On April 30, 2022, we were relegated without much fuss and certainly will not be missed by the money men at the top of the Premier League tree and many media pundits will be having more than a little snigger at our expense.
This is not a date most of us will care to remember, although possibly several of us will never forget it.
This early drop through the trapdoor gives Stuart Webber and his recruitment team [or whatever remains of it these days] three whole months to sort out a squad that is fit to be at least competitive in the Championship next season.
Despite Dean Smith saying we have been planning for both scenarios, I’m not naïve enough to believe this process will be either simple or particularly rapid, although Messrs Lambert and McNally had no problems in that respect. Whatever they did, it was done very quickly and NCFC was all the better for their achievements.
Think of Anthony Pilkington, a brace of Bennetts, John Ruddy and so many, many more.
Jump forward ten years and the loanees will look after themselves in the sense of squad refreshment as they’ll all leave permanently at the end of the month. Billy Gilmour, Ozan Kabak, Mathias Normann and Brandon Williams – all back to their parent clubs with no decisions for us to make concerning any of them.
I’m not ungracious enough to have a pop at these on-loan guys. The fact that two were signed with a known potential for long-standing injuries to reoccur wasn’t down to the players but the person or persons who sanctioned their temporary signings. Poor gambles both, and the thought that we had “obligation to buy on staying up” clauses in both cases is frightening.
Looking ahead is all we can do and as I write we do not have much of a core to build upon. If Tim Krul, Grant Hanley and Teemu Pukki can be persuaded to stay then that becomes slightly less concerning as that would mean 75 percent of the spine of the first-choice team would already be in place.
Midfield has been verging on the disastrous all season and if we don’t get at least one overdue replacement for Olly Skipp and Alex Tettey as well as somehow persuading our manager to remember that he has Jacob Sorensen – a truly versatile man who has never let us down – in his squad we will be in deep doo-doo indeed.
Max Aarons will deservedly earn a move at last and we will get shot of a recalcitrant Todd Cantwell if we can find a taker. But there are so many others who won’t be able to hack the physicality of the Championship.
There’s a difference between that and the sheer athleticism of the Premier League as those speculative buys of Stuart Webber will quickly find out for themselves if they are not sold off on the cheap. Players like Christos Tzolis and Josh Sargent, bought for some £18 million between them, come to mind.
The trouble is though that we don’t seem to have the will or indeed the money to buy the few established, seasoned Championship players we will need to make a fist of our next campaign. It’s a league in which “speculate to accumulate” simply will not work.
A clear message lurks beneath the surface. If there is little potential for future profit, we will not buy the player.
With the exception of Danel Sinani at Huddersfield, none of the players we have loaned out to the lower leagues has achieved anything of note this season. The irony is that with Sinani, the Terriers have an option to buy him and I would be amazed if they didn’t, whichever league they happen to be playing in next season.
And when the parachute payments end it’s hardly going to get any better.
Maybe Dean Smith will have more say in the individuals recruited than Daniel Farke ever did. Maybe not.
But one thing has to sink into Webber’s thinking.
We are not Chelsea. We cannot afford to buy a dozen long-term prospects and loan them out here, there and everywhere in the hope they might give us a season or two and then be flogged off to Villa, Everton or Newcastle for megabucks.
Our need is in the here and now – on the $odding pitch.
And when those all-too-relied-upon parachute payments dry up I cannot for the life of me see any hope of upward progress at all. There’s no point in having a superb training complex and a SoccerBot when you can’t cut the mustard on the matchday turf.
MFW regular and posse stalwart Bernie Owen summed matters up perfectly when he mailed me after the final whistle:
“Delia can console herself with visits to Rotherham and Wigan next season, rather than Newcastle and Arsenal.”
Alex Bain wryly added: “When the first goal went in the camera zoomed in on the owners. No reaction from them, they looked like cardboard cutouts. I just wish they would leave.”
But my quote of the weekend comes from Canary legend Darren Huckerby, who remarked on Twitter:
“We’ve basically said to the last two managers: here’s a paintbrush – go and plaster that wall.”
Oh, I almost forgot, we lost 2-0 at Villa Park to finally put us out of our misery. Don Harold, who kindly helped out with the MFW match preview and also went to the game, said of his experience:
“We started nervously, trying hard but conceding possession easily and having to defend heroically. We held out for more than half an hour until Brandon Williams produced a slip the Villa manager would be proud of and went in 1-0 down.
“We were decent in the second half, very good in places, but the fact that the team who started the day as the sixth-worst in the division were very comfortable speaks volumes. The second goal and relegation came late in the game by which time I was past caring. I’m almost immune to the disappointments NCFC provides, but this season must be among the worst.”
Most MFW readers are adults and probably in many cases just like myself and others are either parents, grandparents or quite possibly both, so we are all sharing the feelings of experiencing yet another relegation.
One advantage of advancing age is that we have seen it all before, so it has come as no surprise to us. It’s become the Norwich way.
