seedyrom

[quote user="shortfatb"] High notes may be out of reach with England still tuning up David Lacey Saturday July 1, 2006 The Guardian     "Then again, maybe the critics have been duped all along. So far, apart from a couple of halves, England have played like zombies, attracting routine ridicule from press and pundits. Perhaps they were fooling, Portugal will be swept aside and a scowling Scolari along with them. It worked for France, who until they beat Spain were giving a plausible imitation of the Old Guard at dusk with Zinédine Zidane packing his bags for Elba while Franck Ribéry perfected his Darren Huckerby impression." [/quote] Trying to find anything intelligible in the Grauniad on any subject at all is an exercise in futility itself. I wouldn''t waste your time if I were you.

[quote user="Death of Canaries"]Ronaldinho is a great player, and it''s very easy to get mesmerised and fooled by his tricks and turns and his shooting.  But what else can he really do? He drifts out of games when he''s not on the ball, he doesn''t tackle or track back, he can''t win a game on his own... I think after this World Cup there will be a large number of players who have surpassed him in the view of most experts - Rooney, Gerrad, Riquelme - it''s only really the commentators who sit there creaming over him these days... [/quote]   Well said, DoC - Ronaldinho''s great at keepy-up, but I''ve yet to see him be the primary influence in a game. Give me Kaka from the Brazil side anyday.

Snap your hand off for 6 wins from the first 10, Matt. For what it''s worth, I think this is pretty near accurate what Nige has got to aim at achieving if he''s going to stand any chance of turning public opinion this season.   Let''s hope, eh ?

[quote user="Matt Hudson"]Things are going to start hotting up over the next seven to 10 days. "It''s been a little bit frustrating so far because this has been one of the quietest close seasons I can remember. But we will have something finalised in time for the start of pre-season," he told Yorkshire Today. This is what Kevin Blackwell said on his lack of signings and the transfer market. It sounds remarkebly like NW, perhhap it is really quiet. [/quote]   None of us know what''s going on behind the scenes in terms of transfer activity so let''s all be patient and hope that NW brings in the right players. What NW and I might consider "the right players" is however a whole new thread....................................

[quote user="Konstantin Pobedonostsev"]  Seedyrom "I think what is being highlighted here is the ambition being exhibited by Birmingham pre-season, and the type of player they are willing to invest in, in sharp contrast to ... [the signings of Worthington]" ... wasn''t it Worthington who signed the ''types of player'' like Huckerby, McKenzie, Ashton, Earnshaw, Safri and Crouch? And before you say it yourself ... yes I know Worthington has also purchased Etuthu, Hughes and Thorn but all clubs bring in players who either take a while to settle or never make it ... Birmingham bought Heskey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OTBC [/quote]   You''re quite right, KP - he did indeed sign those players and for that he deserves much credit (I might be a fierce critic of Nige''s tactics, but I''ve no personal dislike of the bloke and I''ve never shied away from giving him credit where it''s due).  But I was careful to point out that I was referring to the players he brought in last season - as a newly relegated side - and contrasting them to the type of players Birmingham have brought in under the same circumstances. The difference in the mental approach between the two clubs in trying to get back to the Premier couldn''t be wider.

I find this thread very strange - beyond googling Hunter''s name to find out a bit about his history, previous clubs/positions, etc, who here GENUINELY knows a single thing about what he is REALLY like as a coach, or what his footballing ideals are ?  I''ll happily state that I know absolutely NOTHING about him as I suspect 99.9% of all City followers do, so to start touting him as the replacement manager before we even know what he can do seems crazy.

I think what is being highlighted here is the ambition being exhibited by Birmingham pre-season, and the type of player they are willing to invest in, in sharp contrast to the (let''s face it) bog average ''run-forever-and-not-much-else'' bunch we splashed millions on last year, and the same type of tired-out cloggers we have been linked  to this year. Again, this comes down to ambition and managerial ideals about the way the game should be played. Heck, even if by some miracle Birmingham don''t run away with the title, with the players they have brought in, their fans are going to get a hell of a ride next season.

