Football:Rick Waghorn believes Bryan Gunn has to address Norwich City's soft centre in defence
As full-time managerial debuts go, it wasn't quite what the Carrow Road doctor would have ordered – squandering a 2-0 half-time lead with their usual, a-hem, aplomb.
But, in many ways, it might prove to be something of a blessing in disguise.
At least the manner of this week's 2-2 home draw with Southampton will have confirmed in Bryan Gunn's own mind just what he needs to do over the forthcoming 17 games; likewise it will have told new first team coach Ian Crook all he needs to know about his new charges.
He will have seen the DVDs, read the reports and heard the rumours, but I suspect there's nothing like seeing it 'live' in front of you.
The overwhelming need, of course, is for Gunn to address that soft heart in the middle of his defence.
And, in fairness, if the reports are to be believed that Darren Purse was in the building for talks before a ball was even kicked on Tuesday night, then the new Canary chief clearly already has certain matters in hand – and long before Master Grounds found himself giving all-too much ground to Marek Saganowski come Saints' heart-breaking second strike.
Purse may be many things to many people, but few have ever charged him with having a soft heart.
And before we all get overly-damning on the departed Glenn Roeder regime, it was an issue he too addressed with the arrival of Dejan Stefanovic.
His exit for the rest of the season probably hurt the ex-City boss more than anyone imagined at the time; it left an assortment of kids to do a man's job.
And, in this division, they can't. As accomplished a footballer as he is, Adam Drury can't do that job either. You sometimes wonder where Norwich might be now if Gary Doc wasn't holding firm in among it all.
Should Purse arrive before tonight's visit to Doncaster then that ought to be one, big feather in the Big Man's cap; it is also evidence that somewhere behind the scenes the board have scrabbled together enough pennies to arm Gunn with the right kind of tool for the right kind of job – to give City's flailing back four a sorely-needed injection of heart and strength.
After that, all he has to do then is to find two strikers that work – and not find himself having to over-rely on Wes Hoolahan to pull this season out of the fire from midfield. Darel Russell and Jamie Cureton will bleed yellow and green all day long, but City need to find someone to score them eight, nine goals over the next 17 games.
And, right now, that looks a tall order.
www.norwichcity.myfootballwriter.com
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Weather for Diss
Thursday 02 September 2010
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
