The Judge

"Prepare for failure and you will fail" as the quote from successful businessmen goes, however NCFC board I say "prepare for success and ultimately you will succeed". An incredibly worrying statement from our Chairman and starts to really get down to the ambition they have for this club. He also goes on to say "we are obsessed with off field activities" - when will they get it into their heads that ultimately the success or failure of all these off field activity are firmly linked to the success of the team ON THE FIELD.....if the team aren''t success why will people want to have meetings, conferences, weddings, events, dinners etc etc etc at NCFC As a board they have totally mis-managed the fantastic opportunity the foray in to the Premiership gave us. They keep saying they want to run the club as a business - well sorry Mr Munby if you were the board of a normal business you would have gone out of business or been sacked long ago. It is only because us football supporters are such a loyal bunch (i.e. there is no alternative for us) that you are still where you are. I''m not a share holder (but have been a season ticket holder for the last 16 years before people have a snipe at me) so can''t go to the AGM tonight - but those of you who are - GIVE THEM HELL !! A business should have an Objective and a plan to achieve that objective. If for NCFC it is the Premier League - get them to tell us HOW they are going to achieve it - not all this HOPE rubbish they keep coming up with. Businesses don''t HOPE for success they plan and invest for it. No doubt Doncaster will say at some stage as he has previously "hindsight is not an exact science" in relation to hanging on to Worthington to long- can''t disagree with the statement Mr Doncaster, but you are paid a significant amount of money to make the RIGHT decisions at the right time, and you are starting to build up quite a list of wrong decisions - ultimately you are accountable - don''t pass the buck. Rant over...  

OK so you have worked in PR fair enough. The fact you say the press release was drafted by the club makes it worse - they are actually admitting they are not ambitious then...finally some honesty !!!

Chris Brown quote "a good club with an ambitious manager"...interesting choice of words and unfortunately for us probably very true.. Shame he didn''t say "an ambitious club with a good manager" or "an ambitious club and manager". The fact that PG is ambitious doesn''t mean anything if the club isn''t......

I have to say I am like alot of you disappointed with the apparent signing of Chris Brown. I don''t know anything about the guy so don''t know whether he will be good or not but it does show how our club has sunk in the past 2 seasons. Obviously the transfer window hasn''t shut yet and I really hope that we bring in some players that will excite and bring optimisim for the rest of this season and next - but the signs aren''t good are they. We are apparently being out bid (transfer & wages) for our top targets by rival Championship clubs and the pond we now seem to be fishing in is the reserves of the same teams - not promising for the future. Lets at least get some players who are playing regularly in their respective 1st teams - even if they are in lower leagues. Season ticket renewals are up shortly and I live in hope that the board will realise that they must show at least some ambition through fear that sales will fall go through the floor - but their continued silence is deafining and i''m not holding out too much hope. The teams that are throwing the money around and showing ambition are Sunderland and Derby - and what do they have in common - they were both taken over in the summer by people prepared to invest money in the club. I appreciate the many debates that have already taken place on this board about who is out there to do the same for us - my challenge to the board is they need to get new money into this club and quickly - if not just be honest with us long suffering fans and say that their aspirations and finances mean they feel success for NCFC is staying in the championship. 

Sunderland have accepted bids from un-named clubs for Jon Stead and Brown. I have to say I think Jon Stead would be an excellent acquistion and would work well alongside Earnie. Are we one of the un-named clubs ???    

Just been reading the articles in todays paper and I have to say although it is still very early days for Peter Grant he is starting to annoy me, and more importantly worry me with some of the things he is saying and doing ! So its now the refs fault is it Peter ? - you blamed the players and fans and now its the ref eh !!! perhaps you need to start looking abit closer to home..you also state "we passed the ball square" - when have you seen Carl Robinson pass the ball forwards eh Peter ? - you go on to say "we are an ordinary side when we haven''t got the ball" - in that case pick players that can actually keep the ball, not give it away all the time. I am still prepared to give him more time and it will be really interesting the type of players he gets in January (assuming he gets some) as this will tell us alot about the type of player he wants, therefore the type of football he wants to play. Too much talking Peter, and not enough action or on field changes from the enept Worthington for my liking. Anyone who can continually pick the same midfield pairing week in week out when it is clearly the midlfield that is loosing the team its shape and drive. Anyone who can pick Robinson week in week out over and above Safri (or anyone else in the squad, or as a matter of fact - anyone!!) clearly is struggling. I hope for our sake (and yours) you sort it out quickly - but until you do just stop trying to deflect the critacism on everyone and anyone but yourself... watch out ball boys/girls, stewards, etc he''ll be blamign you soon.....