But spare a thought for those very same parents and grandparents of children of junior school age who might have witnessed a version of this on Saturday evening from their distraught youngsters:
Agree with every word Martin.Where the hell do you start in trying to sort out the huge volume of players city have on their books.first team squad,u 23’s and 12? loaned out.Certainly no need to bring in anymore youngsters thats for sure,we have a stash of them already.But how can you get rid of players still in contract if nobody wants them?Give them away i suppose,lol.A big job for someone in the summer indeed,but a clearout is needed,too much deadwood again im afraid.
Hi Tonyb
Yes we’re right back to square one, aren’t we?
*But how can you get rid of players still in contract if nobody wants them?*
We’re going back to the very recent times of Drmic and Leitner here I’m afraid and getting rid of dead wood is very difficult indeed. Trouble is we’ll still be paying their wages [and more things like insurance and even accommodation subsidies in some cases] until we can get shot of them.
Cheers – if that’s the right word 🙂
What a shambles this season has been. I have been a supporter for over 50 years and this team have been the worst that have played for ncfc. They seem to have
no idea, have no team identity, and above all no fight. They need a full investagation from top to bottom as to why this season has been such a shambles.
Hi Chris
You sound like you’re the same vintage as me so yes, we’ve seen it all before.
I don’t think they’re quite as bad as the Roeder and Grant squads but they win the bronze medal by a country mile.
There is indeed a total lack of identity about us which dates back to the moment Farke ditched 4-2-3-1 but I don’t blame our Daniel.
Shorn of Buendia and Skippy and provided with some very poor replacements, the poor guy didn’t stand a chance which is why I quoted Hucks on the paintbrush and plastering – I hadn’t heard that one before!
Cheers
Unfortunately Martin you’ve summed our club’s present predicament very well.
Our first necessity is new ownership. This should not be as difficult as we used to believe as the finance director spilled the beans at the AGM. All our ineffective owner needs to do is look at the offers the finance director deemed viable.
They can then apply due diligence and hopefully sell to somebody who can take the club forward before it becomes a League 1 side after the parachute payments cease.
Change needs to happen at the top. Once this happens the new owner can deal with the rest of our many and urgent problems.
Aww John…
There was once a story in the EDP about an old lady who lived alone in [I think] Dereham and single-handedly held up the demolition of a tumbledown row of terraced houses and a newbuild for a long, long time.
Eventually the council enforced a compulsory purchase order on her but it took a very long time, man-hours and was a source of great income for the legal profession.
Unfortunately for NCFC I can see a certain parallel here.
Cheers
I’m not too sure this doesn’t remi
New ownership is one thing, but it has to be an owner willing to invest, not one who looks on the club as just an investment. There is a big difference, and finding one who fits the bill is not going to be as easy as some people think. On top of that, there are Financial Fair Play conditions to consider, which will inhibit some possible investors. In the EFL at least, the chances of getting someone to pour money in will be limited.
Hi Jim
It would be a lot easier to find a buyer if Delia announced that she would be prepared to quit if *the right kind of somebody* came along with the objective of buying her out.
Nobody but a mad eejit would invest a crumb while she’s still there.
Cheers
Well April 31st, that’s a new one. Possibly in a parallel universe……
Beg to differ on one point: you missed QPR fans making Sam McCallum their young player of the year, that’s notable. In a smaller way both Reece McAlear and Josh Martin have had some success on loan; perhaps foot-notable?
Agree about Sinani. If we were buying him for next season the selling club would be asking for north of £4m and the word is Hudds get him for under £1m. Since Emi’s sell on clause was bought out by SW when he was on top of his game I can see that there is a deal to be done with Huddersfield to buy out their option IF DS thinks he could be useful to NCFC.
Although some churn is entailed by the expiry of Lucas Rupp’s contract and the return of the loanees, there is great danger in having a clean sweep. In my view the 9 new arrivals last summer was part of the problem. Exits for Max and Todd seem inevitable so that is 7 out; if the big hitters Krul, Pukki and Hanley ask to go (and who could blame them) that comprises a huge chunk of the squad: more churn than a Cornish creamery.
Plenty to ponder this summer……
Hi Nick
Ha!
My bad.
Bank Holiday weekends often confuse me and this sure was one of them.
Sam McCallum is interesting. To the best of my knowledge we have never played him but I think we gave Cov something like £3m for him so there must be something there surely. I’ve certainly never seen him play so find it hard to have an objective opinion of him.
I totally agree with you about the churn – I’d equate it as much to a mobile cement mixing lorry as I would a Cornish creamery.
Cheers
Not stealing your thunder Nick, just adding to it ..Josh Martin was with MK Dons until I believe Russ left for Swansea, then he was left on the bench he joined Doncaster where he has player 13 games with a return of 4. I liked what I saw of him in the 1st team. Sinani has clocked up 35 with 6 at Huddersfield. Plus more than a few MOM displays. Yet not donned a 1st team shirt for City.
