Oh Stuart Webber. What have you done.
Of course, only time will tell, if this cruelest of decisions, bears fruit. And I guess that just proves hindsight can, and cannot, be a wonderful thing. I do hope Webber hasn’t rolled the dice before he too departs.
Mike Walker aside, I’ve been served up an offering of Megson, Rioch, Hamilton, Grant, Roeder, Gunn, Hughton and Neil. The odd interspersing of Lambert, Worthy and Adams aside, the football has truly been dull to watch. I wouldn’t wish that on any future Norwich fan.
Yet along came Farke. I can so distinctly remember watching the football in our first championship-winning side and just being absolutely elated and truly mesmerized that a Norwich City football side could play such beautiful, attractive football, obtaining result after result along the way.
I can only liken it to watching Barcelona under Pep. Yet here we were, plucky little Norwich; winning games in the most wonderful way. Far removed from the bookies running for the title, yet playing the most beautiful inspiring football I’ve ever seen us play.
Match after match after match, we did it. And did it in style. I can list so many matches that have made me more unbelievably happy than in any other time supporting Norwich:
Ipswich and the ‘wink’.
Millwall 4-3
Man City 3-2
But my absolute favourite; Forest 3-3. Watching at my in-laws and my son was a little over one. Three down at halftime, a long-ranger from Vrancic, a tactical switch to two at the back and roaring forward!
Oh, we believed.
We didn’t lump it forward. We didn’t play the Hail Mary. We got it down and passed, and passed and passed some more. And when that third goal went in I was on my knees in the front room!
Sheff Weds at Carrow Road. My first time at Carrow Road since Lambert’s debut and Vrancic smashes in an equaliser in the 97th minute. Right in front of me. We erupted. What precious memories.
I think Farke lost some support in the dressing room once Vrancic, and Stiepermann departed. I can tell you from experience, a coach needs allies in the dressing room.
I don’t know where this next chapter of supporting Norwich will take us. I’m angry at Webber for making the change. And if it’s a ‘good football man’ who takes over, I shall find something else to occupy my Saturdays this season.
But one thing is for certain, Farke has given us one hell of a ride. A ride that has been ended far too swiftly.
Daniel. Thank you for the memories. Undoubtedly my fondest ever as a Norwich fan.
You’ve said what a lot of people are thinking Martin. Yes, recent results have been poor but the majority have been against teams expected to be challenging for the title and who have beaten and will continue to beat other teams just as easily.
Daniel Farke has done so much for Norwich and always in a dignified, professional manner. I’m sorry to see him go but can’t see him being out of a job for long and only hope it doesn’t come back to bite us in the bum if he ends up romping to promotion with another Championship side.
Nice one Martin.
Totally agree about the memories I owe to Farke and his players. Farkeball was just so much fun.
Blimey, I’m pretty sure MFW has mainly been after Farke’s head in the last few weeks. Suddenly the deed is done and he’s a footballing genius and getting thumbs ups.
Farke’s time was up. Great memories indeed, but I don’t think anyone can seriously argue that the shine had gone. Not knowing how to set up teams in the Premier League was almost forgivable the first time round, though even allowing for the pandemic, empty stadiums and all, the capitulation was extraordinary. It was even forgivable for a couple of games this time whilst he was reminded what he was up against, but the Chelsea game, including what came before it in terms of “motivation”, and the abject failure against Leeds surely told anyone with eyes that he had to go?
He’s gone out with a win, to the cheers and takes the thanks and respect of every right thinking fan for a wonderful two and a half years out of the four. Let’s not forget though that the other bits were pretty useless, and leaving about £75m worth of talent out of the first team which was playing without any kind of heart or detectable strategy probably wasn’t his greatest career move.
Lovely, decent man though he undoubtedly is, he kind of lost the plot when faced with superior teams. Even yesterday, we beat what was last season’s Championship team.
The right decision. The right timing. We got 3 priceless points and 2 weeks to bed in a new coach. before the next 3 winnable games.
Hi sgncfc
I’m not too sure that MFW is weeping crocodile tears here – at least not the writers.
Sure we’ve criticised the seemingly ever-changing formations, the team selections and particularly the late substitutions, but only as an integral part of post-match articles whereby we have to say it as we see it.