Agree Wiz - but unfortunately we don''t have any alternatives this weekend. So like you i feel we will be heading for a bad defeat at the weekend ..

You could ask the same question to Duncan Fletcher - England cricket coach for those of you don''t know ...... Inevitably playing negatitively, picking defensively minded players rather than attacking ones (Giles or Monty anyone ?) only leads to one result in the end - defeat.  

You need to remember Mystic when taking about our profit and comparing it to other clubs is that the parachute payment has been taken into consideration in calculating this. So if the parachute payment is around £6m - means we actually made a 4.5m loss - so when this disappears next season we really are in the poop. (Hence Delia saying we need to cut costs). There is some good stuff on this thread, however for me the one thing that is screeming out to be answered by those on the board of "DeliaLand Norwich" is where are we going to get new investment from ?? I don''t have the answers, I don''t know who is out there with money and wants to invest in a football club, I don''t know whether Delias majority share is/has put potential investors off, or indeed whether she is prepared to relinquish her majority shareholding to secure the finances necessary to move forward. However I do know one thing, with the level of debt as it is, the squad being as small as it is with one or 2 saleable assets (which would have to be sold at the end of the season if we don''t get promoted), parachute payments finishing, and lack of "real" new money available from the existing board - there is only one way this club is going - Backwards. Sorry to be so pessimistic but looking at it logically, without this significant new investment it the only way we are going. I''m not having a go at Delia for what is has done for the club, and though she has benefited from self promotion in being associated with NCFC i don''t think it is her primary objective for being in charge of NCFC. But she (if she is really a true fan) and the rest of the board don''t have a major strategic re-think on how they want/need to finance NCFC over the next 10 years we are certainly not going to be challenging at the top of the championship, and actually have the potential (with the lack of players we have) to slip down a division.  

I feel the bigger issue here and the one that isn''t addressed or even eluded to by the board is in relation to obtaining new investment in the years to come. Lets face it if we don''t ever get promotion to the Premier division again we are NEVER going to pay that debt off - infact it is only likely to get bigger and bigger. Then where will we be ? The ONLY ways we will ever pay it off is by getting promoted, or attracting a very wealthy investor. If Delia is already saying we would have to cut back if we don''t get promoted this season (i.e. selling our better players - and we haven''t got too many that would make any sort of dent in the debt) then what will be situation in future seasons - especially with the size of squad we currently have. Also when we sell Earnshaw - how much will be made available for squad strengthening with a debt that size ? So we are apparantly a well run club ??- well here is a question for you, if we don''t go up, sell Earnshaw, Huckerby etc - will we be in a better financial and footballing position than Ipswich ?. By going into adminsitration they wiped off most of their debt & have good youngsters coming through - so what is the benefit of being a "well run club" ? For me there are 3 scenarios; 1) We gamble and "go for it" this January - spending upto £5m on 5 or 6 new players - in an attempt to gain promotion in what is an extremely wide open divison 2) We seek significant outside investment, even if it means Delia relinquishing her majority shareholding - with a view to being financially competitive, meaning we can challenge for promotion in seasons to come. 3) We remain "prudent" and hope we succeed with the limited resources at our disposal. I admit with 1) there is the obvious danger that we don''t go up, this would result in us increasing the debt (which is already huge anyway!) and losing our better players (again which will happen anyway) - would we be in a much worse postion than we would be if we hadn''t even tried ? With 3) there is only one road we will follow and that is downwards. Revenues will fall , debts will increase, even less money available for transfers. I don''t know the route the board will take - but I fear it will be 3). For me it has to be 1) followed by 2), alternatively just 2) at the end of this season if we don''t get promoted with our "prudent" approach in January.  

and the midfield only began to function once Safri came on.... Grant eluded to why Robinson is picked every week over and above Safri in his post match interview. He stated Robinson is a very good "professional" i.e. he is a yes man and does what he is told. Professional doesn''t always equal good Peter. With such a small squad we have to play our best players - in January if you can bring other players in to do that job - fine - but up until then please play our best players.... 

