“I don‘t know how City will fare today but that old feeling of Saturday dread has returned. My mindset now is that of only two more games to endure and then I can relax and look to other things to brighten my week.
“Will a few months away from the Carrow Road fiasco rekindle my enthusiasm for next season? It‘ll take some mega changes for that to happen, maybe I‘m getting too old and weary or perhaps I‘ve just hit a brick wall of disappointment but a bit of tinkering won‘t suffice anymore.”
So said MFW regular Herr Cutz [aka my Posse mate, Cutty] on Friday morning and his statement is among the deepest, darkest and most depressing things I have ever heard in the context of being a football supporter.
The light and shade. The hope that is there to be dashed and the joy of the unexpected win. A sale or a signing, a look at the league table, your favourite players performing in the very way that made you adopt them as such in the first place. Seeing your friends before, after or at the game, this list can be as short or as long as you want it to be.
Those MFW readers, like Alex B or myself, who have a second team [ours coincidentally happens to be Tottenham Hotspur] potentially kind of double your vulnerability to the joy or the anguish. There’s been plenty of the latter at both Carrow Road and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this year of course, although Spurs have become increasingly unimportant to me with the passage of time.
If you quite legitimately support a third team, as I do in the shape of RCD Mallorca, you are really laying yourself open to emotional intrusion, although RCD have offered me some respite this season in that they have already reached the mythical Magic 40 points total in La Liga with six games left to play. There will surely be a good, sun-filled atmosphere at the Son Moix this evening as Los Piratas entertain the Athletic Club.
Back to these gloomier shores, David Wagner said immediately prior to the WBA game:
“Sometimes it makes sense to feel the pain. It was very painful what we experienced last weekend [against Swansea], but then it’s a moment where you have to move on and you have to be clear, to try to get focused for the next one [and] make sure that you do everything to get a result.”
His comments afterwards did nothing for me whatsoever, particularly the final line which seemed more like a threat than a promise:
“We have to analyse and we have to speak publicly. Obviously, after a season like this, there will be questions, which is totally normal, but [as I’ve said] I’m excited because we know the answers, we know the ideas and we know what we have to change
“To be fair at the back of my head, I already thought the chance not to make it [to the play-offs] was slightly higher than making it even before this game. For a few weeks we have been planning, and the plans are totally independent of the division, and this is exactly what excites me.
“I knew exactly what we’d like to do, whether in the Premier League or the Championship, because we know we have a lot to change, and we will do.
“The good thing is that all the key people in the club are committed to building something for the next season.”
So that’s all right then.
Dimi Giannoulis managed to concede the most dubious of free kicks on the edge of the area [what with that and Semi Ajayi being allowed to get away with treading on Gabriel Sara’s foot in the area with no penalty given, referee Bobby Madley joins many others on my personal do not re-employ list] so was already having a pretty bad afternoon in the West Midlands before he was shoved in front of the cameras for a quick comment:
“We need to react and win the next game against Blackpool, for ourselves. We know we’re better than that.
“It’s very important that we get three points.”
No, Dimi me ol’ China. It isn’t important that we get three points cos it no longer matters a monkey’s chuff.
You and the rest of the lads*** have blown it so many times that you didn’t deserve to be in contention for a play-off place on the last day of the season. That honour – if it can truly be called that – goes to the players of Coventry, Millwall, Blackburn, Sunderland and even Albion themselves. You and your pals blew it. Big style. Like on so, so many occasions this season, you blew it.
So that’s that for 2022-23 beyond the Carrow Road clash between ourselves and Blackpool on Saturday, which I would suggest is one for those among us who unfortunately suffer from any form of insomnia or one of its related medical conditions. That notwithstanding, there will be a chance to:
- Air a proper, fitting and loud appreciation of Teemu Pukki, who leaves as a Club legend with all our most sincere good wishes;
- Discover who the POTS is – does Delia’s Bar & Grill have a cat that likes to hang around outside the service doors by any chance?
- Practice our anti-Ipswich songs for next season cos they’ll have plenty of new and quite possibly HMRC-related chants for us.
And I for one will spend my summer anticipating rather than actually expecting seismic changes at the top of Norwich City Football Club.
