I have always been a great supporter of the concept of light and shade. Whether in literature, music, art or even television and film, I’m all for it believe me.
So therefore it’s quite natural for me to compare our penultimate match of last season [Blackburn] with this year’s offering – Burnley of course.
Last May I was full of pre-match trepidation as so much was at stake and we all knew it. I met a few mates in the Ribs of Beef and wandered down to the Carra full of joyous but guarded optimism.
Even when Blackburn pulled it back to 2-1 we knew we would do it and oh boy did we. Celebrate? Just a little bit. It would have been rude not to. And of course there was probably an even greater joy to follow for those who went [I didn’t] when we clinched the title at Villa.
And then the City Hall shenanigans with Kenny McLean nicking the Town Crier’s hat and handbell with a bottle of WD 20/20 hanging out of his pocket. If he did speak I can’t remember it and I bet he can’t either.
Fast forward 14 months. Already relegated we took on Burnley behind closed doors or BCD as it’s known in footy circles.
And how did I prepare for this irrelevant contest on Pick TV? I took one of the dogs out, read my favourite Red Top with the highlight of the day intended to be following the Second Test on Guardian Live. Fire it up… and the covers are on at Old Trafford. All day.
And I still have that horrible feeling in my gut concerning the confirmed promotion of Dirty Leeds. Not because they don’t deserve it – they do. I’m merely personally disappointed, that’s all.
Oh and how about the Burnley game itself you might quite justifiably ponder. Well I’d been trying not to mention it for obvious reasons. There’s only so much to be said about a team that has lost nine in a row since the resumption with the chance to make that double figures at the Etihad next weekend.
Some wit pointed out somewhere online yesterday that during these nine defeats we have received more red cards than we have scored goals, making it 2-1 to the cards.
And being the last home game of the season it seemed appropriate there should be an own goal, two sendings-off, an injured Timm Klose and the return of the dreaded VAR.
Josip Drmic? Nailed on. Whatever he might plead about trying to win the ball back after he’d lost it cuts no ice with me.
Emi Buendia? Slightly harsh but Ashley Westwood knew exactly what he had to do to wind Emi up and it worked. You can’t really expect to get away with that with VAR in situ mon amigo. Maybe there was not that much in terms of force of contact but the intent was there for all to see.
Timm Krul was his usual excellent self and what became the eight men in front of him formed into strikerless lines of four and if I’m honest made a pretty good fist of what could only ever be damage limitation.
Alex Tettey completed his 102nd Premier League appearance for us and at the other end of the age scale it was good to see young centre back Akin Famewo on the bench once more.
Having lost to Arsenal in Saturday’s FA Cup Semi on Saturday I reckon Pep’s Citeh will be just as demotivated as our lot at the weekend. I’m not sure I’ll bother with that one myself.
I was going to save this until after Citeh but it was that kind of weekend so here we go.
The Smiths – Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now (Live on Top of The Pops ’84)
I had no intention of watching the game, I had been outside pottering came in and my lad had the darn TV on with the game. I opened my laptop and decided to do some processing of some photos.
With one eye on proceedings , making a bright start, then kaboom , if enough this season had already gone wrong, Master Buendia decided he would make it a little worse. No matter it not being a forearm smash, the intent was enough for the unfriendly ref, after watching a slow Mo, which makes things look worse anyways.
I do think some work on his temperament, is needed if we keep him. Not the first red, QPR last season, when added to some of his tackling , he can be a bit of liability
As for Drmic, what on earth was he doing, thought he was supposed to be experienced and an international. The state of Swiss football must be pretty poor if he is any think to go by. That’s two automatic 3 match bans .
Unfortunate for Godfrey, but that is the way the season has unfolded, lady luck had certainly left Carrow Road, along with the rest of the crowds. Last time I saw her, she had camped at the Bournemouth vs Leicester game. (deflections and Penalty) There really isn’t much more to be said on the season, that has not already been chewed over many times. Every descriptive word used.
I have some Leeds supporting friends, I am pleased for them, they will probably not follow our path, not many have or will do. I am of the mind I hope we do not bounce up again. I cannot go through another season like this one. Can anyone with hand on heart say it will not be same again with the Stowmarket still two pulling the reigns ?
I am saving some painting until the last one, so I can watch it dry
Hi Lad
Every descriptive word used? I kind of feel that way too. And as for Lady Luck she didn’t like the sound of the new away supporters *deal* and thereby refused to watch [over] us all season long.
