17 hours Ago
Ben Knapper believes Jonathan Rowe and Abu Kamara should have handled their Norwich City exits differently but insists there are no hard feelings towards the Canaries' academy graduates. The pair departed Carrow Road late in the summer window after very public fall-outs that saw them take matters into their own hands. Rowe withdrew from City's matchday squad just 20 minutes before a team meeting in the hours prior to their opening-day defeat to Oxford United.
The winger, who was highly-regarded in NR1 prior to his exit episode, joined Marseille on a loan with obligation to buy deal worth £14m and significantly dented the strong relationship developed with supporters during his breakthrough campaign. Kamara submitted a formal transfer request due to historical unhappiness at Carrow Road before completing a deadline day move to Championship rivals Hull that could be worth up to £5m. He was met with boos from City's support in both meetings this season.
Both players formed part of the long-term plan under Knapper and head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup - but the public nature of their departures and their behaviour left a sour taste in the mouth inside the walls of Colney. Speaking about the situation to external media for the first time, Knapper reflected on the respective sagas and is pleased with how the club responded to the unforeseen challenges presented by the young pair. "There are things that each of them did that hopefully they've reflected on and think maybe they could have handled a bit differently," Knapper told the Pink Un.
"But at the same time, they are young players and were in difficult situations for the first time. We also have to understand that context and afford a little bit of grace. Abu Kamara left Norwich City in the summer to join Championship rivals Hull.
(Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd) "There are certainly no hard feelings. As a club, I'm pleased with how we handled them. I think we reacted well.
We got good outcomes in both of them. Sometimes, that's what it is about. "Yes, we'd have loved to still have them here and work with them.
But you have to accept that sometimes it's not possible, and then it's about how we get the best outcome. "From our perspective, we did everything well. I think that there are things they could have done better, but they're young players, and that's all part of their learning and development.
" - Watch our interview with Norwich City sporting director Ben Knapper in full below.