** During a season that sadly saw the passing of the great gentleman and football commentator that was John Motson, I think the world has finally come up with a player whose name even Motty would struggle to pronounce.
Playing for Southampton under-18s against us today was one Princewill Ehibhationham, which reads a bit like Prince Will’s Exhibitionism to tired eyes on a poorly-lit, misty Norfolk morning. Mind you if anybody could have got Princewill’s name right first time, Motty could. 😀
*** One pal our Dimi won’t be training alongside anymore looks to be Kieran Dowell as it looks like he is off to join Michael Beale – and indeed Todd Cantwell – on the Blue side of Glasgow. As I write, nothing is certain, but the Daily Record is the most prominent source to say the deal is all but done.
I’ll wish Kieran – it would have been no problem for me if he’d chosen to stay – exactly what I wished the Dereham Deco, as in the very best of luck.
And to close it will be some more Manics magic, dedicated on this occasion to my pal Cutty:
35 years of saying we will be alright next season…….. IF?
Hi Mike
*IF* is one of the biggest words in the English language 🙂
Cheers
Good morning Martin on one of the plethora of Bank Holidays in the space of 5 weeks and following yet another defeat. Yes, we did take the lead for a few minutes, but that was to be one of our few shots on target.
With Dowel joining TC playing for ‘Gers, that’s 2 players who lost their mojo playing for NCFC and from what I’ve witnessed om my recent visits to CR, it seems they are not alone.
Of course, we get the usual noises about a squad rebuild, but I’m sure I’m far from alone in not ‘holding my breath’ to see who arrives at Colney over the next few months.
Let’s look at the evidence – we now have had 3 head coaches who haven’t been able to get the team playing well consistently, so you may ask – what’s the coming denominator and of course, it’s the players. You may then ask – who is responsible for signing most of the players and as we all know, it’s none other than the the egoist more commonly known as SW.
Following our last promotion, he brought in a hatful of players and those who stayed for this season have not exactly shone, so how on earth did SW expect them to perform in the PL??
The prosecution rests!!
MB of the Athletic recently did a résumé of whether players who have joined the club since SW became Sporting Director have c been a ‘Het’ or a ‘Miss’ and needles to say, the ‘Misses’ were quite a few ahead.
So, we’ll have the ‘Old Farm Derby: back on the fixture list next season and their fans must be licking their lips at the prospect of their first victory in about 10 years!! 😳
It’s actually now over 14 years, not that I’m counting 😉 but I’d personally be very surprised if it stretches to 15 years!
Hi Gary
I’m only too unhappy to confirm both your timescale and yourr prediction 🙂
Cheers
Morning Ed
I’m not too sure about Dowell and his mojo!
Towards the beginning of the season El Deano had him playing quite effectively down the right with Max and Sinani and as I remember he scored a couple of classy goals as well. Unlike TC, I fear injury did for him as ut seems to have done again.
I follow Celtic rather than actively support them [Jeez, three teams is two too many] but a mate who lives for the Bhoys reckons Michael Beale is under heavy pressure to produce attractive football at Rangers and that right quick, hence the moves for TC in the last window and now Dowell in the next one.
You ask the questions we all ask and as ever I have no answer beyond the once-witty now mainstream Rip It Up {and Start Again].
Cheers
And the vast majority of the misses from Michael Bailey’s hit or miss article Ed were post Kieran Scott.
Again it comes back to SW.
Kieran Scott left for a promotion, in titular terms anyway, while many of us thought he was the natural successor to Webber [remember the plan?]
It looks like KS could see what was coming down the tracks and jumped the train.
Attracting new recruits will be fun. Money gone just debts. Recruitment team gone. Good players leave like rats from the proverbial sinking ship (Cantwell, Dowell, Pukki. Oh and Ramsey). Who in their right mind with other offers would choose to come here? Yet here am with a ticket to the Blackpool game. At least it will give me an idea of whether we could survive in League One. That and the Ipswich games to come. I was wondering if we might one day have a chance to play Wrexham or if they will bypass us as they rise and we fall like a stone.
Hi Roger
As you, me and most of the Yellow & Green world well know, attracting decent recruits won’t be fun, it’ll be nigh-on bleedin’ impossible.
