MFW have been granted coversations with Sporting Director Stuart Webber and Managing Director Steve Stone. In this first instalment, Stuart talks to Stewart Lewis about his football philosophy, how he’ll work with the new Head Coach, and the kind of players we can expect to see arriving at Carrow Road this summer.
Stuart, the new structure is unfamiliar territory to many of us. What do you see as its main benefits?
‘It allows the Head Coach to coach. The most important thing for him is to prepare the team, to make the players better and the team better. A manager can get lost in less important stuff – if we’re signing a player, the Head Coach shouldn’t be taking time away from coaching the team to deal with an agent.
‘It’s also healthy to have people who can challenge the Head Coach. He has the final say, but not the only say. I think managers have got the sack by being put in a position of making every decision, and making too many mistakes because they don’t have anyone to support them.
‘I’ll be gobsmacked if in ten years 95 per cent of clubs don’t have this.’
What are the qualities you’re looking for in the new Head Coach?
‘You need someone who has a strong and defined way of playing which is suitable for the club – something our supporters want to watch, which wins games but in a way that we can build as our footballing philosophy.
‘He needs to be open to developing players, whether they’re 21 or 28, because we haven’t got the finance to go and buy the finished article. It’s really important the Head Coach has an open mind to new players – like the 20-year-old who’s never played a senior game but we think has the talent.
‘You want him to be dynamic, a risk-taker.’
You always talk about improving the quality of players at Huddersfield. Many Norwich fans would say we’ve had enough quality here this season, but they haven’t performed. What’s your view?
‘I agree they haven’t performed – everyone can see that and the players themselves have acknowledged it. It’s something we’ll be addressing.
It’s about getting a group of players who are desperate to achieve. That might be someone who’s previously achieved the aim of getting the Premier League and staying there – but it might not be.
You need a clear identity and good players – players who were desperate to come and play in England, to step up from the lower leagues, or to get their first loan move.’
Alex Neil was reluctant to use the loan market for our team, for understandable reasons, but you seem to have used it to good effect at Huddersfield?
‘You have to be open to it, because you can get a player that ordinarily you couldn’t. At Huddersfield it gave us a chance to have a better team than we could really afford.
‘You shouldn’t have too many, but you can be smart about it. If we have an 18-year-old at Norwich who isn’t quite ready for the first team, we can either buy a different player – blocking his progress – or bring in a loan to plug the gap while we send our player out to get the experience he needs.’
Conventional wisdom says you shouldn’t bring in too many players in a single window because it’s hard for them to gel. What’s your view?
‘I think that’s a myth. If you’ve got the right coach, you sign the right mentality of player and get them in early, it gives you six weeks for them to gel. Because our identity and the way we played was so nailed at Huddersfield, it was easy from a tactical point of view for people to settle in.
‘We know exactly what we want: a left back in our system has to look like this. We won’t ask him to do something he doesn’t know how to do.’
So, having a clear playing style is important?
‘100 per cent. Changing style depending on the opposition is a very English thing. At Huddersfield we worried about us – it’s about the philosophy. If we brought our style and identity to the pitch, and if we were true to it, we thought we could beat anybody.
‘Every day you work on your identity and with a certain mentality. How can you change that on a Friday to adapt to the opposition? Whether we’re playing Burton Albion or Manchester City, we’ll back our philosophy against theirs and go toe-to-toe with them.
‘There’ll be times the way we play won’t come off. But the fans will know what we believe and what we’re trying to do.’
Communication with the fans is an important part of your job too?
‘Absolutely. We need to be honest and open, and not be dreamers. You can disagree with us, but you’ll know what we’re trying to do, why we’ve made the decisions we have.’
You want to develop players and establish something sustainable here. But with parachute payments, next year is our best chance to go up. How do you balance those things?
‘We need to go for it next year; we want to be in the Premier League. We also need to think ‘what if we don’t go up?’ We have to be smart in our planning and our work. And explain to supporters why it’s not a quick fix – we won’t pull the wool over people’s eyes.’
