I didn’t watch Germany v Sweden live – a family meal for once took precedence over football – but a break for “some fresh air” did permit me and my son the chance to escape for five to catch up on latest score.
You know what I’m going to say…
BBC Sport: Germany 0, Sweden 1 (Toivonen 32′minutes)
I was immediately transported back to the heady summer of 2013 when, amongst other exotic names, Ola Toivonen was one who seemed destined for the Fine City. According to Voetbal International, and as reported in the Evening News at the time, we’d gone as far down the line as agreeing a £4.7 million deal with his then club, PSV Eindhoven.
Sadly Ola had other ideas, and other suitors come to that. Norfolk wasn’t for him. And I never did discover if we lured him over here for a shufti around Colney. Either way, it was another in a long line of failed attempts to lure big names to Carrow Road.
As it transpired, he hung around at PSV for a bit longer, despite all the apparent interest, and eventually went to Rennes in January 2014 for €2.5 million.
There have been others, of course, arguably even bigger names, all of whom were in the frame (allegedly) and who either slipped through our fingers or who gave us the V-sign. I give you, for starters, Kalidou Koulibaly, Toby Alderweireld and Fabio Quagliarella.
That the only real oversees ‘name’ we managed to lure in the big money years was Ricky van Wolfswinkel is in itself a salutary, painful even, reminder that big name comes with no guarantees, but perhaps the bigger point here is around understanding your limitations and to not waste time and resources on players who perceive Norwich City as unworthy of a line on their CV.
But it’s a fine line and at the time we were all screaming for the club to show balls (small ‘b’) and ambition, and these were precisely the type of players we wanted to see gracing Carrow Road. Yet, reality can really stink at times and despite having a sizeable pot of cash to dip into to get these deals over the line, Messrs McNally and co quickly discovered that being Norwich City in a transfer window is a tough old gig.
Norwich being a beautiful city and the lure of the Norfolk Broads don’t tend to wash when sexier names are also banding around similarly sized wads of cash. It was, at times, a struggle.
Of course, things are very different now. Minus a pot to pee in, signing foreign players is no longer such a problem. Now we’re not just shopping in a different aisle, we’re in a different store. To repeat a tired analogy, we’ve long given up on Waitrose, we’ve briefly flirted with Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s, but we’re now taking our own bags to Aldi and Lidl.
Our player demographic has shifted. Instead of trying to lure players who would consider Norwich City lucky to have them, Daniel Farke has spoken often of how those in his squad must understand and appreciate what an honour it is to wear the yellow shirt. Ola, Toby, Kalidou and Fabio wouldn’t have been having any of that. It would have been red carpets and riders all the way.
That we’re now more appealing to players from here and abroad is, in its own way, a good thing I guess – even if it is via an extremely convoluted route – but it’s hard to love the fact our sights have shifted so dramatically in the space of such a short time.
And it’s hard to love the fact that every pound has to work so bloody hard.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not averse to a bit of self-financing, especially at a time when FFP mark II is going to (again) try and enforce some proper financial housekeeping, but the sheer obstinance from Delia and Michael to not even contemplate alternative sources of funding for this football club grates.
That hideous and damaging interview with Henry Winter may have been softened by subsequent soundbites but nothing, absolutely nothing, has emanated from the Carrow Road corridors of power to suggest there is a will to explore options that will make life for Steve Stone and Stuart Webber just a little easier.
I don’t particularly desire some megabucks foreign owner who’ll likely flip the finger to the phrase ‘community club’, nor do I wish the future of our great club to be gambled in a game Premier League of roulette, but I would like to think those in power are exploring every avenue possible to make this club be as competitive as it can possibly be.
It doesn’t just boil down to pounds and pence – there are loads of examples of success being achieved on the type of shoestring on which we’re currently operating – and West Brom, Swansea and Stoke are living reminders of football’s cyclical nature, but it’s daft to suggest that Stone and Webber would be hindered by a budget that had an extra few million added to it.
And heaven forbid we ever fall into the Ipswich-zone for any length of time, but if we did and gates dropped, where would we turn if a Marcus Evans-type annual contribution was needed to keep the caboodle afloat?
Hopefully, I’ll look back on this piece at the end of next season and think ‘what bloody nonsense – what was I worrying about’, but right now it’s a risky game this board is playing. There aren’t too many safety nets.
