Grant adopts a strict safety first policy as Canaries make their summer bow City boss Peter Grant will be adopting a safety first policy as the Canaries kick-off their pre-season schedule at the other St James Park tomorrow. And be warned. For anyone contemplating making the 600-odd mile round trip to Blue Square Premier League Exeter City on the middle weekend in July - and that s the Vauxhall Conference to the rest of us - you may not even get a glimpse of Grant s new faces.
Keepers David Marshall and Matty Gilks are expected to be kept home in Norfolk as they concentrate on further goalkeeping work, while Jon Otsemobor, Julien Brellier, Jamie Cureton and David Strihavka will all be carefully assessed beforehand to see whether the long trip to Devon is really an ideal preparation for the biggest date in Grant s diary - Deepdale, August 11, 2007. A first sighting of Strihavka in competitive surroundings would be No1 on supporters hopes; again, that may have to be put on hold - even until next week s six-day trip to Holland. "I ll see how David is over the next couple of days," said Grant, speaking as his 6ft 2in Czech striker officially signed in at Colney this week.
"You tend to forget that for these guys it s a completely new thing for them. Different tempo, the way that the game is played. And the emotional side of it more than anything else," added the City chief, expected to take a 22-strong playing party down to the South-West this weekend.
"Getting through the fitness tests; the medical tests; the fact that they re in hotels; all these things we ve got to assess. "We ll take everything into account and I ll speak to him on Friday and make that decision then. Is he part of the squad?
Or do I leave him here to do some fitness work? "That s the question I ve got to ask myself when I ve got seven games to play. Because the biggest thing for all these guys is that they are available for the 11th of August.
That s the most important thing for me. "So if I had to wait till, say, Holland for him to get a full game then I m comfortable with that." Grant is clearly conscious of pushing his players too far, too soon after making sure that everyone hit the ground running on their return to full-time training at Colney last week.
"They ve been working very hard - some days it s been four sessions; two gym sessions and two football sessions. So we ll assess them becuase your muscles are moving differently when you come to games," said Grant, whose squad all disappeared over the summer with strict, six-weeks fitness schedules to follow. And a little heart monitor to prove it.
.. "That s one thing I m conscious of - of putting guys in that are not up to speed yet," said the City chief.
"The likes of Brellier. A big part of his game is his fitness. So we ve got to make sure that his fitness levels are up to the standard that we expect - the same with Jamie.
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