Life after Wes Hoolahan has officially begun.
Of course we'll never pay £250,000 for a player of that quality and longevity ever again. But surely, under the current regime and with the ship being steered by Stuart Webber and Steve Stone, we're more likely to find our next diamond in the rough?
Not every signing will be an instant success, that's a given. However, I look at the way Mario Vrancic has finished this turbulent campaign and it fills me with great confidence that these lads from abroad just need that little bit of extra time to settle in. It's clear to see, now Mario has adjusted to the English game, he's just enjoying his football more and with that comes tremendous confidence, which then translates into much more solid performances.
On that note, if Tom Trybull is already putting in consistent nine out of 10 performances this season, he could easily be in the running to win the Barry Butler Memorial Trophy next time out, should he stay fit for the duration. What a fantastic chant too, by the way.
I'm sure I'm not the only supporter already thinking about the summer's ins and outs. I'll be keeping an especially keen eye on Southampton for the rest of the Premier League season – if they stay up, perhaps it's more likely our very own Paul Scholes, aka Harrison Reed, will sign on a permanent too. He's looked tidy at the back, as well as in that holding midfield role. He's held in high regard by the Norwich City faithful after his performances this season, and rightly so.
But again, much like Steven Naismith, Matt Jarvis and our beloved Wes, I'm sure we're talking Premier League wages. Paying those are absolutely out of the question now. We might not have a choice but to offload those players as soon as possible, for any respectable bid.
That is the reason why the Tettey contract renewal, revealed midweek, is such fantastic news. I think it's fairly safe to say he would have taken a pay cut. I'm delighted the club have valued the experience he brings. Not just this either, but his character, personality and presence. Our dressing room needs more leaders around and arguably we've missed it tremendously this campaign too, with Hoolahan and Russell Martin in and out of the squad – two players the whole team look to for support on and off the pitch. Sometimes 'the trolley needs to be kicked over' at half-time.
Last summer, ahead of this current campaign, I was super pleased about the midfield resource available to us, in an attacking sense. This time around I'm really happy about the squad's defensive midfield capabilities. Young Ben Godfrey, who's been a vital ingredient for making Shrewsbury tick this season, will come back and compete with main-stay Tettey. Then, of course, you've got Trybull and Louis Thompson, who can definitely make an impression on Daniel Farke in pre-season, should he stay injury-free. Overall, it's fair to say I'm already fairly optimistic. I'm just excited at the proposition of starting from scratch again. Clean slate, fresh legs and new hopes.
So it's Sheffield Wednesday up for the Canaries this weekend and I think you'll see us bring the three points back to Norfolk, despite them beating Reading 3-0 last time out at Hillsborough. There are now numerous individuals in that team with their futures on the line, and I'm certain they will shine.
I'll finish this final column of the season with a message – throughly enjoy your summer and come back to Carrow Road next season with an upbeat attitude and your loudest voice. Yes, I'm even talking to you lot in the River End. The guys on the pitch will need us more than ever before to reach the play-offs
On The Ball, City!
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here