Chip20

He specifically doesn''t mention the scampi portions either. Hmmmm [rubs chin]...

Aha! The lesser-spotted Canos. A rare sighting in these parts.

Aye; these bottom half of the Premier League teams should only be signing players with a minimum of three Champions League medals in the drawer and the best years of their careers still ahead of them. I wonder why they aren''t...

Two questions for the OP:1. Do all the top managers always sort out a designated penalty taker prior to the match and only the incompetent ones don''t? I presume you know this for certain for it to be such an issue for you.2. Why is not having a designated penalty taker a problem? The only instance I can see where it actually causes significant issues is if nobody steps up to take it. Is it statistically proven that pre-identified penalty takers are far more likely to score than a player who is ''caught by surprise''?

I do see what you are saying, AJ, and my rant wasn''t really directed at you in particular (it just reminded me how annoyed I got with Naismith''s treatment at the time). I just think there is a massive difference between a player actively agitating for a move (e.g. Grabban style or by refusing to play, or by issuing ''come-and-get-me'' pleas in the media) and the situation with Naismith where he apparently allowed his agent to entertain Sunderland''s enquiry.  Surely there''s a difference between instigating an enquiry and responding to one? It strikes me that a player only really gets any say in the matter once two clubs have agreed that a discussion can happen; he''s the last person in the chain. If my employer indicated they don''t necessarily want me around for the next few months (surely NCFC would have told Sunderland where to go from the off if Naismith were vital to their immediate plans) and another offer came in I too would want to listen to both sides in order to make a balanced decision. It seems to me that Steven did just that and decided he would rather stay with us. Rather than castigating him for daring to listen to another offer from elsewhere, I am actually proud that, despite the offer of Premier League riches and an escape from the hostility he was experiencing here at the time, he chose to stay with us. Because of the obscene finance involved in football I rather suspect many fans see the phrase ''personal terms'' as directly synonymous with ''pay packet'' but my own view is that this is cynical (although I''m sure it may well be true in some cases) and that there are other aspects of a contract that players look for after they have cast their eye over the headline figure. I just thought the abuse Naismith got on this forum at the time was massively unfair given the paucity of actual evidence available. People are so prone to jumping to conclusions with scant evidence to go on. Their conclusions usually reflect their own prejudices and pre-conceptions rather than a balanced consideration of the multitude of alternative possibilities.

[quote user="hogesar"]I can tell you with 100% certainty he''s not that happy here right now.[/quote]It''s always nice to get an ITK insight and I certainly do believe what you have stated, but, in the interest of balance, are there any players currently not in the first team picture who are happy to be here right now?

[quote user="ec-p"]Didn''t sound too happy not to be playing to me. At least deserves a place on the bench, to come on for a tiring Murphy imo.[/quote]To be fair, I would be most disappointed with any NCFC squad member who, instead, confesses in an interview that he is actually quite happy to just be picking up his wages and isn''t all that bothered about whether he plays regularly for the first team or not.Genuine question - my intention isn''t to sound provocative - but who do you feel should slide off the bench to make room for Canos?

[quote user="AJ"]Naismith - another odd one - persisted on dropping Hoolahan in favour of him last year only to see us relegated. Tried to leave in the summer...[/quote]I kept seeing this stated at the time and I can already feel my blood pressure rising being reminded of it again. Is that really what happened? How do we know? I acknowledge I may have missed something (I don''t have my finger on the pulse 24x7) but the only ''evidence'' I saw about the whole situation at the time was a brief response from Naismith from a Scotland training camp, that his agent (i.e. a third party) was, indeed, engaged in discussions with Sunderland. My memory is a little hazy about the specifics but my interpretation at the time was something along the lines of Sunderland approaching Norwich to enquire about Naismith (on loan, so not a permanent exit), the latter presumably giving them permission to open a dialogue and the agent beginning investigations to scope the situation out. I saw no hard evidence that Naismith actively sought the move or agitated for it (or ''tried'' in your parlance) or showed any burning desire to leave NCFC (how sh!te must the ''personal terms'' have to have been to turn down a move away, back to the Premier League no less, if he were that desperate to leave?). It didn''t appear to reach the stage where he actually sat down with Sunderland to discuss the terms of a potential contract; it all seems to have been tentative discussion through his agent and he never actually left the training camp to make it happen. Stepping outside your dyed-in-the-wool fan''s perspective for a moment, which professional footballer wouldn''t give his agent the permission to scope the situation out if a potential opportunity to return to the Premier League presented itself? Why are fans so willing to presume (because, let''s face it, that is all we can do with the paucity of ''evidence'' available) the worst rather than the more favourable alternatives? Couldn''t an equally plausible interpretation of the ''evidence'' be that, following Sunderland''s approach, Norwich confirmed to Naismith that he may struggle for opportunities on his current form, Naismith agreed to let his agent pursue the loan move opportunity so he could prove his worth once more, Moyes told his agent that there are no guarantees at Sunderland, and Naismith decided to knuckle down and prove his worth in training, cup/reserve matches and ad hoc appearances from the subs bench at NCFC instead?Of course, if there is actual evidence that Naismith actively asked his agent to identify potential escape routes from NCFC and Norwich, with their backs to the wall, agreed with considerable reluctance when the Sunderland opportunity arose then I hold my hands up; I missed that one. Meanwhile I prefer to continue giving people the benefit of the doubt and believe them innocent until proven guilty.Regarding the OP, in my opinion Canos may, indeed, have been purchased as a potential replacement for Redmond, hasn''t impressed the manager (who sees a lot more of him than we do) as much as expected yet, and has found opportunities hard to come by given Murphy''s early season form. Why the compulsion to look for something more sinister than that?Similarly for Pritchard and Maddison; what if they are more future planning than immediate need? Perhaps both have been identified as potential long-term replacements for the ageing Hoolahan. Give the latter match practice and sharpness at Aberdeen wile the former plays understudy to Hoolahan when he''s injured/suspended/out of form? If both players spend two or three further seasons at NCFC and barely ever play then why not huff and puff about it then rather than relatively soon after their signings? Is that not short-sighted, knee jerk I-want-it-right-now kind of stuff?

