Chris Goreham: Norwich boss got his timing just right

The two Carrow Road games over the past week have put me in reflective mood. What is it really that keeps thousands of people eagerly filing in through the turnstiles year after year?

The atmosphere around Tuesday’s 4-2 win over Watford was extraordinary. Loud boos accompanying substitutions while Norwich City were winning. About an hour and three precious points later David Wagner decided to call out those who had been protesting against his game management.

This was a bold move, especially from a head coach recently accused of being too cautious with his tactical changes. When a manager takes on the crowd there is usually only one winner. Dean Smith got similarly agitated and snapped that he preferred playing away from home after a 2-0 defeat to Blackburn in December 2022. He got his wish to such an extent that he never had to take charge of another Norwich City home match again.

Wagner timed his fan feedback more intelligently. It had taken a nine-match unbeaten home run and a place just inside the top six for him to feel that he had sufficient credit to cash in with the Carrow Road crowd.

It certainly got planet Norwich talking. With another home game just four days later it was fascinating to follow the sliding scale between “how dare he?” and “he’s absolutely right". What would the overriding collective Canary feeling be by kick-off against Cardiff?

I went to the supermarket on Saturday morning. The fruit and veg aisle is an unlikely place to have a footballing epiphany but that’s what happened. I started to notice the number of people hurrying round with their trolleys who had a tell-tale glimpse of yellow peeping out from under their jackets. On the drive home fans in replica shirts or with yellow and green scarves draped around their shoulders were already waiting at each bus stop.

Thousands of people arrange their entire weekends around their favourite football team. Saturday morning is for rushing around and getting jobs done in time to meet friends and family and enter into the usual pre-match routines. It really does mean a lot to a great many people. It’s escapism at the end of a long working week, something to look forward to. The anticipation and the sense of community is as important as the actual 90 minutes. It’s also an increasingly expensive hobby during a cost of living crisis. That’s why, when they are not enjoying it very much, fans are moved to make their feelings known. It’s also why anyone who works in authority at a football club must think very carefully before biting back.

For most businesses the golden rule is that the customer is always right but very few have customers that care so much they are supporters.

David Wagner felt a win over Watford was the perfect moment to stir another hornet’s nest. At times the concern and criticism this season has been justified. Forget all that for a moment though and focus on the destination rather than the journey.

Norwich City have taken 34 points from 18 games, they are on a long unbeaten home run and have genuine momentum. If key players can stay fit and match the standards set in recent games a top-six finish is entirely possible. It may be a big if, but 18 games ago it was an if that didn’t even exist.

Wagner’s Watford words could have backfired. However, this is one call he’s judged perfectly. The gusto with which ‘On The Ball, City’ was belted out at kick-off on Saturday followed by the response over 90 minutes from the stands was impressive.

In acknowledging and addressing the supporters, Wagner’s comments appear to have helped. By explaining his decisions rather than simply sniping he’s reminded them how powerful and influential they can actually be during a game.

There's a reason we love football... (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

The head coach clearly has the full backing of his players. Home fans hadn’t seen their team score four in a league game at Carrow Road since April 2019 having been locked down during the last promotion campaign.

They’ve just seen it happen twice in the same week. There are some big unanswered questions about Norwich City’s future direction of travel and they remain pertinent.

They might have to be parked for 13 games while supporters remember what it is that they love about going to the match.

Honourable mention...

Yasser Asprilla enjoys his goal at Carrow Road (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

Carrow Road should have its own version of the honours board at Lord’s.

Any cricketer who scores a century or takes five wickets in an international match has their name displayed for eternity.

The one at Norwich City’s HQ should be even more difficult to get on. However, the engraver would have been called in this week to immortalise Watford’s Yasser Asprilla.

His long-range thunderbolt to claw the Hornets back to 2-2 last Tuesday night was so good that even a fair few City fans applauded it. That puts Asprilla in truly select company. It is a very rare occurrence for home supporters to let their guard down and openly appreciate an opposition goal.

I remember the great Sergio Aguero scoring at Carrow Road in an FA Cup game in 2016 for Manchester City. That won some admiration from the Norfolk faithful. I have an idea that one of the many goals that Luis Suarez got against City was impossible not to applaud. The only other two I recall came in more niche circumstances.

A player called Jessy Reindorf scored an incredible goal in a League Cup tie that Norwich won 6-3 against Bury in the Chris Hughton era. I am also convinced that Henrik Larsson netted an audacious volley for Celtic in a testimonial for long-serving Norwich physio Tim Sheppard in the early 2000s. I have never been able to find video evidence of that one.

That’s my list exhausted. Can anyone remember any others?