of the squad now in

Terms of the wide options and and what they’ve got um I felt like Hernandez for the system and what they’re trying to do is is more suitable player um in the same way row is in terms of bringing them up the pitch the the pace they’ve

Got um and probably the end product in terms of when it comes to to sort of uh the point where you need the cross to be delivered um I think they probably got it slightly more in the locker than fashn but you know I mean the option is

Or she mentioned it opens up the pathway to to younger players and who knows at the end of the season if um Norwich you’re already tied up in the top six and you get to the last game of the season you know you often see these kind of opportunities for young players arise

And um yeah I think you know someone like Welsh will if he gets an opportunity Off the Bench this season that’s you know a signal to to Norwich fans that there’s going to be young players trying to you know build themselves into the team next season irrespective of what division or where

The rest of the season goes um you know as you know as you mentioned BL you know let’s be honest he hasn’t really delivered anything this season so um to me it’s no real loss and actually I’d be personally more excited um seeing younger players coming off the bench and

They almost have that little bit more freedom in that they were a young player and there’s not really any kind of pressure on them um and sometimes they Thrive under that you know you kind of look at I sort of go back to when Max arens was thrown in at Portman Road he

Just looked like a player that you know had effectively had no pressure on him and he performed you know and obviously kicked on from there so um yeah I think there there’s pros and cons to it and uh you know obviously Norwich have to look at it from from a different perspective

As well in terms of the financials and and the wages and all that that comes into it and obviously you know getting certain players like that off the books was was crucial to what they’re trying to do so yeah let’s hope that you know from a science and fashion act

Perspective um they can sort of keep well try and reach the levels that we’ve seen at certain points of season more consistently but obviously you know it’s going to be difficult when you having to go three times in a week and you’ve not really got players there to to come off

The bench other than of course Liam Gibbs and you’ve you’ve stolen my my funer there apart from the uh the defensive Midfield debate Patty is there is there anything that Liam Gibbs can’t do on a on a on a football pitch because he he feels like he’s becoming like

Yakob s the the attacking equivalent of of yakob S I don’t know if he has played as a Winger at any point during his uh during his life but he’s um he do a good job as polyfill wouldn’t he in terms of uh of what he’s becoming but in

Seriousness I mean what do you make of how he’s been used this season because he he W noce that he’s young player of the year last year he was handed a a longterm contract fiveyear contract off the off the back of that he was given a

A senior Squad number from what was it 46 last year to to to eight this year um it does feel I don’t want to say mismanaged because that feels really dramatic but it does feel like as you look at the year and his development has significantly

Stalled well purely on a on a how many minutes how many appearances how many starts comparative between this season and that one you reference yeah then it has stalled and um so you then have to drill down is it the player is it the the head coach is

It a combination of both and that’s probably where this lies and when we put it to David very recently it was kind of I’ve sat down we’ve had chats you know he he feels David feels it maybe his performance levels have dipped a little bit he talked about in training more so

Than in games um but is that chicken and egg because you know he’s not he’s not playing you know he’s the fact that he’s not getting the game time exposure it and not in a single position either he’s playing all over the place yeah I mean without you know Liam Gibbs being sat

Here and candidly walking us through how he feels this season’s played out and and the fact fact is yeah anytime he wants yeah we’ve got spare so for over there exactly get rid of us clowns and he can come and raise the quality level but uh the reality

Is this season is is now you know reaching its conclusion and it’ll play out how it plays out but in terms of when they come back in preseason and whether that’s this head coach a different head coach um whatever else in terms of the squad change around Liam Gibbs is

Clearly a part of the future of this football club contractually you know I know it was a different sporting director but there’s no doubt that they they do rate him as an asset that they’ve they’ve brought through um later on slightly in his Academy Journey we know his backstory and the switch

Connection um so now they then have to sit down and and work it out with player himself what is he what type of player is he what positionally is he where can he add the greatest value to this team moving forward and and not a reset but

Uh but certainly uh you know an acceptance that that tough second season syndrome is behind you now and and then you need to kick on again and that’s a challenge for him as well but also the people around him like as I say the coaching staff that they need to

