Another poor week for the club, both in terms of results and also with the news that the beleaguered David Wagner and his coaching team have again been asked to pick the team for the Cardiff away game. I just hope, for all of their sakes, they all have their tin hats with them.
But away from the team and team selections for one minute, my last article received lots of great comments but one that suggested that I wanted Zoe Webber to be sacked and gave no clear reason why.
To be clear, I have no axe to grind with Mrs Webber and neither with her husband come to that – both have, for a time, enjoyed success at City – but times are slowly changing and sacrifices have to be made to implement fundamental change.
With Ben Knapper coming on board two weeks earlier than originally reported, hopefully, those changes will be coming sooner than expected but my point was that having your predecessor’s wife as your boss could make those changes harder to implement.
I’m not suggesting for one minute she will intentionally block any progress – far from it – but loyalty runs deep and some changes could be hard for her to accept. I feel a clean break would be in everyone’s best interest and if she were to find another big challenge at another club, I would wish her the best of luck.
But back to Mr Knapper and his in-tray. For me, it’s as follows:
1) Make a swift decision on Wagner and his backroom staff.
2) Decide on a replacement coach and their own backroom staff.
3) Rebuild the recruitment team
4) Use the Arsenal connections for possible loans for January.
5) Do what is possible to keep Jon Rowe, Gabriel Sara, Angus Gunn, and Josh Sargent.
6) Engage with the local media and supporters in order to get them onside.
In that search for a new head coach, Knapper needs to identify one with a preferred style of play – one that can become the new ‘Norwich way’ – but given the names already being bandied around, who knows what that will be.
The bookies have already drawn up lists of possible incoming coaches, whether it be the young Arsenal assistant manager Carlos Cuesta or more experienced names like Frank Lampard, John Eustace, Gary Rowett, Nigel Pearson, or a completely out-of-the-blue unknown candidate. Maybe even Big Sam, Chris Wilder, or Neil Warnock (please no – Ed) could be considered options to steady a slowly sinking ship?
Let’s hope Knapper can ignite a spark into this team with a change of coach but being open with his aims and ambitions with the local media and supporters in order to start rebuilding trust would be a first great step.
What is certain is that the recruitment of a complete unknown outside of Arsenal to lead the club forward is a risk. It could end up being a brilliant move but the big risk element is clear. Let’s just hope he wasn’t appointed because they perceived him as someone who won’t stir the pot and will be content follow their lead.
But there can be no underestimating the size of his task. We now have the oldest squad we have had in a very long time – maybe since the days of Glenn Roeder.
In terms of the summer recruits that pushed up the average age, the relatively youthful Jack Stacey has looked like a positive signing and Ashley Barnes had a good start until his untimely injury, but Shane Duffy has shown why Fulham let him go and, until now, no one has seen hide nor hair of Danny Batth.
Ben Gibson is out until the new year, but Grant Hanley is possibly back for the Cardiff game and with Kenny McLean a constant in the starting XI, the average age shows no sign of coming down, so there is much work to do for the new sporting director.
In terms of the changes at the board level, Mark Attanasio needs to front up and tell everyone what his immediate and long-term plans are. Many have said this over the last few weeks, but the sound is deafening and the Stowmarket Two haven’t exactly been forthcoming either.
Much has also been written about the accounts and the loss of income via the TV monies and the taking out of loans charged against the parachute payments, but little has been mentioned about payments made to Daniel Farke and his team and Dean Smith and his team following their respective sackings.
I’m sure both would be eye-watering sums.
In summary, City are in a mess both on and off the pitch and no one at the club or on the board seems to want to address supporters or open dialogue with them.
Worrying times. Good luck Mr Knapper!
Alex, when I read this article it mirrored almost to a punctuation mark my exact thoughts. The priority list is absolutely correct in order. Hopefully young Mr Knapper has taken good counsel and a prospective head coach has already been identified. I would be shocked if the target list has not been drawn up.
As you so rightly stated, the recruitment team is not fit for purpose or have been completely bypassed. That needs to change pronto.
The easiest hit on the list is the comms with both the local media and the supporters – get that sorted. It has recently seemed to be awful.
Hopefully we will see a steadying of the ship. We can expect no more at this stage.
Hi Andrew
Thanks for the comment
I have this nightmare that Attanasio and his Group will be similar to the Glazers at United.
Maybe start off with good intentions getting the club promoted then stability in the Premier League but suddenly they see all those big payments and start to give themselves large directors fees instead of ground improvements and selling for an astronomical amount of profit.
