For Norwich City, this was less about the scoreline than the timing. A 2-0 pre-season win over Fulham gave Philippe Clement a useful marker, but the more important detail was the return of Anis Ben Slimane, Jose Cordoba and Kenny McLean after their summer at the World Cup in North America.
That matters because pre-season is rarely only about sharpness. It is also about rebuilding rhythm, restoring options and testing whether the squad can start to look like a group rather than a collection of returnees coming back at different speeds. On Wednesday, Clement left the World Cup trio out of a goalless draw with AFC Wimbledon. Against Fulham, they were back in action, which made the 2-0 result feel more significant as a step in Norwich’s preparation.
Clement was clear that getting those players minutes was very important. He also said the team had been in a really good place during an amazing training camp, pointing to the hard work, two good games and a strong atmosphere in the group. His view was simple enough: the more players come back, the more the standard rises. He also said that Ali Ahmed and Mo Toure were back, and that hoped-for returns from Papa and Ante could raise levels even further in the coming weeks.
Why the return of the World Cup players matters
The key point is not simply that Ben Slimane, Cordoba and McLean played. It is that their return changes the shape of Norwich City’s pre-season from survival mode into something closer to squad building. International duty always complicates summer preparation, and this was a reminder that some players were arriving later than others. Clement’s job now is to make up that ground without forcing anyone too quickly.
That caution was especially relevant in the case of Ante Crnac. Last October, he suffered an ACL injury against Derby County, and Clement was careful not to overstate the pace of his comeback. He said Crnac has already done two training parts with the group, but that supporters should not expect him back with the first team straight away. The plan, at least for now, is for him to build up to minutes with the Under-21s at Boreham Wood next Friday night, with next week set to determine the next step.
So while the 2-0 win over Fulham will look good in the ledger, the bigger story is that Norwich City are beginning to get their squad back together. In pre-season, that is often the real victory: not the result itself, but the sense that the pieces are finally starting to fit back into place.