Players follow the media and word gets around in football circles, believe me. Two other Championship clubs I believe will have the same recruitment problems will be Reading [if applicable] and Stoke. Possibly watford too.
I hope your Wrexham reference is born of black humour rather than stark reality but put it this way, I have my suspicions 🙂
Cheers
It would be great Martin to see Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman at Carrow Road😂
I know the brilliant actor John Hurt was a season ticket holder before his untimely passing. Philip Pullman the writer of ” His Dark Materials” is also a season ticket holder.
The funniest moment I had at Carrow Road ( Bar Gunny’s idea of a goalkeeper, a passing thespian himself a Mr M. Theoklitos ) was seeing Trigger, Roger Lloyd Pack walking out of the ground.
Looked totally incongruous. Another who has sadly left us🌹
Hi Tim
I suppose we have to include the world of TV here and a few famous names at Carrow Road in the past would include Stephen Fry [obviously], Paul Whitehouse when he was at the UEA and Myleen [not Marlene] Klass,
Those with longer memories might recall Peter Cook, Warren Mitchell and dear old Tommy Trinder when he was chairman of Fulham. Eric Morecambe played a similar role at Luton, but I don’t know if he ever visited the Carra.
Last season we were blessed with the presence of the totally unfunny comedian Michael McIntyre*** and there must have been many others over the years that have been forgotten about or never identified.
Cheers
*** I’m sorry but I find Michael McIntyre completely insufferable.
Michael McIntyre….
I would rather watch paint dry Martin.
I also heard Sophie Ellis Bextor’s mum Janet of Blue Peter fame is a City fan.
You’re right about Janet Ellis, who always seems to come bottom on surveys of *Blue Peter presenters you can remember* 🙂
I often wonder if I know anything about football when successive managers pick the team.
Sorenson looked a class above the rest to me and yet we don’t play him in position. Ditto Idah, give give a long contract and play him out of position too whilst we play an American firing blanks in the middle. Is Idah any good? how can we tell. Dowell never got the chance to show his skills.
Gibbs looked ok in a central midfield position earlier in the season so let’s play him on the wing!!!
And so on and so on!!
At least we have a Derby to look forward to??
Hi Cyprus
Don’t start to doubt yourself. I think you’re right, although it must be said that Sarge took his goal very well yesterday.
My main problem with the Derby is that from what I’ve seen McKenna has built a very good side at Portaloo Road.
I can see those bragging rights disappearing as quickly as Stuart Webber pursuing a Fiver along a windswept Gentlemens Walk tbh.
I think I won that pint from earlier in the season 🙂 🙂 🙂
Cheers
Ah well that’s that , season ends in mid table mediocrity, as many defeats as wins, for the bookies favourites for promotion ,( and most punters) and more performances that stunk the league out than made you stand up and say wow.
The home record on its own , to be honest is one of a bottom 6 team . Fortress Carrow Road it was not, from home game 1.
Players not performing , coaches believing that putting square pegs in round holes works , and finally a sporting director whose more interested in climbing a sugar mountain than directing football.
Going to be a long summer widow and us fans feel helpless as to aid guide it .
So give Teemu a good send off, make him captain and sub him in the 88th minute ( for obvious reasons).
Hi Bernie
Yeah that home form does look gruesome on paper and although I wasn’t privy to it personally I certainly do know how deoralising it became for friends who in the end were going out of a sense of duty and little more.
Sometimes there were injury-led necessities for the square pegs syndrome to kick in but other times it seems to have been effected on a voluntary basis and not just by Smith, Wagner had his moments too.
Webber is doing his mountain thing against a background of raising money for his charitable foundation. I wonder what his attitude has cost that foundation in terms of donations from fans?
I like your plans for Teemu!
Cheers
So Martin, it’s nearly over.
Given that we are (supposedly) a well run club, how is it that with 2 of the last 4 seasons played in the PL, and its riches, we find ourselves shafted to the tune of some 60m quid…..and somewhat worse off than those clubs who are supposedly poorer??
I give you Luton; Millwall; Coventry, West Brom, Blackburn, Swansea and Preston.
Someone arrived 5 or 6 years ago and bemoaned the fact that the previous regime had pi$$ed copious sums “up the wall” and it would take some time to sort the finances out.
At that time we had one or two really good youngsters coming through who we were able to sell to plug the gaps. Now??