This is not a veiled call for change or one of those ridiculous and illogical ‘sack the board’ demands (who sacks them?) but I do so wish Delia and Michael would sit down, have a look in the mirror and ask themselves if there are better alternatives than handing the reins to their nephew.
Tom’s a lovely guy, a talented guy I’m told, but is he really the best alternative out there to take this club forward? If the answer is yes, and it’s not just a means of keeping their favourite toy in the family, then fair enough. But I do wonder.
The thoughts of many of us Gary.
However, earlier this year we were finally persuaded to change allegiance from a British based supermarket to one of the 2 you mention, and, I have to admit, the only difference we’ve noticed is that we’re getting better quality goods at a substantially lower cost.
Obviously those in the corridors of power at Carrow Road are desperate for the same outcome with football, but that’s a whole different gamble.
We have to see what Messrs Webber and Farke can bring in prior to the start of the season, and given the fixtures, the first ten or a dozen will show which direction we are headed. Hopefully it will be the right one!
O T B C
All we need is someone to put in around £7million each year to help with wages etc,a bit like Evans does with that lot down the road,that would help matters and it could save us from selling one of our best players each year.A lot to ask I know but would fans really want a billionaire owner who has total control and dump us when they’re fed up with their plaything?
Fairly safe to say not one single person out there wants a “billionaire owner who has total control and dump us when they’re fed up with their plaything”. If that’s how this piece has come across, I’ve failed completely in making the point I was trying to. 🙂 (which is quite conceivable).
“perhaps the bigger point here is around understanding your limitations and to not waste time and resources on players who perceive Norwich City as unworthy of a line on their CV.”
I think that is a key point for a club of our size. Some of our most popular players came from lower league teams and gave their all for the shirt. Many of our most expensive players have rocked up and been bitter disappointments.
Burnley have achieved relative success by going about their business admirably. There are no stars in their team but every single player gives 100%. If they start buying egos then they will lose that fighting work ethic and will fall like a stone.
Agree with that Richie… Burley and Dyche have set a fine example, no denying that.
I agree that Burnley are currently the best example of a club similar to ours achieving much more than their resources and budgets might suggest.
Let’s see what happens to them in the coming season though. They are now in Europe, and if they reach the group stages will be playing a pile of extra games. It is not unusual for clubs like them to struggle in the league whilst still in the competition.
Their owner/Chairman is quoted as saying outside investment is the life blood of any business especially football
Interesting article Gary on a persistent topic for us at the moment. We are all rather fed up with the Smith’s seeming intransigence on this subject, though of course, the degrees of being ‘fed up’ fits along a pretty broad continuum. I’m still in the devil you know is better than the Marcus Evans, Aston Villa etc etc type of ownership, but yes like most of us I’d like to see a little more ambition to bring in even the extra £10-30 million a year that would make a difference, and look like they might well be available.
But one question I have, since no-one has asked him, and no doubt he has to keep his mouth firmly shut on the subject or indeed risk his inheritance, but if he is a smart chap, I wonder what Tom Smith himself thinks on this subject? Somehow I doubt he quite has the perspective that Delia (in particular) and Michael do. My own thought is that I would expect him to have ideas more in keeping with the times, ie how to keep the club still a ‘community’ club, but have a financial model that is not quite so self-financing as the current, with the majority shareholders now putting in zero new investment of their own.
Personally, I would never back a ‘Get rid of the Smiths’ call, having seen far too many bad models in my time, but I wonder about a ‘hand over to the Smith’ call? I have no idea whether it would make any difference, but it is an interesting thought as to whether it would at all.
Cheers for the response, Michael … very good.
Tom, from an ownership and future direction perspective, remains an enigma, and it would indeed be interesting to hear his thoughts. Stew was granted an interview but it was around the Nest Project and Tom gave little away with regard to the future of the club. We’ll keep trying, although Archant will clearly be ahead of us in the queue.
For those who keep their City programmes, perhaps I can commend the final one of season 2016-17 (vs QPR) containing an extensive interview with Tom Smith.
He covers his role on the Board, the (at the time) new structure with Stuart Webber, the Academy, ground atmosphere and the club’s future ownership. “The way I see it, the Football Club needs to look at as many options as we can to help it succeed in the long term”.
