ManchesterCanary

This seems to be a national trait, I hear many teams supporters saying the same thing. I went to MU v Benfica recently (not a fan by the way) and until Benfica scored and raised MU''s game it was like a library in Old Trafford, an amazing phenomena considering there were 75,000 there. People seem to treat a football game more like a family visit to the cinema or theatre these days, to be entertained but not join in. Its never been the same since all seating...I am an advocate of a controlled section in the ground for those that like to stand and sing.

Earnie has scored exactly 50% of our league goals. Even assuming any other striker might have scored about half of his total I am guessing that without him we would be in the bottom three. Conversely, if other players had performed to their potential we would probably be in the top three. With teams capable of beating any other in this league, are we likely to be mid table mediocrity for the forseeable future? (or even worse if we sell him)  

One of the details from the accounts....players wages were £9m in 2005/6 - down from £11m in the Premiership...and a quote from Mr. Doncaster..."the board believed that it should back the judgment of former manager Nigel Worthington and did so, sanctioning player wages during 2005/6 which were only marginally lower than during our year in the Premier League.” Where is the incentive for players to perform?. Surely the club should cut its cloth accordingly. This looks like extremely bad financial judgement...and nothing like passing the buck is there?...Mr Doncaster, its THE BOARDS FAULT if you let a football manager dictate financial matters. It beggars belief. I am no accountant but....Players wages of £9 million!!  Profit down £5.1 million!. Easy answer...players wages should be a lot lot less!      

I cannot respect Grants latest comments, he seems to have no humility, and no chance of winning the argument against thousands of lifelong and irate city fans... We pay...they get paid...lots! Therefore the onus is on him and the team. Passion breeds passion, and we have seen little of that from them lately.  

...instead of playing it out of the danger area, they passed to feet and when the pass went astray, Hull pounced...to knock the ball over the full-back in the final minutes is not the Norwich way...but that''s the winning way. The above quote comes from the managers tirade...and i disagree  When you are 1-0 up with a seconds or minutes to go, possession is the key. Keep possession and the opposition cannot score. Hoofing it over the full back only buys a few seconds as the keeper usually pumps it straight back into the danger area. Our problem, at least one of them, is that we cannot keep possession, the team is not skilled enough. If he had admitted that his comments might have had more credibility... What a hole Grant has dug himself. For a new manager, his comments are a huge gaffe...barring quick promotion (which looks extremely unlikely) I doubt now he will ever gain the endearment of the fans.

Do the supporters want promotion...I for one fear what would happen should we be lucky enough to make it...we would be destroyed.

In the aftermath of this game I plead with the players; No Doherty like banality, no cliches, no stereotypical apologies, no trite remarks, no false promises.... The managers post match remark suffices thank you...''we were awful from start to finish...''  Please...JUST DO YOUR JOBS

Ipswich were up for it, we were not...that hurts We were 2nd to every 50/50 ball...that hurts. Only Chadwick showed some urgency. Nobody made themselves available to Gallagher for a throw out, hence always the hoof straight to their defenders! You could see his frustration, he wanted to instigate fast counter attacks (he had a good game at least). Its unforgiveable that the midfield does not take the responsibility. Ipswich play youth, we do not...I fear for the future. Ipswich also tried to play from the back, through midfield. Our back line have few options so just hoof it. Midfield lacking again! And Ipswich looked ordinary, which says a hell of a lot for us! I am sick of City looking embarassing on TV...we were like rabbits in the headlights. I really dont know what Grant can do with this lot...only half the team seemed to play with any desire. My kid was so upset at the lack of skill, passion and commitment he could not watch it...a terrible indictment of their so called professionalism. It always amazes me that some well paid players cannot put full effort into just 90 minutes, when most of us would run our socks off for free!  

Anyone see the full page article in the Telegraph today?  Apparently he is a figure of fun at WHU and ''laughed at'' particularly cos of the size of his head (say no more). He admits Norwich is a great place but then goes on to say; "Norwich is very different, stuck out in the North Sea (?)...a city the size of a town, with a village mentality" Make of that what you will, I am sure the posters on here will have somethingt to say...my opinion (for what its worth) is HAVE SOME RESPECT...we helped get you where you are now! I think he is blowing bubbles out of the proverbial...and he will end up like Marshall, eventually deemed not good enough for the premiership and destined for championship football if he''s lucky...   

Interesting link Wizard...what a bunch of illiterates those potters posters seem...makes us all look positively shakespearean...and a midlands ''derby'' against Coventry? don''t think so somehow...would that not be Port Vale?...oh what a joy to follow the Canaries...we don''t have it so bad after all.  

