Chris Hughton moved to boost Norwich’s defensive options last week by signing up Michael Turner from Sunderland on a two-year contract. The 28-year-old arrives at Carrow Road for an undisclosed fee and is the fourth player to sign for the former Birmingham boss, following the acquisitions of Jacob Butterfield, Steven Whittaker and Robert Snodgrass earlier in the summer transfer window:
Having failed to really establish himself at Sunderland, the centre-half was given permission to speak to the Canaries by Martin O’Neill and revealed Hughton’s faith in his abilities played a major part in sealing the move:
I’m delighted. The deal is all signed now and I’m happy to be here. The manager needs to want you first and foremost to get the ball rolling, and that was the key with Chris Hughton. I’ve heard a lot of people say good things about what he does and has done in the game, so I’m just pleased to be a part of his team. I’ve picked up a lot of experience throughout my career, and hopefully I can add a bit to the squad here. I feel good. Last year I played just shy of 30 games, and now that I’ve come back to pre-season I feel stronger than ever.
The Statistics
Turner’s career began at Charlton as a youth where he also spent several months of his apprenticeship with the Inter Milan Under 19 team due to the two clubs’ link-up. After signing a professional contract, he was farmed out on loan to Leyton Orient, scoring once in seven appearances in the 2003-04 campaign. He was captain of the club’s reserve team the following season and was named Charlton’s Young Player of the Year for 2003-04 but failed to make a single first-team appearance before moving on to Brentford.
Initially signed on a loan deal, Turner completed a two-and-a-half year contract in November 2004 and played 91 league games, scoring three times. His displays at the back saw the centre-half voted Player of the Year in 2004–05 and Supporters’ Player of the Year in 2005–06 before he was snapped up by then-Hull boss Phil Parkinson in the summer of 2006. Turner’s three seasons with the Tigers were easily the most impressive of his career so far – over the course of 125 league games, he returned 12 goals and four assists and was voted the Supporters’ Player of the Season in all three of his campaigns at the club.
Despite reported interest from Liverpool and Man City, Turner signed for Sunderland on the final day of the summer transfer window in 2009 but his time at the Black Cats was far from successful from a personal point of view. Blighted by injury and a loss of form, he managed just 68 appearances on Wearside, scoring just once and providing two assists under a succession of bosses before signing for the Canaries.
The Prospects
While Norwich’s attacking football under Paul Lambert last season drew plenty plaudits, it papered over the cracks of a backline that shipped 66 goals – only the three relegated teams conceded more. The Canaries returned a mere three clean sheets in the 2011/12 campaign and failed to register a single shut-out on the road; clearly, their defensive frailties is an issue the new manager needs to give immediate address.
Lambert’s rotation policy, allied with his side’s inability to keep out their opponents, ensured Fantasy managers gave the Norwich backline a wide berth last time round. Hughton is likely to opt for a greater consistency of selection as he looks to boost resilience at the back, suggesting Turner could be handed a role at the heart of the Canaries defence in the season ahead.
The downside is that Turner’s initial Sunderland valuation is likely to deter many. His price in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) is greater than all but two defenders on offer for Hughton’s side; at 4.5, Turner costs the same as Russell Martin and Steven Whittaker but if Marc Tierney (4.0) can nail down a starting role at left-back, he offers a cheaper route into the Norwich backline for those eyeing up a cut-price defender. It’s a similar situation in the Sky Sports game; Turner’s original Black Cats’ price of 5.3 sees him suffer compared to Tierney’s 3.8 – a scenario which is likely to see him struggle for investment.
Certainly, the recent friendlies have hinted at an upturn in resilience, with just one goal conceded in their last three pre-season games but looking at the club’s opening schedule, Norwich have just two strong fixtures in the first eight Gameweeks which are likely to entice Fantasy managers. Although home clashes with QPR and West Ham appeal, Hughton certainly has a tough task on his hands if he is to engineer a decent start to the season. Visits to (ful, tot, new, che) allied with home games against Liverpool and Arsenal mean Fantasy managers will surely sit back and assess Hughton’s impact at Carrow Road before we consider investing when the fixtures eventually take a turn for the better.