His own words should perhaps be the sensible starting point for our discussion of him.
This is a good article that raises some intriguing points. For me the supermarket analogy works in the sense that someone who knows what is available and knows the market will achieve more than someone who does not which could explain the current use of German market in the same way Lambert knew the lower English market. The emphasis is on expenditure but really the issue is income, we are like someone who had a good job and the lifestyle to match, they lost the job and used the severance to adjust to life on benefits rather than retrain or look for a new way of regaining the lost income, currently they are selling the car and furniture but still have the house that they can not afford to maintain without a loan from friends. I do wonder about the phrase community club, there are fans who are no doubt closer to the club than others but personally I feel that most of us 20,000 season ticket holders are bums on seats (in every sense), there is a link between club and fans that even Marcus Evans has bridged in a better way than we achieve. Look at the club AGM where in front of a friendly audience (judging by the votes) the owners did not even give a brief inkling of where they see the club heading and Tom Smith was much quieter than the year before and looked a beaten man which is sad as I’ve seen him turn up at away matches with a spring in his step clearly looking forward to watching his team. I’m not sure where the club is heading and the project appears to be the only option that avoids significant change. Football shouldn’t be a unsustainable but sadly it is
If it is going be as rumoured a trust fund contolled board when Tom Smith takes over then all will depends on their loyalty and business acqument.
It could judt turnout to be worse than a billionaire owner
The club have shelves stocked with Lidel products but are charging customers Waitrose prices. Of course they have to for the “self-financing” model.
Gary – Delia seems to prefer talking about her philosophy to the Times or Guardian rather than Archant or any local media.
Anyone investing a substantial amount in the Club is highly likely to want actual control, and not be outvoted on decisions by the Smiths. So this is not going to happen because The Smiths are staying and Tom is the future.
Good article and many good replies. I love John H’s analogies.
The current limbo like situation is a phoney war, the last death throes of the establishment while it desperately scraps around trying to eke out its longevity.
When it comes to the smiths, I’m no moderate and a good number amongst our support share my view.
It’s more telling and indeed more powerful when the moderates agree that it’s time for change. What is abundantly clear is that the vast majority can now see the club is choking under this “self funding” effort which has been imposed on us. The predicted downsizing has been dramatic and extreme and while it might put the finances on an even keel for a while it places in huge peril the clubs on field health.
The persistent and morale sapping six monthly flogging of our best players will eventually sicken a large enough slice of the clubs support to make a huge difference in matchday takings. As will a continuos slide down the league.
What then? A Marcus Evans style bale out from the ownership is ruled out and if the cupboard is bare then there really is no limit to the depths the club could sink to,
I don’t doubt the smiths are still intent on maintaining their families grip on the club and the plan to pass it on to the nephew are still on the agenda. I have no idea however if Johns observations regarding his body language are indicative of a man who wishes he was somewhere else,
Martin would disagree I’m sure, but I’ve long felt the smiths would eventually be pushed out due to financial circumstances becoming untenable. With good players dwindling the family silver is depleting year on year and the mood music amongst the customers makes a price hike on an already priced ticket impossible.
The utopian vision shared by a few that a modern day football club can be run in such a manner, devoid of any, even modest investment by its ownership all while selling fresh faced stars of the future to Huddersfield town and Burnley twice yearly as 27,000 clap and wave banners where the result is academic is coming to a long drawn out close.
That is unless Webber and farke can engineer something extra special this summer. The earliest evidence isn’t exactly encouraging, our best player and the source of most of our meagre goal output have left already, a sum which competes with the dreaded parachute payments has been garnered and yet still we are shopping in the bargain basement. That is the choice of the ownership, not the support. As a result the blame for any further failure will be laid fair and square.
Webber and farke may be collateral damage in the usual attempt to deflect culpability but it won’t wash this time.
There simply doesn’t appear to be a great appetite for a continuation of the status quo. August is a massive month for the club.
Hi Chris – I hadn’t intended to make a comment on Gary’s excellent article but as you’ve mentioned me by name I guess I should do so. Okay, I want to (especially as we actually won a World Cup match 6-1!)
