ICT & Norwich City Partnership??

[Guest Zapp Brannigan]

Hello all ICT supporters and congratulations on your fine start to the season, i am a Norwich City fan from Australia and while browsing news on Norwich i found this story, i was just wondering what some ICT fans think about this idea.

From The Pink Un

-----------------------------------------------------

Super Carey want to nurture young Canaries

JONATHAN REDHEAD

Norwich City and new boss Peter Grant are being targeted by a Scottish Premier League club which wants to get its hands on the Canaries' top youngsters.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle, who are currently sitting in the top half of the SPL, want to act as a type of nursery for some of City's young stars and give them the chance for regular first team action as they make their way in the game.

Although the Scottish side have yet to make an approach to City about their proposal, their boss Charlie Christie is a friend of Grant and hopes to set up a scheme.

The pair played together in Celtic's midfield in the 1980s and Christie is hoping the friendship could help swing a deal.

No details of any possible deal have emerged, but potentially the likes of Michael Spillane, Andrew Cave-Brown, Matthew Halliday and Rossi Jarvis, who have all seen first team action in a City shirt this season, could be sent north of the border on a temporary basis.

Several Premiership clubs have tie ups with smaller sides to offer their youngsters games, most notably Manchester United, who link up with Royal Antwerp in Belgium and Arsenal who have a tie up with Antwerp's rivals Beveren. Players like John O'Shea and Ronnie Wallwork, now with West Bromwich Albion, have had spells in Belgium to gain first-team experience.

Christie, whose Highland Capital side pulled off a shock 1-0 win away at Rangers last weekend, said he would contact Grant to talk about setting up a nursery system.

"It's potentially something we could look at," he said. "I'd like to get in touch with Peter as I was delighted he got the job.

"But if my players keep playing like they did last weekend we won't need to make too many changes."

It's also unclear whether any deal between Caley and City would see the Canaries have the option to loan or buy some of the Scottish side's top players like Graham Bayne, who scored the winner last Saturday, and defender Grant Munro.

Christie compared Munro to Scotland star Andy Webster who recently secured a big money deal to play for Wigan Athletic after leaving Hearts.

-----------------------------------------------------

[Guest birdog]

Hello Zapp and welcome. Interesting reading there, especially given that some fans were sceptical about CC's appointment with his lack of contacts in the south, it would seem the doubters are proved wrong again.

I don't like the idea of Bayne's name being touted as one who could leave as I think he is one of our better players.

I notice from your post you are from Australia, obviously you dont manage to get to many games but do you know of any up and coming stars at Norwich who might make it at ICT?

[Yngwie]

It looks a non-story. What Charlie actually says is very different to the angle the journalist is taking.

[Caley Mad In Berks]

We've had so-called arrangements with English clubs in the past, eg Sheffield United, which have come to absolutely nothing, as far as I can see, so I'm inclined to think that this will be a non event.

[RossP]

I'd take Andrew Cave-Brown on loan, as he is very good right back. Could provide competition with Rossco.

[Guest kingkojak]

zapp brannigan sounds suspiciously like chrales bannerman!! 

id believe it was a wind up if it wasnt for that fact that zapp's post was interesting to read!  :004:

[+Gringo]

I reckon the other CC is involved here....Caley Canary?  :004: Come on Canary, give us the SP... :001:

[Guest Zapp Brannigan]

I notice from your post you are from Australia, obviously you dont manage to get to many games but do you know of any up and coming stars at Norwich who might make it at ICT?

I have actually never been to a city game, but all that will change in March. We get next to no scottish league coverage over here (except of course for Celtic V Rangers games and the Scottish FA Cup Final) so im not sure of the Scottish PL standard so i am making my judgments on players from other city fans that have seen both.

Most of the kids mentioned in the report would do well. Joe Lewis a England U/19 keeper might benefit your squad in a year or two. Ian Henderson is another player that has not really been given a chance and would be a good squad player in the SPL.

I don't like the idea of Bayne's name being touted as one who could leave as I think he is one of our better players.

I dont think it would be in our best interest to be pinching your better players, i think it should be viewed as a program for our younger players to gain experience and that is all.

Most canary supporters are skeptical about the plan as we have a similar arrangement with Parma where they are supposed to be sending their youth players over, but nothing has happened with that.

Honestly, i think if both clubs actually sat down and worked with each other i can see a partnership like this being really positive for each side but, there is no point organising it if nothing is going to come of it.

[Scotty]

zapp brannigan sounds suspiciously like chrales bannerman!! 

nope - Zapp is a new poster to our site and comes complete with an Australian email address and IP address as suggested in his first post. If Mr Bannerman did have an alter ego on here, I am sure he would not make it an obvious one ...

[CaleyCanary]

Gringers, really, are you suggesting I'm a wind-up merchant?  :010:

All I can tell you from this end is nowt! There's been nothing on the official club website and no further mention of any partnership in the local rag.

The story first appeared on the 21st but doesn't seem to have generated any interest with the Canary faithful - at the moment they're far too concerned about getting dumped out of the Carling Cup last night by lowly Vale. Looks like Grant's honeymoon could be over before it even got started!

However, he has been making a lot of noise about the youngsters at the club being given a chance and he wants to put some oomph back into the youth policy that did so well here a few years back. So, if he still has good links with Charlie then I wouldn't be surprised if something emerges. Although I do feel that the tone of the original article is suggesting that we would be treated as some sort of minnow feeder club for Norwich, and believe me that's a piggin' joke! The odd loan spell of a young fringe player may be useful if we were going through a bad injury patch, but under normal circumstances why on earth would we want to be introducing Norwich City has-beens and never-will-bes into a good settled squad like ours?

