i think worthington as a manager is summed up in this sentence and why it was so necessary to rid ourselves of him quicker than we did... “When I did go in, I heard Nigel (Worthington) saying, ‘Well done, lads! It’s been a good season.’ I couldn’t agree with that. ‘It’s not been a good season!’ I said. ‘We’ve just been embarrassed in front of millions of people when we had a chance to stay in this league – and some haven’t even turned up!’ ...why would you say good season when you've just been humiliated and relegated?!
some interesting stuff in here. Also an article on the BBC as well now which appears on the Premier League pages. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15255822.stm If only we could morph Hucks from 2004 into our current team!
Worthington was a weakling, I gradually ran out of patience with him during that season. As for Roeder to this day makes he makes me laugh his favourite little lapdog Fotheringham and the nifty little mover Koruma. During pre-season after he kept us up I began to worry, he had helped us survive relegation which made him indispensable for a few months with our shocking board, by then he was doing his damage with a legion of loan signings which baffled me. I actually think Huckerby is being too nice to the guy.
I doubt whether Huckerby will be particularly critical of Worthy in his book. Yes he sounds a little weak in that extract and ran out of ideas by the end, but he was brilliant for Norwich and brilliant for Huckerby's career.
People criticising Worthington as weak should remember how he transformed the despair of the Hamilton era (which was just as bad as Grant and Roeder) and brought in the players that ultimately won the title. Yes he went a season too late but he brought in Huckerby, Edworthy, Svennson,McKenzie, Francis etc. and transformed McVeigh. Not a great manager but in comparison to those before and after him had some good points. Roeder on the other hand deserves all he gets.
Agree with Kent, Worthie was hardly a villain in the scheme of things, was he? Had some good moments. Hope he goes back into club management now he's stepped down from NI. Always had some respect for him, he just left a little later than was prudent. We've had a few wrong 'uns, but Roeder is the worst in living memory. Nothing good to say about him whatsoever.
I remember being quite excited when Roeder was appointed! Obviously nobody really knows what goes on at other clubs, but I felt that serious illness finished him at West Ham, nobody being sure if he would make a full recovery, I also believe his time at Newcastle was interrupted by political fighting from within! I thought we had got a good 'un and we would prosper from the deal! Oh, how wrong can you be?
I actually agree Dave. I mean initially I was VERY sceptical about Roeders appointment but a few weeks in he grew on me. I recall reading a few articles about what his plans were for the club and it pains me to say it but at the time I agreed. I recall one quote whereby he said Norwich are "too nice". He went on to say that everyone enjoys coming to "little old Norwich" for a nice day out. He wanted to change that perception and make it a more daunting prospect, which in part I agreed with. We were too much of a push over at the time. How he went about it on the other hand is a completely different story. Ripping the heart out of the club was not the best idea and sacking everyone down to the kit man was ridiculous.
Roeder was a terrible manager for us but, what he had to overcome in his private life with his health makes me reluctant to hate the bloke.....He had guts in beating a horrific illness
It's the separation of public and private, isn't it? As a man, I don't really have any feelings toward him. As you say, he had to overcome an awful illness and I don't think any of us would wish him anything other than a long and healthy life. However, as a manager he stunk and I wouldn't want to see him anywhere near Carrow Road again. As for Worthy, my opinion is decent manager that stayed/was allowed to stay too long.
These little excerpts just get better and better. I have to get this book.... http://www.pinkun.com/norwich-city/i_was_on_the_roeder_to_nowhere_huckerby_1_1087191
Those Huckerby extracts have just made me even more grateful for what we have now. This far on I'm actually able to laugh at this: “Foreign signings proved to be a bit of a sticking point around that time. Who can forget Julien Brellier? He was known as The Judge, for some reason; word got round that he was a proper enforcer, but I never saw anything of that from him. I remember one game in particular. Around an hour in, he had the ball in midfield, and I was open on the left about 25 yards away. He had about three opportunities to put me in, but didn’t. I went over to him. ‘Julien, what’s up?’ I asked him. ‘I can’t kick it over there,’ he said. ‘I can’t kick it that far . . . ’” Ah, Mr. Brellier, you really couldn't make it up!
I do remember yes he was a breath of fresh air in comparison to Hamilton, neither am I doubting him on the footballing and tactical side of being a football manager, but he did come across as a bit of a weak character during that season in Prem, interviews after matches he looked like a beaten man quite aloof to be honest. Now the stories about him I bet some of the players were laughing square at him after the Fulham game. I respect Worthy for what he done just he obviously wasn't great at dealing with the players with ego's. Lambert for an example never slates the players in the press but I bet he has some serious words with them when their not performing.
