At Least He Knows What He's in For

Ten days into the new season, it's probably worth a quick recap.

Norwich City, full of optimsim on the opening day of the season, manage to lose 7-1 to Colchester United, their heaviest ever home defeat. They recover some pride with a 4-0 away win in the League Cup but, just as the dust is starting to settle, the manager is sacked 24-hours before the second league game. If you were writing a script for Dream Team, the now defunct Sky One Hollyoaks style football soap opera, you would probably be accused of an over-active imagination if you came up with the next story line. On the morning of the third league game the manager of the team which inflicted that 7-1 humiliation crosses the floor and becomes Norwich City boss.

At 8.45am my mobile goes and notice is given that a press conference unveiling the latest Norwich City manager will take place at 10am. What follows is a replay of the John Cleese film Clockwise in which he has to race to get to a conference in Norwich. I get stuck behind several comedy vehicles including two tractors, a learner driver and a slow-moving pensioner on some of Norfolk's finest country roads and make the press conference, arriving breathless, with 10 minutes to spare.

Paul Lambert is named as the new Norwich City manager.

He will take over tomorrow and join the rest of us in the stands at Griffin Park for tonight's League One game at Brentford. Playing in front of the new gaffer, surely that must inspire a first league win..........

Brentford 2-1 Norwich City

But then again this is Norwich we're talking about. Paul Lambert's probably not used to watching his team from the stands. I don't know how helpful he found the above sign but for anyone experiencing a football match for the first time at Griffin Park at least there are instructions on how to behave.

The tight ground may not be the biggest but the atmosphere is good and loud. There are probably two main reasons for the this. Firstly, Griffin Park nestles snugly among rows and rows of terrace houses meaning the crowd's right on top of the action. Secondly, it's the only ground in the UK with a pub at each corner. It's impossible to get in without having to pass at least one of them.

The game itself offers another reminder of how far Norwich are from being the promotion contenders the fans want them to be and chief executive David McNally says they need to be. McNally used the importance of a shot at going up as one of the main reasons for sacking Bryan Gunn.

An even first half is followed by a second half in which the canaries never get going. One header from a long throw and a thumping free kick straight through the City wall but The Bees 2-0 up. Owain Tudur-Jones pulls one back in stoppage time and Gary Doherty almost heads in a thoroughly undeserved equaliser even later in stoppage time. That's one point from a possible nine in the league and Mr Lambert leaves the ground (quietly) pondering what he has to do to become the man who can finally turn Norwich City's fortunes.