There's a colossal grey area between 'going straight back up' and 'imploding'. Personally, I can't see us doing either any time soon.
Agreed, I think we're set for a return to mediocrity. The board have made some very bold decisions, possibly unnecessarily so. They really need to be proved right in making them if we're to continue to grow as a club.
Not for the first time, I find the sensationalist attitudes expressed by some City supporters strange, to say the least. Implode? Why? You could argue that the most likely obstacle to City gaining promotion are the divisions in it's fan base. It was certainly a factor in City's relegation. Next year will be a test in many different ways. To get back on topic, however, the following is a Rangers oriented view of Lafferty with two YouTube clips of his goals: http://therangersreport.com/2014/06/24/is-kyle-lafferty-on-the-verge-of-signing-with-norwich-city/? It also hits on some interesting facts about Lafferty, including that at Palermo "he made 18 starts & appeared 16 times as a substitute", which makes his 11 goals in 34 games look a bit more impressive. The article also draws heavily on Gary Gowers' Metro article, which also makes it worth reading, IMO.
The goal record is not my concern, its not that bad. My point is we are buying him because he is 6 '4 and that does not fit with the Adams blueprint he has been selling himself as. It doesn't work like that, you buy players of that size for one reason alone. Decent footballers at that height are few and far between. I'm not wholly against signing him, I'm just seeing two issues with valuation and with what Adams is saying he is going to do.
Just cos he's signing him, does not mean he's guna play hoofball or play him from the start for that matter.
Even some of the best teams in the world are sometimes in need of a plan B. Having someone on the bench we can bring on and play route 1 to in the 85th minute when we're behind is not a bad idea to me. That's not to say our plan A is good enough, it clearly needs work, but signing a different option doesn't mean plan A is complete. It's like Lambert going to Liverpool. He won't start regularly, but he's a different, fairly inexpensive option available to them. RvW, Hooper, Grabban and Lafferty would be a nice, varied striking quartet if we could hold on to them all.
It's possible, I think. Last season was a complete disaster and the club went into a tailspin. The Board failed to sack Hughton and they have since failed to do anything to inspire the fans and make them believe the downward spiral is over. How many times have I read on here recently 'Well, he's not what I wanted but it's important that we give him a chance'? That suggests there is very little optimism around at the moment, certainly deep down. So, yes, I think the club is READY to implode (which doesn't mean that it will, but the potential is definitely there). I feel the Board have approached this in the wrong way. We needed a radical approach which broke with the failure of the past two years, someone completely new who would look at the situation with a fresh and neutral eye and flush out all the crap that gradually accumulated during the Hughton era. Maybe even inspire our better players to stay because they believed we could get back up at the first attempt. Instead we have hired a manager from within and seem to want a backroom of old boys. It's little ol' Norwich, and personally I find it very hard to hope for much from this upcoming season.
I have to say, signing Lafferty is nowhere near as bad as being made out. If we went out and signed a Premier League target man I would be more worried, this indicates Adams will play the way he promised. He will give us a plan B should the "attacking, quick football" promised not work in a certain game (which could be vital in the Championship). I have no problem with this signing, he's experienced, cheap and also probably hungry because some might say he has a point to prove after the Rangers scenario. We haven't sold anyone yet, and more players have committed to the cause rather than jump ship as of now so let's not get too hasty.
To be fair any Club that is relegated has the potential to implode but most don't but all have have to go through a period - short, medium or long - of adjustment. I don't want to go over old arguments but when we look, with hindsight, at when Hughton should have gone - Dec or Jan - we were not in the bottom 3 and had the Board acted then they would have been accused of hasty decisions. There was also a shortage of alternatives available and the fans themselves couldn't put forward a viable candidate. We have no history on which to judge Adams and that is why a lot of people express the view you set out but, to me, the appointments made seem designed to bring stability to the Club and seem to have the backing of the players. Quite clearly there was a lot wrong during the Hughton era and I suspect that a lot of the players will drastically improve with the freedom Adams will give them and because of that I find it difficult to judge which players are really good, which are bad and which are indifferent. I have said before - and will say again - that I firmly believe that basically we should stick with what we have got and only replace any player that leaves. A real case of suck it and see. Your argument for radical change is well made but like the ' sack the manager ' argument often put forward, does it always work? Sunderland went for radical change with Di Canio - say no more!! Appointing 'arry represents radical change but also risks bankruptcy. I am now firmly in the 'give Adams a chance' camp - and by that I mean a couple of years and not 10 games - having not originally wanting him although, like most fans, I did not know who I did want. I have great faith in McNally and really do think that if Adams gives the players more freedom to play and Holt gets them fit we will be better entertained next year although I don't expect miracles on league position.
The thing is whilst I share a large degree of the pessimism of carrabuh and others over this being the wrong appointment, I do think yes lets give him a chance, but I can't agree with the notion of definitely giving him a couple of years! Did you learn nothing from Hughtons reign? If we are performing poorly, with dire football and no apparent progress (difficult to say after ten games) by xmas for example. I think we would really have to consider our options. All managers may represent a gamble but this was a bigger one given his lack of experience. I had great faith in McNally but that has been increasingly shaken by his (and/or the rest of the boards) recent decision making. Yes they have cleared the external debt and that was a great achievement, but the footballing decisions beyond appointing Lambert have been questionable. Bah!