Extract the ability that we saw in that debut season where he looked to player I mean I’m not too fixated on what is his best position he’s just a very in my opinion a player of some promise who needs to be given the environment and the platform

To go and express that promise and and if it isn’t going to be here then you know it was no secret if if they maybe had done the deal for Varan in January he would have gone out on Loan in the closing days of that window so there was

There was already a thought process that it maybe has reached a point with him as it has done with some of the other younger lads who are out un loan that he needs to go and play regular football if that’s not going to be in norwich’s

First team then it needs to be elsewhere so because you don’t want and he’s always used as the as the example you don’t want an ad him situation where he’s burst on the scene you think he’s perpetually knocking on the door but he never quite and then The Season’s just

Tick off and then he’s in his early 20s and you know he’s got a handful of games comparative to a Max arens for example at Norwich so I’m sure they’re well aware of that and um you know this season is as I say re reaching a conclusion and I don’t see

The trends radically altering now I don’t suddenly see Liam get unless we get a rendus situation in terms of injuries in the center of the park I don’t seem Liam Gibbs suddenly forcing his way back in to be a front line option for the rest of the season so

That will have to be unpicked and put back together again in the summer because it it can’t be in the players’s interest and it’s not in norwich’s interest to have another season like this Willam Gibbs well the thing I find a little bit strange is so nun is is has

Been missing or missed today with a a hip injury Gabriel Sarah has been playing more advanced why isn’t Liam Gibbs in that conversation to fill in the role that that the Nunes did is in my head a lot better to have him dropping into a b three or taking a ball

In those deeper positions than it is a player of Gabrielle Sarah quality when particularly in at home games so you can get him further up the pitch and unlock defenses in in the way that we we know he does and and and the way he did he

Would park to tea up Josh sergeant that was a wonderful pass that get lost in all everything but a lovely pass of ridiculous pass to set b s away um on the left I think just in the closing stages of of the first half so it’s not

Even necessarily about him and I think the frustration for me is not really heard David Vagner reference him as a maybe I’m wrong but I haven’t heard him reference him as a central option and um that I think will will be a little bit frustrating because like you say what

What is he where does he play when Norwich signing from ipswitch they spent a lot of time in their Academy because he had played as a ten at if which he was more advanced um in in their Academy they signed him and basically spent a long period of time teaching him this

Kind of six to eight position um that he then played under in in Dean Smith’s tenure and actually probably produced his best football under Dean Smith um and since then he’s just yeah he’s as you said he drifting he’s playing as a second Striker which he isn’t I don’t

Think he’s a a wide player he he is for me a a cenal player that’s where his um where his best football has come so yeah as you say want to watch it but I think from his perspective and and you kind of mapped out there the fact that they were

Willing to go and sign Jonathan Varan and send him out on loan that doesn’t necessarily I don’t know it doesn’t ring particularly well for him I think in terms of uh certainly his his his short to Mid long future here long term maybe slightly different but um but yeah there

We go um Sam trip to to Middlesboro this uh this this week which is always welcome particularly in in midweek so thanks to thanks to the fixed your computer for that it’s much appreciated um it’s going to be going to be difficult isn’t it it it’s one of one of

Those Championship stereo typical games that you look at you look at it’s going to be tough um but but particularly given nor City’s away for it would be a real statement of intent I think if they could go to Middlesboro and produce a result like they have done today yeah it

Was one of those actually where um me and Adam were talking about it a little bit on the the preview show for this game it feels like vagg has been saying you know that it’s a good point on the road against Blackburn against QPR I actually think think that logic applies

More to this game I think when you go to those teams that struggling in the bottom half of the table it’s on a weekend they haven’t had that short lead up to the game that obviously they will take to to Middlesboro I felt that was or those were the opportunities to to go

And get three points on the road and now they get to a position where if they had won those games they could probably go into this one feeling fairly secure that a draw would be a good result um but they obviously didn’t manage to do that

And with the proximity of all of their playoff Rivals um it feels still like they have to go there and win which as you said will be a very difficult task they’ve been a little bit up and down this season it feels like their peaks have been high and their troughs have

Been quite low of course it’s not the same side that that beat Norwich 5-1 last season or that sort of pushed for promotion and got into the playoffs so um yeah I think it will be a tough task it’s probably an easier one than than what they had last season but still when

