At about 9.30pm on the first Tuesday of the new season would be the answer as far as the regulars on the Radio Norfolk post-match phone-in were concerned.

The majority, no doubt, would not have even travelled to the stadium:mk to witness Norwich's latest first round cup exit, but they can always smell a good crisis in the wind – even if, for the vast majority, that point remains a good couple of months away.

By then the transfer window will have finally closed and everyone will be able to see what Glenn Roeder has got in his locker for the rest of the campaign.

For my money, the Canaries remain a half-decent player away from being a half-decent team this season.

If only on the evidence of the Ricoh, Kennedy-Stefanovic will do a job; two young, bright Premiership full-backs – tick. Creative force in midfield? Hoolahan. Tick.

Neat, tidy, mopper-up in midfield? Sammy Clingan. Tick. Three, small strikers in midfield, one of whom will eventually click in front of goal? Tick.

Might take a couple more weeks, but between Messrs Cureton, Lupoli and Korona one of those should be good for at least a dozen goals.

Big, strong physical presence who offers Norwich the ability to mix-and-match their style of play; go long and direct when the situation demands? A big, fat 'No!'.

And here's where the games commence.

Because the world and his wife know that the best prices to be had are in the last 48-hours before the window closes; that's when the summer market 'peaks' when the best bonuses are to be had for the agents of this world; that's when you bring your boy out to play – on August 29, not August 9.

Ditto, the clubs.

Spice up a little auction in the weeks beforehand and then take your phone off the hook until the midnight hour approaches.

By then the phone-in folk will be going ballistic; the names of Huckerby and Cullum will be doing the messageboard rounds again and faced with such political pressures, so a club may yet add an extra nought here; drop a sell-on clause there in a bid to get their boy in.

Not at any price, but at a far higher price than they would have paid three weeks earlier.

Still, nothing like a good crisis to remind us all that football is back in town…

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