McCullum has progressed leaps and bounds now back from surgery, talking with some people at the U23’s on Friday. All 4 of them regulars, the general view was Sam is way ahead of Bali Mumba who they feel has gone backwards at Peterbro, think he was regular until they were forced to change manager who didn’t fancy him
I would be more than inclined to bring Onel back, he terrifies defenses,does score an odd one here and there. but he takes us forward
Thanks for that Lad – a useful snippet of info.
As I said to Nick [above] I’ve never seen Sam McCallum play so it’s good to hear from somebody who has.
I’d have Onel back tomorrow although I’m not sure he’d recognise the spirit in the dressing room these days, which would appear to have largely evaporated from that short time ago when he was part of it..
Hi. Excellent enhancement of my main point.
Was at the u23s and Bali looked exactly like somebody who had not played for a while. Noted that late on when Giurgi came on Mumba moved to midfield where he started with Sunderland……. Not sure what his best position is.
The u23s were very disappointing: thought Adshead looked a bit better than the others but those recently making waves were largely MIA, especially Kamara.
The whole experience summed up City for me: a lovely evening out with family, loads of kids fawning over their young idols, selfies with mum and family wearing a player’s match shirt. All very cozy.
Too cozy by half.
Mumba really impressed me last season when he came on against Swansea and looked a natural wing-back – but that’s based on 3o minutes!
Forgot to say: wonder whether SW will try to buy out the Sinani option to buy from Hudds? I believe they only have to pay under £1m. Think how much he would cost to buy now…£4m? We might actually, if DS thinks he is worth a squad place, end up paying a fee for him!
Sinani’s another one never given a chance here. If Webber does as you suggest he might, we’ll end up paying a fee for Sinani twice!
Think he was a freebie first time.
I looked him up out of curiosity and it seems like he was acquired from Dudelange on a nominal but even that isn’t totally clear so you might well be right.
Great piece again Martin.
Quite why Webber always seems to focus on the future, rather than the ‘here and now’ means the present always ends up failing – at least in the Top Tier.
Those with longer memories will remember Walker almost begging Chase to get Gary Megson – on a free (!) – because he couldn’t see the point of having a 35 year player with no resale value. Yet he did a job and a fine job too.
I hope that when Webber leaves, which I believe is likely this summer, the club approach to signings will be different. Norwich does have to look at the future to keep the doomed ‘self-funding model’ alive, but not exclusively. The John Bond era often had a mixture of other clubs rejects and experience, with a splash of youth.
Some fans have got so used to the ‘yo-yo’, they think it’s a forgone conclusion it will keep happening, but with the squad we have it is far from certain it will happen again. However, I really hope Dean Smith is given a chance to get a squad that he is happy with, rather than one is forced upon him.
Norwich City needs a make friends again as some on social media view the club as a waste of time after another non effort to sustain EPL status and it is now without doubt we are persona non grata.
How sad it has come to this.
As the club has made more mistakes than some clubs make in a generation, we should remind ourselves that the club is run largely by amateurs,
In the word of the Sparks ‘Amateur Hour’. “The Amateur Hour goes on and on….”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08DFrY4ig_c
Hi IR
Yes I certainly do remember the Megson saga – that was in the days when the EDP/Pink Un had a bit more freedom of course so we all knew about it.
Same as Chase refusing Martin O’Neill the chance to buy Dean Windass for £250k – O’Neill walked as a direct result of that.
It is indeed sad that it has come to this but we’ve had enough chances to establish ourselves in the PL and blown every single one of them so no wonder supporters are losing faith. The younger generations are the ones I truly feel sorry for because they are are highly unlikely to experience the highs that you, I and many others have enjoyed in the past.
I never liked Sparks but I’ll check your link out later for a giggle – if it doesn’t work I’ll quickly find an alternative from my end.
Cheers
Someone has to stand back from the misery of this season and take a long hard look at where we are. The Smiths are going nowhere so there will be no money for new recruits unless we can con someone into buying the dross i.e. Lees Melou, Sargeant, Rashica, Rupp, Tsolis, Giannoulis etc.
Webber must go. Dean and Shaky deserve a chance with THEIR choice of players.
The sale of Aarons and Cantwell is surely inevitable.
Not a good picture is it? I am still amazed at Sorenson lack of game time.
This stay in the championship could be a long one!!
Hi Cyprus
I’m not sure I’d describe Giannoulis as *dross* but otherwise you’re quite right.
Not one of those you mention was ever going to be PL standard from the day they were signed I’m afraid and one or two on your list won’t cut it in the Championship either – they don’t possess the physicality..
The way we’re going we might not be in the Championship for that long at all.
La tristesse durera.
Well put Martin always wanted my own club perhaps I have some cooking lessons 😉
Hi Kev
Just like MFW commenter Alex B I’ve worked as a chef in my time so hopefully wouldn’t need too many cookery lessons – but even if I won loads of kite on Euromillions I wouldn’t put a single penny into the Club while Delia is there.
She’d find a way to reject any bid I hypothetically might make anyway.
See you for West Ham.
