There are many things more important than football, the most important being recognising the futility and uselessness of war.
Before the game yesterday, I got to know one of my neighbours in the Barclay better, and it created a very poignant moment. He’s 80 years old (though I would never have guessed) and was born in Germany in 1943. His father was killed in Italy three weeks before the Second World War ended, and he came to England with his mother in 1948.
We have our father’s nationality in common, but mine survived the war and married a vicar’s daughter in Yorkshire.
We held the silence in the ground, as did most people today, although I did mutter “all countries” when the announcer said, “for our country.” As the last strains of The Last Post floated away into the crowd’s applause, I turned to my neighbour who looked at me through his tears and said, “It’s so sad, isn’t it?”.
I gave him a hug and said to him, “Especially when you can see both sides like we can.”
A sage nod, a wipe of his face, and then we were back to Barclay banter. These are the moments that matter, really, not the disarray on the pitch at Carrow Road that followed.
And so to the game. Regardless of the whys and wherefores, it’s stupid and moronic to boo one of your own players from kick-off. How’s that going to play out? Not well, to be honest, and it didn’t.
At first, I thought the boos were because the first pass out from the back was to the left – again. But no, it was because of the player the pass went to. We were becoming witnesses of going from one extreme to the other. There’s been so much criticism of passing to the left from the back, it appeared to me that David Wagner had issued an edict that there were to be no passes to the left from the back at all, even if there was space there.
I don’t understand. Play into space, and play into space quickly. The only thing this team seems to be able to do at pace is to concede goals.
Around me, people were blaming the keeper for the first goal, because it went in at the near post. Yes, near-post goals are bad for keepers to concede, but when your defence just disintegrates and goes missing, when the opposing forward could have planted it either side of the defenceless keeper, he’s going to end up in no-man’s land anyway.
A total abdication of responsibility by the defence. And that’s the story of the entire game, in truth – every player expecting someone else in the side to actually make the final decision on a pass, on a move, on a tackle, on everything. And the criticisms of Hwang Ui-jo for popping up everywhere from centre-half to centre-forward were undeserved – at least he was trying to put himself about. No one else really was.
This was a joyless half-hearted display. Blackburn out-fought us, out-thought us, defended with vigour and courage and commitment, while we just stood on the ball like we were 3-0 up, not them. There were massive holes in our midfield most of the time, holes that Blackburn exploited at will.
At other times, our midfield resembled a hair knot, with five players within yards of each other, obscuring each other’s line of sight, line of pass, a querulous gaggle of Canaries with no idea of what to do. Even when we had 11 men playing Blackburn’s 10 (after a warranted red card – it’s about time football adopted the awarding of penalty goals for professional fouls when a forward is clear through), we slowed the pace for some totally and utterly unfathomable reason.
After 15 minutes it looked like all the Norwich players just wanted to get off the pitch. They weren’t playing for the fun of it. They weren’t playing for the club. They weren’t even playing for themselves. They were just going through the motions whilst being clueless as to how to alter the trajectory of the game.
Even amateur players (perhaps that should be especially amateur players) fight until the final whistle actually goes. Hardly any of the Norwich players did, if any. Why forwards don’t sprint back after losing the ball, or after a shot that’s gone wide, is beyond me.
What is it with sauntering back to the halfway line instead of getting back there at speed so a new attack can be built without someone being in an offside position? What is it with playing out slowly from the back when you’re trying to get back a three-goal deficit?
And don’t talk to me about tactics and inviting the gegenpress so you can beat them on the break. It doesn’t work, not in this environment. Not in this team.
I’m thankful to my seat neighbour for reminding me of the importance of humanity. That, for me, was the most precious thing this season will give me.
A very poignant moment and one that warms a heart.
Chris Sutton said more than once it looked as if the players had downed tools, from watching the debacle on sky, it was hard to disagree. Later Kenny came out and put the blame on players, next out was Wagner defending his players and taking the blame.
The state we are in is just a symptom of the total unprofessional way the club is being driven off Cromer cliffs at speed. I would imagine that’s cannot be many people, even those not interested in City who cannot get their heads round what the **** is being allowed to happen at the top of this shambles of a club. I am not going to keep going over the same ground, it is common knowledge amongst the yellow faithful.
Yet another coach/Manager is going to lose his living because of abysmal handling of this club. How many more will we see in Delia’s disaster ?