I think the problems at this football club are far too deep seated and ingrained for the fans to make any real difference any more - but it would make Carrow Road a far sight nicer place to visit for everybody if we could at least give it a try.  There are however a large number of Hughes bashers who thoroughly enjoy themsleves when they''re screaming abuse at one of their own players. Don''t expect any kind of encouragement from them; they''re having far too much fun, and sadly, they''re not going to go away. I wish they would, though.

All of this may or may not be true, but ultimately it doesn''t detract from the fact that letting Crow go is starting to look like yet another piece of calamitous managerial misjudgement. Everybody, including football managers are entitled to the odd mistake over things like this, particularly if they are borderline cases, but why Worthy couldn''t see the potential in this lad whilst even the most casual supporter could is worrying to say the least, particularly when viewed in the context of the disturbing pattern of good players he has unceremoniously dumped over the last  twelve months and the dubious ones he has brought in to unsuccessfully replace them.

Agreed. Now if we could also just get a right back, cover for left back, a central midfielder, a right winger and a centre forward, we might even be in with a shot of the playoffs.

Good point - best natural finisher this club has had since..........errrm....well macdougall, actually.

[quote user="Matt Hudson"]  He will stay and will be banging in the goals next seaoson. I reckon 25 at least.[/quote] That depends on whether he''s got to spend the season chasing long balls falling out of the stratosphere with snow on them. If they''re the tactics Nige starts with next year, expect a hasty Ashton-esque departure. Earnshaw''s perfectly capable of finishing top scorer in the Championship next year, if, IF he gets the service, and the tactics are measured to play to his strengths.

I rather suspect the real scenario was that nobody else had 3 million quid to splash up front for him - WBA made no secret that they would sell to the first bidder who met their valuation. As for the player himself, he couldn''t wait to leave, and probably would have gone anywhere to get out from under Robson.

[quote user="DIZNAZZA HIZLOMEZ"] Hand on heart who thinks we are going up next season. [/quote]   Not a hope in hell. On a player for player basis we are weaker than we were when we won the championship, the squad has less depth, and the standard of the opposition next season will be far superior. Our only hope is to get a settled team bedded in early, for the crowd to stay off their backs (which is hardly likely considereing how fragile the relationship is at present), to avoid injuries to the crucial players and for Mr. Worthington to ditch his obsession with ''Jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none'' panic signings in the close season. Do that and we might finish in the top ten, but we are, in my opinion, six quality players away from a serious challenge next season.

[quote user="Nigels Tic-Tacs"]Yes we have had many managers over the years and the crrent one is the worst of the bunch by a country mile. Can anybody think of a manager that was hated as much as the Worthless one.[/quote]    He''s better than Hamilton, Megson, Rioch, even Brown, in my opinion. And I bet you don''t recall how dour we were under Ron Saunders, either. In fact, for City managers of the past 30 - odd years, I''d put Worthy at about 4th best, behind Walker, Stringer and Bond, in that order.

[quote user="Mello Yello"] Roger says: " A courteous welcome to our ''mansion of a stadium'' Mr Tilson and Mr Parkinson. Our changing rooms are clean and spacious - and we have hot & cold running water y''know......Take a glance across our playing surface.....no potholes or mud! Just lushy and ''purish''  100% pure unadulterated ''turfy grass stuff'' - which we got for a snip of a bargain at only £750.000 sterling. Our fellow major shareholder''s Deals and Micky Wynn - will entertain you with corporate hospitality that holds no bounds......Free and copious amounts of Delia''s favourite  ''where ''r'' u? hic burp'' vintage claret - and as many mint and lamb pies you can gorge.....( may I suggest you get in front of Bazzer Skips - as he tends to over-indulge somewhat).....Yes, you too can have a marvellous stadium similar to Norwich City, as long as you are seen & seem to be doing, and to constantly cheesily patronise, pacify and pontificate the punters.....A caring sharing smiley frontage - with open door access and a freedom to roam attitude - coupled with a cheesy and smarmy, infinitekissykissytogetherfullness.....It certainly works as you can see!" "Now, as we realise this stadium is well above your station, our Powerhouse of a Chief Exec Mr Doncaster MBA, has arranged for your  lower football echelons of a squad - to warm up on the Hotel building site. They can also get changed in the Carter builder portakabins"........"We just want you to feel at home y''know"  "Enjoy!" "Oh it''s hard to be humble" says Roger......OTBC ;~) [:P] [/quote] Vicious yet delicious ! Thanks, MY - I enjoyed that !