Cheers
Relegation was obvious before season even had started. Your owners looked happy, they know that Norwich fans will again forget everything if championship goes well. I have impossible to understand manager Dean Smith comments that preparing to championship season starts now. Players are mentally and physically empty and pushing them is worst possible thing what you can do. I suppose he is under huge pressure.
Last games for Norwich fans to see Teemu Pukki playing live is coming. Teemu would surely want to improve his personal stats and beat that 11 goals season last time, but we shall see what kind of lineups mr Smith will pick now. Same time his national team striker partner Joel Pohjanpalo is 1 of 4 leading scorers in turkish super lig all have 15 goals. His club Rizespor is doomed to relegation, so Joel gets now only some minutes at the end playing time. Of course he would want to win top scorer place and he would win if Rizespor would let him play more. Turkish football leagues are own world, just like all leagues have their cultural specialities. Leverkusen loaned him to Rizespor after he refused to play this season in Leverkusen, little bit surprising thing is that turkish club doubled his salary to get him. After he finally has played injury free season, he told that he has plenty of options for next season but will go at least first back to Leverkusen.
Hi 1×2
That’s an interesting insight on Lig 1 in Turkey as the only time I speak about it is with a Kurdish guy I know who follows Fenerbache, who aren’t doing very well just now.
I seem to be pretty much alone on MFW in this view but I agree with you that Teemu Pukki will probably not wish to remain with us for [yet] another season in the EFL Championship.
A signed extension to a contract can easily be negated and with our sporting director Webber in place he would probably take £4-5million for Teemu under those circumstances and if he goes our chances of a return to the PL will leave with him.
Kiitos
I wouldn’t mind Norwich acquiring someone who’ can outscore Pukki!
🙂
Good morning, Martin.
I’m obviously very much in a minority in thinking that the doom and gloom has been a bit overdone. I ‘ve been watching Norwich City for almost 70 years ( I can’t believe I’ve just written that!) and so I’ve seen plenty of highs and lows. The last four seasons have seen two of the highest highs and two of the lowest lows!
Yes, it is hard to drag yourself to Carrow Road on a Sunday afternoon or a Saturday evening ( or whenever the TV companies allow) to see your team get beaten. But it will get better. At least, it always has so far!
Had I told my step-father before he died that we were going to spend almost half of the next 50 seasons in the top division, he would have thought I was crazy.
The comments are much the same as 2 years ago. Straight through to league 1 etc etc. I agree that the purchases this year have not been to the necessary standard but there are no guarantees of staying up if there were fewer better players bought. Many like to blame Webber and the owners and no doubt they carry a chunk of responsibility. But so often we see so called lesser, lower league clubs organise themselves very well, work hard and deploy a system to get results against better teams. We seem unable to do that. We changed our system to 433 due to Buendias departure. That immediately put Pukki at a disadvantage. Probably impossible to replace Buendia as he would have cost £30m plus with a massive hike in wages but surely there was someone more suitable than Gilmour. Pukki looked much sharper when played with Idah and more lately with Lees Melou pushed up the pitch. I don’t share the doom and gloom of so many others. I go to Carrow Road to watch my team win and my weekend or week is shattered when they don’t perform and lose. I am looking forward to seeing them win more than they lose next season and then we will see where we are, same owners or new ones.
Hi Graham
Yes I would agree that the comments are along similar lines to two years ago but then we had palpably saleable assets to keep Delia’s utopian dream alive.
This time around [Max Aarons excepted] there is nothing left to sell.
I’m genuinely glad you remain so optimistic but I cannot see any green shoots of hope emerging on any level right now.
Like you I go to see us win, or alternatively lose in a very entertaining match if that’s how it pans out.
I’ll still go, as will you I’m sure, but Delia knows that and trades on it.
Sometimes I think us NCFC types are quite ridiculously loyal.
Thank you
Hi John
Your post is very valid and I take your point about your stepfather. My dad was a West Ham fan and would have laughed roundly, soundly and loudly.
The trouble is that this time around we are rapidly approaching the point of no return and I think the high days and holidays are over.
Sorry to say it but I don’t see how things will get better without a much-needed change in ownership.
Thanks for a poignant comment.
To me this is not just a couple of seasons of failure. It is that it unveils the truth of the false bill of goods we were sold.
“Believe in the process”
“5 year project”
“Webburlution”
All just marketing slogans. And what now, we get a new Sporting Director in who declares another 3-5 year plan? When do we wake up as fans and realize something is rotten at the club.
Hi Dave
Marketing jargon was always guaranteed to rile me at work It must still do now because *believe in the process* irked me just by seeing it on screen!
Can’t blame the Club for *Webberlution* though – that would have been some local journalist rather than anyone at Carrow Road.
Cheers
Let’s hope for a Hawk and a bucket to go with the paint brush.
At least the hope didn’t kill us this time around, there wasn’t any.
We’ll be ready to go again by August, I’ll be surprised if Smith & Shaky stay, may be SW will go and Danny Boy returns??
Hi Colin
I felt quite okay after the first game of the season when we weren’t disgraced in losing 3-0 to a Liverpool team from another universe but as you say there was never any real hope and so it’s turned out.
