Not for one minute do I think that any of us will underestimate the magnitude of the announcement of Glenn Roeder as the new Norwich manager at around half-past nine this morning.
Because as we all know only too well, he has arguably the biggest task ever handed to a Canaries boss in recent history – and that is to prevent Norwich City Football Club from sinking into the third tier of English football.
Performances so far this season have been absolutely dire – there's no other way of describing it.
The team has lacked leadership, direction, confidence, self-belief and quality on the vast majority of occasions when it has taken to the field, culminating with not just the ineptitude on display that has usually been the case, but also a capitulation and apparent uncaring attitude evident at times, most notably in the away games against Wolves and QPR.
Roeder's primary task therefore towards turning this wretched season around in the hope that come next May the Canaries remain afloat in this division, is to basically start from scratch and put in place a strategy to which everyone works to, is happy with and understands.
It was widely accepted that Peter Grant worked as hard as he possibly could in his 12 months in office at Carrow Road, but possibly his biggest failing – and one that ultimately cost him his job as well as placing the Canaries at the bottom of the Championship pile ? was that of complicating things too much.
Players seemed to be confused as to exactly what was required of them, and it was difficult to see the pattern of play that City were trying to work towards when watching them on a match-day.
The formation often changed and the team regularly lost its shape, and ill-discipline and a monotonous surrendering of possession when City did have the ball quickly transferred into confidence rapidly departing the players, which in turn lead to dismal football, and so the board needs wiping clean, so to speak.
Players perform better ? they certainly have an increased chance of improving – when things are uncomplicated, and so if the new boss is able to fully brief his players with what he require of them and keeps his tactics simple he'll certainly be half-way to achieving success.
Roeder arrives at Carrow Road with a plenty of managerial and coaching experience, having bossed at Premiership level as well being involved with the England set-up in various coaching and scouting roles.
His last appointment was at Newcastle where, despite receiving criticism he won more games than he lost during testing times at St.James Park, and he arrives in Norfolk with a club suffering similar depressing circumstances.
However, if he can reinvigorate the Canaries, make the players believe that they are good players, get them all pulling in the same direction again and remove the dark clouds that hover above Carrow Road these days ? and especially win his first game in charge on Sunday! – his place in Norwich folklore will be assured.
It's a helluva' task?but it's also one that he simply has to accomplish.
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