“City braced for more premier league interest”

[paul moy 235]

[quote user="king canary"]A reasonable chance of a play-off spot? Whut?[/quote]Well, I think so if we keep this squad together and Farke ceases daft selections, and plays the strongest team.  If we had not been unlucky with injuries to Pritchard and Tettey in particular, I''m sure we would be around the play-off spots. We''re nine points off with 20 games to play, so there''s still all to play for.  If we sell our best players though, of course we can pretty much forget any idea of continuing our current good run.Apologies for being optimistic......

[norfolkbroadslim 223]

[quote user="lake district canary"][quote user="JF"]Sutton and Fox didn’t go in similar circumstances. They were far worse circumstances, they were sold when the club was at the top of its game with a real chance of glory[/quote]There was no chance of "further glory". That was a fantasy. The club could not sustain it''s position it had reached because of a lack of resources - we were just a victim of our own success.  That is why the current model is sensible - we will find a level that is sustainable and we will - with good management - punch above our weight. Any future success will have to be built from that standpoint.  In 1995, we had shot our bolt and there was no way to go but down.  

[/quote]Oh dear.  You''re still at it I see. [:D]

[lake district canary 4,531]

Que?

[king canary 7,606]

I think Webber probably didn''t help himself with fans regarding some of his earlier comments - I didn''t mind them but it seems some now see him as arrogant and petty in a similar way to Roeder.

I do think plenty seem to hugely underestimate the task he''s working on though - his job is to install a cultural change throughout the footballing side of the club. He''s overhauled scouting, medical and academy departments along with the first team and some of those won''t bear fruit for a bit of time. This is why it''s so short sighted when fans call for his head after a couple of his signings (made on the cheap due to budget constraints) haven''t worked out as hoped.

As Bethnal says there is no disconnect between what fans and Webber want. In an idea world he wouldn''t need to sell Pritchard but knowing that we do have a financial hole to fill a bidding war is better for us- the more money we raise the less pressure to sell others.

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

[quote user="Bethnal Yellow and Green"]Webber will almost certainly have a healthy bonus in his contract should Norwich be promoted. McNally got £1m for this feat (I seem to remember, but might be mistaken), while I doubt Webber will be on such a hefty wad, it will certainly be a considerable sum of money.

For Webber personally, success is something that shows that Huddersfield wasn''t a one off and that he can repeat that mammoth feat. If he leads Norwich into the Prem and keeps them there, then other, larger, clubs will start to think he might be someone who can help them out and his salary would also increase to match the larger status.

I see no conflicts in what a Norwich fan would consider success and what Webber would see success (only that a very successful Webber would ultimately leave Norwich).

The difference is, for fans if Norwich aren''t promoted or don''t progress, it is upsetting as a fan but not life changing.

For Webber, if he ''fails'' at Norwich he will earn less money in the future, potentially find it hard to get a job, have to move house etc etc. He has a lot more riding on it than any of us do, so the idea he would go around spreading negative stories to the media is backwards.[/quote]

And what classes as Failure for Webber? I see Webber working closely with Stone with the instruction from the board to be self sufficient in this league.

So providing we are able to balance the books and make some money, 21st in the championship is acceptable.

I think the only way Webber fails is relegation to league one, or administration. I don''t think he is under any pressure what so ever to achieve promotion to the PL.

I''ve made the point before. The impression i get from Webber is that he''s primarily motivated by buying players with potential, utilising the first team as a shop window, and selling said player for more then was paid to make healthy profits.

Building a team that will stay together for two or three seasons with the goal of the premier league isn''t high on his agenda. Which was the case during the Lambert and Mcnally years.

I think he wants to build a reputation as the guy that unearth gems and makes millions on players.

[Dr Greenthumb 749]

[quote user="paul moy"]If we sell, there''s a good chance those players will be back in the Championship next season, having played very few games.  They are regulars here with a reasonable chance of a play-off spot if they are as talented as they think they are , so it makes more sense for their careers to at least wait until the summer.   [/quote]

I want what you’ve been smoking

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

There is no evidence for anything you have said though Lincoln. I highly doubt the club would say, "don''t get promoted, just hover around in the Championship" as you allude to. If that was his remit he''d never have left Huddersfield in the first place.

The reality is Norwich HAVE to be sustainable in the Championship as a baseline, as that is where they are now, there is no other option for that as the bare minimum. So the selling of players recently just reflects the fact this is not where the club is at, at the moment. Cloth needs to be cut accordingly.

Under Lambert and McNally at no point did they risk the future of the club spending money they didn''t have - in fact the lack of willing to gamble on high value transfers and wages is exactly what fans complained about while Norwich were in the Premier League.

Webber is trying to sign players that are under valued and build a good team. He isn''t in a position to sign expensive/high profile players at their peak. Would you rather he paid over the odds for fading players? Is that a sign of ambition?

You are loading a huge amount of personal opinion into your comment, none of which has any evidence to back it up, and most of which flies in the face of common sense.

