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Trent Canary

Are the board taking a huge gamble?

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Ive had a little think about our situation, and whilst buying proven championship is all well and good; it aint gonna get us anywhere IF we get back up.

I dont think our board are crazy enough to do this, but are they leaving some Transfer money and Wage money over for next season on the basis that if we go up we will have more room to maneouveur, buy some more quality players instead of having players that helped us get there but we feel obliged to keep, and therefore restricting the numbers we can bring in? For instance last season we had Mulryne, Mcveigh, Svensson etc who were not premiership players.

I know its all hypothetical, as we are by no means guaranteed to do well this season, but perhaps the board are looking to get by with as few players as possible. Basically not using all the money this summer so we have more for next summer on the assumption we go up?

Or is that all a bit far-fetched? 

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The board are proven to run the club on a sound basis and pull out the stops when necessary (Hucks, Ashton).

With Jonson going there is a need to strengthen the midfield and we have so money, so let''s be patient.

Let Worthy carry on operating in the professional way he has in the past.

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Personally, I don''t think that hypothesis is at all far-fetched. Our squad is stronger than when we won the championship by eight points the season before last and with one or two exceptions the Championship this year doesn''t look outstanding in terms of quality. The powers that be may well take the view that the basis of the present squad should enable us to make it back to the top league. 

At the end of the day it was a lack of sufficient quality premiership players as much as anything that saw us relegated from the premiership in a squad that was burdoned by having too many journeymen championship players who simply weren''t good enough for the premiership.

The club''s strategy for next season was always going to be the most interesting aspect of the summer break. Would they a) try to build a squad that would not only get us out of the championship but enable us to survive in the premiership or  b) largely rely on the present squad and bring in a few players at no great cost who are likely to help us get out of the championship knowing that a considerable rebuilding programme would have to be undertaken before the start of the next season in the premiership. Option a) was always likely to be difficult as we would be unlikely to attract players of the required calibre and I could well believe that option b) would be seen as the preferred route. 

The pitfall to be avoided at all costs is to bring in a bucketful of championship quality players on two or three year contracts and then to be saddled with those players the season after this when we are, hopefully, back where we all want to be and need to bring in premiership-quality players. 

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"

The pitfall to be avoided at all costs is to bring in a bucketful of championship quality players on two or three year contracts and then to be saddled with those players the season after this when we are, hopefully, back where we all want to be and need to bring in premiership-quality players. "

 

Barry - Thats precisely what I think may be going on here. As the topic name suggests, I think they are taking a huge gamble.

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I believe there is some validity in this claim and I would not necessarily disagree with holding some money back for a quality player or two if we are in a good position come January, or for next season. However (my favourite word), injuries and suspensions WILL occur in this division particularly and we do not have anywhere near the depth of squad to cope with these. At the moment we only have three central midfielders, one of whom we KNOW will miss several games at a crucial part of the season when he plays in the African Nations Cup. We have only one right back and one right midfield (Hendo is a striker). I think the board are taking a HUGE gamble and I hope it does not rebound in their faces ''cos if we don''t go up this season just watch Green, Francis, Ashton, McKenzie etc fly the nest........

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Its an interesting thought... but I really doubt the board would take a big gamble on us going up, they know its a very difficult league to get out of. I think they are still looking for players of the right quality to get us promoted and keep us up (does Jarrett fall into this category?) and am hopeful we will see some good signings soon. We obviously don''t have huge amounts of cash though, so its a tough task. None of us know how much we have to spend so its all speculation. It does seem that this transfer window is especially tight, there hasn''t been much transfer movement to excite for any club (yet).

It could also be that for business cash flow reasons they will release more money in January, they have done this spectacularly well the last 2 seasons!

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"It could also be that for business cash flow reasons they will release more money in January, they have done this spectacularly well the last 2 seasons"

Putney - Lets hope so aye. Im kind of happy with the squad as it is now, plus one or two extra, simply because I think its one of the best, if not the best in this league. Two years ago we were lucky to get very few injuries, I hope we arent counting on that this season.

