we blew it when we got successive promotions. apparently being relegated from the Prem was part of it. Maybe we will see those plans fall in place soon.
Fair point Max but we haven't been relegated to league 1 during that time and now we have a management team in place that know what they are doing! Can you honestly say the same?
We HAD a management team who knew what they were doing, now we don't! That was proved last Saturday but that's life.
you've missed the point walky that the 7 yr plan came in after we went down to League 1 Yes off the field, our finances are in a good shape, and if we go down, we haven't done a Koo Pee Arr on the field, i'll give you that one. I don't think that's gone un-noticed by Mcnasty and Delia, despite Mcnasty's bland email to ILD. it's complex though, Lambert was an exceptional manager.
More seriously, we got to the Premier League ahead of schedule, debt-free with three years still to go. All this with mainly a League 1/Championship squad. Nobody on silly wages, the club is in good shape. With Lambert we certainly over-achieved. This season we were one of the favourites to go down. Although the football hasn't been attractive this term, we still have two games to secure our status. What makes our current situation more painful is the way we've appeared to have collapsed since the New Year from 7th in December.
...included relegation back to championship and a bounce back to the premier league. Time isn't up yet.
When this plan was first formulated surely keeping hold of Lambert was one of the key components of this plan? The fact is that Hughton has failed and realistically you will need a change of manager in order to keep this plan on track.
I have tried to stay positive over the last few weeks but, after the last debacle, I think you are spot on Warky.
IF (and it still is a big IF) you get relegated from the Prem then you will have to jettison Hughton. I can't think of another team that has been relegated from the Prem and to come straight back up with the same manager! Either way he needs to be replaced as his philosophy clearly isn't popular with the Norwich faithfull. It might have been if it won football matches but something needs to change. I know this has nothing to do with me and I am only saying this because despite all the brickbats we throw at each other I do have a grudging admiration for what you have achieved over the last 3 years!
Lambert was key of course but something happened behind the scenes which haven't been truly revealed yet. We knew he would go but would've felt another year at Norwich would be better for both of us. It's typical for us that as soon as we're on the cusp of something potentially fantastic, it gets snatched away and seems to spiral out of control.
walky, compeletely agreed, and i think you'll find 75% of fans think that. however, there has been noise coming out of the club about him and his team being a long term appointment, so, i think he will get a chance next season There's also a chance he'll be fired if we do stay up, albeit small. how is it acceptable to win what 2 games out of 20?! any other manager would be fired, e.g Hughes, McDermott,O'Neill to name a few
Well said JWM, appreciated. When Hughton took Newcastle up, who took them down the season before? I thought it was him!
Making him a long term appointment born out of belief and confidence is one thing but making it out of sheer obstinantcy is another matter entirely. The death throws of any manager's reign isn't particularly nice to see however much you wish for it (I should know) but there sometimes is a case for putting the poor bastard out of his misery! If he keeps you up he wont be regarded as a success will he?
I still believe - probably both naively and stupidly in many people's eyes - that if we stay up this seasoning we'll see a huge change in the approach to football matches next term. The signing of van Wolfswinkle sets a marker down to where the management team and board's aspirations lie. The problem is that those aspirations could count for nothing should the worst happen and we go down.