Surely if he unearths a load of gems that is good for Norwich? Even if they are ultimately sold on, then the fact Norwich have a bunch of gems, and the money they raise is a good thing, right? That allows the club to progress, is that not correct?

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

BYG,

Firstly I didn’t say the club have said “don’t get promoted” - more that promotion isn’t the primary aim. There’s a big difference.

I don’t want us to start buying high earning mercenaries. That’s also not what I’m saying. There’s a theme starting here.... you picking up on things I haven’t said...

With regard to unearthing gems. Yes, as a consequence Norwich might be successful. Building successful teams also attracts interest in players. The difference is what comes first. And IMO Webber wants a side of individual gems with potential for high re sale, rather than focusing on a building a suucessful team for years to come.

As for evidence to this, we’ll just listen to what he says. He’s forever talking bout balancing the books and player sales, and very rarely states any ambition for building a suucessful team around key players.

Of course I could very well be wrong. It’s just the impression I get from him from interviews. I’m sure others feel similar. It’s far from the positive inspiring attitude we got from McNally.

[Woodman 92]

Balancing the books and player sales are a by-product of where the club is at the moment - parachute money gone, ageing players on long-term expensive contracts, a training ground that needs improvement...

He has to talk about that as the primary objective, while managing expectations of supporters who have dined at the best restaurant in football and are now faced with a bargain bucket meal.

[JF 694]

LDC wrote

That is why the current model is sensible - we will find a level that is sustainable and we will - with good management - punch above our weight.

League 1, with the occasional flurry into the championship....

[Making Plans 936]

Our problem is that most of our better players were signed while we were either in the PL or last season when it looked like we could get promoted back to the PL. That includes the likes of Pinto, Oliveira, Maddison, Klose, Pritchard, Naismith, Wildschut etc.That was their main incentive/reason for signing for us.Now that it''s pretty obvious that the PL is only a dream and the lower half of the Championship is about the best they can expect, the vast majority of those players will want out.Players probably only get one chance to play in the PL and even if it''s only for one or two seasons, most of which maybe spent sitting on the bench, they can retire very nicely on the wages and they can look back on a career that included playing in "the best league in the World".

[Tumbleweed 106]

I agree with that Mp but the best way for those players to get out is to perform well for us and generate interest. The more that do well for us the better our chances. So it sort of works in our favour as well.

[Essjayess 307]

Far to negative MP..lower half of Champs the best to hope for? Despite two apalling runs, at start of season and again after Arsenal we are 9 points from play offs with 20 games to go. You cite a list of names there and of course given a Prem club comes a knocking with its prospect of higher wages and City cant refuse a to good a offer then sure those guys would be off to the Prem...what player would not? But heaven sake, dont under estimate their desire to give their all for the club..im positive that all of them..maybe barring Naismith..love being here and not urgently seeking new pastures. Look at Pinto..given the captaincy and since day one has said nothing but positives about the club and the area. Timm Klose, another one..has he really been here 2 years already?...and 18 months of that spent in the Champs. The amount of times the clubs fans thought he would be moving on..but still here and playing as well as gone with us.Having Premier League interest is one thing...as DF said it could be looked upon in a positive way..but actually bidding...and bidding high enough to attract City to sell a top player, and for the player to agree all personal terms..are something quite different indeed. Its simple...the club are under no financial pressure to sell anyone this month, hence they can afford to slap big asking prices on their best guys. If any Prem club decide they will pay said amount, then of course City would sell...as would any other Champs team.Last 2 or 3 years, as ever has been, we seen a raft of players leave our club, for decent money..Bradley, Hooper, Olssen, Redmond, Jacob M, Howson etc but the club is still here and my optimism has not dimmed for the now and the future. Of huge importance to me was how Webber arrived, immediately got stuck into the overhaul, clearing out the Laffertys, Turners and Whittakers etc and setting up a  new style on and off the pitch. Guys like Pritch and Madders are finally starting to blossom under DF and the young guns of City are going thru the hoops and being given every chance to move forward in their young careers here, I also am impressed how many young City starlets are loaned out to L1/2 clubs to give them actual playing minutes. This post is getting long so i''ll conclude with DF''s words...that Prem interest in City players is a good thing.

[westcoastcanary 173]

[quote user="lincoln canary aka Golden Coppel"] ............ My gripe with Webber and these media stories (clearly with info from Webber), is that generally they are negative in content and involve destructing the club with player sales. A positive story about how we are looking to finance the longer stay of key players, and build a team around them would be a welcome relief.[/quote]

So says a poster whose posts are invariably negative, clearly aimed at engendering negative sentiment towards the club, and without exception dismissive of any positive stories of the kind he purports to want to hear. 

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

[quote user="westcoastcanary"][quote user="lincoln canary aka Golden Coppel"] ............ My gripe with Webber and these media stories (clearly with info from Webber), is that generally they are negative in content and involve destructing the club with player sales. A positive story about how we are looking to finance the longer stay of key players, and build a team around them would be a welcome relief.[/quote]

So says a poster whose posts are invariably negative, clearly aimed at engendering negative sentiment towards the club, and without exception dismissive of any positive stories of the kind he purports to want to hear. 

