Outgoing Capital Canaries chairman Ian Russell believes that a new Canary chief will be appointed sooner rather than later as the dust begins to settle on yesterday's dramatic turn of events.
Due to the rather bizarre timing of the dismissal, coming just three days after a 4-0 win at Yeovil, many believe that David McNally and Co have somebody already lined up to replace Bryan Gunn.
With plenty of games on the horizon, in the league and in both the Carling Cup and Johnstone's Paint Trophy after City were given a home tie against Brentford, the Canaries will not want to lose too much ground.
And the new chief executive doesn't strike you as a man who will waste any time…
“Games are coming up thick and fast though and so I would expect an announcement to be made sooner rather than later,” Russell told MyFootballWriter last night.
“If the Board has been paying attention to the majority of the supporters then I am certain of one thing ? they will go with someone who has experience.
“I don't think for one minute that this decision has been made without something bubbling in the background; ones as sudden as this never are.
“Whether the Board has someone waiting in the wings, or if Plan B was always to elevate Crook and Butterworth, or something else, we will have to wait and see.
“If nothing else, Mr McNally has certainly demonstrated that he can flex his muscles.”
On occasions such as these, when a Canary legend leaves the building, it is inevitable that there will be much sadness amongst the City faithful.
Did they all believe he was the right man to lead Norwich back into the Championship? No. But they do all have a place in their hearts for the man who made 477 appearances for the club.
It's fair to say that there were not many tears shed when Glenn Roeder was given the boot in January. But this one's different. Gunny is part of the furniture at Carrow Road and in Norfolk.
“Bryan Gunn is a true Norwich City legend and a gentleman through and through and I know he would have been deeply disappointed he was unable to halt the slide last year,” Russell continued.
“I think I'm as shocked as the next man. No one can deny that last Saturday's thrashing was a disastrous and worrying start to the season, but to be sacked just one league game in is harsh on anyone.
“Admittedly, football has become the most cut throat and unforgiving industry but, even so, this is definitely out of the blue.
“It's perhaps a little ironic that his short reign as manager started and finished with 4-0 victories.”
Russell, who was replaced as chairman of the supporters group after three years at the helm during Monday night's AGM, hinted that the decision to part company with Gunn could have come as a result of last weekend's ugly scenes after that 7-1 Colchester shocker.
Even though we witnessed similar scenes, in terms of post-match protests at least, with Nigel Worthington and Glenn Roeder, the new board members will have been taken aback by events last Saturday.
McNally and both Delia Smith and Michael Wynn Jones were all present at Monday's AGM/Q&A. And it could be that they sensed the apathy in that very room.
They cannot afford for the fans to lose faith. There are nearly 19,000 season ticket holders that the board will be banking on renewing come March 2010.
Yet again, the Canary nation has spoken…
“There has clearly been a lot of soul searching by the Board and the Directors will have been listening hard to the feelings of the fans, many of whom have actively shown their sentiments after the Colchester defeat.”
Tom Haylett
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