No wonder Norwich are in a mess if the boss doesn’t see Billy’s talent
AS we approach the time of Hallowe’en and horror movies, it looks like Billy Gilmour’s loan spell at Norwich City is turning into a bit of a nightmare.
So far this season, the little midfield maestro has played more minutes for Scotland (431) than he has for Norwich (349) in the Premier League.
That would have seemed strange just a short time ago when there was such an intense debate around whether he should be picked in the Scotland squad for the Euros.
Not even six months later, it’s now impossible to imagine a Scotland team without Gilmour at the heart of its midfield, such has been his impact at international level.
Which is why his situation at Norwich leaves me bemused. In terms of outright talent and ability, he’s miles ahead of anyone else in their squad.
Yet, bizarrely, he can’t get a game. Gilmour hasn’t started in the Premier League since a 3-1 home defeat to Watford five weeks ago.
He was then an unused sub in three subsequent games against Everton, Burnley and Brighton, before being ineligible to face parent club Chelsea on Saturday as Norwich were thrashed 7-0.
Without knowing the exact terms of the agreement, I very much doubt Chelsea loaned him out just to warm the bench at Carrow Road all season.
We’re not talking about your average young player here. This isn’t just a kid looking to get a few games under his belt and to make a name for himself.
This is a boy who bossed it against England at Wembley. He’s had rave reviews from Graeme Souness and Roy Keane, with Keane even branding him ‘world-class’.
When he made his breakthrough at Chelsea just prior to the pandemic, he ran the show against Liverpool.
So if Norwich boss Daniel Farke can’t recognise that talent and get the best out of him, then it perhaps illustrates why the club are in such a mess.
Under Farke’s stewardship, Norwich got relegated 18 months ago after taking just 22 points from 38 games in the Premier League. If anything, they are faring even worse on their return.
They have failed to win any of their first nine games. With just two points so far, they’re on track to be the worst Premier League side of all-time (Derby hold the record low of 11 points in 2008).
I listened to some of the comments from Farke and Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel over the weekend, when they were both asked about Gilmour’s future.
Tuchel basically told Gilmour to fight for his place at Norwich, playing down any thoughts of recalling him in January.
Farke made it clear he’s under no obligation to play Gilmour. Again, it was a case of telling him to fight for his place.
I understand the principle of a player having to earn their place. But that doesn’t really wash in this instance.
Not when the player is so obviously better than everyone else in the squad. Norwich are lucky to even have a player of Gilmour’s quality. He should be first name on their team sheet.
It reminds me of when Serge Gnabry couldn’t get a kick at West Brom under Tony Pulis during a loan spell from Arsenal.
He’s since gone on to become a Champions League winner at Bayern Munich, racking up multiple Bundesliga titles as well as starring for the German national team.
Chelsea also have questions to answer here. They haven’t always been the best judge of talent when it comes to young players.
They sold Romelu Lukaku to Everton for £28million in 2014, before paying Inter Milan near enough £100m to get him back. Kevin de Bruyne and Mohamed Salah were also discarded all too cheaply.
Gilmour could end up falling into that sort of bracket if things don’t change.
If he’s still sidelined by January, Chelsea should recall him because there’s no way he’s benefiting from just sitting on the bench every week.
Tuchel hasn’t managed the situation properly either.
Chelsea signed Saul Niguez on loan from Atletico Madrid in the summer, but the Spanish midfielder has hardly kicked a ball so far. He’s effectively just clogging up a space in the squad which could have been Gilmour’s, with Jorginho, N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic the regulars in Tuchel’s 3-4-2-1 system.
If Gilmour is still twiddling his thumbs in January, Rangers should get on the phone to Chelsea and at least ask the question.
Some people might think it would be a backward step to return to his old club. But Rangers are a different animal now compared to when Gilmour left in 2017.
I’m a big fan of Steven Davis and he’s been brilliant for Rangers. But I would have Gilmour ahead of him all day.
That’s how good the boy is. He could transform the Ibrox midfield and offer a whole new dynamic as the deep-lying playmaker.
Steven Gerrard was one of the best midfielders of his generation. Gilmour would benefit massively from learning from someone like that in training.
Whatever happens, he needs to start playing football. If that’s not going to be at Norwich, then Chelsea need to step in and do the right thing.