When you’re relegated before spring has properly sprung you know it’s been a disaster of a season.
When you’re fate has been sealed with 12 points still to play for you know it’s been an undiluted cock-up.
In fact, pick any metric you like and it’ll reveal a season of woe, embarrassment and ineptitude right across the board.
Season 2019-20 was regarded by most as our worst-ever campaign in the top flight – particularly the post-lockdown part – but it did throw up a few moments of joy, like the win over Man City, the cup win at Tottenham, Teemu’s hat-trick against Newcastle and the away win at Everton.
We also picked up some respectable draws against Arsenal (h), Tottenham (h) and Leicester (a) as well as beating the Foxes at home.
But nothing of a similar ilk has happened this season. Nada.
Prior to the first lockdown in 2020, we were bottom but still respected. Notable figures in the media were quizzical as to why we were 20th, some describing us as the ‘best Premier League to be bottom of the league’. A load of old baloney maybe, but they certainly weren’t laughing at us.
This season we’ve been mocked mercilessly, even prior to a ball being kicked. And then when we started kicking the ball… wow. The ridicule and mockery reached a level hitherto unseen in these parts
‘The weakest team in Premier League history’… ‘woeful’ … ‘terrible’ … ‘an embarrassment’ … ‘powderpuff’ … ‘error-ridden’ … ‘soft’.
Take your pick.
In fact, find an online thesaurus, type in “awful”, and we’ll have been described as virtually every word on that list – and with good reason.
Those media trolls who masquerade as TalkSPORT presenters and experts haven’t suddenly stopped being complete idiots, but most of what they said was right.
Yes, they conveniently forgot that we were attempting Premier League survival on the smallest net budget known to Man and didn’t have the means to ‘give it a go’ even if we wanted to, but all the adjectives used (and Jamie O’Hara will *definitely* have had to reach for the thesaurus) were impossible to contest.
Some City fans are fairly cool with all of this as it means we return to the sanctity of the Championship where we feel at home and all safe and cosy – presumably on the basis we will win more than five games – but one of our major problems is that I suspect our owners feel the exact same way.
Put yourself in their shoes.
Imagine having to watch defeat after defeat, embarrassment after embarrassment from the best seats in the house, knowing full well the cameras will be panning in for a close-up every fifteen minutes.
That they front it up and attend every game is to be applauded. That they love the club is not in doubt.
But do they not want us to be competitive? Are they so desperate to return to the Championship that they’re prepared to risk enduring 38 public humiliations to get to their footballing nirvana?
As things stand, we’re marooned in footballing purgatory. More than competitive on one level but hopelessly unable to step up to the next.
And I’m sorry, but it does come down to money. Of course, our recruitment was terrible – not in a million years were Josh Sargent and Christos Tzolis, for example, ever going to be Premier League ready – but it was hindered by the size of the pot available.
And not just transfer fees – wages too.
If it’s not about the money but how you spend it, why are the wealthiest clubs with the billionaire owners the ones who fight it out for every single trophy?
Of course it’s about money – unfortunately.
And of course, as a result, the Premier League is rotten to the core – a playground for billionaires who have changed the game across the globe beyond recognition and who serve only the interests of their own clubs and their fellow elite.
It’s vile.
But the very premise of professional sport is that you aim to compete at the very highest level – and for us, that’s the Premier League.
Yet when we get there, which we’ve been very good at doing, we don’t compete. We play at being a Premier League club. We skirt round the edges of it. But we never become one.
Along Come Norwich’s Nick Hayhoe wrote a stunning piece in the week in which he described it perfectly.
This club finds itself caught between two stools.
It feels like wants to be a Premier League club and play the Premier League game but has nothing like the financial muscle needed to do so, while also being unprepared to go in there, stick two fingers up the PL establishment, play devil’s advocate at every single turn and become its enfant terrible.
If we’re going to be the errant little guy who refuses to conform, let’s do it with all guns blazing.
But, as much as I’d love us to go full St Pauli, we’re simply not going to change football from within. And football is not going to fall in line with Norwich City – as much as we believe it should.
So, how the hell do we break this seemingly interminable promotion/relegation cycle?
Well, obviously, one way is to give up on the promotion part of the equation (we may find that happens organically), but, if we’re not careful, further down the line we could find ourselves in a similar spiral, but one that sees the yo-yoing occur between the Championship and League One.