But our regular columnists have always held a deep and genuine respect for Daniel Farke, which might not be extended to all those who comment of course 🙂
I agree with everything else you say but the precise timing could have been kinder!
I agree totally Martin.
I think most of us on MFW both the writers and the contributors have been very fair to Daniel Farke and it must be said Stuart Webber.
What they have done for this club is immeasurable. But 20 odd EPL games without a win is going to raise questions. And the sack is always a possibility.
If you don’t make the tea properly at Watford your job is in jeopardy, so the club have been very fair with Daniel until it came to yesterday.
Not our greatest hour.
I just hope Stuart is right and these players are good enough.
We shall see. I certainly have my doubts.
I absolutely agree with everything you say . The second half at Brentford was chaotic,, a better team would have crucified us .
But this is all a bit rich from MFW they wanted Farke hung out to dry weeks ago . Oh you fickle people
Bit harsh I think, BJ. It’s possible to acknowledge it was the end of the road for Farke while acknowledging all of the good things he has done for this football club. Not sure any of the writers on here wanted him hung out to dry.
I have to agree with Gary, not cos I write for MFW but because he’s right.
If you looked through our archives section on the home page you’d struggle to find an anti-Farke article. A few negative comments now and again, sure. But never anything deliberately written or orchestrated to prompt his removal.
Fair enough, I’m sure your intentions were honourable, but I heard a very different message . What I hear and see is a culture building across the portal over the weeks and months and across various contributions. I accept that culture shift may not be intended by individual writers .
Thanks Brother Johnny.
Yes, that first promotion season was a bit of a cavalry ride that provided great excitement and a promotion into an ambush by the nineteen other tribes of the premiership. Beaten and defeated Daniel roused the troops and with more of an eye on defence he retook the heights in style.
This season again the charge into that damned valley with tribe after tribe taking chunks out of his canaries until , the end.
Webber, the attention is on you to earn your corn by appointing the correct leader.
And so Martin the “Daniel Farke era” is consigned to history.
I am feeling incredibly sad because the football from Daniel’s teams, for the most part of his reign, has only been second to the Sutton-Bowen-Crook-Culverhouse era.
I had a feeling that after the Leeds game and just how poor we were again, come Sunday there would be some news emanating from Carrow Road. But no nothing.
I did not want to see Daniel go but I more than half expected it.
Fast forward to Brentford at 5.00pm and it seemed the decision to keep Farke had been vindicated.
A fantastic win and even people like me who thought relegation was inevitable and, other than the accursed International break, this gives Daniel and the team momentum going into home games against Southampton and Wolves. With the crowd behind us perhaps 4 or 6 points was possible, light at the end of the tunnel perhaps ?
Roll on to 7.30pm and I was astonished to hear Farke and his team had been sacked.
This really was another Along Come Norwich moment. Why the hell not wait until this morning or even Monday morning. Totally classless.
Give Farke and the team the night to celebrate. But even Daniel would admit his record in the EPL is abysmal. And nowhere but at Norwich would he have lasted as long. That has to be said.
But this guy won us two Championships, a miracle on our budget the first time. He deserved to go with dignity, not being told at 5.15pm just after that win.
Two things. I just hope Stuart Webber has got this right and the players are good enough and not Daniel who by his own team selections does not. Interesting times ahead.
This is a massive gamble by Webber, and I could have sworn early on Saturday night it said in the Pinkun that “senior players had been approached for their opinions” I now cannot find that quote.
I do not like that. Judge him on he pitch and at the training ground not whims of players, as I cannot imagine Todd was exactly singing Daniels’s praises at present.
Finally I hope that the club did pay for Daniel’s trip back to Norfolk last night. Poor club legend Bryan Gunn had to make his own way home when he was dismissed !!! Now to me Bryan was a fantastic goalkeeper but he was to management what I am to Ballet, but no club legend, which Daniel is now should be treated in this way.
If there is no announcement tomorrow I will be even more arsed off, because surely the only reason this dismissal was so badly handled wiyh such haste was because the man coming in has already been agreed and Stuart Webber was worried the news would get out.
All the very best Daniel and your team. Thank you for these last 4 plus years.