In the old days, when the Vikings were raiding with serious intent, the Saxon chiefs and their well-rewarded acolytes would form a formidable “shield wall” around their king and queen. And fight to the (often) bloody death. Nobody got to their familial king or queen whilst they had breath in their bodies.
And in a much more modern and civilised manner it’s just like that with Delia, Michael and the Aethling Tom. They have little support in terms of numbers but what limited followers they do have are extremely influential. The plebs matter not, except to every single one of our MFW writers, whatever their personal standpoint! (None of us are really plebs it’s just a word I like using occasionally as it reminds me of my unpleasant Latin teacher at school).
Don’t worry about it mate – I’m now 60 and a Smith will be in charge of this Club when I’m long gone. Maybewe’ll be in Conference North but once I’ve snuffed it I won’t care:-)
Martin the big problem is that they make themselves likeable and that colours people opinion of them.
I know Stewart, Mick and others will possible say thats not true and as usual jump to their defence but when you are enamoured you don’t see possibly what other either see or suspect.
To some all they see is a picture perfect couple that can’t do anything wrong, even the interviews that most see as pure fannel a cover up they think is a positive, When they say or a spokes person say no one interested in investing in city its because who ever wants to invest is scared of as they would have no say in where there money goes, sorry to say the Smiths are strangling the clubs development
Totally with you on this one Alex.
It’s not their personalities that concern me (one or two of our writers say they’re lovely people and I believe them) – it’s their unerring ability to dither before eventually making the wrong decision on behalf of the football club and its supporters.
The Henry Winter interview in The Times being the perfect example of such poor decision making. I still haven’t recovered from reading it – thinking those things is bad enough, but telling the world about it? Aw, c’mon.
So strangled development it is and will be for the foreseeable.
Webber and Farke will have to produce a few rabbits from hats and that’s for sure. Let’s wish them all the best in their recruiting endeavours.
ps Looks like you’re right about Moritz Leitner from Augsburg. Now that IS good news:-)
Ha. It is all a bit Wild Wild Country.
Remember when the Canaries Trust had a small civil war because someone dare speak up during Alex Neil’s period at the bottom of the form table.
If they’re not allowed to be concerned when when the team is consistently losing and they’re not concerned when the squad is stripped of quality. When will people, in particular those who are meant to represent the paying punter hoping to watch a competitive team, start being critical?
David, leaving the Canaries Trust (of which I’m proud to be a member because I understand and respect its aims) completely out of it, I’m generally pretty critical of the Club and MFW has allowed me to be just so for some time now.
My thoughts and views are very often available for all to see and read, have been for some time and will indeed be in the future (Editor Gary willing).
If I’m your best bet for published criticism, hang on in there. And keep posting on MFW – you and a few others like you help keep us writers on our toes. Good!
The controversy Dave mentions in 2017 was precisely because the Canaries Trust was critical of the club – very critical. The Trust didn’t hesitate to be critical then, and wouldn’t hesitate again if it felt such criticism was deserved.
With the new structure and personnel, inheriting a team that had to be rebuilt while slashing the playing budget, I can’t accept it’s unreasonable to view last season as transition. Even with continued financial pressures, expectations are higher this year. We’ll see whether the management team can, while keeping the club financially viable, improve performance and results on the field.
Then we’ll judge.
This article shouldn’t be about the Trust, but to imply that there was “civil war” within the Trust is misleading.
There’s no universal “love in” for the Board, either, as some seem to presume and criticism, when it’s due, is always offered on a constructive basis.
As I’ve frequently mentioned in comments here, most fans are currently indifferent about ownership, me included, as likely long the team is relatively competitive.
Over the last few seasons city have perpetually been bad in the transfer windows.
When ever there are rumours that Rhodes is leaving his present club reports say city are leading the chase, someone mentioned doing a swap for him with Naismith will Sheff Wed want to let one underpreforming player leave just to take on another.
One site today says that Rhodes could help to get the Ben Marshall deal over the line as they are the best of friends from their Blackburn days to me that makes no difference I would prefer Rhodes stays at Wednesday he is past his best.