Next season really worries me since few of our younger players seem up to the task, and we know that under the current ongoing regime we don’t recruit in this country.
The record in the derby is sure to go, and I’d not be at all surprised given their momentum, that 1p5wich don’t go straight through the Championship; I fear that they are that good.
I hope Pukki gets a good send off next Monday – he really deserves it….unlike so many others further up our food chain who have just given us disappoinment after disappointment.
O T B C
Blackburn owned by Indian Billionaire Chicken farmers.
Preston owned by the Billionaire Hemmings Family.
Coventry owned by a City supporter worth £750m and who says he’s tried to buy City on at least 2 occasions but didn’t meet the criteria.
Swansea owned by an American hedgefund
As for the others – all richer than City owners except Luton who are suppose to be a supporter owned club but 82% is owned by Paul Ballantyne (unknown wealth).
All true – being unable to achieve at least a place in the play-offs with our myriad advantages is pi$$-poor, it really is.
Let’s say thanks to Delia and MFJ for the initial loans way back when but these were repaid ages ago. They put nothing into the Club whatsoever so even if the Smiths were worth £100 billion, 0% personal investment would still total 0%.
Most Blackburn fans would probably pick even Delia over the Venkys!
Hi John
Although 100% accurate at the time it was made, that *pi$$ed it up the wall* comment of Webber’s has returned time and time again to haunt him.
We are ostensibly NOT a well-run club and you don’t have to be a senior member of the CBI to see that.
The lack of saleable Academy *products* and a huge defecit on *player trading* were never in Webber’s plan, which goes to underline the key nature of gambling in his m.o.
Even in these times of simmering anger and apathy [there’s a combination!] I’m sure our Teemu will get the farewell he so richly deserves. Here’s hoping, anyway.
Cheers
Hi Martin
I suppose I will be in both camps come Saturday as I follow all Blackpool results, and I’m sad to see them relegated.
Their supporters were expecting it from day one when Appleton was appointed but Dobbie has got a bit of the fighting spirit back into them and there could be the possibility of Trybull on the pitch or in the squad.
As for Spurs, three goals down in 15 mins and a ref that did not send a Liverpool player off for dangerous play – kicking Skipp in the face – and then Richalson had a centre half all over him and no penalty given, yet Klopp says the ref didn’t give any decision their way and has a problem with the club.
If you take his comment as an insult to one ref, how would he cope with the amount of poor decisions City have endured this season? He would be a mental case.
Changes need to start from the very top and sweep away the heads of all those that are running the club into League One. Webber has surrounded himself with lackeys and yes men. Neil Adams, as his assistant, does nothing that I can see. He was better as a loans manager. Hughes is just an idiot – a poor loans manager given how our loans out have fared and now joins the band of supporter-hating brotherhood at City.
Wagner, for me, was a slight breath of fresh air coming in and did all the PR stuff to get the backing of supporters, but he hasn’t really improved the results. Maybe it’s the injuries – only time will tell.
Will we see a liferaft of freebies coming in to save their career more than rejuvenate a City team besides the out goings? ie Gunn, Aaron, Sara and Nunez, who might bring some shekels in but is that to cover a black hole or build a team?
Krul, McGovern could be gone for very little, Byram might get a new deal, Hayden could break the camels back if we have to sign him no matter what.
Dimi, Tzolis, Hernandez, McCallum, Gibbs, Rowe, Idah, Hanley McLean, Springget, Gibson, Andrew O and Sargent could be our base for next season but will it be Mair, McCracken or Barden between the sticks or another?
An exciting time? Or a worrying time?
Over to you and the other fonts of all knowledge 🤔🤔🤔
Hi Alex
Tommy T was denied a proper send-off due to Covid restrictions as I remember it [I could be wrong] but I am sure he will get a warm reception even if he is just among the travelling party. We can’t expect Dobbie to give him, say, the last five minutes on the pitch to take a bow as he might be accused of all sorts by his own supporters 🙂
Any money coming in will go to the black hole first with the team receiving the fag-end of anything that’s left and it won’t be a lot I can assure you.