A lot of this season has been disappointing for the fans. What can we look forward to next season?
‘The good thing is we know what the problems are – everyone can see it.
‘What we try won’t always work for us. But one thing we’ll never do – one thing I can promise – is you’ll never see a Norwich team go somewhere and give up.’
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In the next instalment, Steve Stone talks about why change had to be made, his relationship with Stuart Webber, and finances next year and beyond.
Boy SW can talk the talk……..hopefully walking (and running) come as easily.
Should be the most interesting close season I can remember (started following City seriously in 1960)!
A lot of common sense here from SW. But no surprise he is such a strong advocate of a structure that has given him the opportunity to flourish in the football world.
In the Lambert era, they had different titles, but Lambert was almost a Sporting Director (very rarely seen on the training pitch) and Culverhouse performed the ‘Head Coach’ role.
Alex Neil developed not a single player, which is why it is crazy he was allowed to remain in his job so long. And he did not have the contacts to acquire astute loans (hence Wisdom, Bamford and Mbokani).
I think whichever structure is in place has a chance of delivering success, but it depends upon the quality of the people filling the roles..
Just read the sister interview on ACN. Sorry guys but that is better (a lot better).
SW’s final comment is very apposite – no more going one nil down and surrendering as we have done in the recent past?!
That’s what we expect, and want to see – losing (though not what we expect or want) is one thing, but just giving up is totally unacceptable. To escape from the Championship, you need some skill, but an equal or greater amount of desire. I hope he can deliver, then watching City will become a joy again.
I am with you Nick, 1960 first game as an 8yo. this is a close season I am genuinely excited about. Even under Lambert you sort of hoped but then knew it was going to be what you wanted or hoped for. I do like what I hear from SW, it would appear he is not scared to weild the axe neither. Interesting article too, thanks Stewart
Nick #3: Happy for people to read the other interview too.
They’re complementary because they take different approaches. I wanted to probe Stuart’s football philosophy and what he’s looking for in a Head Coach and new players. The other interview is more concerned with what he’s found at Norwich, the ground atmosphere etc.
I’ve also distilled a much longer conversation. Could have included more detail, but I wanted to get to the essence.
pab #2: I see what you mean about Lambert & Culverhouse, but not sure it’s quite comparable to our new structure. Tactics and player motivation would certainly still have been Lambert’s domain, whereas negotiation of transfers would have been McNally’s.
Jim #4: I think you’re right. While not discussing individual players (either with us now or possible recruits), Stuart kept coming back to one theme: those representing Norwich on the field in future need to be good players but also hungry. It’s that hunger which has to be more in evidence next season than it’s been this one.
Both articles are well worth the read.
Exciting times ahead me thinks and I am cautiously optimistic.
Great interview Stewart. Mr Webber is hitting nails on heads with every sentence and it’s giving me a lot of hope right now.
I agree with both you and Pab regarding the comparisons of Lambert and Culverhouse, and although it’s not a perfect overlap, part of the reason that set-up worked so well was that, even if the distinction was only plain internally, McNally, Lambert and Culverhouse all knew their roles and responsibilities within that framework. That clarity, which SW is preaching, will be such a refreshing change.
I’ve read that Stuart Webber is already having a niggle about the fans and atmosphere in the ground. He needs to be very careful not to alienate himself from the fans before he’s even started. Time will tell…
Dorset Canary #7: Agree with every word of your comment!
Most important questions, have you got a tattoo of him yet and which part of your anatomy did you get his autograph on?
Interesting stuff and some pertinent comments as per usual to add to the mix. I agree with Chris 3 ‘ s assertion that the poor atmosphere poor and I feel is the result of two years of complete failure at the club and the culmination of events on and off the pitch and the attitudes at all levels of the club.