And I’m not sure anyone, even Delia and Michael, wants that.
So, for me, the owners have to ask themselves if there is another way. A better way. The role, or otherwise, of Stuart Webber needs to be part of that discussion.
But in the next few weeks, the tropes will come out.
We’ll apparently be dusting ourselves down, going for a reset and recharging our batteries ready for a promotion charge next season – and they’ll mean it.
But who the hell, right now, has the stomach for another one of those when the prize on offer is another season like the one we’ve just endured?
If your answer is yes, then respect to you. Your constitution is far stronger than mine.
At this juncture, we normally talk of the pain of relegation and how it will eventually subside, and the summer months being a time to rehabilitate and prepare ourselves for the battles ahead.
But there is no pain. Only numbness and that word… apathy.
Like I said, Delia and Michael need to have a serious conversation between themselves about where they intend to take this football club.
It’s not theirs – they’re just looking after it for us.
Feels like the Premier League money is regularly required to help reset the finances. But it really should be about more than that, and being competitive should be the very first thing we aim to be at this level, even if it still ends in relegation.
When we went up in 2019 we had a young talented squad Aaron’s, Godfrey, Lewis, Zimmerman and Buendia with Cantwell about to have a breakout season in the prem with strong pros like Krull, Pukki and Stiepermann and a charismatic manager. If we did go down the Crown Jewels would be extortionately valuable and we would build back stronger under our savvy SD. It was great being a Norwich fan on the verge of a new era
It was a loveable squad but the subsequent transfer windows sold the crown. jewels at reduced value due to Covid and partly needed to cover the revenue gaps from the pandemic and the replacement signings have been poor , very poor It’s hard not to be angry
Time for another 5 year project. We just need fans to be patient for another half decade.
A difficult but accurate read as usual Gary.
The main problem as you stated is money. Although comparatively wealthy compared to most of us I’m afraid Delia’s reported personal wealth of £30M is nowhere near the amount needed to run a premiership side and is starting to look tight for a championship side.
The lack of investment means we’ll never become an established premiership side as long as Delia retains ownership. Worse still if parachute payments stop and there are mutterings they should as they give an unfair advantage to relegated clubs then our position in the championship will become vulnerable.
Sadly our team reflects the investment available and will always fall short of premiership requirements and more importantly fans expectations.
Judging from the way most fans seem to accept the self funding model is nonsense our owners should stop deluding themselves and place the club up for sale while they still have the option.
Hi John
Well said. I’ve mentioned the impact of the end of parachute payments in my piece tomorrow [written before I read your comment here] but this Mr Micawber approach is no way to run a business, which regrettably all football clubs are these days.
Whether the PL ends them or we are not capable of promotion and thus ceasing to qualify for them – whichever comes first – to my tiny mind that is self funding blown out of the water as over a couple of seasons it amounts to a LOT of money, much of which disappears into the day to day running of the club anyway.
Testing and concerning times for all of us who don’t have our heads in the sand.
Martin, no matter which way you look at it to establish a club in the premiership requires a huge initial outlay which is way beyond Delia’s means.
Somebody needs to point out to Delia the futility of the self funding model which is now the subject of ridicule amongst the footballing community.
Oh come on it’s not that bad, we’ve got one more point than last time already , and still four games left to add to them ! 😂
More points than the woeful Derby team who went on to spend loads and look at them now.
There are one or two stories going around that Farke only wanted 3 new recruits last summer,a top cb and Skipp and Buendia replacements.What he got was …..well the rest is history.Webber failed Farke then made him the scapegoat,would Klopp have even saved us from relegation?So to me the blame lays with Webber ,and we cant forget our wonderful owners in this who 25 years ago looked like big fish in a big pond,now they look more like goldfish in a bowl!And why was Delia laughing at the end of yesterday’s game?Either 1…she had wind… 2.. Wynnie told her he had just restocked the wine cellar cheaply or. 3..she thought at last we’re out of this god awful league,i know which one my money’s on!
Gutless passionless careless and farke as much to blame for recruitment as webber that sums up our season for me and if Smith takes us up I’ll eat my canary hat 👒 😋
Good piece as usual, the one thing that has been constant through these last year’s of debacle is this site. Thanks for that.