Emi nearly cost us dearly last season at home to QPR. Sure petulance is part of his natural game – it must be very difficult to fully coach it out of him although until Saturday I thought there’d been a marked improvement.
Kinnear at Leeds is already talking up the Champions League. Oh dear.
As for our Joint Majority Shareholders I’ve nothing new to say there either. Every descriptive word has been used. At least for now 🙂
Thanks as ever
A great way to start the article (and ‘hats off’ to Gary for the heading/photo!!) comparing the penultimate game from last season to this season’s lame offering – the jubilation to the misery.
I’m sure that no one who was either at CR on that Friday evening, watching on Sky in the pub/at home or listening to the excited tones of Chris Goreham on Rodeo Norfolk describing the scenes at the final whistle will EVER forget that night (or the hangover the following morning).
Fast forward just over 64 weeks and it’s hard to believe that it’s the same players. in the main.
Enough reminiscing about the past and let’s look to the future.
DF is on record as having said that no player has knocked on his door and said that he wants to leave, whilst at the same time, he talks about some serious changes to the squad – it will be interesting to see which players are in the squad for pre-season games.
I’ll only look at the positives.
The emergence of Idah is very exciting and I along with many other fans would have loved to have seen him given more time on the pitch, but understand DF’s thinking. Martin is also one for the future and to see Famewo on the bench for the last home game is encouraging for the future.
The game at the Etihad is pretty meaningless, but money dictates that it MUST go ahead.
Oh well, roll on the new season, but MORE importantly, the date when we can once again take our seats at CR and cheer on the team
Hi Ed
First up I have no idea what the plans are concerning fans returning to stadia. The powers that be have had their way and the season was completed – after a fashion anyway. The one thing I will not be doing is going to a match with 20% ground capacity allocated on some kind of lottery basis and no away supporters whatsoever.
“DF is on record as having said that no player has knocked on his door and said that he wants to leave”. Sure and that might well be true. But I wonder how many agents have been on the batphone to SW? That might tell a different tale.
As everyone seems to be saying – just one more to go, thank the Lord.
Cheers.
The game at the Etihad is certainly not meaningless, not when you have several Man City supporting golf chums. They won’t admit it but I reckon they are just a little nervous at the prospect, however unlikely, of one of the statistically worst teams in PL history doing the double over them.
Ha – good one Keith!
I worked in Cheadle Hulme for years alongside many Citizens, several of whom became good friends.
A photographer who worked with us a lot, Peter Fletcher, played golf at Prestbury as did Sir Alex – probably both still do. Pete asked Alex to make a presentation of the keys to a fully equipped minibus on behalf of my company to the nearby Royal Schools for the Deaf.
Alex stayed for well over two hours with the school’s staff and pupils and was the complete gent in every respect.
I’ve never played golf in my life but I’ve many friends who do – my old local in Coltishall has a very thriving golf society.
Prestbury is not far from where I live, but it’s in a different world to the one I inhabit. I’ve only played it once when my club had a captain’s away day there. Lovely course, but it was absolutely lashing it down. I tipped water out of my bag at the end. Luckily I was in an early group and finished 3rd, mainly because by the end the greens were so wet they were almost unplayable.
I do know someone who plays there but it’s too old-school (and expensive!) for me.
You should give the game a go – I’ve played Costessey Park a couple of times when I’ve been over there and really enjoyed it. Less keen on Sherringham which seemed to have cross-winds on every hole despite it being a relatively calm day.
Too late in the day for me I’m afraid. My summers were strictly tennis and cricket anyway but I really appreciate how much some of my friends enjoy playing the game. Some of the younger ones still play football alongside golf.
I was born in 1957 and where I grew up golf was very much a rich person’s sport so in my teens and 20s nobody I knew could even consider it. Something [dunno what] came along to make golf accessible to almost all around 1990 – or earlier, maybe. A good thing too.
Two mates sometimes play at Royal Cromer and would echo your comments about Sheringham. We’re in Mundesley when not in the City so fully understand that within range of the cliffs there’s no such thing as a gentle zephyr – and that’s with the dogs, let alone golf clubs!
Nice article Martin.
I am lost for words!! Just when I thought things could not get any worse….!
Oh to have been a fly on the wall of the dressing room, I sense tea cups were thrown!
The only players in the yellow & green worthy of any sort of mention are the immense Krul (I hope we can keep hold of him), Tettey and Zimmerman and boy haven’t we missed him.