I assume you are taking the Micky ? - are you talking about 2 matches since he has been here ? OK I admit he had a better game last night and for scoring a goal he deserves alot of credit - but for me he shouldn''t be in the starting 11 (and would only be on the bench as cover for injury during the game). Safri showed last night, that although still not as his best he makes the midfield function, he gives shape to the team, he drives the team forward. A central midfield partnership of Robinson/Etuhu has proved on EVERY occasion it is not up to the task. So yes a better performance, but definately shouldn''t be in the starting 11.

Totally disagree that Safri is the most over-rated player at the club. I agree he hasn''t been performing to his best (but who in the midfield has ?). For me an underperforming Safri is still better and offers more than Robinson (i.e. he might at least put 1 tackle in during a game or make 1 forward pass !) - at least we know Safri can do the job well - whereas i have never seen Robinson do anything positive. Also having Safri in the side allows Etuhu more freedom and confidence to do what he does best - i.e. get forward as he knows Safri will stay behind him and do the stuff he doesn''t like doing i.e tackling, covering, passing !!...I say again I appreciate Safri hasn''t played that well recently but he is the ONLY midfielder at the club who has the ability and presence to give us the steel we blatantly need and therefore HAS to play in my opinion. Pairing Etuhu and Robinson/Hughes and just expect more of what we saw at Ipswich and against Hull i''m afraid/

Nutty, I quote "Robinson was our best midfielder". I appreciate everyone has different opinions and rightly so, but I assume you would want to put this comment in context of an extremely poor midfield performance again. Robinson is the worst player in the squad yet he gets onto the pitch each game. I would go as far to say he is the reason why are midfield are playing so poorly at the moment. He can''t pass or tackle, takes no responsibility and hides most of the game. Etuhu needs someone alongside him who is going to do these sort of things to get the best out of him. OK Safri hasn''t played that well this year but he is the ONLY player at the club that can undertake that role and therefore HAS to play - even a misfiring Safri gives us better shape and presence in midfield than a fully fit Robinson - the bloke offers nothing which is the reason we are being over-run at the moment.

Wiz, I have to say I agree with your sentiment if not the way you say it. I too hold the board soley responsible for the mess we now find ourselves in; footballing wise and financially - and this January transfer window will either confirm our views or make us rethink our opinions. Unfortunately I sadly feel it will be the former. Delia lives off the fact that she felt she "saved" the club from the dark days of Robert Chase, this she may have done, but to hold something that happened nearly 15 years ago as the only reason she is the right person to continue in control of our club is nothing short of scandalous. It saddened me to here she used this as an answer to someone questioning the financial state of the club at a recent NCISA meeting. The person questioned her on, investment in players, the ambition of the club, the finances etc and rather than answering the points specifically, she basically said in as many words "I saved this club", and that was it. Times have changed Delia and so has football (some parts of it not for the better in my view) and if Norwich are going to be successful as a club and take our place in the Premiership again we will need serious investment, and ditching the "little" Norwich mentality - this will only happen with changes on the Board - a Board which is controlled by a majority shareholder who has neither the financial means or personal desire to do something about either.....  

No idea !! - an absolute liability - hopefully his last game for a while. Shows how poor our defence is when a 37 year old shows you how to do your job. And as for Robinson - that bloke should be done under the trades description act - footballer my **rse ! Well and truely beaten today, a very poor performance. Only Chadwick, Colin, and Shack come out with any credit. Mr Grant changes a winning side again with a similiar result & performance to Stoke - hopefully he won''t make the same mistake again.

I think what you need to know here London is that Bellamy did and still does by all accounts keep in contact with Steve Foley to ask his advice on things. Obviously as you know Foley was made the scape goat by Worthington for his own obvious failures (Which have now been proven & Ipswich aren''t playing hoofball at the moment are they....strange that !). So I''m sure that Bellamy would have contacted Foley after his dismissal. Therefore this along with the fact as others have stated, its fairly sound advice (what would you have told Cotterill / what would you have done yourself if you were Cotterill ? - fairly obvious too me).

