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Names aplenty in the mix, but not all of them appetite whetting

Names aplenty in the mix, but not all of them appetite whetting

31st December 2022 By Tim Ball 16 Comments

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The Bermuda Triangle, Roanoke, The Marie Celeste and Donald Trump’s popularity are all huge mysteries of the 20th and 21st centuries.

We can now add the question as to why couldn’t Dean Smith impose a good playing style at Norwich City.

He was well-loved at Walsall, Brentford, and to a degree at his beloved Villa where he did create good attacking teams.

Already Dean Saunders and Paul Ince have questioned the wisdom of his removal. So you got that spot on, Gary.

But I was pleasantly surprised to see that the Sky Sports panel on Thursday night’s Championship games was much more fair-minded. Not one of the three men and one woman said they were actually surprised by his sacking.

But the days of Dean Smith are now behind us. So we must look to the future.

Already a few of the names have worried me for different reasons.

1) David Wagner. He did very well for a few years at Huddersfield and did what even Daniel Farke couldn’t do here, which was to keep them in the EPL for one season.

But while he did well at Young Boys his record at Schalke was nothing to write home about. But he does know the Championship.

2) Steve Bruce. A Norwich legend, probably the best player never to play for England. A good record in management, but many, many years ago.

2016 was his last managerial medal. A fantastic fella, we have a mutual friend in common, and a nicer bloke you could not wish to meet but I really hope we desist with this idea.

It would be a red rag to a bull as far as the fans are concerned.

3) Russell Martin. Far too early in his managerial career. Needs to prove himself to be considered.

4) Scott Parker. If he thought Bournemouth were tight with funds, he best not come here🤣

5) Sean Dyche. He is not as long ball as much as people say, but he is definitely no Daniel Farke regards his playing style. But he would get us competitive.

I have said on here before that I think the days of Bruce, Pulis, Smith, Hughes, etc are over at this kind of level. For whatever reason football has changed so much it seems as if they cannot keep up with it.

It is the same old names time and again. Now Brucey has already lost the support of his beloved Newcastle, I really do not want him to put through that here at Carrow Road.

I actually think the initial Ed Balls model for this is the way to go forward. A Sporting Director and a young up-and-coming coach. Where if, after a year it hasn’t worked, the coach leaves after his one-year contract.

Reading between the lines I think Stuart Webber and Farke probably had a very honest and straightforward discussion after Daniel’s first season.

I imagine it went something like this:

“Daniel, I like your football but it is too bloody slow”.

“Then get me a striker worth the description”.

Cue the arrival of Pukki and Rhodes.

I do not want to see a Watford situation here, where if you only have six points every month you are out of the door, but I do think over the years we have been too patient – Smith, Neil, Hughton, Gunny, Roeder, etc.

I got Dean Smith wrong. I admit it. So this time I won’t be positive or negative but will get behind the team and give whoever is appointed a chance.

We do need to create a good atmosphere at Carrow Road to make it harder for our opponents to play in rather than our own players, and last night was a good start.

Mike’s excellent piece yesterday really hit home on the mistakes and successes that Stuart Webber has had in his time here, with the mistakes now heavily outweighing his successes.

So if we think the malaise at our club is just Dean Smith’s fault, then we are sadly deluded.


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Filed Under: Column, Tim Ball

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Comments

  1. Tonyb says

    31st December 2022 at 1:04 pm

    Although Dean Smith wasn’t the right appointment Webber is most to blame.Pukki and Buendia are his only two successes,along with loanee Skipp. Too many failures to mention but his recruitment record is abysmal and what did he say about pi**ng money up the wall!

    Two of the club’s most costly signings are out on loan, how can he be still in a job?

    As for the new coach, Dyche would certainly ruffle a few feathers but wouldn’t fit in with nicey Norwich, Bruce,no thanks, Parker, maybe, Wagner, not really, Martin, too soon. Maybe a young up-and-coming coach like Ipswich might be the answer.

    5
    Reply
    • JohnF says

      31st December 2022 at 1:21 pm

      It was stated in this mornings EDP that Webber decided to sack Dean Smith following an extensive performance review.
      It’s a pity an extensive performance review wasn’t carried out on Webber following last year’s disastrous recruitment or he might have disappeared and Farke remained!

      8
      Reply
    • Tim Ball says

      31st December 2022 at 1:46 pm

      We are still suffering from the bitterly disappointing recruitment of the summer of 2021 Tony.

      I’m afraid SW needs to acknowledge that.

      I was convinced when Daniel Farke was sacked that the problems were more to do with the players bought in than the then Head Coach.

      6
      Reply
  2. AlexB says

    31st December 2022 at 1:08 pm

    Hi Tim

    Is this Webber and Adams last chance saloon get this wrong and things could get messy, Delia and the board need to find funds to back either Russel till the end of this season or who ever gets the gig.

    I for one can’t see compo being paid to clubs in the championship so maybe a lesser amount to a continental coach or one from the America’s North or South.

    Can we see a push for more involvement from Milwaukee or will their watching brief continue to see how far we fall to get the club cheaper or invest to ensure a good takeover when it happens.

    Much to think about in the coming months.

    Happy New Year

    1
    Reply
    • Tim Ball says

      31st December 2022 at 2:01 pm

      Hi Alex Happy New Year to you.

      Like you I would be surprised to see a massive amount of compensation paid to a fellow championship club.

      Mark Robins would have been a interesting one, but the compensation question looks as if it will rule him out.

      Without further investment from our new American investors I think we could be in another financial mess within the next two years.

      I don’t think I was alone in being totally shocked that the board had borrowed against all the incoming parachute payments 🤬

      That looks like an all or nothing attempt to get us promoted again this season.
      But the way we are playing
      that could end in tears.

