writeronthestorm

Thank you TCCANARY :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39630510 Interesting read and I think he comes out of it with dignity. I''m certain he will be a very successful manager elsewhere.

Good manager whose time with us ran it''s course. I''m happy enough to see him do well. I never found him unlikable.

I put this in a different thread, so apologies for repeating myself: I’m not getting too bogged down with positions, these are taken from Wikipedia. I also have not included players that are not in the current first team squad, but may be candidates for the squad next season. It’s apparent that so much will hinge on the new regime to improve what we have and add to it. At the moment that seems like a big ask! Position Name Decision GK John Ruddy Keep: worth a gamble that he can recapture his form of old GK Michael McGovern 50/50: he can do a job, but I wouldn’t feel confident with him as my No1 throughout the season. If the new regime can get the best out of him consistently, then he’d be a great asset. Otherwise, I’d be happy for him to go elsewhere, but would anyone want him? GK Paul Jones Keep: well respected keeper and could certainly fill in if we were struck down with injuries in this position GK Declan Rudd Keep: Only 26, so plenty of time for him to mature into a top keeper. I always think he looks a bit lightweight. Another season loan may help to make a decision on his future here. GK Remi Matthews Keep: Good prospect. Another loan would be great experience for him. DF Steven Whittaker Unload: He’s versatile, but hasn’t really been up to snuff for some time now. DF Mitchell Djiks Keep: Unlikely, but we should do our best to convince him the future here is bright. DF Russell Martin Keep: He’s a good captain and would give us continuity through the inevitable transition period. He must expect and respect that his playing time will be reduced though. DF Seb Bassong Unload: A shadow of the player he once was for which the coaching staff and the man himself must shoulder the blame. He’s stagnated elsewhere in his career before being moved on. I think he was lucky that our lack of options at CB gave him another chance. DF Timm Klose Keep: There’s a good player in there. It just needs coaching out of him. DF Ryan Bennett Keep: Potentially there may be a good player in there. The caveat is that decimating the squad is unrealistic, so I think he should stay for now. DF Ivo Pinto Keep: One of the few players whose attitude this season cannot be questioned. He’s a good attacking full back that can improve his defending. DF Michael Turner Unload: I think he is only here because of a clause in his contract. DF Harry Toffolo Keep: Will be a good option at LB and may have the appetite to make the position his own given a chance. MF Graham Dorrans Keep: On his day he can make the midfield tick. MF Jonny Howson Keep: Like others he needs to consistently maintain a high standard of performance, but he’s a cracking player and IMHO should be our Captain on the pitch. MF Matt Jarvis Unload: Injury prone and unlikely to force his way ahead of the Murphy’s or Wildschut. Trouble is, who would want him? MF Wes Hoolahan Keep: This is probably one of the most challenging aspects of any Norwich Head Coach/Manager: how to accommodate Wes Hoolahan. Under Lambert it was easy: play him every week at the top of a diamond. Now, it’s not so clear cut: Wes is unable to perform week in/week out, so the new guy in the hot seat will somehow have to know when to pick him and when to leave him out. So he needs some sort of clairvoyant ability to know whether Wes will have a great game or not. Good luck with that! MF Yanic Wildschut Keep: A big price tag that he has not lived up to thus far. Unlikely to be wanted elsewhere too. MF Tony Andreu Unload: He hasn’t made the breakthrough. There’s no doubt that he is a decent player, but I don’t think he will get ahead of Wes, Pritchard and Maddison. MF Youssouf Mulumbu 50/50: I rate him, but he hasn’t made a midfield position his own. Can he flourish under a new regime? MF Alex Pritchard Keep: The future of the team. He needs game time and trust placed in him that he is a key man for us. MF Alex Tettey 50/50: He hasn’t just stagnated this season. He has regressed. I had him pegged as a battler, but other than bookings he seems to have no fight in him which is worrying. Similar to Mulumbu, could the change in coaching staff help him? MF James Maddison Keep: The future of the team. He needs game time and trust placed in him that he is a key man for us. MF Louis Thompson Keep: The future of the team. He needs game time and trust placed in him that he is a key man for us. MF Ben Godfrey Keep: The future of the team. He needs game time and trust placed in him that he is a key man for us. MF Ray Grant N/A: I honestly have no opinion of this guy. FW Steven Naismith Unload: Alas, this is wishful thinking on my part. Naismith will be going nowhere. He cost a lot to buy. He costs a lot every week. He offers very little in return. He’s the albatross around our necks that Lafferty once was. FW Nelson Oliveira Keep: Good player. Far better than I imagined he would be when we signed him. FW Cameron Jerome Keep: He can hold his head high. He’s a good player for us. FW Kyle Lafferty Unload: FINALLY!! We can release this guy. See Naismith for the new albatross. FW Jacob Murphy Keep: The future of the team. He needs game time and trust placed in him that he is a key man for us. FW Josh Murphy Keep: The future of the team. He needs game time and trust placed in him that he is a key man for us. FW Carlton Morris Keep: All depends what system we play, but I’d be happy with him either as a backup option or for him to go out on loan again.

task number 1 - appoint a head coach?