This font of all knowledge [gigantic ha!] will have a worrying time. Those who think there might be some excitement to be got out of pre-season are welcome to enjoy it in their own way: live as you wanna live and all that hippy stuff is fine by me as long as I’m not expected to join in with the vibe, man.
Cheers
This end of season should be sponsored by Johnny Nash – there are more questions than answers. In fact, there are only questions and no bloody answers.
Wagner keeps coming out with cryptic twaddle which I suspect covers up the fact that he also doesn’t really have a clue what’s going on. But at least he says something, unlike the rest of the population of the boardroom.
As for Dowell going to that despicable institution, the phrase ‘ out of the frying pan into the fire’ is entirely appropriate. The hatred shown to their hierarchy by their fans makes what is happening at NR1 seem like a trifling tiff. Hail hail.
Hi Don
Yes Wagner does come out with comments that could be cryptic or quite equally could be twaddle. I’d never thought of that before tbh.
I agreed about Bears fans. Mind you they cannot get what they want any more than we can, so unfortunately we currently have something in common with them.
HH
Hi Font of all Knowledge 🤣🤣🤣
We are continuously told we aren’t in a footballing made area and that investment is lacking to our location.
Well shouldn’t the same criteria apply to Swansea, Wrexham – both outposts.
No one will understand why two Hollywood heavyweight bought a non-league club – was it a starter home to get on the ladder?
Swansea was owned by a local and looked for investment. In stepped two American hedge fund owners when the club was in the Premier League and within months shoved him out the backdoor and have now stagnated in the Championship.
Will Mark Attanasio be our saviour? Taking us forward to a new era or our stagnation to Championship mediocrity? Only time will tell us which way it will turn out.
The underlying question is what (if any) role our present owners will have in the future. What, if any, regime have the new owners have already got planned? Will Webber have done enough to impress them? Is he their man to implement said changes with his visits to the Brewers to learn their methods of recruitment?
The first priority is to stop our best players and backroom staff leaving for the competition, then try and recruit the best from those said competition.
Well we’re now in the same league as Plymouth Argyle, a real footballing outpost that isn’t just out on a limb in a geographical sense as Bath, Bristol, Gloucester and high-flying Exeter Chiefs are all top-notch Rugby Union clubs with large support.
I should have mentioned it in the article but this will have to serve as a good place to congratulate Bali Mumba on his promotion with aforementioned Argyl. Nice one Bali!
I still can’t answer any of the questions I’m afraid but I do know one thing:
Recruitment seems screwed both on and off the pitch.
Pi##ed it up the wall has definitely come back and bit Webber on his a##e. All those young players he’s bought, where are they now? Only Pukki and Buendia have been total successes. Yep, Webber’s pi##ed buckets up the wall, and time for him to do one!
Hi Tony
He’s sure get a way with words, has Mr Webber 🙂
Shame he doesn’t share some of them with the local media from time to time.
Cheers
It would be great Martin to see Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman at Carrow Road😂
I know the brilliant actor John Hurt was a season ticket holder before his untimely passing. Philip Pullman the writer of ” His Dark Materials” is also a season ticket holder.
The funniest moment I had at Carrow Road ( Bar Gunny’s idea of a goalkeeper, a passing thespian himself a Mr M. Theoklitos ) was seeing Trigger, Roger Lloyd Pack walking out of the ground.
Looked totally incongruous. Another who has sadly left us🌹
I know it’s a double-up comment but I forgot to add last time that Theoklitos claims to this day that he was *ill* when he took the field against Colchester!
A very sad end to our away trips for the season Martin.
To be fair the first half was decent the second half dire. The referee also had a game to forget.
And the five teams you mention in your hard hitting article, but very fair, the first four Coventry, Millwall, Sunderland and Blackburn we all beat at their place. Which goes to show our inconsistency in all its infamy as we drew most of our away games at the bottom club’s ground.
I am a little bit more understanding with Wagner wanting to wait until after the Blackpool game to dissect this season Martin, he has come across as mostly honest to me and I am sure we will hear more from him than anyone else at the club.
Which in itself is wrong commercially. Any business with loyal customers/fans should own up when a “product” has failed to come up to expectations. And it is morally wrong that “The-powers that-be” have hidden for months behind Dean Smith and now David Wagner.