It was 1961/62 that I first entered the turnstiles at Carrow, heck I even played on the turf as a school kid and later as an older teenager. I have seen some crap in that time. I look back remembering the highs as well, we moaned, groaned about Chase, but some of the clubs great moments came under his ownership. Yep he sold players but hasn,t this regime done the same ? He brought real estate, who reaped any benefits ? This current clueless set up and they will continue down the path to the cliff edge with the same result from doing the same things
I along with many others have been around this club longer than the Slowmarket duo, so I would like to appeal to them to do the right thing. You have had a good go for 27 years running this club, you constantly have made the same mistakes , believing yours way is the only right way. After all this time, with the mounting debt , and yet another manager (who must not take all the blame ) is about to bite the dust.
While you will sit back and help with the search for another mug who comes onboard, believing this is a top job. they will soon find out. Bruce Rioch stated as he left the hot seat…that there was no ambition …. how many others can say that ? but that still rings true today.
Forget the mad hand over period to The Norfolk Group. Get them in now surely they do not need their hands held, especially by someone who has made the situation the club now suffers.
Take an honorary position not on the board, carry on with what you were once good at cooking in your venues, surely that is enough for you to deal with in these later years of life.
Just hand over and allow them to get on with it. before any credit you have is turned to something really unpleasant. It is growing even from some who once supported you. Many believe you saved the club, but being honest it was Sir Geoffrey who did that, but you now stand here with that very chance being offered for you to actually save this club by stepping back and handing over. You say that you have the clubs best interests at heart…Now Prove It
You all have much better histories with this club than I do, and speak with more wisdom and knowledge than I could. Thanks for contributing at such length. I wish I knew what the answer to all this was, because, despite starting off as a neutral with a season ticket, I’m growing extremely fond of this football club.
Players do try, but its of course true that when you keep on losing it affects your energy levels negatively during the games. Its a mental thing, after all we are talking about humans and frustrated fans it does not make it easier to change the course.
I have predicted tough times for Norwich fans after Pukki, Buendia, Farke era. When you get your football heaven, its very difficult to please after that. Still manager Wagner has brought you to the wrong direction. The old dog does not learn new tricks so obviously he is trying to make again Hudds again. It does not work like that.
About managerial changes. HJK sacked their manager during the season when they were leading the league and had a 1-0 lead in their champions league qualification game. The new manager got for them the championship again and european conference league group stage position. Now they sacked him and the next season manager is 35 years old spanish who has zero managerial experience. He does have a vice manager experience. The reason behind that is playing style and player development. HJK will make about 2 million profit again or maybe even more depending on how their player sales go after the season.
The war in Ukraine seems endless, both sides cultures seem too similar to be able to give up and negotiate. It had affected massively financially everywhere in Europe. Living costs have risen and buying an own apartment is not anymore what people want to do.
Everyone’s human. Perhaps that’s the real tragedy in what we’re witnessing at this football club.
Regarding your first point, I wish more people would appreciate that there should be room for nuance even in things we feel strongly about (anyone who doesn’t know the meaning of nuance, look at yesterday’s match stats!).
Regarding the booing of a player, I assume you’re referring to Shane Duffy. The only booing of him I heard was from the Blackburn fans, booing an ex player. There was, unsurprisingly, much collective booing of the truly awful team we pay a considerable chunk of money to watch.
Nothing seems to be right with anything connected to the first team. I don’t have answers, I barely have questions. I just know that what I see at Carrow Road at the moment reminds me strongly of the tenures of Peter Grant and Glenn Roeder-and we all know where that led to.
As I said in my response below, I thought part of the Barclay were booing him (and heard some other people after the game saying exactly what I was thinking). I am more than happy to be proven wrong. MInd you, booing your own side is probably just as bad.
The booing from the start was for Shane Duffy, by Blackburn fans. He used to play for them.
At no point did Norwich supporters boo an individual Norwich player. This is important.
I think Phil’s right, Richard. Although I’m in the River End, I assumed the booing for Duffy to be from Blackburn fans because he once played for them.
I thought I heard a lot of the Barclay booing as well, and heard some people after the game saying the same as I was thinking. However, I’m happy to be proven wrong.
Thank you, Richard. A measured and poignant report. That’s all – I felt I needed to tell you that.
Thanks very much, Chris. Very much appreciated. R