Jerome was not performing (or not suited) and to get some money for him was no bad thing. where we fell down was on a complete failure to replace him, maybe Srbeny will be as good as him after his experience last season and a full preseason, but I'll not hold my breath. He will of course be getting a fraction of Jeromes wages so we should be happy.......shouldn't we? Bah!
I think right now with Josh sold, Maddison on the way out and clear gaps in the squad, this is basically as weak as the squad can look - particularly when we're yet to see Buendia and McLean. I think we'll feel a little better about things by the time the season starts. As you say, we can't judge really until the business is done. Agree that I can't see ITFC improving on last season. I don't see them spending much, and MM built a squad to play his brand of football. We've seen it before in his career where new managers struggle to get more from the same bunch of players.
I generally agree, but am nervous that in switching to 4-3-3 we became hopeless at defending. We can but hope that with moving the ball faster (Not guaranteed) and actually carrying some sort of goal threat (Not guaranteed, maybe not even likely!) that we can have the opposition on the back foot and reduce the danger by attack being the best form of defence. And don't forget poor master Thompson who hopefully will be fit and raring to go. Bah!
Savvas Mourgos is set to join Dutch side Dordrecht on loan for the season. Another loan to the Dutch second tier, hopefully it's as successful!
Whilst I can't disagree with your opening, given I too wonder how we will replace what was already a meagre goal output. I would contend that whilst German 3rd tier players are no better than British ones, they are cheaper and even when set against a more elongated adjustment period better value and in all likelihood more technically able to play to Farkes approach. Whilst no Delia lover I think you're being unfair. Webber looked an astute appointment and whilst he was always likely to hire a German, this was his call not Delia's in some finger up to brexiteers. I take your point about a negative impact on our national team with the import of cheap foreign players but, realistically that is not Norwich's problem to solve. We exist in a global market place and must do the best with our money to try to compete. The heart has been ripped out of football by money. That a little gas been ripped out of city is for me the money aspect that is destroying football. Would I rather watch 11 of Norfolks best represent the club? Yes and no, if we did that we'd be in the 11th tier. We like others must strike a balance, with the good work in bringing a number of youths through recently and the added emphasis from Webber. I think we within our meagre budget are doing the best we can. Heart ripped out? Not for me, I want to see the best players and best football this club can afford. The often poor football last season makes it hard to be excited and the cost for that made optimism hard but heart is personnal to each and if yours goes because if nationality then there are precious few clubs left for you in the top 2 tiers. Bah!
Top notch post General and we have to try to at least live within our means - as Villa will find out VERY soon!!! Edit - So Margos is off to Holland for all of next season. https://www.canaries.co.uk/News/2018/june/mourgos-loan/
I agree that we might not see better return in terms of results, but I think we can be confident that we will see a far better method of attaining them. After all we finished 12th with a horrendous injury list and players like Dozzell, Bishop, Huws, Nydam and Webster are all far better technical players than our performances suggest so with them back I expect we'll begin to look a bit more composed in possession, particularly with a manager who will allow them to get their foot on the ball. I'll predict us finishing 12th again but looking better in the process. As for your lot, I cringe a little when I hear other Town fans claim "Offloading any decent players" and "Doomed without Maddison" etc. as I remember saying something similar when Fulham sold McCormack but what actually happened was they focused on the 11 players on the pitch & found a balanced system that worked for them.. Whether Farke is capable of that is the biggest question.... And I know I have blue tinted specs but I think Mr Hurst will outperform Mr Farke next season
I am late to this post so others may have asked the same question: assuming that the sale of both Josh Murphy and James Maddison brings in say £35m, how much of this sum should we realistically believe will be spent on new players?
Can't really argue with you there Scowey. I'm OPTIMISTIC of around 33%, but in reality, I'll be VERY surprised if SW/DF see much more than 20%!!!!
Our financial black hole needing plugging is said to be £20m. So if we bring in £35m and spend less than £15m, welcome to our level of ambition! I don't expect us to spend that much of course even if other fees comes in. I would expect no more than £4m to be spent on any one player, players who cost more quite simply will exceed our wage structure. Assuming £35m comes in I would expect no more than £8m, maybe £10m to be spent. (Before someone pulls out the instalments argument, if we accept payment in them, then we can make payment in them.) Bah!
That's about right GM and remember that there's more money to come from the Jacob Murphy, Pritchard and Jerome sales as well. I don't buy the £20m black hole as that was budgeted for last year and lessened by the clearout and lucrative player sales. Even so, I'd think £8-10m would be the maximum we can spend and some of that has already gone on Buendias. The key lies in who SW can bring in on the money available. McLean means we have 2 new players already, plus Godfrey, Thompson, Matthews, Morris, Cantwell and Jarvis returning from loan or injury, so we need quality rather than quantity. I'd be happy to see Leitner return and perhaps Ducksch come in as well.
Is anyone aware what if any sell-on clause Coventry will be waiting on when JM does move? Could feasibly be more than they got up front for him in the first place!
Even if it was only 10% and JM sells for over £20M, then yes, they would get more than the reported fee of £1.6M approx that we paid Coventry' Edit - Tottenham have offered Aston Villa £15m for their highly-rated midfielder Jack Grealish, so under half what Villa were hoping to get!! #realistic http://www.skysports.com/amp/footba...ham-make-offer-for-aston-villas-jack-grealish
Interesting discussion of the formations used last season and what we might expect next season. http://norwichcity.myfootballwriter...718-part-three-formation-formation-formation/ DF had to start last season with players left by AN (minus the quality players released). New players coming in had to fit in with those and generally the 4-2-3-1 AN had used. DF's desire for continental style possession football meant a slow build up, usually against packed defences while the opposition kicked deep to 1 or 2 players sent forward, which worked well against Zimmerman and Farke, who were unused to defending against that style. Next season we'll start with a settled defence with at least one DM shielding it. With no Maddison to prise open the opposing defence, we may see more variety in attack. This could be 3 at the back with WBs providing pace on the wings and a front 3 from Hernandez, Buendia, Jarvis, Wildschut and Watkins plus a striker hopefully creating chances. Alternatively, we could see a 4-2-3-1 again, but that really depends on an effective striker, whereas a 4-3-3 would allow more movement up front and be less dependent on the striker scoring most of the goals. Whatever DF chooses though, it's hard, at this stage, to see where the goals are going to come from. McLean and Buendia are new possibilities plus others will hopefully come in.
Didn't really know where to put this link but as it's all about us and the selling of our 'family silver' I'll just leave this here: https://www.twtd.co.uk/forum/432605/the-norwich-exodus-about-to-begin/#14 .... of course they're not really obsessed with us
I had to laugh at the "I don't believe in importing foreigners", they all bang on about their ancient history which if I remember correctly, was half filled with Dutch men