Darren Eadie has said it was time for a change and he us possibly right but can city find someone that can marry a defensive unit that can play attractive football.
Will the supporters take a season of poor football to stay up with a promise of an improvement the following season only time will tell.
Sky have said that city have announced that there will be no news today so I presume the person coming in is out of work( no compensation needed) or has a low compensation fee.
Some papers were saying last week that Boa Morte the first team coach at Fulham was in the frame who ever it is needs to be in early with his backroom team to get those not on international duty set up to their style.
A worrying development Martin is the money being placed on Russell Martin to be our next manager.
Now in years to come Russ may indeed be experienced enough and good enough to be the next Norwich manager.
But that time is not now by an absolute country mile.
Many of us fans loved Russ as that brilliant marauding right back who became the Norfolk Cafu.
But many of us fans were not happy with Russ saying he only wanted to be considered for team selection as a centre half.
We had many more players at the club who were much better than Russ as centre half and I know it rankled with many of us. Weak management didn’t help and as Russ is a very powerful personality it seemed at times to us on the outside as if he was the manager.
This isn’t Russ bashing, he is a Canary legend and rightly so but please let us learn from mistakes of the past and put this story to bed.
The idea of replacing Daniel with Russ would be like me replacing Sir Alex Ferguson when he left Manchester United, so please a very big no.
If they do this I will tell you how long it will take the fans to get restless at Carrow Road, Half an hour into the Southampton home game if we go 1-0 down.
Nice man (Danny) nice try, had his moments but time to go and no crocodile tears from me. He’ll be a Canary legend and have a good rest while he banks the money, sorry but money does matter, and worse does happen. Now who’s next? And Webbo will probably be off afore long.
Breaking News he gas agreed a new contract doesn’t say how long for but I suppose it will be long enough to get a good compensation package if he gets the sack
I wanted change, but not sure this was handled in the best way. Could have waited until this morning allowing the players, coaches and fans to enjoy that first victory getting home not finding out on a coach travelling to Norfolk. I thought the win would have given a couple of more games. But these international breaks are the times this happens. Also Colin found out at Middlesbro.
So Howe and Wilder are crossed off. Norfolk Cafu, perhaps in 5 years. Lampherd not enough experience in my view. Big Sam and Delia’s mate Uncle Roy for gawds sake that would be the end of the world..
With Smith now sacked at Vanilla perhaps worth alook but for me Lucien Favre
I have always loved DF and everything he stood for. But I’ve never been blinkered and I’ve no issue with dividing opinion…. And regularly ranting about matters others tiptoe around. I’ll never shirk impartial analysis.
The first promotion was sensational but last season, that team got promoted because of 2 players, period. DF was a tactical X Factor 2-3 years ago but he wasn’t last season and this summer, between he and SW, was absolutely stupid. The current potential for disaster is huge, so well done for SW for making the call. Quite what happens next his anyone’s guess, but this is a massive couple of weeks for the club.
We aren’t going to score enough points until January and only then, only if possible signings feel inspired enough by the replacement to come here.
Put in a coach that will barely muster a few wins in the next 5-6 months and that coach will be crucified by fans and players alike before next season even starts. Experienced pros won’t jump aboard with a coach 5-6 months into a tenure unless real potential is apparent, meanwhile we’ve a few guys with relegation clauses for whom this will likely be their last season too, just as it was for Tettey. Marco, Mario, Tom and Mo.
This is a time for experience. The rest of this season needs to be played out very strategically. I don’t think SW will play it that way though, my money would be on maybe Pepijn Linders.
You can only rejig PLM, Norman and McLean so many times, you can only incorporate Gilmour with certain other sacrifices, you can only hope Idah or Sarjent, Tzolis, Rashica, Cantwell and Dowell help Pukki with the goals. Succinctly, you can’t polish a turd. Brentford were bloody lucky not to have 2 reds yesterday but we can thank Krul for 2 sensational saves as well
But for all my impartial ranting about DF, whom will probably be at Wolfsburg by the end of the break, I reiterate I absolutely loved him, I’d happily have kept him if a relegation had involved 4-3 losses with insane football…. But sadly that was never going to happen. I wish him and his team the very best in the future and he can join Mike Walker and Paul Lambert on my podium of all time favourites.