I don’t even feel numb, a sense of relief, but still a couple of weeks more of the ridicule to suffer, then mostly outside of the yellow army, might be forgotten. I might soundnd paranoid but I believe certain powers of the elite league are glad Norwich has gone. Many supporters of other side’s are more happier too, seeing us just after the money.
Mark Rivers was. Was so right yesterday on many points, a general round up of his comments would be nowhere near good enough from board-room to green stuff. He would not have spent a penny on these players two in particular, not naming as it is much more than those two.
another caller nailed it when he said the Stowmarket two have taken out more than they have put in, having shares in payment of small loans. That gave them a stronger hold on the club.
How can the club be run with a married couple controling the show ? With nephew there waiting in the wings, the wife of the sports director on the board too. How are the two Tommy or Zoe expected to vote against anything their relations want to do ? I did think that the board should be made up of independant iindividuals. Somebody will correct me I am sure.
It will not be much different next season, with these old owners being perhaps the poorest in the championship too. Cannot compete in the prem, although I didn,t expect to, but did expect a fighting chance. Looks to be the same is on the horizon.
With only Max and Todd to really draw any money, don,t be shocked to see Teemu going if the price is right, If nephew Tommy was a player who could command a fee he would be sold to continue this pipe dream.
The Stowmarket pair had an article a few years ago about how fans were cheated and get a rough deal. While they may have pointed fingers at the Prem, they should take note that there were the other fingers pointing back to themselves. Cheated any fan can not go on a bloody waiting list for a season ticket without shelling out £50. I cannot find that money to buy myself a few treats let alone give to the club to pop in their bank, when it could be in mine.
Yes I feel cheated and I bet I am not alone in this feeling, not with anything outside of the club but the way the club is now run. People pay good money to follow this club all over the country , they saw nothing that could be deemed “given a fighting chance”
We have thrashed the players not good enough in these pages, The Suffolk living duo as well, nothing will change, a few lower positions may be sacrificed in what will be called sweeping changes. ( No Roger Munby to make a scapegoat this time, No Neil Doomcaster with his prudence with ambition) At least these two guys always talked with the fans on the streets or in my case the Red Lodge cafe. We have silence now
plus prudence and no ambition. Yep we spent money, on what I still cannot see. At the expense of one of the greats to pull on the shirt. That paid dividends didn,t it ?
All I can say is thank gawd it is nearly over for another painful episode in the history, with more to follow. Wish I could walk away but I love this club, but not the owners.
An excellent read Gary. I take issue with your assertion that none of our support wants us to plumb the depths of the league pyramid.
“Bring on league one” was the clarion cry last week. As long as they can get their Delia Smith fix it’ll be fine.
Back on planet earth however realisation is dawning that we’ve passed the point of no return.
Whether or not Dean Smith has the necessary skills at his disposal to recreate a Farke season in July I have my doubts. Right now I’d bite your hand of for any type of promotion next May. I want my team to win and enjoy its success. I’m a supporter.
This time next week I’ll be heading to Carrow Road to deliver my verdict to all concerned. I suspect very few will be going along fir a sing-song and a clap.
Interesting tweet with follow-up remarks. Can this be true?
https://twitter.com/nickmashiter/status/1520499694530617345?t=I7y1oTEhbdywU3RZFLwu8A&s=08
(PS: apologies if link doesn’t work.)
Norwich City remind me of visiting a rich uncle you don’t like, but visit every year or two for a hand out.
But how long before the Uncle gets wise?
I’ve always viewed Norwich City under The Stowmarket Two as a Professional Football Club run by Amateurs and this season tops them all.
Michael Bailey’s piece on The Athletic is damning just on facts alone and could be viewed as a black comedy, but the situation is far from amusing. I know from family and friends what a mess Carrow Road internally, so should we be surprised how bad things turned out this season.
Norwich City simply aren’t interested of being an EPL fixture. Period. I spoke to somebody at the club this week and they agreed with me. Too easily. We shouldn’t forget where this viewpoint starts – the top.
The lack of interest is all in plain sight, but many fans still can’t see it.
Stuart Webber comes out very badly in Bailey’s piece and is akin to Smith & Jones giving their car keys to a drunk driver. Actually, paralytic.
He is totally finished at Norwich Football Club.
What happens now?
I would like to think Smith will be allowed to bring in his own players, instead of Webber’s magic beans. Despite his rhetoric, many of Webber’s signings are duffers who Dean would never have signed under his own steam. Sadly I fear he will be left with more than he’d like and make the best of a less than perfect situation.