Don’t it tell you everything about our league position and lack of good fortune when your team is beaten by a goal from a miss timed bicycle kick shinner (Wood was too embarrassed to celebrate) and an own goal from your defender who wasn’t under pressure…..when you are down and out you really are……..
As for the final game at Man C, I can’t contemplate it a the moment other than I just want it to be over.
Me thinks covering Tim’s goal with industrial strength cling film might be the only way we’ll keep them at bay 🙂
Cheers
John
Hi John
As for the cling film, maybe full-width roller shutters fixed from the crossbar might be better. Without giving *the likes of* Kevin Friend the release key of course.
I read somewhere Farke saying he felt like throwing cups around but calmed himself down and didn’t. I bet Emi learned a couple of new German swearwords. Being Swiss, Drmic would most likely have understood them straight off. Straight off being quite appropriate in Josip’s case of course.
You have to laugh 🙁
Thanks!
Hi Martin
A good monday morning article and as usual it hits the nail on the head after another poor game.
I just wonder if city had shown the same determination with 8 outfield players in all the proceedings restart games if we would still be in this position.
Woods went down like a soppy lettuce leaf after tripping over his own feet rented for a penalty and it was reviewed by VAR so why wasn’t he booked for diving, then a second overhead kick kills city in a couple of weeks.
Bad luck or what Drmic for once showed a bit of fighting spirit but possibly if Emi hadn’t got sent off then circumstances would have been difficult and he might have not been so rash in trying to get the ball back.
Friend is now the leading Ref to hand out red cards this season and his smirk as he handed out EMI was a clear as day he enjoyed it and slo-mo makes it look worse and he knew that and gave no consideration to the Burnley players holding him round the waist at the time.
Tettey today has said that City’s recruitment needs to be better not just bringing players in for the sake of it but players that can hit the ground and make an impact and improve the squad he is spot on.
As my music choice is varied from Mann to Dream Threater, Moody Blues, Deep Purple and LD I will go for a sloppy song ” Even the Bad Times are Good” the Tremelos without Brian Poole.
City will survive
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
Stay safe and well
Hi Alex
I read that Tettey quote as well [can’t remember where – probably Archant] and we can’t say he’s wrong, now can we?
There was also something in a different article from Webber along the lines of next season’s squad won’t be short in terms of investment. But will said investment be in the short/medium term or remain focused on the recruitment of future prospects?
As for music my final choice of the season after Man City will be… well it was by The Kinks so I bet you’ll quickly work that one out well before it’s published.
Interesting final day at Old Trafford although I fully expect the draw.
Cheers
My all times kinks song is Lazy Sunday afternoon followed by Waterloo Sunset and Lola
It’s neither of those three mate. Think of the one Bowie covered on Pin-Ups.
Lazy Sunday was the Small Faces so poss. Sunny Afternoon?
Yeah realised soon as i posted it
Yeah – no is left field and a good title for an article from you and really sums up this season and where have all the good times gone
Yeah you got it. Ray Davies was quite a baller himself apparently.
Should the Old Trafford read Emirates and it looks like Boris wants Spurs to be the Stadium for a test event due to all the concourse space available so how will that test how small grounds cope
It’s a bl00dy minefield. The concourses at the Carra are so jam-packed it’s ridiculous and I really can’t see us getting back to 27k fans in the ground anytime soon.
In all seriousness until this situation is declared safe even I’d think twice about using the Upper Barclay bar/ablution block. It’s sardines and I really do not fancy it. It must be a nightmare for the Club when they are considering future planning.
We’re an upper/medium sized stadium which is traditionally heaving. It’s part of the reason why we all love the place so much.
I wish I had an answer but I don’t.
Hi Martin,
I agree, If you do the maths and apply 2 metre distancing the capacity would have to be capped at under 5k.
So, how are the luck few going to be selected?
Its just a non starter in my view.
Cheers
John
It would just be too soulless for me. For the first time ever I’m really seriously considering getting rid of the ST and seeing a bit more of the under 23s which can also be very enjoyable in its way.
I’ll give it six months or so and see what happens.
Money talks as we have learnt in the Premier League and we are going to need to spend some to get back into the Premier League – and this time gain promotion with a squad with the potential to stay up. Given that Krul, Tettey and Zimmermann have been our best players one would think that they would be the nucleus (injuries/transfers permitting) of the team next season. I would hope that Pukki would stay but a quality alternative is needed up front, and in the long term, one who can score the goals in the EPL that Pukki failed to. Then, from the rest, a combination of Byram, McCallum, Hanley, Klose, Stiepermann, McLean, Leitner, Hernandez, Rupp and Trybull could provide a strong basis for a promotion push together with quality new signings and whoever we have left from Aarons, Lewis, Godfrey, Cantwell and Buendia (if anyone). I would like to think that apart from a new keeper, half a defence and a new striker, we might be able to find a Buendia-quality midfielder somewhere to sign but that might be pushing it a bit. I would be amazed if we managed to keep all of our young players though.