You travel that far and it’s only been a couple of days rest um and and the pressure is on to get a result while you’re in that playoff mix um yeah I think three points would be absolutely massive probably even bigger than than this huge three points um today so if

They could get that going into another home game against the League’s bottom side I think the confidence would be higher than it ever has before but yeah you said it will be it’ll be a very difficult task and I think it would be a huge one if they if they could what what

For you Adam Mark a successful week for for nor City it’s four is a win today essentially do you feel that’s taken enough pressure on them to to go to to to middlesbor in the week and I don’t I don’t want to say they’re going to set

Up or play for a draw by any means but where it feels like a draw wouldn’t be the worst result in the world providing obviously then they could they could beat Ren because that would be uh my maths six seven points across the the the week that would I’d be shocked if

They got that and didn’t finish the week in the top six to be honest it would mean that Hull have done tremendously well and if that’s the case then you know you you raise your hat and you say fair play to them yeah I mean me and Sam

As as your reference were kind of talking about the week ahead on the previous show yesterday and I think we both kind of concluded that six is the absolute bare minimum seven is a is a good return obviously nine is an unbelievable return and that would pretty much probably well not guarantee

But you’d feel that would definitely guarantee they’d get in the top six so um I I think a point at bar would be acceptable but then obviously you then look at kind of the the road ahead and it’s like they’ve got a couple of more winable games again after Rob room you

Know I think they go to stoke who are sort of struggling I they got the win today but um against middle actually but um you know they’re not in their greatest form they’ve got Plymouth at home who a different side I think away from home than they are at home and you

Just feel like it then starts to put more pressure on I win midweek at middles bro would be a big statement again um of this side and its credentials and it almost feels I think a little bit kind of that uh would it been 1819 when they went to B and Ono

Hernandez got the winner you know it’s different circumstances but that felt like a really difficult game and that was a sort of a win that just again kicked on the momentum um and obviously they went on to to win the title that that season but um it’s never an easy

Place to go particularly midweek um but you know again for me it’s how they go and approach the game if they get the an early goal it unsettles already probably a bar crowd that’s maybe not you know fully happy with everything that’s going on at the moment um and then it’s just

About trying to kill the game off and get three points but yeah I think if you said to me seven points at the end of this week I’d be pretty content with that and I think probably David Vagner and most of the players would be yeah

And uh because of I I don’t want to get into it really but because of accreditation uh interesting accreditation allocations at Middlesboro Sam and Adam are going to be in the way so if you see them be nice first and foremost I’m sure you will be uh and

Then you know go and speak to them because I’m sure they’ll be they’ll be doing lots of uh fam reactions and and speaking to fans uh on Wednesday night so if you’re there and you bump into into these two fellas then um yeah stop them for a chat that would uh that would

Be good uh finally Patty very quickly some interested spectators at Caro today Mark atanasio he’s been overshadowed a little bit on his uh on his on his return to England lead of the country by uh by labor leader kiss starma who I’m sure a bit of satire for

You I’m sure he’d have enjoyed the battle of the center Center ground that Cara Ro this afternoon um Mark atanasio I think I think we’ve worked out that’s the first time he seen nor City win in In the Flesh which is uh which is quite something but interesting that that he

Was at carod uh today can you tell us a little bit more about why he was at Caro today and and that sort of thing so I’m sure there’ll be a lot of two and adding two and two and making five as as to his as to his presence in England and in

Carro as well well as far as we’re aware Connor there was a business of football Summit ft sponsored event two-day conference might big names that I was going to say you might have seen on on x uh as it is now you know like Zlatan Ibrahimovic was there and got zedis

Former Arsenal CH I think the AC Milan uh Jerry Cardinal is it who’s part of that red bird consort move I think atanasio knows through the the baseball circuit as well and one or two other you know quite large hitters in the game just talking about some of the key

Topics you know at the top end of football obviously the the power dynamics with uer and the Champions League Revenue the women’s game that was under the microscope and how you grow that so yeah some movs and shakers I think Zoe Webber was at last year’s annual event I think de herself has

