Ryan Jarvis made history when he became Norwich City’s youngest player and youngest goal scorer – but he’d love to have wound the clock forward and play for current head coach Daniel Farke.
Jarvis, 33, was a rising star back in the day under Nigel Worthington, with a star-studded cast of big-name pros ahead of him.
He rubbed shoulders with the likes of Iwan Roberts, Leon McKenzie, Dean Ashton and Rob Earnshaw – but says the chance to play Farke-ball with the bright young things in the 2020 squad would have been a dream.
“I don’t know him, but I have seen the way they play and I love the way they play football sometimes, especially when they are in possession. I love it,” said Jarvis, who works as a coach for the club’s Community Sports Foundation.
“You look and think ‘wouldn’t you just love to be a player in that team now with the freedom to just play and keep the ball, be patient and make things happen?
“It always used to be more direct and you had got to be strong because the ball was up in the air a lot - and that was never part of my game anyway.”
Jarvis has moved back into a midfield role after starting his career as a striker and has been a major influence in former City player and assistant manager Ian Culverhouse’s success at King’s Lynn Town since moving to The Walks almost three years ago.
It’s been a story of almost non-stop success, and while Jarvis has no plans to retire anytime soon, he is playing a bigger role in the coaching side at Lynn, soaking up knowledge from a man he rates as the best coach he has worked under in 17 years as a pro.
“He is the best coach I have worked under in my whole career,” said Jarvis.
“It’s just the attention to detail in everything he does for every game we play.
“The last three years have been a joy - it’s the most I have enjoyed the game.
“It doesn’t matter what level you are at, this team for the level we have been at, is the best team I have played in when it comes to the football.
“I would love to have been in a team like us higher up in the pyramid playing football the way we do.”
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