Well, Webber''s on board now, so the hard work starts here :)

I think that wholesale changes, whilst preferable, may be unrealistic

I’m not getting too bogged down with positions, these are taken from Wikipedia. I also have not included players that are not in the current first team squad, but may be candidates for the squad next season. It’s apparent that so much will hinge on the new regime to improve what we have and add to it. At the moment that seems like a big ask! Position Name Decision GK John Ruddy Keep: worth a gamble that he can recapture his form of old GK Michael McGovern 50/50: he can do a job, but I wouldn’t feel confident with him as my No1 throughout the season. If the new regime can get the best out of him consistently, then he’d be a great asset. Otherwise, I’d be happy for him to go elsewhere, but would anyone want him? GK Paul Jones Keep: well respected keeper and could certainly fill in if we were struck down with injuries in this position GK Declan Rudd Keep: Only 26, so plenty of time for him to mature into a top keeper. I always think he looks a bit lightweight. Another season loan may help to make a decision on his future here. GK Remi Matthews Keep: Good prospect. Another loan would be great experience for him. DF Steven Whittaker Unload: He’s versatile, but hasn’t really been up to snuff for some time now. DF Mitchell Djiks Keep: Unlikely, but we should do our best to convince him the future here is bright. DF Russell Martin Keep: He’s a good captain and would give us continuity through the inevitable transition period. He must expect and respect that his playing time will be reduced though. DF Seb Bassong Unload: A shadow of the player he once was for which the coaching staff and the man himself must shoulder the blame. He’s stagnated elsewhere in his career before being moved on. I think he was lucky that our lack of options at CB gave him another chance. DF Timm Klose Keep: There’s a good player in there. It just needs coaching out of him. DF Ryan Bennett Keep: Potentially there may be a good player in there. The caveat is that decimating the squad is unrealistic, so I think he should stay for now. DF Ivo Pinto Keep: One of the few players whose attitude this season cannot be questioned. He’s a good attacking full back that can improve his defending. DF Michael Turner Unload: I think he is only here because of a clause in his contract. DF Harry Toffolo Keep: Will be a good option at LB and may have the appetite to make the position his own given a chance. MF Graham Dorrans Keep: On his day he can make the midfield tick. MF Jonny Howson Keep: Like others he needs to consistently maintain a high standard of performance, but he’s a cracking player and IMHO should be our Captain on the pitch. MF Matt Jarvis Unload: Injury prone and unlikely to force his way ahead of the Murphy’s or Wildschut. Trouble is, who would want him? MF Wes Hoolahan Keep: This is probably one of the most challenging aspects of any Norwich Head Coach/Manager: how to accommodate Wes Hoolahan. Under Lambert it was easy: play him every week at the top of a diamond. Now, it’s not so clear cut: Wes is unable to perform week in/week out, so the new guy in the hot seat will somehow have to know when to pick him and when to leave him out. So he needs some sort of clairvoyant ability to know whether Wes will have a great game or not. Good luck with that! MF Yanic Wildschut Keep: A big price tag that he has not lived up to thus far. Unlikely to be wanted elsewhere too. MF Tony Andreu Unload: He hasn’t made the breakthrough. There’s no doubt that he is a decent player, but I don’t think he will get ahead of Wes, Pritchard and Maddison. MF Youssouf Mulumbu 50/50: I rate him, but he hasn’t made a midfield position his own. Can he flourish under a new regime? MF Alex Pritchard Keep: The future of the team. He needs game time and trust placed in him that he is a key man for us. MF Alex Tettey 50/50: He hasn’t just stagnated this season. He has regressed. I had him pegged as a battler, but other than bookings he seems to have no fight in him which is worrying. Similar to Mulumbu, could the change in coaching staff help him? MF James Maddison Keep: The future of the team. He needs game time and trust placed in him that he is a key man for us. MF Louis Thompson Keep: The future of the team. He needs game time and trust placed in him that he is a key man for us. MF Ben Godfrey Keep: The future of the team. He needs game time and trust placed in him that he is a key man for us. MF Ray Grant N/A: I honestly have no opinion of this guy. FW Steven Naismith Unload: Alas, this is wishful thinking on my part. Naismith will be going nowhere. He cost a lot to buy. He costs a lot every week. He offers very little in return. He’s the albatross around our necks that Lafferty once was. FW Nelson Oliveira Keep: Good player. Far better than I imagined he would be when we signed him. FW Cameron Jerome Keep: He can hold his head high. He’s a good player for us. FW Kyle Lafferty Unload: FINALLY!! We can release this guy. See Naismith for the new albatross. FW Jacob Murphy Keep: The future of the team. He needs game time and trust placed in him that he is a key man for us. FW Josh Murphy Keep: The future of the team. He needs game time and trust placed in him that he is a key man for us. FW Carlton Morris Keep: All depends what system we play, but I’d be happy with him either as a backup option or for him to go out on loan again.