Maybe if they are more open in their future plans these nightmares might be put to rest.
Alex it i exactly what two Brewsers fans forecast a poor man’s Glazier their term. cannot find that thread again.
Not one of the Fans on Reddit said he will spend anything on the playing side, A few quotes from Brewers Fans
” if he does it will be mediocre, a perceived lack of spending annoys fans”
“don’t expect him to spend much on players. ”
“Mark Attanasio will spend money on mediocrity. Good for a business owner but leaves the fan base in a constant state of frustration. ”
“f you like where you’re at, Mark won’t do much to move you downward”
” which then requires selling your team off to the saudi’s and their oil cash.”
Well summarised Alex.
The current situation is so bad that it needs a complete clear out and Webber should be just the beginning.
For Delia to say if she doesn’t agree to the handover in three years she’ll say no is complete and utter nonsense as she won’t be able to handle the debt and the club would presumably go into receivership.
Attanasio and Norfolk Holdings need to take over now to put a stop to the doubt and confusion which is extremely damaging.
Knapper needs full backing and hopefully will trust in youth as we have several promising young player who look a deal better than the current dads army but who are being, ridiculously so in my opinion, ignored by the current coach.
Appoint a new young and hungry coach and give the long suffering fans some hope and something they can appreciate.
Very much agree JohnF.
Delia Smiths latest rant in which she claimed Attansio would be sent packing if he didn’t meet her expectations was ridiculous.
It was just the latest in a long line of excruciating statements made while clearly not engaging her brain before opening her trap.
In fact its so delusional that it should send warning signals to everyone who purports to care about the club.
Game over. Go.
Hi JohnF
Thanks for the reply
Norwich just don’t do the simple things correct.
They made possibly one of the most moving videos on mental health and have got much praise for it’s communication of this illness yet can’t get a simple message out to supporters on the future of the club.
Will BK get the backing he needs, be allowed to do things his way or have to toe the line only time will tell, a more experienced person might have wanted to bring in people that have operated with him previously but does BK have those people and would Arse-nal let him recruit personal from them.
Carlos Cuesta might ask to leave if city approach them but at what cost in compensation or maybe Edwards the England U20 coach might be in the frame, Pelach I think might just get the job till the season ends with an option of getting it full time.
Bang on Mr B. I do wonder if Master Knapper knows the full extent – nobody at board level will probably admit there is a crisis going on. They will simply look at Wagner’s results and decide enough is enough.
As to the rest of the huge pile of crap they have over seen and created, simply it is not seen to the full extent.
Rose-tinted glasses are a must in the board room. The silence from the ruddy cook and co is hardly surprising, as they do not want to admit to effing it up, all over again. Do they? We should know by now that nowt all, will change at the top level.
Attanasio is tied up with his own troubles with the Brewers. I am not convinced he will be the saviour from what I have read of the Brewers fans comments. Do not expect too much money, he instructs his guys to find talent and pay very little – I believe that is why his head coach/manager left for rivals. Perhaps someone with better info on that sport can help.
I think Knapper will issue a P45 to Wagner, Bühler & Hughes (who has screwed up Adams’s good work with the loans) and I think Narcís Pelach will be given the reigns on a temporary basis, buying them more time while searching and interviewing the next mug.
There cannot be a quick decision – look at what happened with Smudger. That was all change and I have been told Cooper was the target until Villa did the right thing.
Sadly, I still see Sara and Rowe being sacrificed for the sake of bringing the age down of the squad. One or two will be unloaded, Wang, Batth and possibly Duffy. Warner will be promoted and a Tomkinson loan deal looked at closely to see if he can come home under an emergency shortage of fit CBs.
Arsenal have three defensive midfielders in their U21s and are looking at another from Portugal. Whether one of these can do a job remains to be seen – that is if they are ready.
Probably none of this will happen. This is Norwich city with owners who will not admit mistakes but continue to make them .
Hi Canarylad
The Brewers franchise may so be on the if you believe the rumour mills, their stadium like most in the good ol USA are owned by the city fathers and a rent is paid out of all the profits, all maintenance and modernisation is again paid for by the city.
The rumours are Attanasio and the other owners want a new stadium with greater capacity and better facilities and if the Milwaukee City can’t or won’t give into their demands then there’s a couple of places that will give them what they want so no loyalty.
I just hope he understands that City isn’t a franchise that can be moved at his will.
Thanks for the comment.