Here a thought Drmic at present is everyone’s punchbag he just can’t do right from wrong.
Just maybe for his own peace of mind and the good of the club he reinvents himself a d next season scores the goals that gets city promotion how many will jump on the bandwagon and say we new he could do it.
I just can’t see anyone offering any money for him in his present form
Hi Tony
I guess that’s a pretty accurate scenario tbh.
Just to pick a couple of bones from your analysis I get the feeling that Leitner might be one we might try to move on. Even though we’ve only heard some rumblings sans detail, it appears to me that his NCFC race is run.
Jamal might be one not to go. When Stoke are touted as a destination it seems likely that he’ll remain but that was probably all media BS. It’s going to be a horrible few weeks of rumours anyway. Some folks love that scenario but I personally don’t. Tell me after they’ve arrived and after they’ve gone!
Strangely I’m not too fussed about Pukki. He seems a busted flush to me.
Thanks for a good comment.
I’m not going the blame Drmic as he had a lot going through his mind on saturday , following some rather nasty online social media trolling. As much as it shouldn’t affect you nastiness of that sort cannot be unseen once seen and may have been a causation in his rash challenge.
Beundia just has too learn to live with it, if he cant he’ll get sent off more and more as opposition players wind him up. A perceived weakness to play on.
just as well Burnley only have one way of playing, battering ram style aka hoofball. A team with some nous may well have found a way round 2 banks of 4. On the Manchester weather , if its good next saturday i just may be watching the fare from Old Trafford instead of the Etihad.
next sunday sorry , see i dont even know what day of the week it is LOL
As an NCFC lifelong mate you’re not alone in that 🙂
Hi Bernie
As I’m always quick to declare I don’t do social media [stuff that] but apparently some little scrote said some extremely nasty things. I picked up some of it from Archant but they quite rightly decided to close down the comments section early doors.
I really don’t think you can underestimate the pressures these guys are under as they’re all pretty much media central and it’s not always of their own making. Yes ballers get megabucks compared to the rest of us but it must be difficult for them at times.
And it wouldn’t have happened even 25 years ago.
Regards to the ever-tolerant Chloe.
Excellent stuff Martin. And a handful of good comments too.
Zimmermann certainly improved the bck line, putting his body on the line with what they used to call “defending”. Krul was his usual stoic self between the sticks, Tettey was in his element, cajoling appearing right on time with timely and calm interventions. A mention too for Hernandez, who continues to show pace and devilment.
Without two players, it was interesting to watch the enforced pragmatism at play.
Two solid banks of four, full backs at their stations, centre halves facing the play, tettey solidifying the proceedings. Quite telling also that after 1000 minutes of sterile fannying about barely registering a shot on goal that shorn of 2 forwards with one decent long pass from Big Chris and a searing run from onel we came as close to scoring as we have in ages. Lucky goalkeeper. Pace and directness.
Size, strength and knowhow needed and in good measure. Depends how much of a handicap the Addams Family place on the club this time around.
Hi Chris
I find Krul a bit too full of personality to be a true stoic – there’s a bit of the epicurean about him too, especially in interviews.
As many of us have said, we looked better in the second half’s *attack against defence* than Burnley did. I wouldn’t want to watch them every week and that’s for sure.
Seems like we’re subjected to Addams Family Values for the foreseeable although yet again that could become the subject of debate during what’s left of the summer.
Thanks a lot.
Hi Martin, Krul will walk player of the season that’s for sure.
I think it’s time for a forensic examination of the ownership, it’s record, it’s part in this seasons debacle and its motivations for owning the club.
Your first wish will come to pass as soon as they announce it – voting’s been over for a little while now.
The second one? I’ll have to go awol on it. It can’t happen – and that’s because of the way it was set up from the beginning.
Nobody can ever hold a 51% stake in the club said Sir Geoffrey all those years ago. Neatly circumvented was that one!
Great precis as usual Martin, and brilliant to compare it to the similar match last season.
Yes; both misdemeanours were worth of red cards according to the laws/rules of the game.