I agree with you, Jim Smith. The key bit, as with Wes and many others, is ''on form''.

[quote user="ron obvious"]OT OT, Twin Peaks is returning next year ...[/quote]Are they the same kind of ''twin peaks'' described with depressing regularity above?

[quote user="Mike "][quote user="Chip20"][quote user="Mike "]Anyway I have see the light..... the relegation didn''t happen, the inbalance of the squad is a myth, the players are obviously happy and playing for Alex, all the jorno''s are wrong and have NO contacts what so ever, the 10 goals let in in 3 games are a blip, AN is improving week by week, the board have a clear plan and Tom is massively qualified to carry it out... love the ex Whinging fanny[/quote]That''s great news. Do you feel better for it? I''m curious; before you saw the light, what did all your whinging actually achieve?[/quote] Where do I did those big hands you all love?[/quote]I honestly don''t know where you did them. I''m sorry. Perhaps you can come back and tell us if you remember?

[quote user="Number 9"]The question of a defensive coach was one of those where the answer was obviously known before the question was asked. The purpose of it being asked in a very public way in front of the Directors, was obviously to express dismay at the lack of progress defensively, and that the buck stops with AN. Had the question been asked in a different setting then the answer would have been slightly less polite. Bottom line is that unless we stop shipping goals pdq then AN will be looking for new job. There are managers around who are known to be able to coach a defense.[/quote]Is there a particular reason all these managers are available then?

[quote user="Mike "]Anyway I have see the light..... the relegation didn''t happen, the inbalance of the squad is a myth, the players are obviously happy and playing for Alex, all the jorno''s are wrong and have NO contacts what so ever, the 10 goals let in in 3 games are a blip, AN is improving week by week, the board have a clear plan and Tom is massively qualified to carry it out... love the ex Whinging fanny[/quote]That''s great news. Do you feel better for it? I''m curious; before you saw the light, what did all your whinging actually achieve?

[quote user="Huckerbys Boots - Matt"]Why is it im the only one who thinks Bassong is done and should be taken out back and put down. Im not making this up. [/quote]Perhaps that is a question you should be asking yourself, not us?

[quote user="Huckerbys Boots - Matt"]And I really dont think the qoute thing makes me an idiot Hogesar. I press the qoute button and it does what it does.[/quote]So...you keep doing the same thing over and over again, even though history shows it doesn''t work?Huh.

[quote user="hogesar"]Three of them are at home? Just go to the games? Or am I missing something...[/quote] The fact that Carrow Road cannot accommodate every City fan in the world, perhaps?

Here''s hoping pete means what he says stops posting criticism...

[quote user="Keith Scott"]Would be an excellent signing. Exactly the type of player we need. Not surprised by the senseless comments from the pinkun'' NFN''s.[/quote]Wasn''t he exactly the type of player Rangers needed?

[quote user="wcorkcanary"]Slow cooked Pork belly that had marinated for 24 hrs in cider, colemans mustard mash, savoy cabbage and peas. It was the first time she''d made it, i hope it wont be the last.[/quote]Ooh stop it; you''re making me dribble.Chicken en croute (from a packet; urgh!) last night. Pizza (from a packet) tonight. Wonderful (!)

[quote user="True Grit"]Would be one of the best signings the club has ever made, and that includes Alan Lee and Ashley Ward. Barton is a shire horse, stoic and one of the hardest working stalwarts in the game - exactly what the club needs at this time.[/quote]Aye; guy''s been a roaring success at every club he''s blessed with his presence. What could possibly go wrong?

What the actual fu—

Breaded fish (of some sort; dunno what) from a packet (urgh!) and some oven fries (urgh!). Felt a bit grim afterwards.

I''m sure much of the footballing world would love to be Barton free.

[quote user="pete"]Alex Neil continually blames the Inabilities of the players in post match interviews rather than take any responsibility himself. In public he needs to take the blame in private he can castigate the team. Another example of Neil''s managerial ineptitude to go with the rest of his character flaws.[/quote]I don''t s''pose you could pick out a few examples of managers who are always blaming themselves for their team''s performances, could you pete?Just for sh!ts and giggles, like.

Was Irvine supposed to ''bring something to the party''? Surely a vacancy arose and he filled it? Was he heralded as signalling a bold new direction for the Club or something? Did I miss that?