All too predictable really.
Daniel wouldn’t return even if asked. He has more class than that.
Glad you enjoyed Hucks’ plastering reference as much as I did!
Cheers
As usual a consistent read, and one of the many excellent articles. I said yesterday about the only consistent thing has been this site.
Well summed up and very painful to write, I would imagine. Mr P. painful to read as a 60-year follower.
I remember saying a lifetime ago (well it seems that) who does Webber think he is and what is this club ? At the time any criticism of him was almost unheard of. Did he think were exactly a Chelski with millions of Russian money to back up. Buying all those youngsters and be honest how many have you seen donning the 1st team shirt. Most had their contracts terminated or shoved out on loan.
I went to U23’s Friday, and they looked a copy of the 1st team, creating some but lacking finishing, I overlooked the inexperience of constantly being caught offside or running into blind corners. In truth I was disappointed as heck (before asked not the first game I attended) One young’un did stand out Saxon Earley, a defensive midfielder.
The club and its controllers have not got the money to waste on gambles like this, I do not have the figures but quite a bit was shelled out for these youngsters when the 1st team needed strengthening. Webber was given far too much leeway, he should have been reigned in. The scouting staff need an overhaul, but a little reluctant to criticise too strongly as I do not know their brief, they will only look for what they are told.
Too many things wrong. This time it was meant to be different, saw an article on ITV which for me summed up the club’s position in eternal purgatory. Too weak for Premiership, too strong for Championship. I fear that the second part will not be the case next season.
The only manager to get the job done was Lambert (as you said) but he was let down when it was needed. Webber talked of Farke being sent to war with no arsenal, which reminded me of Worthington, another case of terrible recruitment.
Also, a point worth noting is the fact that Alas Smith & Jones are probably going to be the poorest owners in the championship, never mind the Premier. But will that change anything? I doubt it very much. Only a new club model to follow, will be Burnley
I can see what could well be the scenario in the first couple of months, we will start off well at the top of the table. Fans will soon forget the pain and misery, this will be different they will say. Any voice of discontent will be shouted down. We have been here too many times. Think I’ll get the transfer paper along with the iron out, to print my own tee shirt.
The title of yo-yo needs to end and allow someone else to claim the title
I don’t want to follow the Burnley model. They’ve had a takeover, but ended up saddled with the debt, in one of those strange takeovers where the club was bought with it’s own money – no, I don’t understand how that works, either! I worry that the same thing could happen to us.
Agreed Jim. The strange case of Burnley is not one I’d like to see repeated here. Don’t worry, I don’t fully understand the workings of it either!
I don’t understand it either Jim but I think it is basically leveraging the club against it’s assets.
The Glazer’s did similar with Man Utd. They borrowed £millions against the value of Man Utd.
So if they went bankrupt Manchester United would be in deep do-do.
That is not the kind of takeover I would ever want to see at Carrow Road, that’s for sure.
Thanks Tim – that’s what I thought too but I wasn’t brave enough to express it in case I was wrong 🙂
Hi Lad
No pain in the writing whatsoever – all of us on MFW are used to NCFC and its foibles by now and I’d like to think that includes the young guns too.
You make an interesting point about the scouts. I cannot remember the circumstances but apparently years ago a Spurs scout was sent out to watch a non-league striker but came back with Graham Roberts in the bag instead!
There probably isn’t that degree of flexibility [as in a brief is a brief] around these days, which to my mind is a great shame.
No way am I saying that we are unique but our fanbase is happier to accept the status quo than many other clubs and I know many people who support other teams who take the Michael on a very regular basis whenever we are in the PL.
I don’t just get positive stuff in my inbox 🙂
Cheers
Opinions eh? My brother thought Saxon was the weakest Norwich player! And he was substituted.
Totally agree about the similarities with the first team. They looked like identikit neat and skilful footballers, clones even, but lacked that necessary devil or spark to react to going behind. It was a constant steady pace that led nowhere.
A friend goes to most home under 23 games. He always picks out the trio of Tomkinson, Springett and Abu Kamara as the ones to keep an eye on and would agree with you about the *identikit* approach..
We bought a shed load of players and loanees last Summer. None of them has been a great success. Those recruits will have cost a relative fortune and the permanent signings will continue to be a drain for a few more years, remember Naismith. Even when their wages get reduced due to relegation the parachute payments will be eaten away.
We have few players who can command much of a fee. We will struggle to recruit because given a choice who will want to come to Norwich. We may well have had that impediment last Summer. Aspiring players may well want to play in the Premier League but not in a team that is likely to struggle. It will ruin their reputation. Tzsolis was regarded as the Greek wonder kid. I wonder what his reputation is now as he couldn’t get a start in a poor Norwich side.
I can see little change this Summer. So a starting 11 of Gunn, Byram, Hanley, Omabamedele, Giannoulis, Sorensen, McLean, Dowell, Rashica, Idah and Pukki. It might just make the top 6. We will be on TV for the first weekend away to Rottherham or Wigan and lose 1-0.