What I’d be interested to know regarding VAR and the pitch-side monitor is how much of the incident the referee can view?. All the clips I’ve seen of Mr Friend and his big TV relate to Buendia raising and lowering his arm…..at no time did it ever rewind to the provocation handed out by the Burnley player (Westwood). And, apparently, it wasn’t the first time in the proceedings that he (Westwood) had left a little afters on Emi.
Yes, he’s a little hot-headed, and will be targeted by those experts in the darker arts of the game. It was interesting that at no time did Dyche get close to mentioning that sort of thing in his post match summary, although the Pink’un today has him saying that the game is weak, and you cannot touch anybody physically. Shame that sort of view was not apparent in the recent Watford game when Lewis was mullered by Dawson for their equaliser (and much good it’s since done Nigel Pearson!!).
I guess we’ll never know the truth, but it seems that something major went awry with our whole squad/set-up duing lockdown. We were poor before, but since restart have been so far off the bottom of the scale it’s frightening!
O T B C
Hi John
I know how volatile the Watford board can be but I was utterly marmalised to hear Pearson had got the tin tack. And then the Cowley bros at Huddersfield too???
None of that trio will be out of work for long. No that’s not a plea – I wouldn’t choose Pearson, but the Cowleys? Now that’s another matter entirely.
He – only joking. Don’t see them fitting in here.
Then you read Gareth Ainsworth saying what’s the point of having 70% possession when you do nothing with it? Use your chances, break at speed and defend like hell.
Another one to strike off our list.
Huddersfield? Wycombe? We’ve got them both twice next season unfortunately!
Thanks as always
Hi Martin
I think you’re right, the Cowleys wouldn’t fit in here, at least as long as we have Webber. I think they want total control of the team and comings and goings, and that isn’t the case when you have a Director of Football. I’d rather keep Webber, and Farke along with him, at least for the immediate future.
On a slightly different tack, on a subject I know is close to your heart, have you seen the item on Wigan and their “investors” in the current Private Eye? It’s the last item in their serious business news at the back of the magazine. Worth a read.
Hi Jim
From what I can gather the Cowley brothers wanted to introduce home-growns with “attitude” at the expense of European “fancy dans”. The Huddersfield hierarchy disagreed and that was effectively game over for them.
I’m not sure I agree with that approach either – a good mixture of both is required as most teams demonstrate, very much including ourselves and I think we embrace footballers [and indeed spectators and citizens in that descending order 🙂 ] here in Norwich so the Cowleys would be a no-go for me.
I spent many a journey from Liverpool Street to Thorpe in the company of the Eye. Colmanballs was a favourite. If it’s not paid for I’ll check out the bit you mention later.
Cheers.
Great piece Martin.
The contrast in emotions from last year to this is what makes football such a great game, the winning , the promotions, the relegations and the shock results.
My worst despairing day supporting our illustrious club wasn’t a relegation it was the 1-0 FA Cup semi-final defeat by Sunderland in 1992, took me over a fortnight to get over it. Or more.
From the euphoria of last year to the despair of this. I often wonder that if American Football had promotion and relegation just how much more appealing it would be to the outside world.
In saying that it still fills Wembley.
Personally I don’t blame Kevin Enemy on this occasion for Saturday’s sending’s off, Emi lost his temper, not for the first time and poor old Josip may well have had the awful comments directed at him on Twitter or whatever on his mind all game.
The sad truth is both were sending’s off.
As we have all said, injuries, player recruitment, lack of investment, physicality and pace are just some of the reasons for our relegation, but seriously did any of us see it coming that just how awful we have been since Project Restart ?
I found Stuart Webber’s comments about “laying on the grass, hoping someone takes a picture of me” obviously aimed at Todd Cantwell, very revealing.
Will we ever known what went on in those weeks, possibly, but whatever it was our performances since restart have been atrocious. Mind you Saturday’s second half defending was excellent.
So lets keep our fingers crossed Martin that Citeh have Champions League on their minds on Sunday and this season ends in some kind of respectability.
And then on to next season, or in about 5 weeks time it seems, where a lot of work has to be done in such a short time.
Hi Tim
Yeah I’d probably put that day at Hillsborough down as my worst ever personal memory too – I’ve described it a few times on MFW over the past few years.
A fortnight? I’m still not truly over it now 🙂
I wish I could comprehend what happened during lockdown but not one of us will ever truly know. The club put out all the right media stuff about what our players and staff were doing to help more ordinary folks at the time [and fair play to all of them] but something went on behind the scenes and that’s for sure.
