There’s a lot of negative sentiment around Norwich City football club right now.
We have seen huge fan unrest at how the club has been run of late; Stuart Webber’s handover and exit as sporting director came across as messy and laboured.
The club’s success – or rather lack of – on the pitch of late has led to many wanting a change of head coach.
As a fan and someone who spends a fair amount of disposable income following the club around the country, I too share those feelings.
It’s been a tough twelve months under David Wagner and it was a tough thirteen months under Dean Smith.
But whilst there are many things I’d like to see change behind the scenes and even in the dugout, I do have some cause for optimism about the second half of this Championship season, irrespective of who is in charge.
My main area of optimism comes from players returning from injury.
In recent weeks we’ve welcomed back Grant Hanley and Josh Sargent, both of whom undoubtedly make us a better outfit and whose quality we’ve been lacking in their respective positions.
In the last month or so we also welcomed back Angus Gunn and Jonathan Rowe; all four of these players are, or at least should be, guaranteed starters.
Combine this with the experience we have in the likes of Ashley Barnes and Kenny McLean, the spark and nuance of Borja Sainz and Gabriel Sara and we should kick on in the second half of the season.
Two other areas also worth mentioning, when trying to be as positive as possible, are the poor standard of the Championship and the old cliche that there’s a lot of football still to play.
Last season might’ve been the worst Championship season in a long time in terms of quality and I don’t think this season is far off.
You only have to look at the start we made to the season to see what’s possible – after beating Stoke City at home in September we were fourth, only three points off the top of the table.
Yes, things have been up and down since then (OK, largely down), but this squad has more than enough quality to pull themselves up the table and bridge the five point gap to the play-offs with twenty games to play and sixty points up for grabs.
Would I like to see a change in the dugout and some January signings to bolster our squad? Of course.
Am I disappointed – even angry – about our recent form? Absolutely.
And yet, the football romantic in me still thinks that this group of players can salvage this season, irrespective of who’s in charge.