Let’s hope next season brings more than the 21 points we have had in 2 of the last 3 seasons.
RIP 21/22 season.
Hi Colin
What you say is gloomy in the extreme but I don’t disagree with you – particularly regarding Tzolis who must be wondering what the hell he came here for.
I moved here permanently when I was roughly 30 with tinies and I love it to death, but if I were a teenager or in my 20s and single I would have been pulling my hair out.
Growing up in London you could go to any nightclub you wanted, or in my case go and see any rock band you fancied. I was a member at Wardour Street’s Marquee club and saw Thin Lizzy, Motorhead, Rory Gallagher and so many others. 45 minutes on the Tube.
Try doing that in Norwich!
Young footballers want to sparkle in their prime for a variety of reasons and there really isn’t that much here for them and their agents will be well aware of that.
And that’s without considering the situation of the team 🙂
Cheers
Its hard to argue with any of that Martin. As ever, some good comments too.
Listening to the events unfold from villa park on radio norfolk I felt strangely subdued. Chris goreham was in full groundhog mode as he described a litany of errors, sloppiness and in a handful of cases total unadulterated lack of professionalism.
The frequency of our mistakes has hit an all time high and it really isn’t acceptable.
Mark Rivers, as ever provided the value for money. His pithy.and totally accurate summation hit several nails on the head. Even Butler got in on the act.
In addition to the staple diet of good reading available on MFW several prominent journalists both local and national have lifted the lid on goings on at carrow Road. In particular Michael Bailey whose lengthy article was kindly printed by somebody on another organ of city news. I urge anyone who hasn’t seen it to take a look.
Quite what happens next is anyones guess. Will webber still be in situ on Sunday? Will the crowd top 20k? Who knows?
One thing is for sure, it won’t be a happy place.
Hi Chris
I don’t subscribe to the Athletic but fortunately *Ed* here on MFW filled me in on the basics of Michael B’s article so I know where you’re coming from.
Rivo is great on the radio although I didn’t listen this time around. He and Mark Walton are my favourites by a country mile alongside Chris Goreham.
No Carrow Road won’t be a happy place on Sunday but I’ll say this much. Many folks my age and above will still be walking away from the ground with self-delusive smiles on their faces thinking they’ve had great value for money.
That’s what keeps Delia going, of course.
Cheers mate
Hi Martin
I read somewhere yesterday that the Smith’s were seen after the final whistle with a big grin on their faces and talking with the Villa Board maybe thanking them for the relief of finally getting relegated to their comfort zone.
The next home game could be hell for them and Webber especially if any more statements appear in the national press.
Dean Smith is talking up a storm for next season but I just wonder it Webber departs will he be quickly following him as he did say he was convinced by the plans the Board and Webber had for the club.
Someone mentioned in an article recently that the word ambition has been banned at city from the top down and that has hit the team hard.
In life we all need ambitions at 71 and followed city since 1959 my ambitions are still the same to support a successful club and sadly since Arthur South left most of that has been taken away from us.
Chase took of a successful run club with a good squad even finished 3rd in the EPL and a run a European football then he changed to selling all the best players which this pair has continued to do.
What ever her or their shares were worth 6months ago will have dropped in value maybe £30-40m to buy them out we really do need investment soon.
Hi Alex
There’s a few things in there that I don’t know the rights or wrongs of – particularly the Smiths being all smiles afterwards. Maybe they were just being polite and looking forward to an imminent large glass of something nice in the Villa boardroom?
West Ham won’t be *hell* for them although some folks are apparently planning small protests but I won’t be joining them. I did my bit during Chase Out.
*Someone mentioned in an article recently that the word ambition has been banned at City from the top down and that has hit the team hard.* is something I haven’t heard so I’ve no idea if it’s true or not.
As for the thought of anybody being able to buy out the Stowmarket Two we can forget all about that. A guy down the road from me has got a lovely old MGB that I would like very much. He said with a big beam on his face: *not for sale, not now, not never*.
And d’you know what?
Brian supports NCFC too.
Cheers
Well said Martin, and all the contributors.
One signing I’d like to see us make is the person at Werder Bremen, who made us (supposedly) pay large sums of real money for Sargent and Rashica – one a total flop; one almost the same.
With him on board we’d probably be able to get nearly 20m for Gibson, and rather more for Aarons and Cantwell……….lack of PL TV money solved in one fell swoop.
The worst thing is that as it’s been expected since last September, it doesn’t even hurt.
O T B C
Hi John
Funny isn’t it? I’ve felt no genuine hurt at all myself beyond the usual sense of feeling cheated, which is nothing new to those of our generation.
As for the value of Sargent I’ll have to revert to childishness and quote Monty Python as in: *a kiss on the bum and a packet of wine gums*.
Gibson? Delete the kiss.
