Even if we go down I think we ought to think longer term. He is a good man manager, has learnt a lot in a seaon and a half and if we go back up next season, will have more experience to cope with the season. I vote to stay........er stick!
AN cannot be made responsible for us going down if we go down. It is the players who have got us into this position. Too many times this season big-name players have given under-par performances and have either failed to scored chances they should have easily put away or made stupid errors in defence that have lead to the opposition scoring a killer goal that has either lost us the game or dropped us points. For example we threw away a 3-1 lead against Liverpool to lose 5-4 & a 2-0 lead against West Ham to draw 2-2 (a loss of 5 points) Those 5 points lost would now see us on 36 points, in 17th place above Sunderland, 3 points behind Palace, with a game in hand. If we go down we need to think about which players are worth holding onto & who (if they don't leave due to being relegated) is strong enough to play in the premier league when we come back up
Yes The board did let us down. But Alex has looked naive at times, at others down right lost. I think he needs to hit the ground running next season. Obviously if we by some miracle stay up, then there is more leeway as we'll still be underfunded relative to most of our opponents, but I'd hope to see more evidence of a masterplan in progress. In the championship he would have one of the biggest budgets, best squads and has to have us performing accordingly. Can he? Maybe END OF THREAD! Bah!
I think he is a good young coach but he was too afraid to pick an attacking line up against Sunderland which could lead to relegation
Keep him; he has more to learn and a lot more to give, but if we do go down I'd like to see a new board in place - people with some footballing nous, not an ex-politician or a media darling. I'm fine with Delia cooking the books, but please, a bit of introspection at this juncture might save us in the future from a similar fate. We are like a cautious investor who, financially secure, is happy to take a loss because next year or the year after that might, just might be OK. For a club with zero external debt, the risks we take are minimal financially, but on the pitch enormous - playing with certain pivotal players trusted for their Championship pedigree has been suicidal. Time for a shake down Norwich!
Maybe the players are under performing because of the manager. Maybe he's asking them to play in positions, roles or deploy tactics that their not comfortable with or good enough for. I'm not saying that the players aren't responsible for the performances, they are, but so is the manager.
If we go down, I think he'll get the same chance as Neil Adams. If it's looking unlikely by Christmas that we'll bounce straight back, then I'd expect to see him replaced. Unless there's disharmony between him and the board, or him and the players, I don't think there are strong reasons for making a managerial change. As China says though, we need to consider whether the club have everything in place to properly support the manager.
Some excellent posts on the topic and all relevant. Whatever happens between now and whatever league we're in next season, we won't have the distraction of the playoffs for the next 2 weeks or so and AN firstly needs to sit down first with the board to formulate has plans for next season. He then needs to sit down with his players and let them have free reign to comment on what went right and what went wrong over the season and also to state the positions where they feel most comfortable playing - I feel a lot of the impact of Robbie Brady was lost by Olsson being so dire that he had to play at LB for several weeks. Lastly and MOST importantly, I think he should sit down with a cross section of fans to hear their views on what went right and what went wrong over the season. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE - let's start offering sensible money for anyone we want to sign and not leave until a week or so before kick off - or worse, until after the season has started!!! I would also like to see a more settled starting 11, not picking the team depending on who the opposition is (as he did against Liverpool)- it's worked admirably for Leicester.
Some really good points there Bh, though I doubt if the right selection of fans would get the chance to have their say, there'd be far too many Canary Callers to give a valid view of the season from our point of view!
I think before AN looks at anyone else he needs to take a long hard look in the mirror. He then needs to honestly assess the players he has on playing ability ONLY. Decide what type of team and style of football he wants to play. Work out who he wants and doesn't and decided whose going to be his NEW captain before going to the board. In my view the last thing he needs to do is consult the players about what position they feel comfortable playing in, he's had a year to work out what is each players best position is. On many occasions this seasons I have got the impression that he just picks what he thinks is the 11 best players he has available and tries to fit them into a team. This might work in Scotland but not in the English PL, Leicester have shown this season what a settled team of committed players working together can do (I might be wrong but I think Leicester have used less players than any other team in the PL). What we need to do is build a TEAM firstly that can get us back up (assuming of course we go down) and secondly that can compete in the PL if we get promoted or by some miracle stay up. Lets sort out our team decide how we're going to play and let others worry about us rather than constantly changing and playing to our opponents tune. Its not surprising our players have seemed confused and uncertain so much this season with the constant changes. The board need to support AN, but also make it abundantly clear whatever league that we're in that he has a limited time to sort things, 2 months would be enough to see if he has learnt from this season.
How true. I wonder who deemed it a 'good idea' to bring Dorrans and Mulumbu to the club on a permanent basis. And offering initial derisory bids for players like Brady - no wonder certain players may well be reluctant to come to NCFC if we're perceived as scrooges. And as chinacanary pointed out (#7), there's absolutely no need to penny-pinch - the club is solvent and free of debt to external creditors, so stop making 'embarrassing' offers for players you're serious about, McNally That way you may well land a few of your chosen targets rather than settle fo second best most of the time.
You can add Naismith to that list as well Cromer who like RvW before him was a complete and utter waste of good money. I personally poo-pooed all three of those signings when they happened, especially Naismith, but was shot down by fellow posters. Well perhaps next time (and rest assured there will be a next time), those Posters will listen to me. The Stowmarket Two have had control for far too long, they once saved us from oblivion and for that we should be eternally grateful, but it really is time for change. The club should be openly advertised for sale to the right bidder and if that were to happen Delia would regain much respect from me for one. It won't happen of course but we live in hope.
The fact is that we should be an attractive target to any interested parties. We are totally solvent with PL status/potential with the right player recruitment. FFS, someone has bought Bolton, the ar$e end of the world and monstrous debts. How hard can it be to get interested suitors?
True, but there's still much caution and restraint needed. Look at clubs like Cardiff, Hull, Leeds, and takeovers haven't always gone smoothly or worked out for the best. Maybe the Leicester City owners will soon get tired and want a new centre circle on which to park their helicopter - I can assure them ours is always pristine
