Alex Neil

[JM Fan]

I really don't think its over expectation.

My thoughts are simply.

The Division is poor
We have the best squad
I don't consider 8 points to be alot
I think the manager has what it takes to make us play as the best in the Division.

Finally I'm no fool, I'm correct virtually all the time, and I mean that sincerely.

Carrabuh - I think we've been on both the old 606 and not606 for many years and whilst I (and may others) may not have agreed with your posts, you've very often proved to be accurate in your predictions. I'm sure we'd all love it if you were right this time!!!

 

[NORKIE]

Hi bors, lot of counting chickens before hatching. Me, I will be doing exactly what our players are doing . . . concentrating on the next game which happens to be Cardiff and hoping other results go our way this weekend.. At this stage of the season nothing has been decided It is far to early to talk of what position we will finally occupy but it should be borne in mind that when teams in the top six play each other, points will be dropped..

That man with the whistle can decide a lot of fates, never forget him.

Question is will we be contesting Howson's red card, the Bournemouth manager would make a good witness to that event as he thought the tackle didn't warrant a red card.

 

[Canary Rob]

I find these predictions pretty amazing, frankly, which makes me feel even more that the over-expectation bug is going to hit big time later on. Carrabuh's "I think it will be our final win column that will see us top" will be wonderful if it happens, but it will be very, very embarrassing for him if it doesn't. Over expectations gone through the roof! To finish top we'd have to get at least 50 points from 21 games. That's almost 2.4 points per game. I'd be very, very happy, but also very amazed if that happens (has Carrabuh found some happy dust somewhere?). I'd say 80 points would be a reasonable hope, but I doubt that would get us into the top two places. Should we happen to lose two more matches, we'd have to go unbeaten for the rest of the season to accomplish that. Top two should be the target, but not the expectation, or else we'll be looking for a new manager at the end of the season.

I think putting points targets is a risky manoeuvre because anything goes. I have to say I agree with Carrabuh that the best way to look at it is to think of us with 8 points to make up. As I mentioned, we managed a much better run under Lambert in League One. With nearly all the teams above us to play at home, we also technically have an easier second half to the season. Plus, squad depth comes into play then, which is our strength.

That being said, I still have to agree with you that autos looks like a massive ask, especially to be champions, though nobody has really seized the bull by the horns like in most previous seasons (it should have been us...)

For those stats bofs, this is an interesting one for our odds. Given how tight it is at the top, you can expect this year to probably be below average for totals, though obviously anything can happen

http://www.footballforums.net/showthread.php/271690-Championship-Run-in-Ladder

 

[SUPERNORWICH 23]

I find these predictions pretty amazing, frankly, which makes me feel even more that the over-expectation bug is going to hit big time later on. Carrabuh's "I think it will be our final win column that will see us top" will be wonderful if it happens, but it will be very, very embarrassing for him if it doesn't. Over expectations gone through the roof! To finish top we'd have to get at least 50 points from 21 games. That's almost 2.4 points per game. I'd be very, very happy, but also very amazed if that happens (has Carrabuh found some happy dust somewhere?). I'd say 80 points would be a reasonable hope, but I doubt that would get us into the top two places. Should we happen to lose two more matches, we'd have to go unbeaten for the rest of the season to accomplish that. Top two should be the target, but not the expectation, or else we'll be looking for a new manager at the end of the season.

Carabuh has certainly stuck his neck on the line over his new found optimism which I love , from the start I believed we would be promoted even with Neil Adams as boss I hope that the new guy can get even more out of our side but he has only spent 20 minutes in the dug out for us so far.
It will be interesting revisiting this thread if we don't do as well as some have tipped on here in the last week and who does a complete U turn and pretends they knew the appointment was risky and doomed to fail.
Hopefully it won't come to that but we all know how fickle football fans can be after a dodgy run and McNally could easily end up with egg all over his face after writing a sizeable check out to Ronald McDonald for the services of our latest rookie manager.

 

[SUPERNORWICH 23]

Like you and others, Supers, I hope like hell this works out and he turns out to be a terrific manager for us but I'm just not good at 'leaps of faith'. My problem is that I just don't know yet how this change is going to go. We have had similar 'manager speak' from every new manager since I started with City back in 1972, both from those who succeeded and those who failed, almost all of whom came with "100% positive feedback" as well. Talk and feedback don't gain any points, though; results do. I was impressed by Neil's involvement at Bournemouth which helped to gain a crucial result. I wouldn't particularly call myself a 'big supporter of Adams', but I did think there was a reasonable chance of gaining a play-off place with him and Phelan and Holt, given the recent run of results since Phelan arrived.

I'm pleased that Neil has kept on Phelan and Holt, which IMO greatly improves our chances for the rest of the season. If Alex Neil can achieve the play-offs or better I will be absolutely delighted and sing his praises about what he will have achieved. At the moment though, I think these euphoric expectations are putting huge pressure on him and it could backfire big time if results start to go the wrong way and some fans turn on him like they did on Hughton and Adams. I fervently hope he will be a great manager for us and I will wholeheartedly support him as long as he is the City manager, even if results do go the wrong way, but at the moment I just don't know yet how this will work out. No blind faith for me, sorry.

In the words of JR
Excellent post Rivers

 

[SUPERNORWICH 23]

Seriously, if there are still some people who don't think this guy is a born manager/leader then just read that! I want to play for him - pick me!!