Cheers
Hi Martin. Good article expressing how many NCFC fans feel. Embarrassed once again and wanting us to at least have a go at taking the chances that the Premier League offers and which so, so many other Clubs in the Championship and League 1 crave. Once the blood- letting has subsided a bit, objectivity should take over. The Club is in a better place both infrastructure and business wise than a few years back. Yes, poor decisions have been made, but I think that goes with the territory of the risks a self funding club must take. Some should have been prevented (e.g.BK8) and we must be extra vigilant we don’t shoot ourselves in the foot in future.
A couple of comments.
It seems that if Delia and Michael were a bit less obstinate, a balance could be struck between attracting investment and still remaining as Board members having some control.
Secondly, we are revisiting the situation where strong characters – the CEO (McNally) or in this case, Sporting Director, have been given so much power by the Board after achieving some success, that they hold the upper hand, are courted by D & M and become arrogant and so bullish that that aforesaid majority shareholders are rendered powerless. Unpopularity follows. They employ these people to run the Club as professionals but blurr the line between objectivity and familiarity. Thats great and people feel valued and welcome here. Nothing wrong with that until it goes wrong…..
By the way, I know many employees at NCFC and I can assure you that the vast majority work extremely hard, are not amateurish in their approach, try their very best in their place of work, but are sometimes let down by the decision makers and shouldn’t be tarred with same brush.
Here’s hoping the SW annual review to the Board can provide a pathway forward that will offer us the best chance to succeed next season and put us in a position where we can be proud of our Club once more and attract more respect from those inside and outside of the game.
Hi Chuzzlewit
Good username – anybody named Martin would appreciate your choice.
You’re right about BK8 and I think many of us would agree with you on that issue.
As for Delia I fear she will never relinquish complete control during her lifetime but should we by a miracle be amicably bought by somebody else, a life vice-presidency for herself and MWJ shouldn’t be out of the question. She could retain all the things she likes and understands as in assumed prestige, generous hospitality in directors boxes home and away and keep her remaining dignity intact.
I’ve very recently put on MFW record that I too know some of the NCFC staff and would agree with you that they are invariably excellent – although I must point out that a couple have recently quit as *it no longer seems to be the same as it was*.
We all want our pride back for sure.
Thank you – that was a Dickens of a good post.
Therein lies the problem. I don’t think there is a businessperson alive who would provide the level of investment the club needs and not seek a majority share (and the say-so over decision making, direction of the club, etc.) Current ownership isn’t going to sit on the sidelines while someone else makes decisions that will impact their investment. The downside for current ownership, as commented, is that the window to get a premium on their investment has closed -the financial difference between the Prem and the Championship valuations is significant.
What does concern me is the pathway for the next 2-3 years. IF, and that’s a big IF, the club can go straight back up, club ownership should start the wheels turning to sell while their asset has increased in value. If we don’t go up, then NCFC are going to have issues. Teams across the Football League are becoming far more strategic in how they are running their clubs (yes, there are exceptions) and in my mind, are ahead of NC in terms of their planning and operating.
Lastly, can young Mr. Sorensen please get more playing time next year? I don’t know why he hasn’t been given a run in the side in the defensive midfield role given the issues across the midfield.
Hi Ennis
You make some very sound points there The Sorensen issue I cannot fathom out – he has never let us down at any time on the rare occasions he has been selected and was a terrific stand-in LB when he did get a short run in the side under Daniel Farke.
Apart from her time and use of her image [mild sarcasm there] I’m not sure exactly what Delia actually does invest into the Club apart from a slice of the profits from catering operations.
**As for the financial side of things, MFW’s Gary Field has a posted a great article on that topic this very morning.
Thanks – good post.
If we have no athleticism nor physicality then what do we have? League One football?
Hi Tony
Athleticism is one thing and physicality is quite another.
I honestly think the mighty Colchester would semi-legally kick us out of a game right now – although that won’t be put to the test next season at least.
We need people like Alex Tettey, Bradley Johnson or even Gary Holt.
We don’t have anybody like that in our midfield these days.
Cheers
Excellent summation Martin.
It is a great irony that this relegation was 50 years and 1 day after our first ever Second Division Championship and therefore our first ever season in the top league of English football beckoned the following season.
Where did it all go wrong ?
The outbreak of covid at the start of the season didn’t help one bit. Friendlies were cancelled and some players had no pre-season whatsoever.
The first four fixtures were a nightmare, so by the time we got to the Watford game confidence was lower than a snakes belly.
A lack of resources (££££) meant we had to go for 3rd or 4th choice players. Billing, Ajer and Armstrong were too expensive or we couldn’t pay the wages. To me that was a big warning sign.
The age of so many incoming players also concerned me. Too many 21 and under. I know I am like a stuck record but surely someone in the recruitment team must have thought there are far to many youngsters for a relegation scrap, which we all knew was a certainty.
The failure to replace Alex Tettey (Ollie Skipp was always a likely stop gap as good as he was, I never thought we would sign him) was unbelievable. As was the pursuit of Mathias Normann who was injured with something that looked long term and has never truly shown his potential.