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who exactly is it that you want the club to buy trent canary?

proven prem players aint gonna sign for norwich or any other championship club. prem youngsters with potential might come to you on loan, but i doubt they will want to stay if they can go back to a side that''s been in the prem for a while. foreigners who have a good reputation, but have never played english football, wouldn''t be the sort i''d want for leeds in the ccc or the first year back in the prem.

name name''s please. who are these players you want to sign? and who you honestly think would sign?

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I think spending ALL our available cash would be a bigger gamble.

This league is ferociously competetive to get out of and season after season we see top quality squads not getting promoted through under performance, poor runs at the wrong time or bad luck - look at forest, burnley, wigan, sunderland leeds, wolves over the last 5 seaons - all have sent significantly year on year and it is only this season that wigan have made it.  Spending millions now is no guarantee of success. 

Injuries will be critical this season and that is why we need a squad size of around 25 not 17, we know we will have international call ups to contend with and 3 injuries would deplete the squad significantly.  Combined to a very strict and limited transfer window 17 players is too small and further signings must follow - just look at the following...

We do have the core of a good squad (correct team selection prevailing)

         Green

L-J   Shax  Doc   Drury

  Francis Safri   Jarrett

       Leon    Hux

          Ashton

This abandons worthys prefered 4-4-2 (in which case either damo or JJ drops for a new yet to be signed right sided midfield) but to be honest that side looks as competetive as any in the league and far far stronger than the one that ended the last fizzy pop season as champs.  

The ''mirror'' side being

             Ward

? (?Cave-Brown)     Flem    Charlie   Brennan

      ?            ?         ?

      Jarvis/Hendo       WLY

                Thorne

This side will not appear at the same time as that number of injuries would be cataclysmic for any side but as back up they are good players.  What it does show is just how weak we are in supporting central & right midfielders and at right back. 

I am convinced worthy is being as canny as ever in the transfer market.  But the above does make me re-evaluate the interest in Hughes.  He is not good enough but if we can get him cheaply then he can be a 4th choice central midfielder leaving 2 other signings...

 

OTBC

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The problem with waiting for January is that it might be too late. Last season it failed (albeit narrowly), the season before it worked. Any spending I would like to see done now to allow time for the squad to gel and holding back funds for a January push is to my mind more risky than spending any available budget now. I would love to know how much, if any, Nigel has to play with.

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Well thats the thing keely, I dont think our board really want to buy many players, as Ive suggested I believe they think we have a very good chance of going up automatically, then we will have more spaces in our squad to fill with premiership players, and not be saddled with championship players who simply arent good enough for the highest level.

Like everyone im worried about the size of our squad, for me two extra players would do it. A right winger (Who could preferably play right back) and A centre midfielder (Again who could perhaps play in more than one position).

If your looking for suggestions then maybe Darren Kenton for right back? Kevin Cooper for right wing? Graham Stuart? (only joking guys :rolleyes  We arent going to get any quality players, but we just need a role player or two to add a bit more depth.

Anyway as A Leeds fan what do you think the chances of our respective teams are this season?

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Trent

At Last!!! Someone who also has the feeling that the board are (as usual) not looking at the bigger picture!

This is probably my favourite rant about the club - we are far too insular and self depracating - poor little old Norwich, my haven''t the little guys done well, but we know our place and have to admit that 10 years or so ago we made a big mistake by nearly winning the premiership - we should have known better shouldn''t we? Anyway, don''t worry about us - we''re happy to be known as "plucky" and "the friendly club" - as long as we don''t worry anyone by trying to act above our station...

For crying out loud, am I alone in wanting City to be up there with the best of them? Surely we have to invest some money into a squad that is not only capable of winning the Championship but also contains a quality core of players that are more than capable of holding their own in the Premiership...

Or are the club happy to yo-yo between the divisions because it means we get to be champions every other year?!!!!

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I really think that the key to sorting out the situation could be loan players - just as it was the last time we were in this League.

For example I definitely think that we need another central defender for the coming season and I think of one of either Huddlestone or Davenport from Spurs or Cahill from Villa could do a good job.