It may not be as fun, but whatever league you play in and whoever your opposition is, it must be effective. The days of Norwich being a soft touch – especially at home – must be in the past.
The cynic in me views that Delia & Michael will be relieved of no longer being in the EPL, where they are under the most scrutiny. The Championship is where they feel comfortable and if the option was available to forfeit promotion as long as we received the money that went with it, they would probably accept. The fans view of this would be neither here nor there.
Yet another season wasted. Will we get the chance to waste one again?
Brilliant as always Gary.
You write:- But there is no pain. Only numbness and that word… apathy.
After almost 60 years of following NCFC, that is the bit I cannot understand about myself.
We ARE a laughing stock as far as the PL is concerned. We currently appear rotten to the core, from the top down. There have previously been some grim times under the likes of Chase; Roeder and towards the end of the Worthy period, but when we failed under their leadership, I felt hurt.
Not this time however, and that’s the really scary thing for me. Yes,I feel let down. But because we’ve been so far “off it” from the very start of the season it’s just been a very, very slow motion car crash episode.
Like those in power at the club, I just don’t care anymore.
O T B C
After 40 years I feel the same way. I live in the States and pay five dollars a month to watch all PL games, most of them live. I’m tempted to cancel my subscription, but there’s also a part of me very tempted to start following Arsenal. On all my visits to Highbury I was warmly welcomed, had great banter with the fans and, basically a wonderful day out, win or lose. I know that’s heresy, but at the same time I am so tired of the same s**t.
On a slightly different note, the lottery jackpot here was recently $500 million. As one does I thought about how I’d spend my new found fortune. Blow a mil in Vegas. Yeah, why not? Buy a Ferrari to park in my new five car garage at the mansion. Realistic enough. Heavily invest in NCFC. Heavens no. Given that Grealish cost over 100 million USD and was replaced by Emi for approximately 40 million USD just goes to show that being a multimillionaire in the EPL isn’t enough.
Finally, St Louis, where I live, has an expansion MLS team who will start playing in 2023. They may be crap, but they won’t get relegated and I won’t get too excited by them. Perhaps Arsenal will be my rebound before I start enjoying football again
Couldn’t agree more. I feel nothing like I have done in the past relegations. After 60+years of watching city (attending maybe 1400 games), this season has been the most disappointing in that my passion has disappeared. Not because I’m old but because of the way we have played and the quality of player that was bought to keep us in the Prem. We were down after the first month of games and what we saw emerging was a squad that were out of their depth. Not their fault as I’m sure we would all want to play in the prem, doesn’t mean to say we’d be good enough but we’d give it a go. The problem was in the recruitment which obviously failed miserably and that’s bottom line. Webber said he’d armed us for this season. He may as well given us a white flag because no matter what arms you’re given if you’re not up for the fight you’ll always lose.
I need my passion back.
Let’s have more money so we can buy more Josh Sargents and not bother looking for more bargains like Pukli and Buendia.
In reality why would a highly rated player chose to come to Norwich? Look through Billy Gilmour’s eyes.
Money’s usually the answer!
It’s the first season for me when I look at my son before a match and say,’ do you really want to go through this again ‘. The games I have attended, I spend the majority of the time head In hands,watching the same mistakes being made week in and week out, wondering what they do in training to try and prevent these basic errors. I don’t know about how other supporters feel about it but for me, a good performance and result sets me up for the coming week, not to mention the excitement of seeing the highlights on MOTD. That excitement has sadly gone now and my nice warm bed is much more enticing on a match day. Yes I am a season ticket holder for more years than I care to remember.
It is clear from recent interviews that Webber doesn’t want to be at the club but has ‘higher’ aspirations. The fact he was persuaded to stay by demanding a 90% work week shows the ineptitude of the senior mangaement. Can’t they see his recruitment campaign was woefully short yet again? Sargent was a two goal striker who has been mocked mercilessly, Tzolis has yet to make any sort of impression. Will they do better in the Championship only time will tell but it can’t be much worse, can it?
I understand Delia and Michaels’ passion for the club but it appear that passion isn’t the only skill needed to manage a football club. You need to surround yourself with experts and that is where they have obviosuly failed. It’s all too cosy for Webber and his wife, milking the club for large salaries while his performance lacks substance. Just what does his cv contain for premiership survival?