Pugin

I am wondering if we going to see a number of clubs keel over in the next 12 months.

I shall bump this, my friend, when Todd is tearing it up as a number 10 🙂

A number 10 isn't there to receive the ball with his back to goal. (A deep-lying 9 maybe is). Nor to win the ball in the air. Think more along the lines of Sir Wes or David Silva. Todd's spatial awareness and mobility would make him available to receive the ball either facing forward, on the half turn, or breaking at speed. In possession, he would then have the options of passes to (say) Pukki, Emi and maybe Onel and another, or to drive into the box where players would fear to tackle him. I am sure this is the way his career will develop and it's why the top teams are captivated by him. It's a question of when, not if. We will just have to wait and see, but the season is trickling away from us.

Agree that. The fundamental difference is the distance which it is necessary to travel to get into defensive positions. The wide men have to push 12kms just to do their job.

For the last 15 mins at Old Trafford, Todd Cantwell played in his best no 10 position and we enjoyed our most creative spell of the game. Surely it has reached the point where Daniel Farke has to move him across to the position where he will excel even more. As a last throw of the dice, it's a bramah.

Be wary, people, of the Marcus Evans model. His initial interest was directed towards Southampton FC, attracted possibly by the acquiring their training at Marchwood, the old Sealand complex down towards the periphery of the New Forest. Prime land in a beautiful area potentially worth many multi millions, subject to planning. Evans and Southampton fell through, I forget exactly why and probably the real reason remains undeclared Evans' attention turned to Ipswich Town, with its 50 acres of training grounds in affluent Rushmere. The club and its assets were acquired for a written down cost of something in excess of £6m. The football club and the real estate at Rushmere were swiftly legally separated. A cynic would regard Rushmere as Evans' insurance policy. A bigger cynic would regard it less charitably. The same issues would be relevant to any sale of Norwich City.

To the Russians, who for 25 years have been buying vast tracts of real estate in Kensington and Chelsea, and the West End generally, Chelsea FC is the ultimate toy, a status symbol, and a rich man's plaything. Abramovich is not relevant to any discussion about Norwich. He is not a philanthropist and no one should ever think that football investors are philanthropists (with the notable exception of the Shivaddhanaprabha family at Leicester and possibly Denim at Bournemouth).

So, just to be quite clear, are there people on this message board who would be quite happy to see the club fall into the ownership of new investors who have no love of the club and no affiliation with the club? In other words, investors whose interest is what they can get out of the club, not what they can put in?

Wonderful 🙂 Nail on head.

Believe it or not, the club cannot determine which deals can be got over the line, and at what time. They may be working on 6 to 8 deals atm, in the knowledge that maybe only one or two will come to fruition. That's how it works. You have to strike while the iron is hot or else the chance is gone.

Haha. Schmaltzy is fine. I still do bits and pieces around the game. Last year I was a paid researcher for the Sunday / Daily Telegraph's most eminent reporter / columnist, working on a project that his US publishers have commisioned. I love it all - simply wouldn't do it if I didn't. And it does provide perspective and background to everything that we see happening at Carrow Road, and it gives me access to some brilliant football people. Perspective is important in our situation.

Another bit - no, I am not a season ticket holder. I missed the deadline and actually don't know if I was eligible. It has cost me blood, sweat and tears, and a ton of money, to see virtally every game home and away this season.

I will explain as succinctly as I can: I fell in love with NCFC one night in the early 1970's, listening on the radio to a latter stages League Cup game against Chelsea at a fog-shrouded Carrow Road. Affection for the club was embedded that night, and has never left me. Strange, but true. I have lived well away from Norfolk all of the years since until moving to the city last year. During those years living away from Norwich I did work for another EFL club, some of it voluntary, never full-time, doing the things I love in and around football. Working inside football you soon get to see the underbelly - the good and the bad in roughly equal measure. At one time I used to think that I had decent contacts with every club in the League. So, in 2017 I decided it was finally time to cut my ties elsewhere and to commit full time to following City, initially travelling the distance required and more recently as a resident of the city. Now the rub. This is what I have found: the effort that the club puts into treating its supporters fairly and with respect is pretty much unmatched within the upper reaches of the pyramid. The integrity of the club is unmatched. The communication with fans is equally outstanding. The level of entertainment provided is impressive for the size of the club. That's enough to be going on with, I think.

Not necessarily. This morning I went online at about 09:00:20 seconds (ie the moment the website opened) via a smart phone and was put in a queue for 'not less than 45 mins'. A few moments later I went into queue via a laptop and was put into a queue of '13 minutes'. Clearly the system is a bit glitchy. I was lucky enough to get a ticket on the laptop after a 19 minute wait.

I cannot think of a single area where the club is failing to provide me with the 'product' which I expect. Last season was fantastic. This season is disappointing. There is not a club in world that does not have disappointing seasons. Not one. The club has integrity, two-way respect, it provides a great environment for us all. It strives to succeed within its means. It is open and exceptionally approachable. It is always looking to improve.l I really don't ask for much more than this. Would I like Delia and Michael to be 500 times more wealthy? Possibly, but not if it spoiled the fantastic club we have.

Delia and Michael are wonderful people with the sort of principles which are almost unheard of in sport. The club reflects their beliefs. We will all be diminished if the club falls into the hands of 'billionaires'.

Idiotic. Clearly the Republican alt-right /Tory dog whistle has convinced you that Socialism is a dirty word. Good luck to you.

Do you know what? I have never seen Todd post anything that a 21 year old Duncan Forbes might not have posted, had he been born 50 years later than he was. Think about it. Hard to imagine, but people seen keen to misconstrue what Todd says by applying their own agenda. It is 2020. He is (virtually) a millennial. Times change. Ways of expression change. Todd is personally and socially aware and he is working his way to the top every day through blood, sweat and tears because there are no shortcuts. That's what brings success. It doesn't matter if you are Duncan Forbes or Todd Cantwell.

The way to overcome that problem is to loan contract him for the rest of the season, putting him on the same basic as Grant Hanley, but add enormous incentives for helping us to stay up. Keeps everyone happy. Sheer unadulterated speculation, but still exciting.

Players want to play. That's would be the attraction of coming to a club tbat needed him.

Just seen Wanyama mentioned here - he would be THE perfect signing at the present time. A destructive deep midfielder with great stamina and an ability to cover many, many gaps. The more I think about it, the more I believe that we would really push the boat out to get him. He could turn our season.

• We have at least matched Everton, Leicester, Villa, Wolves, Arsenal and Spurs in recent games • God willing, the decapacitating injuries are behind us • We are fielding a stronger side than we were in the Autumn - Leitner out and Steiperman must surely be only on the fringes now • Emi is starting to turn it on. Cantwell is looking like a real trump card (hopefully soon to move to No 10) • Grant Hanley's displays have been a real bonus • A good signing in Jan would make us stronger - doesn't really matter which position • Daniel has kept his nerve and shows no signs of wobbling • I see a real unity amongst the players - playing for each other • If Mario can hits the heights he did against Spurs then we will have another star in our midfield • We even have outstanding defensive resource on the bench, be it Jamal or Sam THE PLAYERS ARE READY FOR IT. THE FANS ARE READY TO BACK THE SURGE. BRING ON PALACE.

It's a great message of encouragement to all those that get knocked back by criticism. Very typical of the lad.

The second one was the 'final consultation meeting', which was arranged after earlier feedback had been assimilated.

I attended the two at the stadium.