Too true Munky -- and the self-same idiots would no doubt be happy to agree with you. After all, you can't possibly mean them!
I can understand the fans frustration but its not a 20 game losing streak and don't take it out on the CEO because it makes you look like a bell end. Hull was down to the players not McNally or Hughton to some degree.
No, I meant I mentioned it at the match as soon as it started panning out that way. However much experience these guys have, there must still be a little trepidation going to a new club where they're largely 'unknown quantities'. Helps to settle them - and any fans still unconvinced by those player's arrival at the club
Agree completely. I thought Elmander reflected that in his post-match interview. Fer is similar, and I'm glad we have signed these types rather than big ego players like Toivonen and Quagliarella.
I can imagine the only person not happy to see Elmander play so well last night was Gary Hooper, gonna have to work hard to force his way into the team at the moment.
I don't think that these comments are necessarily aimed at DM, more at CH to be fair. I work with and have customers who travel regularly to all away games and the're getting pretty pissed off shelling out all that wonga to see inept displays week after week. At the end of the day to many fans, football is still an entertainment business and if people are not being entertained they will stop going. It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if things carry on the way they are, our currently fabulous away support doesn't start to dwindle. IF however, results are forthcoming that's a different matter as most fans, myself included, will put up with dross if points are being put on the board. I have to say that apart from this message board, I'm finding that a growing number of supporters are not behind CH or his tactics, when was the last time you heard the crowd sing out Hughton's name? Look, cards on the table, I do not want Hughton to lose his job I want him to succeed but regardless of what many are saying on here if things don't improve both performance and more importantly results wise, mark my words he WILL be out of a job by Christmas. At the moment there is nothing to suggest that anything has changed since last season where our final league placing was misleading as there was a very real chance of relegation until that win against a very poor WBA side. Yes we are only two games into the season, yes we have had injuries to a couple of key players, but CH now has a wealth of talent at his disposal it's now completely his squad and it's up to him to put out a side that will at the very least bust a gut to try and get a result. **** the 'let's just make sure we don't lose' mentality, we should be aiming to take 3 points of all of our 'rivals' in this league i.e. Hull, Palarce etc. A poor performance and result on Saturday against Saints and the boos will start to ring out and again it wouldn't surprise me if the first chants of 'Hughton Out!' are not to be heard. Football fans are very fickle and sometimes have short memories the fact that we almost went out of business a few years ago will be forgotton by many as you well know and the here and now is all that matters to them. Yes it is a case of be very careful what you wish for a la Charlton (Curbishley) and Wolves (McCarthy), but I'm afraid that will fall on deaf ears to a great majority of fans. In conclusion, let's hope that City really perform on Saturday, get a great result and that it's the start of a great season for us. OTBC CTID
What a sensible point of view and an excellent post. Luckily I only had a short trip to a pub and a pint to fork out for to see that dross we played against Hull. I'm not convinced the responsibility for our inept display should ALL be laid at CH's door, as several players seemed to be unable to pass more than a few yards to a team mate - compare that to the build-up for JE's 2nd goal on Tue. Pilks pased about 30 yards to Snoddy who controlled it with a cushioned header and then crossed low into the box for JE to score - let's have more of that on Sat against Saints please!!! !!
Two very sensible posts! I agree that the main problem against Hull was poor passing and poor decision-making at times. CH can't make their passes or decisions for them. It also wasn't all 'dross' as City created 13 chances. On another day RvW's bullet header will go in and Fer will put his header the right side of the post. The Everton performance was good and I think the away performances will improve this year with the squad City now have. Last year City took 3 points from their first 7 games. I can't see that happening this year. Just give it a little time.
For me, the bottom line is that until we've seen Hughton play what he feels is his strongest line-up, of fully-fit players, calling for his head is premature. If we have a 5 game run where he's not got any injury concerns, and we still can't create chances and pick up points, then we can start questioning whether he's the right man for the job.
I don't disagree with any of that DH, my point was that there ARE many that are already questioning as to whether he's the right man for the job and that number is growing, it is very hard to reason with the average football fan. I work in a showroom environment which is adjacent to a Trade Sales Counter and you should here the abuse that is being directed at Hughton from a lot of these tradesmen, some of it justified but mostly not.
Not wishing to stick my oar in or disrupt this thread, but DH surely its up to the manager to build a SQUAD capable to compete in the league, not just a team of 11?
Overall I think the squad is actually pretty darn good, however I suspect that as with most teams, getting any 11 players to play the same, or as well as a slightly different 11, is not always going to be achievable for one or more reasons. Unlike the top 2 or 3 teams, we don't have a similar strength in depth, but the same applies to the other 16 teams in the PL. CH can field 11 very good payers every week, but there are too many variables in the game to compare one starting XI against (say Southampton) to a slightly different starting XI against (say West Brom). I am sure CH is still not sure who the "best XI" are yet, and to be fair, neither do I, hence I am happy to give more time than many
oh yeah totally agree with what you are saying, in my view having your (or anybodies) strongest players available at the same time should be consider a luxury rather than a nessesitary (excuse the spelling) just out of interest, how would you compare the team you had out on saturday to your first choice 11 in your first season back in the prem, which would you consider to be the stronger?
It's not unusual for tradesmen to have strong views kickitoff-throwitin, but given that City have a fan-base of at least 30,000, how significant is the 'growing number' of moaners? City have had 2 PL matches so far, one good, one disappointing. The Cup match against Bury was another 'good', IMO. I don't think the Board are going to be swayed by the moaners after 3 games. I saw enough in the Bury match to make me optimistic, especially in the performance of new players like Fer, Elmander and Olsson. The first league win will settle nerves and hopefully it'll come tomorrow. Even if it doesn't, I'm still optimistic about the very strong squad CH has put together.
Considering the average home attendance is circa 27K, a season ticket waiting list and thousands of others who are unable to attend for whatever reason, finance, ex pats, ill health etc etc, I would put that figure between 50 and 100K possibly a lot more. I mentioned in my earlier post that I can't recall the last time the crowd chanted Hughton's name and I think that is very telling TBH
What's the population of Norwich? 140,000? Say getting towards a third of that as 'Norwich fans', then more from the rest of Norfolk and the exiles. Wotcha reckon that comes to?