Appeared at a few years ago and um from what we’re led to believe he was part of a panel discussion about uh rather interestingly how you build a football club to make revenue from it so uh long way that continue if if uh if he’s looking at Norwich uh because if he’s

Done that then he he’ll obviously have turned it around in quite a big way um what’s that saying you know in football ownership if you want to make a fortune you start with a larger one or something like that it’s some saying like that if

You want to be a make a profit in football and uh so that was I think essentially uh would be one of the main reasons he was over for a very short trip he’s obviously got a business interest he’s got a London base as well part of his uh

His you know Financial Empire as it were so why wouldn’t you take in a game at the Cara in the in the hail and the r rain and the wind I notic some of the pictures PC took he had a nice green and yellow fetching uh blanket so I’m sure

He he was kept very warm in a director’s box I wish I’d had one of those to be fair got your heat G I’ve joined you in that yeah you have copied me Conor not the first time but there you go and uh so other than that I mean we can’t

Really offer any more insight I mean the point of reference is is as we all know without getting into the the weeds of it but the the share allotment process from earlier in the year and um which once clearing all the relative regulatory hurdles will effectively mean him and

His grouping uh on a share footing with deor and Michael uh moving forward and then that lock step Arrangement that they’ve got we we all know the ins and outs of that as far as we’re aware I had a check um last week I think it was and

That’s still um still with the football league um but by all accounts and and again his presence there today would underline he’s in it for the long and internally I think it’s very clear that they’re working to the process that that’s effectively already in place and

That that that he is and it was mapped out quite clearly in the last set of published accounts and thereafter the share allotment process he is now the king maker him and his group financially um you know the life support without being too too uh sort of prosaic about

It but moving forward he is an intrinsic part of what this club are looking to do and uh as a result you know it was good that he was there today and in terms of you know seeing him in the directed PO with his wife and I’m sure he enjoyed

The end result if not sitting in the cold because I’m sure it’s a lot warmer where he’s based on the uh the west coast of the US but uh yeah and and uh as I say hopefully you know the actual um public rubber stamping of that will

Come in due course and again that all flows into what feels like particular if they don’t manage to get over the line and get back to the Premier League this summer a big summer ahead on and off the par for nor City and if you had that Clarity publicly about him and his

Status and his group status I think that would um that would set the parameters for what this summer might look like you think K starma spent as much in the club shop as Liz trusted very very unlikely very unlikely yeah I know stead balls was there alongside him so I’m sure

That’s where the connection was didn’t you say he was an Arsenal fan yeah yeah yeah so uh got to watch some proper football today proper championship football so there we go that that seems like an I’m just I’m just going to add that uh because it’s just popped in my head

We are recording this at uh NQ head headquarters uh where Rachel Reeves the shadow chancelor was as I point over just over there about 30 yards away on Thursday so I had a bit of a shock when I was in down this part of the office

And uh was she asking you about no’s she didn’t come Chang no no no she clearly I don’t know she’s a lead not listener she’s a leads MP I checked I checked so I was I was primed if she came over I was going to ask her about leads and you

Know but uh Daniel far yeah no I mean I could tell you a story when I sat on a table with Theresa May once which is purely down to my wife’s political uh journalistic qualifications and uh she been trapped in here with Boris Johnson before so yeah that’s what I mean yeah

But no but the anecdote there was that she had absolutely no interest in football whatsoever and glazed over when she when she asked me what I did for a living well uh I say that she then recounted that she was a meron counselor I don’t know why we gone off on this

Tangent uh when wi won the FA Cup in 88 but that was her only so whether Rachel Reeves is um going to be coming to a director’s box anytime soon I don’t know but uh she was here and then K stama was not many not many miles down the road

From here so um this is where it’s all happening the East is where it’s going to be maybe for the for labor in terms of uh the looming election so you know know we’ll get Liam Gibbs we’ll get K sta we’ll get Rachel Reeves on here and

We can go home Happy Days they’re all they’re all welcome thank you very much for listening and watching particularly the last five minutes which have gone down a bit more of a political rabbit Hall than I was expecting but there we go um another nor City win and the the

Playoff March continues we’ll see you next week after hopefully another home win against RM United thanks for watching see you soon