By my calculations we''ve got £950,000 or thereabouts to spend on transfer fees (i.e. the money from Sven, Jonson and Helveg), but we should have plenty to spend on wages given that 9 players have gone since the end of last season, but so far we''ve only got three in.

Just out of interest I wonder if one of the Web Team could tell us what the rules are for loans in our division this season. If my memory serves me last time we were in this division we could have 8 over the season and a maximum of 4 at any one time. Is this still the same now that the transfer window is in effect in the League?

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[quote]Trent At Last!!! Someone who also has the feeling that the board are (as usual) not looking at the bigger picture! This is probably my favourite rant about the club - we are far too insular and self...[/quote]

Plastic Scouser: At last, somebody understand''s the 1st wizards desires for Norwich City FC.

Every single word you said mate, hit home.

Everyone who attacks me should read your post, how can it be wrong for me to want the things for City, that you have described so well?.

They are just what I want for our great club, but the boards and some posters mindset, drives me potty sometimes.

We are not, repeat not, little old Norwich, Delia!.   

We are Norwich, end of discussion!.

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"We are not, repeat not, little old Norwich, Delia!.  "

Agreed, ignoring the whole "Lets be avin yer" business, that single comment was one of the most unsettling to come from a management figure for years. I love delia to bits, but if we go back up then we need to distance ourselves from this small club mentality we seem to have. No wonder we were criticized and put down so much in the national press before the start of last season, whereas Wolves went up and were suddenly "Back where they belong", despite being out of the top flight for longer than I had been alive. 

I do enjoy being out of the spotlight, but if we are ever to get back to the dizzy heights of the early nineties (And following the example of a Birmingham it can be done, in time) then we do need to change our mindset.

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[quote]I think you will find a season long loan player is on his way very soon.[/quote]

Spill the beans then!

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I think that we''re not even close to seeing our final squad yet.  After reading what many people have to say about the state of the transfer market at the moment and looking at other clubs.  It would appear that not many paid transfers have taken place yet, and won''t until the last two weeks of August from what I''ve read.

I think the board are aware that money has to be spent, but as has been said in previous posts, we have to be aware that any players we buy now will be with us for more than a season and hence if they aren''t premiership class will be a coach-filling drain on finances IF we get promoted again.

1 million plus what we have already isn''t masses, but I feel its enough to bring in a couple of decent lower-end premiership players to carry us through, the problem is attracting them to Norwich.  A season long loan signing would also be of benefit to the club, but as Bentley proved, it can be a bit hit and miss.

OTBC!

Chunky

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[quote]Ive had a little think about our situation, and whilst buying proven championship is all well and good; it aint gonna get us anywhere IF we get back up. I dont think our board are crazy enough to do ...[/quote]

I feel that the board have made some very good signings in the past and i also think that bringing in Thorne this season has been a good buy. I think that the board have not made any big money signings because if we do not go back up to the premiership we could end up losing money. im glad the Nigel Worthington has put McVeigh back in the side because he is a very good player when he is given the ball to him in a forward moving situation, this has been proven when he scored 14 goals in the 02/03 season. unfortunatly in the premiership he lacked the ability to tackle and was too small to get the ball off the well known player that he played against in his 4 games last season. i hope that doherty gets into the team instead of Fleming for some of the games because i feel we must look to the future and improve our younger player rather than using our older proven players.

 

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i just can''t see anyone else as champions except norwich. your first team is amazing and will rip teams defenses (this includes leeds) appart. teams, managers and fans will be worried about playing you and that''s half the battle won.a lot of peeps on here say norwich have no depth to their squad. how many teams at this level do?

crouch WILL leave southampton and with him will go there chance. i''m not so sure about andy johnson at crystal palace (jordan would rather stick someone in the reserves then lose face imho) and i think they will be a strong side. i don''t get why a lot of people rate wolves. how many good signings have they made? none that scare me. sheff united are just coasting along, they never improve (unless they''re playing leeds :angry. they''ll be around the top 6 but they wont challenge for automatic promotion. i honestly think ipswich will struggle and will only just scrape into the top 6.

what about leeds? i think we''ll do well. we should be up there challenging all season long and i honestly believe we can finish second. i hope we do and avoid the play-offs. too much of a lottery.