Webber does indeed represent our best chance of success and I share the excitement of the other gentlemen regarding the close season.
My only concern is that Delia doesn’t sell off the family silver in the summer and a Pritchard, pinto, oliveira etc. Doesn’t go the same way as Brady, canos and olsson in January to address the lack of investment. A streamlined squad, supplemented by the young and hungry additions, minus the dead wood and managed by a tactically astute, innovative coach would have half a chance.
9) Yeah but he’s right. And he talks about it being a 50/50 thing – the players & fans both need to make the effort. He’s also clear that supporters can have a say in how the club can help boost the atmosphere. I’d say that’s pretty positive thinking. Now if only the many moaning fans could lose their sense of entitlement and remember how to enjoy the ride, we’ll be on to something.
Thanks Stewart. Much food for thought and good to hear that major changes are afoot in both personnel and philosophy. If SW’s delivery is as good as his talk then we’ll be going places.
9 – Chris III. It’s a fair comment although there are plenty who have commented that the atmosphere generally hasn’t been very good recently. Sure, it’s a two way thing – let’s not give him any excuses to make similar comments again.
9. Much of the poor atmosphere since Webber arrived is down to the fact that we had no chance of promotion. However, it’s definitely a 2 way thing: the team performs and the crowd responds.
Thanks for everyone’s comments.
The proof of the pudding will be in the eating, of course. I’d only observe that I’ve met a lot of high-level professional people, but I’ve rarely encountered someone with such a clear sense of purpose as Stuart Webber.
PS Steve Stone was also impressive – watch this space for our interview with him!
Good interview & he says things that the paying public want to hear,I feel like most fans that this season has been a total waste with half the squad strolling,winding down contracts or just past there sell by date, AN couldn’t get anymore out of them but didn’t help himself with some of his decisions on or off the field,SW won’t be sentimental which is great because we haven’t got time for anymore of that nonsense,an exiting summer awaits,bring it on.
What’s ACN?!
Richard (19)
“Along Come Norwich”?
19/20 – Yes, ‘Along Come Norwich’. Another NCFC site.
3/6 – I think both articles give a great insight & as Stewart says, they compliment each other well as they cover different aspects which is great for us as fans. Exciting times, although like Martin in his article, I grow weary of rumours so looking forward to something concrete to think about.
My gut feeling is that Webber will be here only two seasons as his ambition is far higher than the majority shareholders. Whilst his comments are ‘refreshing’ to say the least, this may not sit easy with the board if he continues in this vein.
All we can hope is that the club will be in a better state when he leaves than when he arrives, but Webber and The Stowmarket Two are an unholy alliance that will not last.
#22 Dave H: I too enjoyed reading both articles and they are indeed insightful in their different ways.
All great stuff to read in both of them.
Glad I’m not the only one who gets fed up with the mushroom compost stuff we are fed with in the silly season!
Maybe it might be slightly different under Mr Webber, who continues to impress me.
Darren #23: You may be right, but I understand both Stuart Webber and the owners are very clear about what they’re letting themselves in for.
As you’ll see from my interview with Steve Stone to be published next week (and as Stuart indicated in the interview here) he is under no illusions about our financial situation, its possibilities and limitations.
That’s one of the reasons SW puts so much emphasis on developing players rather than trying to buy short-term fixes. He also likes having a Board that’s on the spot, involved and caring.
#23 Darren: I hope your last paragraph does not prove to be prophetic.
Just for a wry chuckle, of course it’s now more or less the Stowmarket Three.
Add your own holy/unholy connotations as you wish.
And I don’t mean faith, hope and charity:-)
#26 Martin. Pip, Squeak and Alfred?
Atmosphere? Always been my contention that there is not enough people clapping happily. Instead of getting behind the team, were all to world weary and wise for such banalities. A Newcastle fan at work today checked our position in the table with me, and on hearing my reply answered, “that’s ok”. Its often informative talking to other fans, as they often have a bit of perspective.