Heart says Watford. Head says, regrettably, Leeds.

It''s a club I hope we leave PDQ.

No, I wouldn''t take Ashton - certainly not in front of the other options that are being left behind.   I think he''s looked pretty ordinary at West Ham since he moved, even just against West Ham''s other strikers.

[quote user="stephen nobbs"]Would Worthy sanction it though? He may consider Ian to be too much of a looming threat to his "unassailable" position.[/quote]   Quite. I can''t think of anybody else who would hasten Nigel''s exit faster than Ian Crook. Remember, Worthy''s priorities are ''Nigel first, Norwich City football club distant second''. I don''t actually condemn him for that (who else here puts their employer''s wellbeing before their own ?), but I think he''s unlikely to bring in hugely popular ex-players under the current circumstances. Ironically, if his tenure wasn''t quite as threatened as it is, there would probably be more chance of seeing Crooky back with us.

Teamnotplayingtherighttacticsorformationtoallowhimtoperformtothebestofhisability.

[quote user="Trent Canary"] [quote user="OTBC"]I don''t have any sympathy for Captain Clappy. He''s on good money, I don''t think he''s earning it. [/quote] This isnt about sympathy, its about helping one of OUR players to perform better. Or do we not want that? [/quote]   I think you''re overlooking the mentality of the Hughes-bashers, TC; they''re having an absolute BALL making the guy''s life hell, and it has squat-all to do with either caring about the club or wanting the player himself to perform better. It''s how people like this get their kicks, and the more cruel and unfair they can be, in their eyes and in those of their cerebrally challanged chums who egg them on, the more fun it becomes. Don''t bother looking for rationalty in it, because none exists.

Victimised.

The discontent of the supporters finds it''s root cause not so much in our final position after 46 games, but rather in the position of the club  in so many aspects, relative to where it was 2 years ago. So much was hoped for, so much optimism for the future - finances sorted, stadium being completed, the mavellous ''one-ness'' of the supporters with a board of directors who we were convinced knew their business, and a team and manager that had done us so proud in winning the Championship. Two years on, we have witnessed a decline of this football club, on and off the pitch that can only be described as little short of disasterous. Money is wasted on ill-considered permenant signings and ephemeral, under-utilised loans. Mr. Worthington''s judgement has been shown to be sorely lacking  not only in the signings he has made, but also in the players he has jettisoned from the club, mainly on the grounds of ill-judged penny-pinching and personality conflict than any real sound team planning. And even when he managed, to his credit, to bring in players of real quality (Ashton, Helveg), it was here that his lack of tactical nous and flexibility was thrown into sharpest relief, as both players failed badly to fulfil their potential, being forced to play his crude, basic, blood-and-guts football, light years away from the intelligent, flexible style they had both been educated in. As a result, we have have a team full of players who wouldn''t recognise a killer pass if it mugged them with a housebrick in a sock, and a manager with a one-dimensional tactical repetoire that basically involves boring or battering your opponents to death. Is it any wonder that the average punter at the turnstiles is left wondering ''Where the hell did we go wrong ?'' This isn''t about where we are; this is about how far we''ve fallen.

Myopic. But many of these fit the bill just as well.