Alex Neil leaves his perch to lift Norwich’s hopes of big-time return
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Version 0 of 1. Alex Neil could hold back no longer. The Norwich City manager, appointed on Friday, had left Mike Phelan and Gary Holt, already in situ, to prepare and pick the side to face Bournemouth at Dean Court and to run the show in the dugout. But at 1-1 after 64 minutes Norwich were reduced to 10 men by the dismissal of Jonny Howson. Neil came down from stand to touchline “because we needed to change things around tactically”. Far from holding out against the Championship leaders, Norwich won 2-1. Neil called it “a fantastic start”. Bournemouth were unbeaten in the League since September, winning 10 of their 14 games. Norwich had won only once away in that time and dropped from the top of the table themselves, as a succession of clubs has. They were 11th going into December but are back to seventh now and in the running again for an instant return to the Premier League. For Bournemouth, surging from the other direction and still leading the division under Eddie Howe, the top tier would be a new experience. Neil is used to fantastic starts. Last season, his first as player-manager, he propelled Hamilton Academical into the Premiership where they beat Celtic for the first time in 77 years. A defensive midfield terrier, he played his last match of more than 250 for them on New Year’s Day, a 5-0 win over Motherwell, and left them in third place. At 33 he is older only than Mansfield’s Adam Murray in the Football League. He was born in Bellshill, which is a good start too. So was Sir Matt Busby. Even before his appointment Neil had declared his style: “My description of a manager is he manages the team and any players that come or go.” It made Tony Pulis sound like a pussy cat and suggested a new era for Norwich. A local man’s impression was that “he might be a bit green”, which may be fine if the other bits are yellow. Afterwards Neil said: “The work ethic and how they dug in speaks volumes. You need that to be successful. I loved it.” But, with a smile, he passed off what looked like a Scottish jig on the pitch as “probably just the way I walk” so there may be a lighter side, and he stressed “the need to rally everyone and the importance of the connection between fans and players”. The fans gave as good as the players, more than 1,400 standing and singing throughout. The average attendance at Carrow Road has barely fallen this season, from 26,805 to 26,150, despite relegation. Cardiff’s and Fulham’s, comparable in the Premier League, are 22 and 28% down. Norwich’s fans seldom need rallying. Bournemouth’s average, the lowest in the division, is 10,051. Dorset does not know what it is missing. The first half on Saturday can hardly have been matched this season, silky with movement, speed, precision and touch. Bournemouth were riding the confidence of their run. Norwich had a new manager to impress. They tweaked their 4-4-2 to satisfy Neil’s preference for 4-1-4-1, with Alexander Tettey the defensive one, Nathan Redmond and Bradley Johnson raiding wide and Gary Hooper slightly withdrawn from a front two, leaving Cameron Jerome to lead the line with energetic menace. At a time when strong defenders are at a premium it said much for both sides’ organisation that the score was only 1-1 at half-time. Matt Ritchie, arriving late, blasted in Marc Pugh’s deep cross from the left in the 18th minute. In another 18 Norwich equalised as Jerome headed on a corner that looked to hit his team-mate Michael Turner’s hand before Hooper forced in. The home side cried “foul” but there was no time for intent. Chris Foy, identified by Keith Hackett last week as unfit for Premier League purpose, gave the goal. More contentious was the red card for Howson’s tackle. Even Howe “did not think it a bad foul”. Shortly beforehand Norwich had brought on Ryan Bennett for Steven Whittaker, who was ill. Just afterwards Bennett pulled a hamstring. Norwich, with 10 men, were running out of right-backs. Mettle was called for and shown and in the 80th minute Jerome spun on a loose ball and curled a 25-yarder into the top right corner. The game ended with Norwich tearing about like ambulances in their green and yellow. Anyone would have thought there was an A&E crisis. Neil, who is bringing in his Hamilton assistant, Frank McAvoy, is retaining Phelan and Holt, both former Norwich players, as was Neil Adams, the outgoing manager. Phelan, after all, served another Scottish Alex well and Norwich like their own. Old Canaries never die. They are simply told they are singing out of tune. Adams departed after 5-0 and 6-1 wins in his last two home games. Norwich do mutual consent if they can, rather than the sack, and he is set to return to youth duties in July. Curiously Mike Walker’s second term as manager ended similarly in 1998 after two 5-0 home wins. Neil has been warned. |