The pressure is building in the Carrow Road commentary box.  

How many Brazilians have to score for Norwich City before I’ll be expected to give it the full South American style “Gooooooaaaaall”? I really don’t think I have got in me. 

Problems with the public address system at the ground on Saturday meant the usual goal music was absent after City’s quickfire double against Cardiff. For several seasons now each Norwich goal has been greeted with the strains of ‘Samba de Janeiro’ by Bellini (it got to number eight in 1997, pop pickers).  

How typical that the one time it wasn’t available just happened to be the first time two Brazilians scored for the club in the same game.  

The DJ in charge of unleashing Bellini has had a busy couple of weeks. City have scored eight goals in 11 days at Carrow Road with Hull, Birmingham and Cardiff all dispatched since Valentine’s Day.  

To put that into context the previous nine home games, stretching back to mid-October, had brought a miserly total of five Norwich goals.  

That’s why moments like Marcelino Nunez’s opener against Birmingham last week must be savoured. A volley for the ages that was quickly being ranked amongst the best goals the ground has ever seen. The Chilean is already in a Norwich City Volleys Hall of Fame that includes Alex Tettey, Jonny Howson and Jeremy Goss.  

It was a bit of luck that the great Gossy joined us for commentary on Saturday.  

The former midfielder made a habit of getting memorable goals just before Bellini hit the charts.  

“When he scores they are either spectacular or important and that one was both.”  

That’s the line used by John Motson to describe Goss’s goal against Bayern Munich. It remains the most famous the club has ever scored with the possible exception of Justin Fashanu’s Goal of the Season against Liverpool in 1980.  

We replayed some of Motson’s finest Norwich City moments on Saturday by way of a tribute. I wasn’t prepared for the shiver down the spine that came from watching Jeremy Goss listen intently to his goals against Bayern Munich and Vitesse Arnhem from 1993. It might not have been the best way to prepare him emotionally for 90 minutes of Championship commentary but it was something I won’t forget.  

The Pink Un: John Motson commentated over some iconic moments in Norwich City's historyJohn Motson commentated over some iconic moments in Norwich City's history (Image: PA)

Those moments are why we all keep bothering with football. Despite the financial costs, the emotional investment and the regular disappointments there is something that keeps us coming back. It’s being able to experience those life affirming few seconds when Goss, Howson or Nunez decide to take on something special.  

From a commentator’s point of view the test is doing these moments justice.  

Yes, the facts and figures, the preparation and the homework are important but embracing the rawness of what was happening on the pitch was one of John Motson’s great strengths. A sense of wonder and enthusiasm is essential.  

After all you never know when one of these magic moments is going to occur. Three days before having the privilege of describing Nunez’s wonder goal against Birmingham I did Wigan Athletic 0-0 Norwich City and I doubt any of that will ever be heard again.  

John Motson could only ever work with the material that was in front of him. He made his name when Ronnie Radford scored for Hereford against Newcastle in The FA Cup in 1971. Motson described it as “a stroke of luck” that he happened to do that game so early in his career. He must have commentated on plenty of goals by Brazilians over the years and I never once heard him do the “Gooooooaaaaaal” thing. If Gabriel Sara and Maqruinhos pick up from where they left off at the weekend I had better remember to be more Motty than Maracana.  

  

Star man Max 

 

Marcelino Nunez’s brilliant goal against Birmingham was a fitting way to remember a landmark game.  

Nobody in the current Norwich City squad has played more games for the club than Max Aarons. At 23 years and a couple of months old he clocked up his 200th Canary appearance last week. Teemu Pukki will join him in hitting a double century assuming he plays some part against Millwall on Saturday.

The Pink Un: Max Aarons recently made his 200th appearance for Norwich CityMax Aarons recently made his 200th appearance for Norwich City (Image: Focus Images)

I didn’t think Aarons would ever get close to playing that many games for Norwich City. That isn’t meant to sound disrespectful, I just assumed he would be gone by now. Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester United – they’ve all been linked since he made his debut under Daniel Farke in the late summer of 2018.  

Nine transfer windows have opened and closed again since. Yet there he was on Saturday doing battle against Cardiff City. A reassuring constant in the ever changing yellow and green world.  

Aarons’ consistency of performance has won him many admirers but his character is more impressive. How many other young footballers would have stayed so grounded after such high profile interest from some of the biggest clubs in the world? Some of it will be little more than speculation but we know the loan bid from Barcelona in 2020 definitely happened.  

Like many of his team mates Aarons appears to be relishing the role he’s been given by David Wagner. Whether we get to celebrate a 300th appearance for the Canaries remains to be seen but he’s a pleasure to interview, even after a bang to the head as we found out last week.  

He was even able to see off an attempted interruption from his formidable captain Grant Hanley while we were recording. It’s that sort of steely determination that gets you 200 games and counting for the Canaries.