Good info Komakino. If its true and i Have no reason to doubt you, its a disgrace, what incentive does he have to perform?. Let him rip someoe else off!

who? where? do they play in our league?...are they ''in'' our league? I thought it was an enclave of binmen and tractors...

First time i have had over 60 replies to a post...even though some of you went off on a tangent, I thank you guys and gals...

I met Mills in a bar near Manchester. When I commented that I was also from Norwich his reply was ''...you escaped too then!'' (I was quite put out by that). So on that evidence, not sure he would want to come back...having said that he was playing regularly for Man City then, now he is slumming it at Hull which is a much worse place than Naarridge (apologies to anyone from Hull but I have been there and its true)

Watching NCFC (when i can) continues to be a frustrating experience. However, watching the style of pure football that Arsenal have played recently, particularly the games at Reading (0-4) and against CSKA Moscow (mayebe the most amazing 0-0 ever) restores my faith in the beautiful game. I am not a Gooners fan as such, but their style is a joy to watch. Has anybody witnessed such fast, skillful, flowing football before?...(maybe Brasil in 1970?).

I see Randy (purleese) Lerner is paying for 6000 Villa fans to go to their Carling Cup game against Chelsea. Very magnaminous gesture me thinks, I guess all theses rich chairpersons are not all bad. I have not managed to get to a game in yonks due to financial restraints...so I am hoping her Deliasness might give me a freebie (ticket) Cheers... 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/norwich/6085326.stm At last...a football player talking sense...at last a footballer with integrity. Not to say there are not more like Hucks, but I for one am sick of reading about stars like Shevchenko, Ballack and Cashley Cole(oh yeah, they all play for Chelski) who are just in it for the money. We are lucky to have Hucks...and vice versa of course. He is a great role model for the clubs young players and supporters. City should give him a new contract...quick.

Take a look at this Yankee, from the political economy of football website... Fourteen months after US financier Malcolm Glazer and his family took over Manchester United in a hotly contested takeover battle, the club''s improving financial prospects have been reflected in a £660m debt reinfinancing deal. The deal will cut the club''s annual interest bill and strengthen the Glazer family''s grip on the club. A spokesman for the Glazers said the amended structure would continue to provide manager Alex Ferguson with ''sufficient funds in the transfer market''. The Financial Times, citing people familiar with the package, said the club''s annual interest charge would fall to £62m, compared to £90m under the old deal. It said overall borrowings would rise to £660m from £580m, but the club had halved to £135m the amount they owe in the form of higher risk payment-in-kind notes. Kind of puts things into perspective...interestingly they still have sufficient funds for transfers...

I''ve seen opposition supporters in the river end in the 70''s, then in the south stand, then next to us in the Barclay divided by a horrendous fence and a stretch of no mans land (Hammers fans throwing tomatoes with razor blades inside was no fun). Conclusion...it doesn''t make a difference, the banter is still there. What we should be is grateful its safe, battles in the Barclay are thankfully a thing of the past. However, wherever they sit they have the advantage of all singing together and generally making more noise. In the extreme I saw five Sevilla fans outsing MU supporters at the Old Trafford cathedral recently, it was pitiful, admittedly it was a friendly...but the Barclay needs to try and raise the level.

Imitation is the highest form of flattery...

The BBC says Drogba has earned himself a £60,000 per week pay rise!!!! Goes to show what one goal, a bit of theatrics and expert diving can do. Is it me or has football and Chelski in particular totally lost touch with reality...

  Reading Mr Doncasters piece on EDP24 about the manager selection process and interview method, I have even more respect for Peter Grant now...it reads as if it was perhaps a gruelling interview process...I wonder what psychometric questions they asked, it would be interesting if they made them public so we could all test our suitability... http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/commentary/NeilDoncaster.aspx

The team is undoubtedly suffering, but admiration for the City support is ongoing. I saw the Sky highlights and the contrast between the empty seats at Portaloo Road and the fantastic yellow and green army at QPR that filled the two tier stand was well evident. My mates up here ''in the North'' always comment on our great support. It reinforces how proud we can all be at being NCFC supporters, whatever the results. Well done to all those who went...brilliant show. 

Grant signed a new 4 year contract at the Hammers earlier in the year so they must have rated him. Yet he was being touted as manager of Bournemouth last month. I cant make up my mind if he is premiership or league one level. I wish him luck...maybe he is a very good prospect...but its a hell of a gamble.

Its easy to go for a big name charlie who probably has no real interest in the job..so well done the board...choosing someone with passion for the job. And to all you moaners on the forum already, give the poor guy a chance.