I don't want to look like I'm on a witch hunt again by quoting this post but last week I had no idea who Alex Neil was so I will be reserving judgement on his credentials as a born manager/leader for the time being .


I remember reading similar claims/posts after the signing of Wolfwinkel along the lines of 'proven goalscorer' 'guaranteed goals' ,'potentially world class' etc and we know how that ended.

I hope the young Scotsman can convert soundbites and reputation into actions and many many wins but the key word is 'hope'.

 

[Rich44]

Carabuh has certainly stuck his neck on the line over his new found optimism which I love , from the start I believed we would be promoted even with Neil Adams as boss I hope that the new guy can get even more out of our side but he has only spent 20 minutes in the dug out for us so far.
It will be interesting revisiting this thread if we don't do as well as some have tipped on here in the last week and who does a complete U turn and pretends they knew the appointment was risky and doomed to fail.
Hopefully it won't come to that but we all know how fickle football fans can be after a dodgy run and McNally could easily end up with egg all over his face after writing a sizeable check out to Ronald McDonald for the services of our latest rookie manager.

He resigned - no payout

Presumably part of the deal being walking back into a job in July

 

[Superman wears Grant Holt pyjamas in bed]

The people who are more wary of the new manager are the same people who gave Adams huge support. There must be a connection. Maybe those who never wanted Adams are going OTT because they are just relieved he's gone. I don't feel that way but maybe there's an element of it. Equally, those more wary maybe feel Adams should still be here. I don't know!

 

[ThaiCanary]

The people who are more wary of the new manager are the same people who gave Adams huge support. There must be a connection. Maybe those who never wanted Adams are going OTT because they are just relieved he's gone. I don't feel that way but maybe there's an element of it. Equally, those more wary maybe feel Adams should still be here. I don't know!

I'll buck the trend then. I was an advocate of NA and was more than happy when appointed, but I could see he was not quite up to the task in hand by mid November. However, I am quietly excited (highly excited in truth) about the appointment on AN. I don't want to be outwardly expressing my excitement though (well, not too much), but I am buzzing over here in Thailand

 

[Rich44]

Are you sure that's not a marital aid?

 

[Home on the range canary]

The people who are more wary of the new manager are the same people who gave Adams huge support. There must be a connection. Maybe those who never wanted Adams are going OTT because they are just relieved he's gone. I don't feel that way but maybe there's an element of it. Equally, those more wary maybe feel Adams should still be here. I don't know!

There does seem to be a link. I thought NA was going to be limited but could evolve and given the squad at his disposal would have time to learn- he didnt. AN arrives at better starting point and really it shouldn't take much to get more out of the team. AN will need time to evolve as well and coming to the warmer climate of Norfolk should speed up that process

 

[Canary Rob]

The Division is poor
We have the best squad
I don't consider 8 points to be alot
I think the manager has what it takes to make us play as the best in the Division.

Finally I'm no fool, I'm correct virtually all the time, and I mean that sincerely.

Vintage carrabuh

In the spirit of all this positivity, let's not put this particular gem under the microscope...

 

[SUPERNORWICH 23]

Vintage carrabuh

In the spirit of all this positivity, let's not put this particular gem under the microscope...

The Oracle has spoken get the bus cleaned Delia we are going to win the League.

 

[SUPERNORWICH 23]

I thought Adams would get us promoted I think the new chap will get us promoted but that's because we have some good players.
Was Adams a born leader/manager probably not ? Is Alex Neil a born leader/manager? **** knows let's give him 10 games at least before making our minds up is all i'm saying.

 

[RiverEndRick]

The people who are more wary of the new manager are the same people who gave Adams huge support. There must be a connection. Maybe those who never wanted Adams are going OTT because they are just relieved he's gone. I don't feel that way but maybe there's an element of it. Equally, those more wary maybe feel Adams should still be here. I don't know!

As I suggested before Supers, the dichotomy is not as simple as that. With Adams, especially since Phelan arrived, our recent form has been encouraging. Yes the Reading result was disappointing, but it was the only loss in his last 5 games. Fortunately, we won by the skin of our teeth at Bournemouth, which should be a boost to Neil, Phelan and Holt as well as to the players and it has increased our chances of promotion greatly. Change always involves an element of risk, however, and our margin for error is still very tight (had we lost the Bournemouth game our chances of automatic promotion would now be very low indeed). It is very much about results rather than who likes who. If the current good form continues under Neil then I will be as delighted as everybody else, but it will be based on results rather than personality or attributes.

 

[SUPERNORWICH 23]

He resigned - no payout

Presumably part of the deal being walking back into a job in July

We paid a fee for him ,presumably as a player but I doubt if he will play for us .
Can't see it being less than a few million ,anyone know how much we handed over to Hamilton?.

 

[Superman wears Grant Holt pyjamas in bed]

We paid a fee for him ,presumably as a player but I doubt if he will play for us .
Can't see it being less than a few million ,anyone know how much we handed over to Hamilton?.

a few million?! No chance

 

[KIO]

a few million?! No chance

I'd hazard a guess at circa £500K

 

[Superman wears Grant Holt pyjamas in bed]

I'd hazard a guess at circa £500K

Sounds about right to me

 

[SUPERNORWICH 23]

So nobody knows ?