And several names have so far been mentioned alongside the vacancy, including ex-Huddersfield Town boss David Wagner. But Football Insider are claiming that Norwich City have made contact with ex-Baggies boss Steve Bruce regarding the vacancy, and that the 61-year-old is ‘among the contenders’ to take over at the club. https://the72.co.uk/2022/12/29/norwich-city-make-contact-with-axed-west-brom-boss-report-claims/
Even more depressing than having Bruce as a manager is the fact he is 61 as I remember him playing for Norwich
So, we steal Kieran McKenna and watch the lads down the A140 drop back into mid-table obscurity? Perhaps I would not care if he was any good or not, I would take comfort in seeing the Binmen struggling for many more years
It's still up in the air for me, but if I had to choose from the top 5 it would be between Wagner and Robins. Wagner has the better experience as manager in both the PL and Championship but he's had his ups and downs. Dyche has more experience but I'm not sure his approach would suit our players. Robins has done wonders with Coventry on a shoestring budget and has the advantage of being an ex City player. On balance I'd probably go for Wagner because of what he achieved at Huddersfield in the promotion and PL survival years.
Quite honestly none of those listed fill me with any confidence. ( Except Knutson who is leading a champions league team).
Tifo's tactical analysis does suggest that Wagner is similar to Farke, but emphasises the gegen press over possession based working out from the back. The FB's provide the width, but not both at once. Aarons (or Mumba) could play that way, allowing Sargent to move inside during attacks. This is much like his role under Farke, as he allowed Buendia to create movement up front while he overlapped. Wagner is is also more open to occasional long passes to catch the opposition out with quick counter-attacks. He also emphasises close team bonding in the players for fully committed performances.
From what I have seen the squad is not focused, motivated or fully fit. Whoever takes over needs to install a fitness regime, set out a basic easy to understand fairly rigid system and give them a good kick up the arse!! If Wagner can do that he gets my vote.l
Last time they threatened us with Lampard so that those of us who had doubts about Smith accepted his arrival. This time it's Bruce, it seems.
I wonder how far up Mousehold Hill the current squad would get with a bag of cement on their backs. It was brutal but it worked not only to get them fit but also a warning. Anybody seen slacking during a game knew where he was going on Monday morning !!
Ron was the Manager who took us to the top division for the first time in 1972. He was a fitness fanatic and his success was based on a super fit side working within a strict system. A lot of the fitness training took place on Mousehold Heath especially on the very steep hill leading up to the prison. When he had got them fit enough they had to run up the hill with a bag of cement on their backs. That took place in pre-season training but during the season Monday was fitness training day and any player who had either upset him or who had not put in enough effort in the game got the cement bag treatment!!
Well way back in the early 70s football life was very different. As 1950 says, City players got fit by carrying bags of cement up the slopes of Mousehold Heath. Ron Saunders, who could glower at players not pulling their weight like no other manager, achieved promotion to the first division (pre PL) as a hard taskmaster. He wanted no slackers in his team. The players were some relieved when he was finally poached by Manchester City in 1973.
At Huddersfield, Aaron Mooy was to Wagner as, at Norwich, Emi Buendia was to Farke. I don't know how Wagner had Schalke or Young Boys playing, but we don't have anyone remotely comparable to Mooy (or Schindler for that matter). As for gegen pressing, Smith spent much of pre-season trying to implement it, and 1950canary witnessed at first hand our demolition of Olympique Marseille, pressing them out of the game. But OM were far from fit and up to speed, and when we came up against serious opposition, any pretence at it just petered out.
When Buendia arrived, he had great potential and Farke developed him as a player and that potential was realised. When Núñez arrived, he had bags of potential. Half a season on, is there even the slightest sign that his potential has been developed?
It's odd, as Smith talked about how he and Shakespeare told both Núñez and Sara to play their natural style. Perhaps on Chile or Brazil that involved fewer defensive responsibilities, but they do seem to have lost some of the flair they arrived with. Núñez has also had minor injury problems meaning he's been in and out of the squad. Getting those two playing at their best will be a key test of the new manager. That's unlikely to be Mark Robins, as when asked about links with the vacancy, he replied, “There’s nothing in it.” https://the72.co.uk/2022/12/30/nothing-in-it-championship-boss-plays-down-norwich-city-links/
Tim Walter of Hamburg SV in Bundesliga II is a new name to add to the potential lists. Sounds like he would be a similar recruit to Farke. Well renowned for his coaching style at Bayern Munich and for possession based, build from the back football.