Yes, goodbye thanks for two good years out of 7. Isn’t it funny? We now have one of the best training facilities in the country followed by one of the worst Norwich teams I’ve seen for ages. We are a laughing stock at the moment. Who’s using those facilities?
Hi Mystic Kev
That’s a good question about who’s using Colney maybe it’s fitted out for mountaineering practice.
I’ll go for 3 out of 7 years under Webber but it all came crashing down not only when he sacked Farke who took the fall for Webber’s poor recruitment but Kieran Scott to Middlesbrough and Hoylt to Brighton to head up their European recruitment Data program plus others that left to progress their careers.
Was it Webbers EGO or the club’s lack of ambition for such a big turn over in the recruitment department.
Thanks for the comment
Its akin to giving violins to apes and expecting a symphony
Spot on Alex.
Mr Knapper is not only a new broom he is coming in as a fire fighter.
I cannot believe the club have pi**ed most of the money earnt in the EPL away.
To be we we are with two years of EPL money and two years of parachute payment is nothing short of mismanagement. If results had gone against us on Saturday we could have been one place outside the relegation places😱.
So for the last time can the club stop calling themselves self-funding. They clearly are not.
Not only has this money been wasted we now have a sizeable debt. And JohnF is right, Delia HAS to accept Mark Anttanasio’s stewardship of the club. Otherwise where is she getting the money to pay the said debt.
I am starting to suspect our dear owner hasn’t gone into this arrangement with MA willingly, more likely kicking and screaming because she has got the club into so much debt and needs him more than he needs her.
Marcus Rashford was in trouble the other Sunday because he had a birthday party straight after United’s defeat to City in the derby. It looked terrible, but so did Delia drinking it up in the City pub straight after Sunday’s defeat at Carrow Road. It was a “up you” to the fans.
Ben Knapper has so much to do I don’t know where to start?
Your list for starters Alex. Agree with everyone of them. The age of the squad is a big worry. How have we gone from fielding a team too young against Swansea last season to the oldest we have had in years?
Getting in a couple of old heads was a good idea but 6-7 …madness. And Shane Duffy on a three year contract.🤬.. yee gods. I know Shane has been a top player, but we saw for ourselves with our own Teemu last season, the years do catch up with you.
Wagner should not be at Cardiff. Its not fair on him or the traveling supporters.
Sorry to say Alex but apart for the massively improved training ground (*for which SW does deserve praise) we are back to 2017 when SW arrived, ageing squad, a big debt and a discord between club and fans.
Its a huge job Ben, best of luck, you’ll need it 😥
On Zoe Ward Alex, in an ideal world I agree it would be best in an ideal world to have a complete top to bottom reboot in the Executive but its isn’t going to happen.
Funnily enough she might find it easier to work with Ben Knapper, Not being someone she goes home with, she lets hope so.
Hi Tim
On Zoe Ward over her period at the club (she came with McNally from Fulham) and has worked out very well for the owners.
Can she adapt to how Knapper will want to work or see change things only time will tell but I can see a conflict of interest not to see her husbands work disguarded by a new comer.
Also others will be looking at the changes for good or bad both will have to adapt to new methods and Knapper will need trusted people around him to survive the first few months.
Webber fell into the EGO trap thinking he knew better and the owners just let it get out of hand
Thanks for the comment
Just an update from the Norwich City site.
Another of our youth players that had so much potential has left the club, sadly his loans never took him to the next level.
Norwich City can confirm that academy player Tom Dickson-Peters’ has departed the club.
The striker leaves the club by mutual consent. Dickson-Peters joined the club at Under-15s level, and progressed through the age groups into the Under-21s.
Everyone at Norwich City wishes Tom all the best for the future.
“… my last article received lots of great comments but one that suggested that I wanted Zoe Webber to be sacked and gave no clear reason why.”
That is because you clearly stated that she should go and gave not other reason that that she is married to Stuart Webber.
Hi Scotcan
Maybe I was a little unclear but I just thought that like many others at the club had come to the end of her time with city.
With her husband resigning and looking for a new challenge I just had an inkling the lady might be in the same mind and would want to unstick do the same.
I never said the club should sack her because of her husband leaving and if she stays I hope she helps turn the clubs fortunes around.
Along with Tim zsmith and Ed Balls she help convince her husband to join city and we can be grateful for that.
Everyone has a sell by date or a new challenge date and in my opinion Zoe Webber just might have reached hers at city.
Did I phrase it wrong possibly by saying she should go with out reasons again possibly.
If you have objects to my opinions why not write an article explaining why my reasons are wrong and why the lady should stay.