Chris Hughton

The problem was by the end no one would have expected any fight back at 2-0 down and that wasn't due to the fans getting on the players back, it's because Hughton would have shut up shop and tried to see out the 2-0. I agree there were many aspects to blame for our current predicament but Hughton is probably the biggest. You mention the players making sloppy passes but how much of that was down to the mindset? plus the sloppy passes would often happen in our own half under little pressure where as we seem to give it away less and definitely spend more time in the opposition half now under Adams.

I supported Hughton for the majority of the season but after the WBA game and the complete change in performances under Adams, it shows how much Hughton was stifling the players.

 

Hucks - I´m not including all the fans in my comment, I never have done, nor am I necessarily including anyone on here, but there has been a section of the home support that has fallen well short of ´supporting ´ for much of this season. I´m sure it must have affected Hughton, although he tried not to show it, and that in turn affected the players.

 

They may not have been supporting the management and maybe not the players, but they still supported the club. They saw, before any of us, where Hughton was taking us, and it turns out they were almost certainly right. I get your point though - it looks as if, even though they wanted the best for the club it was a counter-productive exercise.

 

I really wasn't looking to wind anybody up, simply give my opinion.

To me, the timing of his sacking seemed senseless... why bother with so few games remaining?

It looks to me like your Board gambled for that one game against Fulham and it didn't work.

Perhaps if your Board had left him in until the end of the season, there was every chance he would have nicked a few points.

As it stands, since his sacking, Norwich have lost both games and look unlikely to win again this season.

I like Norwich City Football Club and it would be a shame to see you drop when there are many other teams I'd rather see get relegated instead

 

Debate about how good a job he was doing and how well we'd have finished under him are largely academic now. When the atmosphere at home games is horrendous, and you have fans throwing things at the manager, his position has become untenable and he needs to leave.

 

Hi bors, there is a sign on every manager's door which reads the buck stops here. Hughton paid the penalty for poor results, simple as that. As has been said Hughton keeping us up is now academic. We have a new manager and he is due our support until of course the buck stops for him.

RBF bor, I notice you have singled out Johnson for his crossfield pass which was intercepted and led to a goal. Who was it who had the final touch before the ball entered the net . . . Johnson. He travelled back and made every effort to make up for his error which showed the team was at last showing it was prepared to fight back.

In the Saints game Tettey slipped and the Saints player gathered the ball and headed for goal. When he put the ball past Ruddy Tettey was still on his knees getting up.That is the difference in the team's attitude between then and now, problem is they should not have left it so late.

 

Johnson made a stupid error which cost us dearly. Of course he's going to track back and try to make amends. That should be a given, not a cause for a pat on the back.

 

I think most of us agree that the timing was poor, Joker, some would rather have had it much earlier, while some would rather have not had it at all - such is life, we´ve got to live with it now. As regards to the rest of this comment, I agree with you.

 

It could be mate, but they're not automatons are they? If you make a silly error, you should try to make amends. I don't see how they need to be told to do this.

 

I'm sorry RBF but blaming the fans is wrong. We turn up and support the team whatever. We are also entitled to express our feelings ( that does not mean booing for me although can understand why it happens).

We all wanted Hughton to do well but his style of play, poor subs, inability to change have got us to where we are , not the fans. We had had enough by West Brom as we knew it was likely we were down.

Lets take Sunday for example, Brendan Rodgers saw how Adams had set up in the first half and played 5 in midfield , which worked perfectly for them. Adams responded second half and we were superb. Hughton would not have done that! Take the Cardiff game at home, we were all over them but could not score. Malkay saw what was happening and adapted their line up to frustrate us even more. Hughton did not adapt. Take West Brom, they sussed out we were 442 and could not break them down. I became aware that Fosters woeful kicking for them meant that we got the ball back deep and guess what, we could not break them down. Mel was clapping every time it happened. It needed to go 451 with Hoolahan moved to the middle and Redmond on but oh no , Hughton goes like for like. He simply could not change or influence a game.

You are entitled to your opinion of course but Hughton bought those players, played those tactics and they did not work. Blaming fans is an easy option. Yes the players need to shoulder some blame ( all fans of clubs in trouble would say that!) but he bought and selected them and could not get the best out of them.

Let's remember the defeat to Luton, the week when Utd beat us 4-0 and then our record defeat followed at Man City ( he should have gone then IMO), inability to beat teams around us, all the woeful display against Fulham, especially the cup replay. Those away fans have endured a shocking season flowing us leading to players refunding those at the Swansea game.

If you want to blame anyone, then look at the board who waited too long to act.

To the OP, your views on a Hughton are based on him running away with the Championship with largely the squad you had in the Premier League. Yes perhaps when he gift sacked it seemed unfair as you were mid table but ultimately Ashely got it right. You will be disappointed with him if he came back to you but probably would be an improvement on who you have who I do not rate.

 

That's spot on for me. After 2 years of turgid football you can understand why the fans stopped cheering. They knew nothing was going to change because Hughton had shown he didn't know how to change things. I disagree with the booing and throwing but don't expect the fans to cheer when the ball has been passed between the CBs several times before either being passed into midfield and lost or hoofed forward and lost.

