Eat, Sleep, Drink Norwich City: New ideas may take a while to bear fruit for City

There is an old Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times.”

Ivo Pinto has been fast-tracked back into Norwich City's squad to cope with a growing injury list. Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd

Sounds pretty innocuous but actually has quite a well hidden barb.

Norwich City should be congratulated for their courageous decision to throw away the old way of doing things, bringing in the new. I have always been very impressed with the new sporting director, whenever I have seen him interviewed he always comes over well.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, some might say (if they like talking in cliches). At the time of writing Norwich have just unveiled their seventh signing of the closed season, Marcel Franke.

New head coach Daniel Farke is a very interesting man. He comes across as eloquent in English for a German-born man, his passion and intelligence almost goes unquestioned, however there is another side to him that we can only hope the first team players don’t see too often, his “Mr Hyde” side. I shall be keeping an eye on the manager, by all accounts he wears his heart on his sleeve whilst watching the game and watch out defence if you hoof the ball out! By all accounts Daniel can be something of a lion! You don’t want to be the target of one of the head coach’s roars! I find myself conflicted somewhat. I am excited, but I expect that it will take a while for the squad to play the way that the new head coach wants. Be prepared for sloppily conceded goals. Farke does not like skied panic clearances.

Remember that Farke comes from the stable that brought Jurgen Klopp to Liverpool and only now are Liverpool starting to play the “Klopp-way”.

For Norwich pre-season is definitely too short to get the whole squad playing the “Farke-way”, so expect fireworks, on the pitch and the technical area.

I was a little concerned to see certain players go, but not overly so. With seven new players who could arguably all be in the starting line up, these are interesting times. Watch out for “Super Mario”, the “Return of the Gunn” and at least one player who was here last season who will be a revelation this coming season. I will stick my neck out and say it could be Steven Naismith.

We should be grateful that we are living in “interesting times”. The wheels could occasionally fall off, but at least we are trying something new. If you like things the old fashioned way, you could travel about 40 miles down the A140.