With all the consistency Norwich manager Alex Neil has brought to the club, perhaps the only question left is the length of his restructured contract.
City announced Tuesday morning that Neil would have a “new and improved contract,” which hints that the original wages weren’t sufficient for the 34-year-old who took the Canaries from seventh in the Championship to Premier League promotion via Wembley.
He was plucked from obscurity—a young player/manager at Scotland’s Hamilton Academical. After guiding the Accies toward promotion from Scotland’s second-tier, he repeated such actions in England. In short, he’s consistent.
And that consistency is what Norwich City need moving forward, transforming the club into a Premier League regular rather than a short-term pogoing side, bouncing around the top flight and the Football League.
Neil guided the Canaries almost perfectly since his arrival in January. Through 25 matches, he’s won 17—a fresh injection the Pride of Anglia desperately needed (click HERE to read more on this). Perhaps the most impressive feat by the man who will be the Premier League’s youngest manager is his immaculate record away from home.
City have yet to lose when Neil has managed them away—a significant stat when considering the new clubs he’ll have to take the club to face. Surely this doesn’t mean Norwich fans can expect to glide through Anfield and Old Trafford, but also shouldn’t fear a 5-0 thumping at Craven Cottage—not that they’ll play there next season.
All the numbers support this decision from the board. Yet perhaps the biggest thing the tiny Scot has given to the club is faith that Norwich City are on their way up.
While former Canary manager Neil Adams struggled to produce a regular starting XI, Adams has almost kept the same form since day one. He brought Sebastien Bassong back from loan, a decision that directly led to more points snatched from matches. He sorted out a nimble backline, and added Alexander Tettey as the lone holding mid right above it.
Even in the midfield, he assembled an arsenal Adams never thought of—pushing centre-mid Bradley Johnson out to the left flank, where he had the best season of his career, scoring 15 goals.
He knew the right times to pair the central mids, between Jonny Howson, Graham Dorrans and Wes Hoolahan, while also finding the perfect occasions to start or sub the pacey right-mid, Nathan Redmond.
Up front he got the most from his forwards, at least when they were healthy. And when they weren’t, he added youth academy players like Carlton Morris and Jamar Loza, the latter scoring a 96th minute goal at Huddersfield.
‘There’s only one Alex Neil’ has been chanted a few times at Carrow Road. Tuesday’s revised contract will add a few more possibilities for the chant to continue, too. But the contract reiterates the Club’s trust in the manager going forward.
‘Hopefully it is just the beginning,’ Neil told the club website.
And it is. Even if he hasn’t commanded for a full season, he’s our Chosen One, too.
