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Sunday 7 July 2013

Nathan Redmond - Once a Blue

"This club will remain etched on my heart and soul for life" posts an emotional Nathan Redmond. The young winger leaves behind angry Blues fans, angry towards the board for getting us into a situation where we have to sell young talent that want to play for the club. It isn't jut the fact that we sold him, it's the price; 3 million is a joke in today's market, where Jonjo Shelvey is worth twice that, and Wilfried Zaha is worth four times that. 

All Blues fans are disappointed, but some for different reasons. Many are sad to see a talented youngster leave the club, when it's clear he loves the club. Others think he's overrated, but £3m is a pittance for his potential and it shows how dire a state the club is in. The sales of Davies and Redmond have sparked anger from the helpless Blues faithful.

So what can Norwich fans expect? Redmond has bags of talent and potential but it remains to be seen whether he fulfills it. Blistering pace and ability to beat a man on both sides are what caught the eye of many scouts and managers. Without end product though, it would be pointless. Whilst Redmond's crossing could use some work, this is something he can work on. Don't expect David Beckham style crosses, but he isn't a bad crosser. What really sets him apart is his shooting ability off either foot. Zaha is a better dribbler but can't shoot as well and Ince is more one-footed, which makes Redmond more dangerous. It's for this reason I think he'll end up as a second striker rather than a winger.

Is Redmond really ready for the Premier League? I'd argue that he isn't really ready and I think he knows this. If it was up to Redmond I think he'd stay for another year or two, as Clark appeared to get the best out of him and knew how to handle him. He had long time friends at the club, like Hancox, which is something that could be an issue for a young footballer. He will, undoubtedly, be a Premier League level winger in years to come, but at the moment I think the Championship is his level. Having said that, he has impressed for the England U21's and he clearly has a lot of ability. It will be interesting to see if he can make the leap.

£3m is a steal for a player of Redmond's skill and potential. Norwich fans can be very happy with the deal and excited to see him in action, whilst Blues fans remain disappointed and slightly disheartened.

2 comments:

  1. A big reason why he was so cheap was because he had one year left on his contract. Now what I want to know is whether the club even bothered offering him a new contract, or whether Redmond refused talks over signing a new one. If the latter is true then my opinion of him will greatly diminish.

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    1. I would think that we tried but to be honest, we can't pay him what he should command. We can't afford 10-15k a week, unfortunately.

      Redmond seemed to genuinely care - I don't think he would have refused to open talks.

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