I think the title of today's offering from MFW says it all -
http://norwichcity.myfootballwriter...city-board-for-entering-this-brave-new-world/
Some excerpts that I found particularly relevant - "I’m hopeful of the play-offs, but not expectant. If at the end of the season we’ve seen a real positive transition and signs that it can continue to improve then I’ll be pretty happy but I fear however that may leave me in the minority. Obviously, I want to go up, but I’m under no illusions just what a huge task that is.
Again fellow fans, please be patient, it may take three or four windows for this to really kick in, for us to get the kind of technical players required and for those currently here to adapt." I think this should be printed on the first home match programme and regularly throughout the season!!!!!
“And I’ll be seriously annoyed if we’re not singing, Angus Gunn, Angus Gunn, Angus, Angus Gunn, he’s still got hair, but we don’t care, Angus, Angus Gunn, after he’s run and done the crossbar head but thing!”
I know that a degree of patience is required as Rome or a team cannot be built in a day, but my over riding fear is that having missed promotion last season, we are already seeing extreme cost cutting, coupled with a serious squad change, not all for the better. It's all well and good saying it may take 3-4 windows, but what if each of those windows mearly serves to further weaken our team? For example, this window we have already lost Howson to a team with fresh parachut payments and ambition and budget to try to get back up. We may well also lose Jacob in similar fashion. So we have an average season, not challenging strongly by January somewhere 7-12th in the table, What then, maybe a couple of players impress, like Pritchard, Maddison or Josh? Come January they could adgitate for a move, if we sell Jacob below £12M other clubs and the players will know that they can force our hand. And we get worse again.
OK at some point German efficiency with the team being greater than the sum of it's parts may take over and could get us promoted. but how many of our brighter lights might leave next summer if we are still not competing and the wage bill is being slashed further? After this season I guess it won't make much difference the pot will be empty and transfers over £3-4m will become a distant memory. And whilst buying cheap continental players worked once for Huddersfield and Wagner, there are no guarantees for us. There is a reason why these players are being paid relative peanuts in their countries lower divisions, they are not top level players or maybe even particularly good at second tier level , some as always will be able to make the step up, others maybe not.
Right now we must all cling to the hope that Webber is as good as his Huddersfield tenure. And that Farke can make what is a large step up. Neither are guaranteed and football is littered with men of promise who were in the right place at the right time, only to never realise that promise elsewhere. Look at Mr Lambert!
Of course Patience is required and the key is to see some progress towards a side that looks; fit, determined and organised. If there is no evidence of that by the turn of the year and we are languishing in the bottom half of the table, patience will be harder to come by, especially if the crown jewels have been sold and replaced from the lower reaches of German football.
I am still hopeful that Farke will be mustard, but with every passing window we get financially weaker and consequently his job gets harder, using increasingly cheap players against an increasingly rich division.
Bah!