 

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The thing is that unless you have your head buried so deep in the sand (RBF) you could not believe that to be the case. Under Hughton the best we could of hoped for was a couple of 0-0's at home (My personnel belief was that we would of continued the meek surrender, losing the lot and probably at an average G.D. of -3 per game). I think given his record away from home and the oponents we were to face; Fulham (our bogey side), Chelsea and United there was no chance of him getting any points there.

and like Adams the home games of Liverpool and Arsenal, given our record against liverpool meant that with either in charge the only real hope laid with a performance against the Arse on the last day.
After the fight and vastly improved performances since Adams took over (not to mention actual goals!) I will certaintly back the board for having finally got rid of Hughton. It was as many say far too late but absolutely for the best. (I can see why outsiders and the generally woefully under informed pundits think it was crazy, but they have not been watching us!)

Bah!

 

In the same way as you are entitled to your opinion, surgeryman, I´m entitled to mine, and I can fully respect your views, as I always have done. You think partly (which is what I said) blaming the fans is wrong, I don´t, I think it´s fully justified, we beg to differ. Never once have I suggested that Hughton was flawless, we all know he wasn´t, but his job was made a thousand times more difficult by the obvious discontent and lack of support from some of the home fans, the away fans have always been exemplary, which I´ve also pointed out numerous times.

I also agree that McNally and the board have a lot to answer for, and in fact months ago I was urging fans to take out their anger and discontentment on him, and not out on Hughton and the players, but to no avail.

Hopefully the gamble McNally has taken, will pay off, and whether we would have had a better chance with Hughton still here, no-one can possibly tell, but as I said above, we´ve all got to live with it. OTBC

and Gen Melchett - just because we don´t happen to agree doesn´t necessarily mean that it´s my head that´s in the sand and not yours. And not to say that Adams won´t, but I happen to think it´s quite possible that Hughton might have been able to salvage something from these last 4 games, but no-one will ever know now, and incidentally a couple of 0 - 0 ´s at home, as you put it, is after all 2 points, which might just be all it takes to keep us up.

 

What do you think caused that 'obvious discontent'? This isn't chicken and egg stuff rbf - Hughton's many deficiencies are what caused the supporters to become so frustrated. Everyone was supportive to begin with, it wasn't us who initially made him a bad manager.

 

I understand that perfectly Hucks, I just think the fans should have had more patience with him, and perhaps lower ( that is to say more realistic) expectations. I´m sure loads of you will think it´s an old-fashioned view, but fans stick with the manager for as long as he is here, I can´t help feeling that way, it´s just how I´m built, and I certainly don´t feel ashamed to feel that way.

 

Thanks RBF. One thing I will always say us you are a brilliant example of how to reply to a debate. No malice or snide comments, just an agree to disagree response, which is appreciated.

For me , there are 3 sides of the stadium who are not vocal for the vast majority of the match as we know, and that is their prerogative. The main noise comes from the Barclay and Snake Pit. Whoever the manager is they have got to manage their resources( the players) and influence the game ( tactics, subs..etc) and buy the players. Hughton never really got any of that right. Lambert did ( even though his record is not gat much better). He is gone and we move on.

Hughton did nothing to get a " there's only one Chris Hughton" from the fans unfortunately. His negative, cautious approach was not what is associated with this club. If it had have worked then perhaps we would have accepted it but it has never improved for me, but got gradually worse. You turn up to Carrow Road already with concerns in your mind. You still shout and cheer but believe me that is drained from you as you see no response from either the players or management team.That's how he lost the fans as they often saw things not working, poor subs, continual "bigging up"of the opposition and so on. That us why you get ironic cheering when Becchio comes on! The first half against Newcastle was atrocious hence the " what the f*** was that chants". I did not join in (don't boo either) but really do understand it.

Sacking him before the end of the season was a very questionable decision by the team. Personally, I would have let stay, sack him to start afresh from next season. Whilst Adams has nothing to lose, for me it is likely we will not win another game due to the opposition we face. Obviously it is not over until it is over and we all live in hope and grasp at any thought that might eek out some points, but Adams could star next year with a relegated team, that has not won for 7/8 games on the trot. I would gave kept Hughton and started afresh as I said. Now we gave a mixed picture ahead. The board need to reflect on their indecision and decisions made.

 

I feel the same way as you and saying what I'm thinking too.

I never like seeing managers or players at any club getting abused or booed. It takes the confidence right out of the players. Also sensed they were afraid of getting the ball because they didn't want to make a mistake and get abused. It makes the managers job 100% harder as well as maybe he isn't as brave enough to do what he wants to do.

Don't want to sound like I'm totally blaming the supporters, the manager and players have to take some responsibility, but I think a hostile atmosphere will obviously make a huge impact on the team.

 

having spoken to players during hughton's tenure it left me in absolutely no doubt whatsoever that the poor and at times vile atmosphere created at games was having a negative effect on their performances. as said above, it's a two way street - players are capable of raising fans to their feet and if it appears the team aren't putting in enough effort, the fans will think 'why should i bother?', but equally if the players are struggling fans should try to help them, not hinder them. booing, ironically cheering them, shouting abuse - it is inevitable the players end up hiding or making mistakes. you only needed to be at the game on sunday to see what a great, positive atmosphere brings to the table. at 2-0 down, the fans started singing OTBC, they got behind the boys and the players responded. at the end the fans, to a man, woman and child, stood and applauded and the players reciprocated because each party had given it their all. had we been 2-0 down after 11 minutes and hughton still been in charge, he'd have likely needed a police escort out of the ground. no matter what anyone says, we, the fans, have not helped matters this season and could indeed play a part in our own relegation.