Lets wish Stones/Webber/Farke the best of luck in getting the players that can possibly fight for promotion this season
According to Sky it is 1 in 1 out
Leitner signed permanently from Ausburgh
Broomfield loaned to Accies for the season
Great news to have Marcus Leitner back lets hope he can carry on in the same style as last season
Broomfield signed from Dag&Red straight out on loan wish him the best
Agree with you about Leitner. It’s Moritz, by the way
Excellent piece. Really enjoyed the well balanced and well reasoned argument relating to finances. Sounds like probable good news about Leitner today.
What drives a business is cash – football is no different and it’s not unusual for changes in ownership at clubs to be closely linked to financial meltdown off the field.
Clearly, the Club has a difficult year ahead with the Premier League contractual overhang still having twelve months ahead. Thereafter, despite the prophets of doom being widespread, City’s financial position won’t be as dire as many are suggesting.
As always, however, the success, or otherwise, of the current set up will be hugely dependent upon the combinations of recruitment, the manager’s tactical nous, together with the ability to remain competitive within the league. While we remain competitive the majority of supporters usually don’t give two hoots who owns the Club.
It would appear that our owners have been consistently disappointing.
Personally I think we should just get on and enjoy the beauty of football with Norwich City.. you never know what you will get, and that’s what makes attend.
You mention that football is cyclical and that’s maybe the biggest point, it doesn’t matter what your model is, or how much investment there is, most clubs will eventually be relegated. Stoke have a rich owner, Leicester will be a side that won the Premier League but eventually ply their trade in the championship.
I’d feel fairly sure that many would be shouting for the Smiths return should investment go to someone who risks all just to make money from the top division.
Why can’t we be just like Norwich and Norfolk, a little different from the rest of the country, unique, quirky and ultimately successful on our own terms
Fair comment Mark. You’re not alone in taking that stance.
Coming from Norfolk and loving the place for its weird and wonderful ways it is trying to explain to others whsts so nice about the place.
Now living in a much larger county and a sporting success Lancashire when you tell people you are from Norfolk they ask what success do you have the even rub the salt in by saying Ispwich league champions 1962/63 and EUFA winners plus 2 England managers.
Yes we have have our querkiness but it would just be nice to win big once in a while could even try and get a county cricket side would be great
Rumours today
Wigan want to loan Wildshut and pay a large amount of his wages why not just say £1.5m and you can have him it will mean a loss but cancel any add ons we negotiationed when purchased.
It really seems we are stuck with Oliveria no offers so his sulking and bad behaviour last season has done no one any good.
Why oh why are we trying to sign Rhodes EDP saying city are still trying to get this done surely we can find someone with less baggage and a small weekly wage.
Marshall from Wolves and Wilson from Liverpool gone very quite today
Lastly no rumours of pending imports from europe does this all mean that we are going to have an influx soon or that no one wants to come like the investers
Interesting article Gary and for me sums up the problems a medium-sized club such as Norwich faces – how do you break the glass ceiling that the Prem has created?
If such a club manages to establish itself in the Prem for 2/3 seasons such as we did back in 2013, then naturally it wants to push on and attract higher calibre players.
However, those players simply don’t want to play for a club of such a standing, so what do you do?
I’m not sure I really I know the answer but you probably have to hand it to clubs such as Stoke, WBA and Swansea for surviving for so long.
It would be interesting to know how close we genuinely were to signing Alderweireld and Quagliarella but I guess it’s ancient history now as five years truly is a lifetime in football.
However, your article reminded me how excited I was that summer to see RVW, Fer and Hooper in action, it’s the hope that kills you!
The answer to your last paragraph Gary is no.
Delia doesn’t need a mirror, she needs Norwich City Football Club as that has given the fading chef a public outlet for the last couple of decades that wouldn’t have otherwise been forthcoming. That has served her well and is why she is still here. Control.
Can you place a price on that?
As a few have said over the last few months her celb status is fading fast no more TV chef progs so no more book sales the only thing she is known for now is being chairperson/owner of Norwich City and she has admitted she can’t bankroll it so it is time to retire and sell
Just over 327,000 shares at £100 (probably less) a pop would get a majority interest, Inside Right.
So Gary
So their total investment is just short of £35m the Aussies buying Charlton Athletic are paying that for a league 1 club so there must be interested investers that would want to buy in. Blackpool is another club that is now going to be auctioned of complete with 2 hotels training ground and stadium valued rescently by the Oystons at £40m