Quite how Webber’s Cantwell-related comment fits in I’m not too positive about either. It was very carefully phrased so it couldn’t be blatantly connected to Todd but we will all draw our own conclusions I’m sure.
If as I strongly suspect the five weeks you refer to will see us bring in recruits to the under 23s [at best] and more than a couple of our £20m men go out things could get a little bit tasty amongst us great unwashed.
But as ever let’s wait and see.
Thanks as ever – good comment.
I see some of the worst apologists are already busy in the local media espousing the need to spend very little this summer, Martin.
Alex Tettey is quoted in the evening news today talking forcefully about “players that are ready’ and how we need to ‘replace our best players with quality, or even better players’ . That’s a senior pro telling it like it is.
The loss of Aarons, cantwell and Buendia simply has to signal several raids on our peers for their best players, hardened and conditioned to perform to the highest levels in the championship.
Somehow, I think Webbers preoccupation last summer with teenage signings will cut it with too many.
Wee Jock Mcsporran a 17 year old midfielder from Falkirk is not where we need to prioritise our summer business.
Can anyone see Krul leaving fir pastures new and possibly a return from Wolves of Ruddy or will McGovern leave as well so we need a whole new line up of keepers, could Rudd come back from Preston and then their is Mathews just released by Bolton or Lewis from Aberdeen a real nightmare situation could happen
Well I’m not expecting to see wee Jock’s elder brother “the Wallace” anytime soon. This, if they’re not careful, could degenerate into us becoming a puppy weaning outfit.
And being a well-known dog-lover [as are a few of us on MFW] I don’t approve of that kind of stuff even if the whelps are well treated – which I’m sure they are – no bones about that [ouch].
Surely we would have enough available kite to do as you suggest and raid the Championship for la creme de la creme and there are some great players in that league. Take a look at Brentford.
They’ll cheapskate again I am sure. But you never know. £30 m in and we might spend £3m out on current requirements.
It’s plus ca change and all that but we live in hope.
Well, some do.
I just wonder if we had increased our offer for Lewis Dunk from Brighton back in 2015 if things had turned out differently. From what I know we were so close
I just hope we do not make that mistake again regarding centre halves, we need at least one top championship defender, two if Timm really is struggling to get back his form.
That’s very interesting Tim.
I remember we were interested in Dunk but had no idea we were that close to signing him.
We cannot, sadly, rely on Klose because of his injury record. Godfrey is highly likely to be sold off which means we’d be left at CB with Zimbo and Hanley who are hardly injury free themselves, and the unproven Akin Famewo.
As you say we definitely need one and hopefully two top Championship defenders.
What made Hillsborough so bad for me was having a loud Sunderland fan next to me from South Shields, in the Norwich end, who was in tears by the end of the game. An experience I never want to repeat. Horrific. At least someone was happy.
As for the Cowleys, they are from the school’s PE department a mile up the road from me. They were incredibly successful at achieving sporting success here – esp fitness and cross country – wiping the floor with the neighbouring schools. We could have had some of that post Restart. They were amazingly successful wherever they have managed – except Huddersfield. Ones to watch.
Sorry the Cowleys were a success at Huddersfield too. Before they arrived Huddersfield had one win in 7 months and one point in the first 9 games of the season. (Sound familiar?) No team has ever survived from that position. yet they did it and still got the push. Huddersfield’s performance since they took over must have been top half of the Championship.
I heard Danny interviewed a fair bit while he was at Lincoln and he came across really well. I guess his approach to management was a bit to much “in yer face” for the Huddersfield hierarchy and he seems far too strong-willed to ever be wanted here.
Some lucky club will snap up Danny and Nicky. They won’t be unemployed for long.
The Cowleys would not have tolerated shoddy defending at set-pieces, indiscipline and lack of fitness/effort post-lockdown. No effort no play. All the things that we have clearly suffered from since Project Restart. What they did at Huddersfield was remarkable – do you remember how bad they were when they got relegated from the Premier League and then to have 1 point from 8 Championship games by September…and still manage to get 51 points after 45 games! It sounds eerily familiar. Will they be called upon to salvage City this September?
Something tells me the Cowleys will be in gainful elsewhere before September.
Delia and Webber would never entertain them as they’re far too forthright and would have “upset the applecart” written all over them – in the view of our hierarchy anyway.
Whether that is a good or a bad thing I do not know but they would not wish to work under a sporting director who would not let them recruit their own players.
Farke’s got the chance to galvanise us but when it comes to galvanisation my money wold be on Danny and Nicky!