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[quote]i just can''t see anyone else as champions except norwich. your first team is amazing and will rip teams defenses (this includes leeds) appart. teams, managers and fans will be worried about playing yo...[/quote]

hiya keely and welcome to our site

first time i can remember a leeds fan registering on here, haven''t seen your team since we were last in the premiership so can''t really say how good i think you are, i won''t be at the home game in august as am on holiday, but will try to get up to elland road for the return fixture

who in your opinion are your better players and have you retained enough of your squad since relegation to be a serious promotion contenders? 

have to be honest and say didn''t take much notice of who was bubbling under in the championship last season, wolves?  are they still assuming they are too big for anything but the premiership, sounds familiar? ipswich - no chance, with a bunch of has beens and kids all that''s left there, personally i think we have a great chance if we don''t have too many injuries and would look at preston and derby as our most serious contenders - can''t see southampton doing anything, relegation will be a big shock to them and when the championship (and sadly premiership) diver supreme leaves palace they will be ordinary

 

anyway, good luck for the forthcoming season

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IF Lita adjusts to the championship I fully expect Reading to be up there, add Palace, Leeds, Sheff Utd, Wolves, So''ton (even without Crouch) and I reckon that will be the six clubs that will be right on our tails all season.

 

Mark .Y.

 

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[quote]i just can''t see anyone else as champions except norwich. your first team is amazing and will rip teams defenses (this includes leeds) appart. teams, managers and fans will be worried about playing yo...[/quote]

Keely - Funny you should say that, I made a topic entitled "Whats all the fuss about wolves" a week or so back, basically expanding on what you said.

I personally think you will do very well to reach the top two, I was watching The premiership years a few days ago, its incredible to think of the side you used to have, and how it disbanded over a season or two. I think you did well to achieve mid-table last season, you could easily have ended up like Sheffield Wednesday and gone down again.

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[quote]Keely - Funny you should say that, I made a topic entitled "Whats all the fuss about wolves" a week or so back, basically expanding on what you said. I personally think you will do very well to reach...[/quote]

just when i''m starting to like you, you have to remind me of ''living the dream''!

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thanks for that lovely welcome gazzathegreat.

have we retained enough of our premiership players? no, but that was always going to be the case with our financial position. the only player we''ve still got who was playing regular for us in the premiership is kelly. we have also got seth johnson and erik bakke but there''s a lot going on there. bakke may well be going before the start of the season and bates has said johnson can''t play again ''cause it will trigger a payment to derby. is bates bluffing? who knows. johnson was (a) on insane wages, (b) bought for too much when not needed and (c) very injury prone, but none of that is his fault. if they stay i think they will feature at some point next season but we''ll have to wait and see.

who do i think are our best players? we have robbie hulse, dave healy, neil sullivan, ian bennett, shaun derry, steve stone, robbie blake, dan harding and eddie lewis who most leeds fans think should all do good jobs for us if called upon. we also have promising youngsters matthew killgallon, danny pugh and frazer richardson who, if given a chance, will do well.

i think we have a solid squad of players who can all do well for us if called upon. good seasoned professionals and a splash of promising youth. that''s where our strength lies. but we don''t really have someone who can come off the bench or conjure up something to change a game. someone who makes you take a deep breathe with anticipation when he receives the ball. that''s what aaron lennon did but we''ve sold him to spurs. healy can score some magnificent goals, but when he''s not in the mood you can tell. he''s a sulker.

blackwell is a bit like sven in that when he likes you, you''re in the team no matter how you perform. or that''s how it seemed last year. maybe now that he''s signed more players that will change. i hope so. i also hope we put the ball on the floor more, rather then launching it over the mid-fields head all the time.

who i think will be balckwell''s starting 11 if everyone is fit:

sullivan (he may be out for the first few weeks so it will be bennett)

kelly, butler (c), killgallon/carlisle, harding

stone, gregan, derry, lewis

healy, hulse (he may also be injured so it will be blake in to replace him)

kevin blaclkwell is a difficult man to predict!

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