Norwich City: Analysis of Andrew Omobamidele's 2022-23 season

And yet somehow there remains a feeling that Andrew Omobamidele failed to fulfil his potential in a vital Championship season for the Irishman.

He was cast as the breakout star of the campaign, a growing talent bursting at the seams after an injury-hit last term.

But the reality was slightly different, with an awkward feeling of missed opportunity filling the gaps left by semi-regular reminders of his aptitude.

Quite why that breakout season failed to deliver is hard to pin down; the more complicated truth is that a cocktail of poor performance, team issues and more injury problems hampered the defender.

He was trusted with a starting berth from the start of the season, partnering Grant Hanley in the opening day defeat to Cardiff City. He retained that place until mid-October, playing 14 consecutive 90 minutes before injury struck once more.

Those games were the peak not only of City’s season but of Omobamidele's. When they managed to grind out win after win while remaining clunky in possession, the assumption was that the defence was doing the work.

Those assumptions weren’t far wrong. The number four and his defensive colleagues conceded only four times during a surprising six-game winning streak, and he looked on course for potential player of the season recognition in the early stages.

Omobamidele started the season well. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

When Omobamidele’s problems developed, however, so did City’s. Perhaps that’s an indicator of his importance to the side, but the regression was exponential in all areas as losses to Watford and Preston dented the promotion push.

He then spent two months on the sidelines, a blow not only to Smith’s defensive options, but to his own status in the pecking order. Ben Gibson upped his own performances in that time and left his younger team-mate with work to do.

But in David Wagner, Omobamidele had a new coach who was certainly a fan. Early descriptions from the German were positively glowing concerning his charge’s ability, but his awarding of the captain’s armband took that a step further.

“I think he gave me everything I expected from him,” said Wagner after that achievement. “I gave him the armband because, first of all, I wanted to give him more responsibility at his age, with his talent, as an academy product, in a very important position.”

“But on the other hand, the truth is as well, and I had a conversation with him about this, he behaved top class in the weeks where he wasn’t used so much.

“He behaved like a leader, he worked very hard, never moaned, was always solid, always positive, gave energy and worked very hard. And this is the reward I wanted to give him with the armband, to lead the team now and in the next weeks.

“And hopefully continue doing it like he has done.”

That was after a 0-0 draw with Rotherham, Omobamidele’s first with the armband after Grant Hanley’s season-ending injury. It was one of his best performances in yellow and green but, unfortunately for Wagner and his side, things did not “continue like they had done”.

Instead a defensive axis of the 20-year-old and Jacob Sorensen became a symbol of inexperience, as Middlesbrough put five past them and Swansea three.

The Irishman captained the side that was beaten 5-1 by Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium. (Image: Matt Wilkinson/Focus Images Ltd)

That penchant for falling apart exposed an ugly side of Omobamidele’s game that he must iron out if he’s to reach his full potential. Perhaps that won’t come in a Norwich shirt, with reports suggesting his sale could fund their transfer business this summer.

Seeing players full of potential unfulfilled before moving on is not rare for the Carrow Road faithful, but they will have hoped to see more signs of progress in a year that could have gone so much better for their Irish starlet.