The outgoing chairman of one of City's largest supporters groups today warned that only a drastic improvement on the pitch can halt the waning confidence of the Canary nation.
Ian Russell, who will be replaced after three years at the helm in tonight's Capital Canaries AGM, admitted that he and his members shared the confidence of most Norwich fans after an impressive pre-season.
But after that astonishing 7-1 home defeat to East Anglian neighbours Colchester, the Canary faithful have come back down to earth with a bump.
And with Delia Smith and Michael Wynn Jones due to make an appearance at tonight's meeting, I think we can conclude that it has been a fiery affair.
“Quite truthfully, it's a little difficult to put into words what occurred at Carrow Road on Saturday, because I'm really not certain I know myself what actually happened,” said Russell, talking to MyFootballWriter this afternoon.
“I can say one thing – I've never witnessed a Norwich City side lose with such embarrassing ease. I was at Fulham and Charlton, but I think a 7-1 home defeat to Colchester United simply has to take the prize.”
And the damning verdict continued when talking about City's no-show. To put on a performance like that in front of 25,000 intensely loyal and forgiving supporters was just unacceptable.
Russell certainly wasn't in the mood to mince his words…
“Whatever happens in the next few weeks, this will go down as an all-time shambolic performance surely akin only to a disorganised pub side.
“Like many, I was quietly optimistic up to 3 o'clock. I hadn't been to any of the pre-seasons and so I could only go by what I'd been told and what I'd read, but generally speaking the atmosphere was very positive and everyone seemed excited about seeing the new players.”
It wasn't just the scoreline that shocked the Norfolk public, one which was, of course, the biggest losing margin for the Canaries on home turf, but the manner in which they capitulated to a third tier side.
It wasn't Arsenal, it wasn't even West Bromwich Albion. And with all due respect to Colchester, if you'd have told the Canary nation in 2005 that they'd be getting turned over by the U's at Carrow Road in League One just four years later, they would have sent for the men in white coats.
To get swept aside so easily by the Essex outfit sent shockwaves through the football world; that is how surprising this result was.
“We all know that football can be a funny game and it is of course possible that this is just an absolute one-off freak result,” Russell continued. “The concern, however, was the performance.
“Colchester, probably by their own admission, were little more than an average outfit and yet our defence yielded like nervous schoolboys every single time the visitors so much as got near our penalty area.”
But whilst the outlook is grim as far as Russell is concerned, at least they do have a chance to put it right immediately with that Carling Cup trip to Yeovil tomorrow.
Two wins in the West Country this week and we can maybe, just maybe start to forget about the opening day disaster.
“The management and players have the perfect opportunity to prove that Saturday was that freak result with two games away from Carrow Road this week.
“I fear that the pressure is such that anything but immediate improvements will compound the waning confidence of most City fans.”
If you are based in the London area and are interested in joining the Capital Canaries, visit www.capitalcanaries.com for more details.
Tom Haylett
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