In that summer of 2014, Norwich sold seven and bought 16. They spent £2.7m more on the new men than they got for the ones who left. They offered handsome incentives to keep players at Carrow Road and entice others to join them.
Ed Balls: bullish, pugnacious, political bruiser, man of princple but, above all, a proper City fan
Ed is formidably bright and disarmingly charming in person — but didn’t earn his reputation as a political bruiser by ducking a fight. I expect the new chairman to be our pugnacious champion in meetings with the Premier League and others.
It’s time for the negativity to stop. Russ, Alex et al have done more than enough to be spared the moans
Brendan Rogers has been able to spend £312.8 million in three years but even before that wantonness, the inequalities of resources had grown and grown, so that Liverpool have won nine of the last 11 meetings with Norwich.
Wembley a fitting reward for the Yellow Army who were there when the dark depths were plummeted
As Malcolm Robertson said in his MyFootballWriter piece ahead of Wembley, you have to experience the crushing lows to value the vaunting highs. And, as Delia told the TV audience, Wembley was particularly rewarding for us because so many of us carry scars from dismal disappointments.
With a serious young Scot on the rudder, right now the austere approach works for the Canaries
It is certainly true that Neil is willing to change his men and alter how they are deployed. In Scotland he preferred 4-1-4-1. With Norwich, he has had success with 4-2-3-1, the much-loved diamond (4-1-2-1-1) and several variants of the 4-4-1-1 he went with against Forest.
Still twenty-one games to go, everything to play for. So, let’s be having you! We can do this!
There appeared to be a lot of confusion about how we should reorganise. Alex Neil was in the technical area, but Phelan, Three Lungs and goal-keeping coach Tony Parks were giving instructions too and Russ Martin, the skipper, made at least two return trips to the side of the pitch for clarification.
City board plan to have new man in place before Saturday’s trip to league leaders Bournemouth
McNally’s normal modus operandi is to consult senior players. He ignores extreme opinions but seeks to gauge the consensus of the sensible. Then he asks the manager what plans there are to address flaws or failings.
Silence from the board suggests that, for the short-term at least, Adams will remain in City hotseat
It needs to be remembered that the Barclay and Snake Pit were magnificent during Saturday’s game. The support was loud and stirring. From my season ticket seat in the Community Upper, it provided goose bump moments.
Let’s do things differently this time round. Let the City debate be constructive and without acrimony
If you think Delia and Michael don’t really care or understand, then you and I will never agree and I can’t be bothered with you. It would be like trying to reason with nutters who swear Elvis is working at the Vauxhall Caravan Park on the Acle New Road. If, however, you know that Delia and Michael have always striven to do the best for the club, then that is a proper starting point to consider the work of Neil Adams.
No pain, no gain. City now reaping the reward of Bowkett and McNally’s frugality
The first time I heard McNally speak in public – at a meeting of the Capital Canaries days after that 7-1 humbling by Lambert’s Colchester in August 2009 – he banged on about needing to reduce debts. He spoke more about that than anything else.
Of many Molineux bad days, Sunday was one of the worst. And not because of what occurred on the green stuff
The light touch of the Wolves stewards – only enforcing the law (and it is a law) where the standers were being deliberately inconsiderate to others – was helpful to the majority of supporters. We all care about the same team. We all give our money, our time and our emotional commitment to the same cause. Surely we can ALL show basic decency and politeness to each other?
Lots of ‘ifs’ but if the cards are played right we could yet see the Y’Army frowns turn to smiles
One of the enduring myths about last season is that Chris Hughton didn’t play to RVW’s strengths. I am not trying to resurrect the Hughton argument. I lost that one and don’t want to be divisive ahead of a campaign when unity in the stands will be especially important.
The wait is over. Neil Adams aims for a return to ‘attacking, attractive and winning football’
Adams only earned one point from those games but the club hierarchy was impressed with the way he tackled a formidable run of fixtures – and also how he dealt with two undisclosed disciplinary issues within the squad.
The West Brom debacle, a brief meeting with the board, and the die was cast for Hughton
Only a dark hurt deep in his eyes betrayed the bleakness Hughton was feeling. Only private, whispered conversations revealed Delia’s mood. She was in pieces, but with practised sincerity, she produced smile after smile as countless fans asked her to be in their “selfies”.
Boils down to expectations. And for those who think change guarantees improvement…
Norwich were winning. Bringing Howson on would enable a switch to the 4-2-3-1 system which was so effective in a run of games before it was abandoned with disastrous results to accommodate Wes at Villa Park.
The bad blood between Villa and City makes Wes’s desire to move to the second city ever more unlikely
I understand that the only circumstances in which they might be prepared to part with Hoolahan in this transfer window is if they could sign someone better at his sort of role – operating centrally just behind the main striker.
While we perceive ourselves as ‘massive’, in reality we’re a small(ish) fish in the Premier League pond
City got the best “value per point” in the entire Premier League last season under Hughton. Finishing 11th cost just over £500,000 per point. Compare that with Chelsea, who blew £5m a point!
Is sacking the manager the answer? History tells us City fans should be careful what they wish for
The most successful manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, was loathed by fans and very nearly kicked out – before turning things around just a tad. A year ago Arsenal fans were telling Arsene Wenger he didn’t know what he was doing. Now they top the table.
The legend known as “Big Dunc” – the rock upon which the modern version of Norwich City was built
He seemed indestructible, so the news that his brain has been dying, one cell at a time, is crushingly sad. But I am fortune enough to have a personal recollection which has made me smile down the years and which is help at this most mournful of times.
Epic victory at Watford but flaws in playing 4-4-2 laid bare to those who still wish for ‘two up top’
Hughton is not inherently cautious or defensive. How could ten different Tottenham managers have valued his coaching if he does not prize attacking play? Yes, he likes an organised defence. And he believed that was the area which needed improving when he took over at Norwich.