Norwich City's Kenny Mclean (centre) celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game with team-mates during the pre-season friendly match at Carrow Road, Norwich. Picture date: Saturday July 29, 2023. (Photo by George Tewkesbury/PA Images via Getty Images)
Norwich City are pleased to announce the signing of six-time Scottish international Kenny McLean to a new contract, extending his stay with the club until 2026. The 26-year-old has made 182 appearances for the Canaries, including six in the current
season, and has captained the club in Grant Hanley’s absence. McLean reflected on his time at the club, saying “I’ve been with the club for five years and this is my sixth, so it’s something I’ve always wanted to do and I’m really glad that the club want me to do it. Everyone talks about this being a ‘family’ club, and it really is. I have a young family and it’s perfect for us, which helps me on the pitch and off the pitch. I’ve had the privilege of wearing the captain’s armband whilst Grant has been out, and it’s a great responsibility for me to take on.
I have achieved great things at this club, including two promotions and winning the league, and I am always striving for more. That is why I want to stay here, as I know we share the same goals and ambitions. Sporting Director Stuart Webber said: “We are delighted that Kenny has decided to stay at Norwich City for the long-term. He was heavily linked with other clubs during
the last transfer window, yet he remained professional and led the team during Grant’s absence. We look forward to him continuing to set standards alongside the other senior players as we strive to reach our objectives and have more wonderful years together.
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Jonathan Rowe, of Norwich City, has been named as the EFL’s young player of the month.
Jonathan Rowe, of Norwich City, has been named the EFL’s young player of the month for the month of August. He has scored in each of his Canaries’ opening five games this season, making him the first Canaries player to score in each of their opening five games since World War II. “It’s great to do this at such a young age and to be able to look forward to the future and see
where it takes me,” he says. “It’s a bit of a surprise, but it’s something I’ve been working towards all year and I’m finally seeing the results of my hard work. “There are a number of factors that have contributed to my motivation, but with all the injuries I had last season, I’m sure it played a big part. I took my off-season very seriously and was very mindful of my health. I was able to come back in great form and I was able to let my football speak for me. I’m a very ambitious person and I’m always striving to do more.
Growing up in the shadows of the home of English football, it gave Rowe, who grew up around Wembley, a clear sight – quite literally – at where he wanted to take his playing career.
“We once got a trampoline in the back garden and I’d jump on the trampoline and see a clear view of Wembley!” he laughs. “Between my garden and the stadium, there’s a train track and that’s the only separation between my house and the stadium. When there was a game going on and someone scores a goal, you can hear the atmosphere from inside the house even the doors are closed.”
The youngster’s potential was obvious from an early age. His first Club was a local youth side, AFC Wembley, meaning he didn’t have to travel far to get his football fix. His performances for his hometown team caught the attention of Norwich City.
He attended boarding school in Norfolk while on a scholarship with the Canaries and eventually glided through the ranks to earn his opportunity with the first team.
“I was fortunate enough to have a scout at my primary school in Wembley when I was growing up,” Rowe explains. “He sent me to a local club where I played for a season and I started plenty for my county as well in Brent and they sent another scout to come and watch me.
“They spoke to my mum and I was pestering my mum to get me up to Norwich as soon as possible. I got signed and made my way through the ranks and the rest is history. From what I’ve known, there’s always been a clear pathway into the first team; Norwich has a good structure.”
During the 2021/22 season, he made a handful of impressive cameos in the Premier League. The 2022/23 campaign held the promise of more minutes in the top tier and a chance to make his mark, but it didn’t quite pan out that way.
Rowe, who hadn’t made a senior start before this term, suffered a string of injuries which limited him to just the three appearances off the bench in the Championship.
“Where do I even start?” he exhales. “I had three different injuries last season. The way it happened, it felt like I was in a nightmare.
“The first one was a stress fracture. On the back of the 2021/22 season, I was excited because I got a few minutes in the Premier League and I was ready for my breakthrough season, so I went a bit too hard without resting and I didn’t look after my body as much. The day before the first game of last season, my shin started acting up and I got a scan and it turned out I’d broken a bone which took about three months to come back from which took me until Christmastime.”
He maintained he had to see the “light at the end of the tunnel”, but a further major setback was a make-or-break moment for Rowe.
“We had the World Cup so there was a big window of no games, and we had a little tour out in Tampa,” he remembers. “I went out with the team and I was ready. The second session back, when I landed after jumping, I just heard my left ankle snap. The physio came over and assessed me and I tried to stand up and just dropped back down.
“That’s when I was at rock bottom because I worked so hard to come back. I was all the way on the other side of the world and I got a scan out there and found out I snapped my ligament in my ankle. During that moment, it could’ve gone two ways. I could’ve just said, ‘I should stop trying to come back,’ but something else was telling me I needed to realise my potential.”
After undergoing surgery and a rehab period, he was ready and raring to go but disaster seemingly struck again. Fortunately, the last in his trio of injuries proved to be less severe than the previous complaints.
He recalls: “I played an Under-21s game and I scored in the first game, so I was happy. All the mental toughness that I had to develop at 19 was finally rewarded. I played another game to get my fitness back up before I joined the first team again, then I pulled my hamstring. After that, I was thinking, ‘you can’t be serious?’”
How his fortunes have changed this season. His impressive start to the campaign saw Rowe recognised by both Club and country. In September, he was called up to represent England Under-20s for a five-day training camp at St George’s Park.
But as we move into September and the standings begin to take shape and expectations raised, things couldn’t be more straightforward for the Canaries starlet.
He adds: “Being completely honest, I’m just happy to be on the pitch at the moment. After last season, there was a lot of missed time. This is my first proper season with the first team. But when I’m on the pitch that’s where I get my joy of the game, playing good football.”