For me the article lost most of its credibilty with the mis-spelling of 'Super carey' in the title  :017:

[KingBeastie]

Great! The mighty norwich city  :017: the team that went out on penalties to port vale last night  :006:

Oh the excitement - somebody sedate me please  :017:

norwich city - Hardly a step in the right direction, their keeper is a dungdee utd reject FFS - where is the step up in standard?  Its ncfc who would be after our players.

[metalgecko]

Look at it this way. At least we may get some decent pies, considering Delia's connection!

[kencar]

Great! The mighty norwich city  :017: the team that went out on penalties to port vale last night  :006:

Oh the excitement - somebody sedate me please  :017:

norwich city - Hardly a step in the right direction, their keeper is a dungdee utd reject FFS - where is the step up in standard?  Its ncfc who would be after our players.

Norwich City are a MUCH bigger club than we are like it or not.

Chances are nothing will come of this but if there's even the slightest chance ICT can benefit from this or other arrangements then surely it has to be considered

[Scotty]

Nothing wrong in Caley Thistle having affiliations with clubs anywhere ... If it means we get a 'heads-up' about players who are promising but not likely to break into Premiership sides then where's the harm .... are we unhappy to have got Morgan and Black from Blackburn ????? Look at the Arsenal boy Stokes who is currently doing not too badly this season ..... I wouldnt want to fill the team with "on loan" players but the odd one wouldnt be a huge problem, nor would getting first refusal on released youngsters to bring on ........

[Kingsmills]

There's a bit of a difference in having an Arsenal youth team player to a Norwich City one but any bright new talent has to be welcomed even in the short term.

[ictchris]

Which former Caley Thistle player had a trial at Norwich early in his career?

[Alex MacLeod]

Most clubs in the premiership and championship have top class youth set ups that bring through excellent players. Unfortunately, not too many get straight into first team due to squad sizes etc. Coaches want to see how the lads will cope before committing them so send them out on loan to other leagues, including SPL. There are a few loan players playing in Scotland this season who are developing into top class talent by getting first team exposure and who will go back to their respective clubs and make their mark.

The idea is a great way for teams like us, who cant afford the better players, to help other clubs whilst, at the same time, having the opportunity to field the up coming talent, be it only between windows.

Any links of this type take time to come to fruition because the lending team will always want to be sure their lad is being developed. Would anyone bet against Falkirk getting another few players from Arsenal after Stokes goes back down south.

[Charles Bannerman]

This isn't a subject on which I would normally even want to comment, but since my name has been mentioned in connection with it, I feel I have to respond to confirm that this has NOTHING to do with me. Thank you Scotty!

In any case, just look at the piece. It's not backed up by any significant quote at all and is totally wrapped round the story the reporter has decided he wants to tell. He has clearly put some kind of question to Charlie who has obviously not wanted to appear rude about Peter Grant but who still makes it quite clear to me that he's not interested in this creation of a local newspaper journalist in Norwich who then has the gall to turn it round to make it sound as if this is something Charlie is keen to achieve and wants to initiate.

Given that even a firm link through David Sutherland with Sheffield United is not being pursued player wise, it hardly seems likely that this would.

This happens all the time in football. A journalist decides on the story he wants, he puts the idea to the relevant player or manager and then uses certain quotes - at best out of context and sometimes even corrupted - apparently to back up his non story.

In this case, it's just another of those down sides a smaller club gets after a victory over Rangers.

Players and managers really get fed up with this kind of invention, believe you me!

On the other hand I wouldn't mind signing up Delia Smith for some half time entertainment!

[Alex MacLeod]

Goddam jounalists eh!

Charles, could you handle the delectable one :001:

[Scotty]

On the other hand I wouldn't mind signing up Delia Smith for some half time entertainment!

Well, if she was cooking the pies, you would have to make sure you got in before your live commentary colleagues from Radio Scotland .... EVERY week we suffer the sound of chomping jaws for most of the second half with the odd comment between mastications  :015: :015:

[Charles Bannerman]

Not so much pies... I was thinking more of feeding Delia with a few drams and at half time handing her a microphone and directing her to the pitch!

[Guest birdog]

Not so much pies... I was thinking more of feeding Delia with a few drams and at half time handing her a microphone and directing her to the pitch!

NO NO NO NO NO half time is when I open my Barley sugars, the wrappers on those give such a crisp, sweet russtle.

[CaleyCanary]

It's always an interesting debate about whether an English non-premiership club is a bigger entity than one of our own SPL sides. What we must remember is the relative difference in size between the two senior setups in both countries. The English league is so much bigger with clubs attached to much larger towns and cities and pulling far bigger gates than we can manage - even as far down the pecking order as the Conference sides! There's a lot more money about.

I was at Norwich v Cardiff on Saturday, attendance over 25,000 which was 94% capacity - and they get that nearly every game not just because they were playing the league leaders. They've had the luxury of parachute payments for the last couple of seasons so there's been plenty dosh flying about the place over and above Delia's contributions.

Like our own board, they're pretty sensible with their money. They invested in their new training centre at Colney and it's as good as anything else in the country and the envy of many in the premiership. Their youth policy has produced some fine players over the years, some of have played up north like Chris Sutton, Craig Bellamy and Dale Gordon.

So are Norwich City a bigger club than Caley Thistle? On reflection, I'd probably have to say yes they are - but they don't get the adrenalin pumping like our lads can!

PS. The Dundee United reject is doing fine and becoming a firm favourite with the yokels. He's currently got a bit of an injury and was benched for the Cardiff game. No doubt he'll get his place back easily, his replacement (Ashdown) looked well dodgy and his distribution would have been an embarrassment to Elgin City!

[Guest calaiscasual]

"I am the man with no name.  Zapp Brannigan at your service"

Futurama rules