Sargent, Tzolis and even Rashica and Lees-Melou to an extent have in no way proved they have been worth anything like the money we paid for them. Rashica I think will go but I am hopeful at the lower levels of the Championship the other 3 can find some form. Pierre has been good on some occasions so I have hope he may surprise next season.
The lack of financial backing and an absolutely dreadful summer transfer window is why we have been relegated.
The responsibility goes much deeper than it being all Stuart Webber’s fault. Delia and Michael must share the blame along with other members of the recruitment team.
One thing for sure is that Stuart Webber owes Daniel Farke one massive apology. The buck stops with Stuart and his assertion that these players were good enough is so wide of the mark it is laughable.
Brentford have nearly DOUBLE our points Stuart. That is a disgrace.
I was worried by Gary’s comments last week on MFW which I think inferred that most of the parachute payments will be spent on current contracts. Is that why Dean Smith is saying that the squad doesn’t need an overhaul ?
I agree that we do not need a massive changes but 4-5 loan players will go and hopefully players like Josh Martin and Sam Mcallum will take their places. Two young hungry players who have shown that they can perform at Championship level will be great for the squad in terms of competition.
But surely Dean Smith must be allowed to sign some players of his own ? Some he will want out, I am sure of that. He must be able to put his own stamp on the squad.
For instance a holding midfielder is a must. Max deserves a move as I feel we are holding him back now. Todd on the other hand is now out of favour at Bournemouth, I get the impression that Scott Parker wasn’t too pleased with his recent “back injury”. Shades of Daniel Farke’s comments regarding this errant lad.
It was however pleasing to hear Paddy Davitt say new contracts for players we want to keep will be announced very soon. Hopefully Teemu and Grant.
There is still some things to be positive about. I think in having Dean and Shakey at the helm should give us some confidence that we can at least make a huge bid for promotion again next season. I know a lot of supporters blame Smith for this season, sorry I think that is ludicrous. He has made mistake for sure, his belief in Billy Gilmour intrigues me. Keeping the loan fee down ?
We have parachute payments for the next two season. The updated Training Centre should entice more players to come to us as long as we are competitive with wages.
The long term is not so rosy. If we do go back up we will need to purchase less players but 3-4 with real quality, and with the same ownership model here that will be very difficult. When the parachute payments finish if we are still in the Championship than massive saving will have to be made.
Also I worry when Stuart Webber goes. His record of recruitment in The Championship has been excellent up to now but his EPL buys have as we all know a disaster.
But there is a worse scenario and that is Delia and Michael doing it. Bryan Hamilton, Gunny, Glenn Roeder and Peter Grant ( but a lovely fella) were her choices as manager. Enough said.
I agree Martin that Hucks paintbrush quote on Saturday was spot on. I wasn’t anywhere as downhearted as I have been in previous relegations. In tears coming out of Church (WHill) in 1996 after a 2-1 defeat at Leeds. Being totally put off my Sunday lunch in 1985 when Everton went out pi..ed and lost to Coventry 4-0 sending us down in the biggest con in football history and many more really sad occasions.
Not this time, from the moment Daniel Farke was sacked I thought the game was up. Once you realise the manager isn’t happy with his players then there will only be one outcome.
Hi Tim
A fine comment from the heart – I’ll just pick up on a couple of points if I may.
There has been a very strong rumour around for some time that the more we play Gilmour, the less we pay Chelsea.
I’ve no way of confirming that but it wouldn’t be unique in terms of player loans from what I’ve been told in the past.
*One thing for sure is that Stuart Webber owes Daniel Farke one massive apology. The buck stops with Stuart and his assertion that these players were good enough is so wide of the mark it is laughable.*
It’s a bit late for an apology now I’m afraid.
I wonder when Webber will speak in public next – it’ll be interesting when he does!
Cheers
Looking forward to Rotherham next season, with my son living in Huddersfield, more exploring of Yorkshire, less of the boring dross of clubs down the road from me, AFC and THFC.
Hi Mike
The original White Hart Lane and Highbury both had a great atmosphere – too much of it sometimes, if you see what I mean!
I like Yorkshire myself but Sheffield and York itself are the only places I know reasonably well. Good people too.
Cheers
#**#* **** **###++* “**!””!!!? Them all I say
Hi Bernie
That’s one way of looking at it 🙂
Cheers
Hi Martin, I have to admit the comment made by Darren Huckerby made me laugh out loud when I read it , probably the only smile I had on my face for a day or two . I always try to be positive if I can so surely Dean Smith would never have taken the Norwich job knowing he didn’t have a pot to piss in during the January transfer window without any guarantees that in the summer he will be given money to recruit who HE wants to try and get us back to the premiership and not what Webber thinks., and that HE gets the say who comes in to try and keep us there should we do it again . He certainly has a lot of work to do.!
Hi Martin
I’m not on Twitter so when a mate mailed me that on Sunday I cracked up – I’d not heard that one before:-)
I really hope you’re right about the balance of recruitment between Smith and Webber because surely we can’t afford to get it as badly wrong as we did last summer.
Cheers