      Surely self-funding has to be a season to season endeavour, not something you risk in all one big gamble.

      I totally agree that this will be Stuart Webber’s last appointment at the club if he gets this wrong.
      Absolutely no chance of coming back from this.

      Reply
      • Mike says

        1st January 2023 at 10:40 pm

        Except for his wife is now on the Board that would sack him…..

        Reply
  3. John says

    31st December 2022 at 1:33 pm

    Hi Tim;
    Am I missing something here with all the negativity toward Russell Martin?
    Given last night’s results, how can anyone say that the NCFC job is too soon for him…..
    By all accounts his Swansea team totally out played Watford in the manner to which we were accustomed under Farke……something we NCFC supporters can only dream about.
    Whilst he probably wouldn’t be my first choice, would he really want to give up on his Swansea project for a (currently) struggling, rudderless and nearly bankrupt club? (And could we afford to compensate Swansea anyway??)

    Happy New Year to all; let’s hope 2023 is rather better than our last 12 months.

    O T B C

    4
    Reply
    • Tim Ball says

      31st December 2022 at 2:59 pm

      Thanks John.

      I actually agree that Russ is definitely in the mix but he is one who really divides the fans.
      I mentioned to my mate Marty how good Swansea do look on occasions.

      I think I got a grunt 😂

      I just think he needs longer at Swansea. I know if he makes a bit success of it we may then lose the opportunity for him to come here.

      What turned me and my fellow supporters against Russ was his insistence on being considered for team selection as a centre half only.

      I know it’s only an opinion but I don’t think Russ was ever a centre half.
      A legend here as a right back deservedly.

      It didn’t take Daniel Farke long to agree with our assumptions and Russ was correctly shown the door.

      But you are right that shouldn’t be held against him now.

      As you say beating Watford 4-0 is exceptional.

      Reply
  4. Jim Davies says

    31st December 2022 at 2:19 pm

    Hate to be pedantic, Tim, (not really!), but the ship adrift in the Atlantic was the Mary Celeste, not Marie, and the coach at Huddersfield under Webber was David Wagner.

    Like you, I don’t want to see my memories of Steve Bruce in a Norwich shirt be sullied by a disastrous spell as a coach here. The same applies to Russell Martin. I’m not sure who I would like, but I want it to be someone progressive, probably youngish, and who will provide me with the sort of football I have enjoyed (at times) over the past 60 years of supporting City.

    Happy New Year

    2
    Reply
    • Tim Ball says

      31st December 2022 at 3:37 pm

      Thanks Jim, my excuse is Manflu 😂
      Bloody hell David Warner
      he was in Titanic…..so there’s a link we don’t want😂

      I think Bruce’s record here was just so good it would be heartbreaking seeing him subjected to the abuse that would come his way if his tenure went wrong.
      I think the same with Russ.

      It was a hell of a risk with Daniel Farke, Burnley really rolled the dice with Vincent Kompany.
      But I’m with you, a young up and coming coach.

      Maybe Eustace at Birmingham perhaps? Compensation being a problem?

      Reply
  5. Gil says

    31st December 2022 at 2:32 pm

    Perhaps not all Smith’s fault but those above him have had success at this club.It would be wrong to change anything else at the moment, I think it will happen soon anyway but we don’t want to end up with another Jez Moxey. Whoever takes over will have a great opportunity so it’s better to take a risk rather than someone like Dean Smith who’s just looking for a payday.

    1
    Reply
    • Tim Ball says

      31st December 2022 at 3:49 pm

      That whole subject is another article beyond me Gil.

      Personally I think both Smith and Webber have both over rated these players brought in over the last 18-20 months.

      We certainly do not want another Jez Money.

      My problem with Stuart Webber is despite all the good he has done both Daniel Farke and Dean Smith have paid for primarily his mistakes and lost their jobs.

      Sooner or later Stuart will have to take responsibility for the situation that we are in.
      Many of us on here were extremely worried by the recruitment before last season.
      Too young, too inexperienced for the EPL and not strong or athletic enough for what the Premier League is now.

      So we are not saying this in retrospect.
      So sooner or later SW will have to take his share of the blame.

      Reply
      • Gil says

        1st January 2023 at 2:12 pm

        I don’t think Smith could get the best out of his team and would never take responsibility. Farke tried to change things too much in his last season. We tend to write off the players before anyone else when it can be the way they are managed that can be the problem. Prime example is Sargent, so perhaps Tzolis and Rashica can turn out to be the players we originally thought There is so much at stake at the moment, we’ve got to all get behind the club.

        1
        Reply
        • TIM Ball says

          2nd January 2023 at 1:26 am

          I agree Gil, Sarge was clearly not ready for the EPL last season but has shown real promise this season. But it has to be acknowledged that it is at championship level.

          Only time will tell is Josh can take that step up to the Prem.

          Tzolis I would love to be given another chance her, but as for Milot I think his mind left the club months before his body.

          I agree 100% now is the time to get behind the players on the pitch.

          Reply
  6. Keith Ord says

    1st January 2023 at 9:49 am

    Vintage canary.
    Alex I told you last year the appointment of smith was a disaster waiting to happen.
    You never appoi t a manager thats just been sacked within the same week its bad business.
    Coupled with the fact tha the old school defenders and midfielders took a set agaist him.
    Result rubbish football.
    Round the back is a tippy tappy none progressive football just look at Stones and M.aguire couldnt get much higher in L.A. you know where ithats at Southgate.(ref to noones geting fat sept Mama Case.
    We need a german young coach like Tim Walter, or Sebatian Hoeneb budding kloses or the norweigian we went for lazt year someone that can scare the pants off of Webber happy hunting.
    In 2023

    Reply
  7. Mike says

    1st January 2023 at 11:22 pm

    Steven Schumacher would be one I’d like considered.

    Reply

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