As i said on this board last week I heard from a reliable source a week and a half ago that Grant was the hot favourite and Malky would be his number 2. This was before alot of the interviews supposedly took place...(i wish i''d put some money on it now!!) Anyway one of the main reasons the person that told me said was that Grant was a Catholic (as is Malky) and strangely so is Delia. We all heard her mad comments about putting a chapel in the ground so their may be something in this. I not anti religon or anything like that and you can either believe it or not (but they were right with Grant). Now if this is the case then you really have to question the decision making of the board. If it is the case NCFC is nothing more than Delia "play thing" - rather than make hard and sound business decisions Delia would prefer to appoint someone who she get get on with and invite round for tea. Don''t get me wrong a month ago I was saying anyone is better than Worthington and now we have someone else who i''m prepared to give a chance. I do feel we could have done better and for me i do feel the board have taken a massive gamble and if they haven''t made the decision for the right reasons then it may well be the last major decision they make - because they won''t be able to live this one down

Looks like i was right - now watch them appoint Malky as number 2. The deciding factor in Delias decision making process its that they are both Catholic. No offence intended - but if this is a factor in Delias process - we''re doomed. Make decisions for the right reasons NOT for you Delia...

So cluckin - if it is true what you are saying this person could be either; Tilson, Crook, Bowen or Grant... unfortunately my moneys on Grant - but please let me be wrong....

Hope you are right Tom. The board keep going on about football being a business - and they are right - but that means they need to start acting like one of their stature. NCFC in my eyes are constantly punching below their weight in business terms - too much of this "little norwich" attitude - they are a big club and they need to start thinking and acting like one. Otherwise their is only one way this club is going - backwards 

Good too see West Brom have shown ambition by going after the manager they wanted and have agreed a compensation package with Hibs to get him. Regardless of what anybody thinks of him at least West Brom have targetted their man and gone for him. Seems as though (I really hope i''m wrong) that our board have given up at the first attempt of securing Steve Tilson - and we haven''t even approached Blackburn about Mark Bowen. Now i''m not saying that either one of these would want to be manager of NCFC but how do you know unless you talk to them ?? Too me either of these would be preferable to the 4 that "appear" to be left on the list. Again NCFC want to be seen as "nice" and doing things in an honourable way. I appreciate there would be money to part with for either of the above 2 to become the next manager of NCFC but as many have already pointed out in previous posts - this is the most important appointment for NCFC for along time and if we get it wrong - make no mistake we will be in this division (or potentially lower) for the next 5 years at least (unless we magic up a serious amount of investment from somewhere). So what if these candidates are at other clubs - if NCFC believe they are the right men - they could go out and get them and must NOT be prepared to take the best of whats left - its too important. Just like when good old Nige said we enquired about Freddy Eastwood and they said no -we just packed our bags with our tails between our legs and accepted it. We might aswell have enquired about Rooney, Gerrard etc - it doesn''t mean anything until you show the colour of your money... I said awhile ago that I''d heard a rumour that it was going to be Peter Grant (with Malky as number 2 to appease the fans at the uninspiring manager choice) this is looking more and more likely... I hope i''m wrong and they make a last ditch approach for Tilson or Bowen - but i''m not holding my breath...

Just heard from a source close to the goings on within NCFC that their is alot more to this one than some of the other rumours - and listen to this little gem - his number 2 would be another ex - norwich player (currently playing in the premiership for Watford...!) My initial reaction when I heard this was - No. Too much of a gamble in my opinion and shows total lack of ambition on the part of the board. Obviously don''t know what Grant is like as a coach, but I seem to remember he didn''t have that good a relationship with the fans when he was here (far too slow and old from memory). This obviously doesn''t mean he wouldn''t be a good manager for NCFC but too big a gamble for me. As for Malky - this one is for the cuckoo''s amongst us. Sorry it may appease the fans for a while - but its coaching and manager qualities we''re looking for not nostalga...   

Agree that he should move on for all concerned - my 9 year old nephew was standing next to the guy he was having a go at.....

I can''t believe some of the comments on here standing up for what Hughes did today - obviously all those of you who said that didn''t see the incident at close quarters. His reaction (to whatever may have been said) was a total and utter disgrace - he should never play for Norwich again.