Sorry if I did not make myself clear. Of course nobody can be given an unconditional clear run for a couple of years come what may and quite clearly if things went from bad to worse the Board would have to act. What I do believe is that as long as there are signs of progress Adams and his team should be given a couple of years to complete the job of challenging for a return to the Premiership as opposed to the unrealistic expectation that we must be top of the table after 10 games/3 months/ 6 months/ end of the season - take your pick - or be sacked.
Yet again a post is forced off subject. How did 'Kyle lafferty signing from Palermo' become a discussion of the club's future? Going back to Kyle Lafferty, the reports of his playing abilities from Burnley, Rangers and Palermo fans suggest that he has good ball-playing skills and isn't just a 'target man' waiting for tap-ins. The fact that he's played out WL much of the time also suggests this and the video evidence on YouTube seems to back this up. It also shows that he's a very useful dead ball striker of the ball. He seems more in the mold of Crouch or Sutton, both of whom have (had) skills that their height didn't impair. If anything, Jordan Rhodes is more of the 'target man' hanging around in the penalty area, and many City fans want us to sign him for £10-12m. No, Lafferty isn't a sensational signing (if it happens), but he seems to me to be a reasonable signing to fit in with what we already have, our budget and what Adams wants for the future.
To be fair, Lafferty is likely to be part of the club's future, and his signing at least gives an indication of what we have to look forward to Good assessment. I'm also intrigued by the fact he's played as a winger a lot, which really puts his goal-scoring into perspective. I'm sceptical that he's going to be anything other than average, but he will at least sit on the bench well, adds depth and a different option. In my book it's the perfect signing at this level. We were always going to get the near-suicidals (or in some cases the near-me-stabbing-myself-in-the-eyes) complaining about our club or any signing, but I really think it could be worse than this.
rick's post is very good. calls about lafferty's height being an issue to our supposedly new playing style seem a little misjudged. he might be tall but he's crap in the air. he's technically sound with his feet. he's just a bit of a knobhead and has never got close to fulfilling his potential. there are genuine concerns about this possible signing but the fact he's tall should not be one! it's totally irrelevant
Crouch is tall, ungainly and gangly but is good with his feet - Carroll is tall and a bit of a lump but has good feet too. Being tall doesn't mean he can't be good on the deck and doesn't necessarily mean that R1 will be our MO next season - could be our Plan B/C though if the "bootiful" style isn't working .....
Lorenzo Vicini @ViciniLo · 2h Wow! #Palermo President Maurizio Zamparini just revealed why Kyle Lafferty was sold. And they are some very stern words. Lorenzo Vicini @ViciniLo · 2h Zamparini: "Lafferty sold? It was requested by my coach [Iachini]. At the end of the season he told me Kyle is unmanageable..." Lorenzo Vicini @ViciniLo · 2h Zamparini: "Iachini asked me to send Lafferty away. He's a great player who I'm fond of, but he's an Irishman without rules..." Lorenzo Vicini @ViciniLo · 2h Zamparini: "Lafferty is a womanizer. He disappears for a week, takes a plane to go to women in Milan. He has 2 families with 6 children." Lorenzo Vicini @ViciniLo · 2h Zamparini: "Lafferty doesn't train. He's uncoordinated. But then he's a great player because he gives 120% on the pitch." Lorenzo Vicini @ViciniLo · 2h Zamparini: "Lafferty is unmanageable in terms of his behavior. I asked Iachini to straighten him out again but he told me he can't." Lorenzo Vicini @ViciniLo · 2h Oddly enough, I remember an incident involving Lafferty & Iachini during #Palermo celebrations that seemed harmless but may have been a sign Lorenzo Vicini @ViciniLo · 2h During celebrations, Lafferty grabbed Iachini's famous hat off his head and threw it around. Beppe wasn't pleased about it. Lorenzo Vicini @ViciniLo · 2h Iachini commented on the incident after the fact, saying Lafferty wouldn't play another minute because of it. Everyone thought he was joking Lorenzo Vicini @ViciniLo · 2h Iachini may have been serious. Lafferty did not play in the remaining four matches of #Palermo's season. Lorenzo Vicini @ViciniLo · 1h That Lafferty news is crazy. Hope his wife knew about his flings, otherwise he's in for it now! Quotes from Palermo chairman... I flaming hope we've had a rethink over signing this bloke!
I'd say that the management team will know full well what he's like and clearly feel that they can deal with it, sounds like they're going to have to be very tough if this is true though.
Yeah. Lots of footballers are "womanisers" because they've got a lot of money and women throw themselves at them. It's on a plate. Bit concerned about the lack of training and disappearing for a week, but part of that may be he just was not settled in Italy. At least he "gives 120% on the pitch". It's all gone quiet now, but I wouldn't read too much into this.
Come on Rob, earlier on the thread people were saying 'why don't Palermo want to keep him' and also, 'why don't (parent club) F C Sion want to retain him' Well, if the answer(s) are not contained in ICHB's post, I suggest you book a fairly immediate appointment with SpecSavers <nightmarewaitingtohappen emoticon>
