When Philippe Clement arrived last year, he transformed the team, got them playing and brought them close to making the play-offs.

And while supporters weren’t singing “There’s only one Ben Knapper” for making that appointment, there was certainly a point last season when talk was doing the rounds that Clement was Norwich’s greatest-ever manager.

I was thinking, come on, get a grip.

But if we look at this fairly and logically, who thought Norwich needed a total revamp over the summer in terms of new signings?

I don’t think many people would have said that, in truth. I certainly didn’t see anyone clamouring for wholesale changes to the squad from Knapper.

He brought in five players, with Andre Brooks the headline signing. At that stage, I doubt many people were complaining about the way things were being run.

If there was one concern, you could point to the fact that Norwich have quite a young team, and with that comes a degree of inexperience.

It’s not as though the team have been taking spankings, though.

Only last month, Chris Wilder was describing them as having the best attack in the Championship. The problem was that they were leaking goals left, right and centre, and I think the Bolton game before the international break was really damaging.

After that defeat, Clement felt they needed to be a little more cautious. And you saw that against Portsmouth at the weekend, when they barely laid a glove on them. It’s about finding that balance.

Sometimes you need a bit of a break and for something to go your way. I don’t think Norwich have necessarily had that either, so it’s about keeping your head.

There is a run of winnable fixtures coming up now, including Charlton, Watford and Derby. These games are vitally important for Clement, as much as anybody.

Philippe Clement needs to deliver results in City’s upcoming games (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

He still has credit in the bank, but the question is how much?

I saw signs of it when he was manager at Rangers. He’s a strong character, although he did get wild towards the end, and some of the things he said did it for him in the end.

You look at him sometimes in press conferences after games, and he looks like he’s going to burst. He just needs to breathe, keep a lid on things and have faith that the results will come.

They came last year, and the team grew in confidence.

So while it’s hard to put a finger on how extreme this season has been compared with last, I don’t think you can beat Ben Knapper for it.

People were saying, “I fancy Norwich for automatic promotion” just a few months ago.

Everybody was quite satisfied with the squad then, so it’s very hard to go and take a baseball bat to Knapper and say it’s all down to him.

Ultimately, it’s up to the coach to get a tune out of the group.

Kenny McLean has been a big miss in recent games, and that is a bit of a worry. He can’t be the only leader; that’s something I’d be concerned about if I were at the club.

There’s a lack of leadership on the pitch at times, and the players need to show a bit of character and responsibility now.

Kenny McLean has missed the Canaries’ last three games through injury (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

It’s all well and good turning around and looking at McLean to lead, but younger individuals need to step up, show that they can perform and find a way to win games.

Supporters are entitled to voice their opinions, but football clubs always have a plan until they don’t have a plan. And they will still all be results-driven.

Norwich have flip-flopped with their approach and ideas. You had the move towards a more experienced route under Stuart Webber towards the end, with older players; then you had the Johannes Hoff Thorup project at the other end of the spectrum.

Yet it’s all so short-term these days.

I get the frustration, and I don’t want this to turn into a witch hunt, but you have to look at Clement more than Knapper at this point, because he’s the one who carries the can. This is a guy who got a tune out of the same squad last season.

For whatever reason, it’s not happening now.

Unless there’s stuff that’s gone on behind the scenes and Clement has wanted a mass change over the summer. But that was never the case; I don’t see it.

This does, however, link to my one consistent criticism of Norwich as a club, and that’s the lack of communication.

And I think that’s where Ben and the club could really improve their relationship with fans by being open and honest. I’m not saying he’s dishonest, but I think that’s important.

That’s part of his role as sporting director: to be upfront, to speak to the media, and to speak to the fans.

Sutton believes City fans need to back the team through their current struggles (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

I know he has done it at times, but he could have done a bit more of that.

It’s okay when things are going well and you’re getting a pat on the back. Not that Ben Knapper’s had too many pats on the back, even if he should have done for appointing Clement and the way the team performed last season.

You can’t have it both ways, though. You can’t take a baseball bat to them when things are going wrong and then, when things are going well, not give them any praise.

Supporters also need to consider that if things turn ugly at Carrow Road when results aren’t going well, it won’t help the team.

A young team who appear short of a bit of confidence now, a team which is doubting itself – I do think that should be at the forefront of supporters’ minds when they’re criticising whoever it is.

It’s their right, but it can still be unhelpful.