The football press have been falling over themselves to link Robbie Brady to a slew of clubs in England's top flight this week and, as it seems a move away from Carrow Road is inching ever closer for the Dubliner, spare a thought for those poor Norwich fans who are clearly struggling to come to terms with losing their prized asset.
As you have read on these pages, Leicester City have been heavily linked with a £12 million move for Brady and can also offer the significant temptation of Champions League football as part of the package but there is now another club sniffing around - Claude Puel's Southampton.
Southampton make enquiry for Norwich winger Robbie Brady. #SaintsFC #NCFC
— Daniel Emery (@DanieIEmery) June 30, 2016
While every Irish football supporter in their right mind would want one of the country's most exciting young footballers playing at as high a level as possible, this isn't exactly a sentiment shared by sections of the Norwich support who are clearly not looking forward to the prospect of an assault on the Championship without Brady in their ranks.
Comments on local Norwich website Eastern Daily Press show how divisive Brady's potential departure has been.
One commenter says:
Yes footballers can be fickle people - how I look at it is that we were more than happy when he jumped ship from Hull so he could still play in the PL. Unfortunately the majority of his team mates last season did not have the desire to stay in the PL, I accept it also didn't help Brady was played out of position on too many occasions. I would say he will go for the chance to play PL football or even Champions League football and as such I wish him well. Closer to home the lack of desire that was around Carrow road last season, both on and off the pitch seems to have grown and we seem to be a rudderless ship in a sea of apathy.
Another person seems to think that Brady's performances at the Euros have placed him among the European elite.
Brady will go but, for goodness sake NCFC, wake up and use his Euros performance on the world stage, and the interest from several EPL clubs, to extract at least £20M or even £25M.
This person is less forgiving about the situation.
Footballers are like politicians. No thoughts about the masses, just whats the best deal I can get.
Meanwhile, Norwich fans on Reddit seemed a bit more disconsolate.