Is Wagner the man for the job? None of us know, that is the bottom line. His assertion that no one cares more for Norwich City than Stuart Webber is exaggeration of the highest order. No it should read: No one cares more for Stuart Webber’s reputation than Stuart Webber.
But Wagner is stuck, he has to tow the club line. On the opposite end of the spectrum I get the impression that Michel Bailey has again been ticked off by the club for “Thoughtcrimes” again. Another stint at The Ministry of Truth for our Michael.
I would get behind Wagner for the early part of next season, though realizing that many supporters understandably want shot of the whole set up at Carrow Road and start afresh.
I really don’t want to go down the Watford way of sacking managers after a couple of defeats. Chris Wilder is getting a long service medal and tankard next Monday, absolutely ridiculous.
I am sad to see Kieran Dowell go and like you Martin wish him well. He hasn’t fulfilled his potential here mostly due to injuries but I do like him as a player. His leaving, among others inevitably, make it more crucial that seismic changes do happen in the summer, or League One could really become a reality for us.
And finally those lot beyond The Wall🚜🚜🚜 are getting understandably excited at playing us next year. Marty has already got his lovely blue coat all ready for Portman Road, but here is the question, would any of us on here trust this team to beat Kings Lynn at this moment in time?
I know I wouldn’t.
I don’t think we should question David Wagner’s honesty – you make a good call by highlighting it.
To me our business model reminds me of opening a vegan restaurant. It might work in NR3 but it wouldn’t stand a chance in Montevideo.
I’m not aware of any issues surrounding MB or The Athletic but it wouldn’t surprise me. I’m anything but ashamed to say that Webber wouldn’t talk to me either, as indeed he wouldn’t to one or two of our other writers or at least 75% of those who are kind enough to comment.
Be kind to those you meet on the way up would have seemed like particularly good advice to have given Mr Webber but it’s far too late for that now.
As for the Binners next season, it does have a kind of air of inevitability about it. doesn’t it? 🙂
Another good read martin and I’ve still got Andys effort to catch uo with as well..
A.seismic change is indeed needed, anybody with an opinion worth listening to agrees with that.
When Blackpool rock uo here next week for the last hurrah of this dismal season, the symmetry shouldn’t be lost on us that it was on the last day of the last dismal season that the Attanasio clan first entered our consciousness. Yet still we await some concrete moves.
Some of the mfw writers have attempted to pour oil on the troubled waters by assuring us that everything is in hand. Such is the lack of trust left in the clubs hierarchy that for most of us nagging doubts remain.
The weak ownership places norwich city in a vulnerable position and if they are intent on clinging on to their vestiges of power going into next season they need to be left in no doubt that their time has come. Its simple. Leave now and allow the club to grow with proper funding or risk being prised out amid acrimony and skulking out through the back door with no thoughts of legacies or lifetime presidencies etc.
Its clear that fresh air needs to blow through the corridors at carrow Road.
Hi Chris
*Such is the lack of trust left in the clubs hierarchy that for most of us nagging doubts remain.*
The longer this goes on the more my nagging doubts are turning into fully-fledged examples of the genre.
It has been explained to me – and indeed the rest of us – by a couple of MFW folks I have great respect for that these things take time and we shouldn’t run away with ourselves by expecting anything to move on in a hurry. I am taking that in the right spirit for now – it has the ring of truth about it, after all.
Personally however I have never expected too much from the Attanasio family, although I liked your idea the other day that they might be hovering in the wings until the time is right to strike and they can acquire the *rotting corpse of the club under favourable terms* or something like that!
Alas for some fans the Attanasio way does not seem to include investment on the pitch and that is why my expectations have been limited since day one.
Cheers
Yes you can just imagine it Martin, Portman Road a hot day, a cauldron of enmity at both ends of the pitch.
Angus fails a late fitness test, we are without Hanley, McClean and Sargent with injuries and Delia announces she has bought out Mark Attanasio and agreed to stay on as majority shareholder for at least another 30 years.
To save money Stuart Webber job shares with Captain Croc, purely to spy on those pesky fans.
A real Along Come Norwich day 😱😢
I hope this comment is a by-product of you watching too many of those dark Scandi movies that have been popular in the UK for some time now 🙂
😂😂😂
Even Stephen King couldn’t have created a storyboard like that!!!