David Hannant: Some sympathy for Norwich star Josh Sargent

While I’m sure the same can be said about near enough any club, it does very much feel at the moment that periods with little to write home about are few and far between.

I could use plenty of breath running through the long list of stuff (for want of a better word) that has happened this season alone.

Managerial changes, protests, He Who Must Not Be Named, you named it.

A home cup tie against a high-flying side in a lower league was precisely the kind of thing that lent itself well to this rollercoaster campaign.

If Sunday had screamed out banana skin any more it would have been sat on a front row market stall.

And yet, in a weekend that saw a non-league team unceremoniously dump out (correct terminology) a Premier League side for what is definitely the first ever time, it was all pretty routine at Carrow Road.

Could it be that we’d finally managed to go a week without something to get all a flutter about?

Apparently not…

By now we all know what happened after the game, or at least what happened the night before it.

The fact Philippe Clement spelled out precisely what unfolded with Josh Sargent rather than trotting out a time and tested fib tells you all you need to know about what he's made of.

It would be very simple for him to have said he was ‘managing Sarge’s minutes’ by leaving him out of the squad.

The fact he didn’t suggests, firstly, we have a straight talker on our hands and, secondly, he was, understandably, a bit on the irked side.

We have seen sagas like this play out in the past, your Jonny Rowes and the like, but few expected this type of thing to happen with Josh Sargent.

For me, what is even more surprising is the move he seemed to be trying to force.

To say Toronto are no Real Madrid is essentially akin to saying I’m no Dwayne Johnson in terms of my physique.

Clearly I can fully understand Sargent’s fears about missing out on a home World Cup, if that is in fact what has turned his head.

But what is confusing is what makes him think Toronto is his golden ticket into the Star Spangled Freedom Eagles.

The Canadian side successfully mustered the exact same number of league wins as we have so far this season in their entire MLS campaign.

Perhaps Sarge does think the meek level of MLS football will prove easy for him and he will suddenly find his shooting boots again - once the season starts after he’s gathered dust for a bit.

But it’s not as if he’d be dropping into a team with Leo Messi as his supply line.

While I’ll be the first to admit my MLS knowledge isn’t the sharpest, it is really quite a confusing move for him to push for - particularly given he turned down Wolfsburg in the summer.

Obviously it is worth considering that there are always more factors than career ambitions that come into play when making any life decision.

I can attest to that one, having recently made a decision that at the moment feels an unequivocally daft one from a career perspective.

Only Josh Sargent can tell you what Josh Sargent’s thinking.

What I will say on the matter, though, is while I don’t particularly like what has happened, it shouldn’t taint what he has done so far in his career.

With 54 goals to his name, Sarge is currently on the periphery of the club’s top 20 all-time goal scorers.

He has also never given any less than 100pc every time he’s pulled on a yellow and green shirt.

If this is the beginning of the end for him at the club, it’s sad, but shouldn’t be terminal in terms of his legacy.

Let’s not forget that Wes Hoolahan, my favourite ever City player, also had a mini tantrum of his own at one point.

I remember a similar saga involving Phil Mulryne, which was swiftly forgotten when on the same day news of a transfer request broke he smashed a free-kick into the top corner.

These sagas may also suggest that it doesn’t have to be the end for Sarge if the top brass manage to dig their heels in and keep him around.

Am I disappointed in Josh? Sure, as much as anyone.

But I think given his previous approach and his efforts on the pitch, we can afford him some patience.

If he does get his move, it will be a shame, but equally he shouldn’t be tarnished with the same brush as the likes of Andy Marshall and that Chilean fella.