bring back the diamond with Wes at the top

GK: Ruddy, Rudd, Bunn - excellent set up, need to ensure we retain Ruddy RB: R. Martin, Whittaker - needs attention: decision to be made on who is best for this position and if Martin is to be a fulltime CB.  May need strengthening LB: Olsson, Garrido - good choices CB: Hooiveld, Cuellar, Turner, Bassong, Miquel, R. Bennett - needs attention: see if Bassong wants to be part of the plans and decide on best pairings available, also see R. Martin predicament DMC: Johnson, Tettey, O''Neill - good choices AMC: Hoolahan, Howson, Vadis - good choices RM/LM: Redmond, Murphy, E. Bennett, McGrandles - needs attention: is there a future here for Bennett?  Need to ensure we retain Redmond.  Rule of thimb is 2 good players for each position...are these options strong enough and balanced enough? FW: Hooper, Grabban, Lafferty, Jerome - good choices to have, but tough decisions to be made on pairings. Fringe/Youth players: Needs attention: Does Becchio have a future here? Loza, McGeehan, etc may need loan moves Staff: Needs attention: Phelan & Holt need retaining.  Parks needs assessing - is he improving our GKs?  

With R. Martin moving into a central position with R.Bennett and M.Turner, I still feel we need another centre back (unless Bassong is going to get picked) and also require a right back to challenge Whittaker...or is Gafaiti going to make the step up? Doesn''t he play right or centre back? Long way to go in the transfer window - I wonder if a loaned RB may be the answer?

I am pretty happy with this. He brings experience, commitment and will be a great addition to the squad at this level...had we signed him in the Prem I wouldn''t have been displeased, so to have him at this crucial time is good.  

When I saw he''d been released I thought it''d be good if we went for him..

Malcolm Allen

We keep the majority of our squad together with the youth players stepping up and playing with no fear/respect for the oppposition. RVW gets over his troublesome toe and forms a partnership with Hoooper up front with Becchio brought in from the cold and Carlton Morris rattling defenders when given the opportunity. Marauding wingers and attacking flair. Crowd-pleasing football and results to match Let the good times roll... Not saying I don''t have my doubts, but it could as easily go well as it could go sour

I like Sutton, but I don''t think he''s best placed to advise anyone about improving their England chances - isn''t he the guy who refused to play for England B and effectively ended his own international career?

I went to our pre-season game at Lincoln a few years ago (think it was prior to our Championship season) and from what I saw I thought we were in for a very tough season. Of course, it turned out that I''d read too much into what is effectively a training exercise. It''s in the season proper that results count

[quote user="GJP"][quote user="writeronthestorm"]I have high hopes for Butterfield - [/quote] Based on what?   I don''t know loads about Butterfield other than he''s meant to have had one maybe two good seasons for a small club in the Championship.   But it seems other people know that he''s potentially something special.   I''m not saying he definitely won''t be a good player but I just don''t really get where all this "hype" has come from. [/quote] Reports of his displays for barnsley and seeing him play a few time when he was with them.  He seems to have good vision, good with both feet, has an eye for a goal and a pass and he works hard with or without the ball. Must admit, I didn''t see anything of his loan spell at Bolton, so I have no idea if his injury has affected his game.

I have high hopes for Butterfield - hopefully the injury is far behind him and he''ll break into the 1st team

If we were to sign him I''d be very happy - he had a poor season last season compared to the season before, but I seem to recollect Newcastle changed some of their formations and/or tactics that made him less effective. I rate him and with his current stand-off at Newcastle might we be able to agree a decent fee?

I seem to remember when Barnsley were in the Prem singing "it''s just like watching Brazil", we resorted to singing "it''s just like watching Peru" and at Nottm Forest (a) during the season we finished 3rd in the Prem - "Alan Hansen, what w----r" as an aside, the songs I always liked at other grounds were "You fill up my senses" at Sheff Utd and "The Liquidator" at Wolves  

Kone could be a good signing - I''m quite impressed by him R.Martin''s new contract means more to me though - I fully expect him to be challenging Turner & Bassong for a starting place at CB with R.Bennett perhaps becoming more of a CB/RB cover player, given that Whittaker can switch to LB if required

So he''s due to have talks with us and I think he could prove to be a great asset, if we sign him...the new Matty Svensson?!!

Everton (away)

...and that''s where I''d like us to sign Huddlestone