[/quote]

Not true. Yes I might be negative but the rest is rubbish.

The problem is certain fans don’t like to hear anything bad said against the club.

We’ve also been on a pretty barren run over last 3 seasons, so there’s plenty to be negative about, and plenty of critism justified.

I can see our football club is an outdated model with Delia running the show. I don’t support the structure with her at the helm. Having said that I’ve always praised when due, it’s just there’s been so little worthy of such praise.

Check my posts around the Lambert and McNally era. You’ll find plenty of positive stuff there, of course mixed in with some negative!

[norfolkbroadslim 223]

[quote user="Tumbleweed"]I agree with that Mp but the best way for those players to get out is to perform well for us and generate interest. The more that do well for us the better our chances. So it sort of works in our favour as well.[/quote]What doesn''t work in our favour is that as we have become less successful on the field and if we become even less successful than we are now, then such players will only be but a distant memory.We won''t have the value of such assets to sell and we won''t be able to attract players of the same quality to improve the squad.  We will be ever more reliant on the academy and trying to unearth players from even further down the pyramid.  We could become the Coventry (look how hard they''ve found it to get back to the Championship), trying to hold on to a once in a decade gem (Maddison) from going to some club in the Championship (us).As our fortunes on the pitch dwindle and our resources do so to, we become ever more reliant on the academy.  The academy has to perform better than it is now, with fewer resources! [:S]Of course none of this may happen.  We may find the next Lambert or someone who has completely lost their marbles and is willing to invest!  Here''s hoping!!!

[hogesar 9,671]

Dont even entertain it Westcoast, some things just arent worth the effort.

[Highland Canary 76]

This is exactly the point norfolkbroadsman. Four recent years in the Prem, portakabins at Colney and an ongoing firesale of any playing asset with value. What a fiasco.

[Len 74]

It''s the aging, unsaleable players on high wages that is the biggest millstone around our neck at the moment. Combined with the general squandering of transfer resources, lack of investment in infrastructure and lack of strategic direction under Wynne-Jones, we''re facing something of a perfect storm.What amuses me are the recent posts along the lines of getting rid of the new DoF-type model and going back to exactly the same kind of ad hoc ''strategy'' which has repeatedly failed in the last twenty years! We would supposedly need an investor to backstop the losses that would invariably follow.Sales are absolutely necessary at the moment, and always will be if we want to press ahead with a return to a successful Chase-style mode of operation. Delia has effectively admitted that Chase was getting it right, at least up until the cashflow issues saw him knocked off his perch.

[lake district canary 4,531]

The mantra that was put out by McNally during our PL years was "every spare penny will be spent on the team" and no-one quibbled about porta cabins at Colney then.  Had that strategy worked and we had stayed in the PL for a couple more years, then maybe there would have been money for development at Colney.  It turns out that the strategy was wrong - and it would have been better to be less ambitious for the team and used at least some of the money to build the infrastructure of the club, but it would have needed someone very strong as CEO to resist the temptation to spend on the team - and risk the wrath of fans for not opening the purse strings.  We gambled and it wasn''t enough.

[Mello Yello 2,293]

And then we pi$$ed it all up against the wall.......(Although I do hope they didn''t spray some of that pee over my personal brick that''s cemented in the rear of the South Stand?)......

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

[quote user="hogesar"]Dont even entertain it Westcoast, some things just arent worth the effort.[/quote]

Back again piggy!

[Len 74]

[quote user="lake district canary"]The mantra that was put out by McNally during our PL years was "every spare penny will be spent on the team" and no-one quibbled about porta cabins at Colney then.  Had that strategy worked and we had stayed in the PL for a couple more years, then maybe there would have been money for development at Colney.  It turns out that the strategy was wrong - and it would have been better to be less ambitious for the team and used at least some of the money to build the infrastructure of the club, but it would have needed someone very strong as CEO to resist the temptation to spend on the team - and risk the wrath of fans for not opening the purse strings.  We gambled and it wasn''t enough.[/quote]The trouble with your argument LDC is that it wasn''t just a recent strategy, as similar happened in the PL under Worthington. Soon after taking control Wynn-Jones ripped up the footballing strategy which Mike Walker has instigated (much of which was youth-oriented).Some things were done well, early under Worthington and under Lambert. But any gains were squandered and soon enough we''d find the club treading water in the middle of the Championship in a generally worse position than where it had started, going from one clueless manager to the next.At least the rot has finally stopped, I would assume because of growing pressure from fans who were getting tired of repeatedly ending back at square one.

[PurpleCanary 5,558]

[quote user="Len"][quote user="lake district canary"]The mantra that was put out by McNally during our PL years was "every spare penny will be spent on the team" and no-one quibbled about porta cabins at Colney then.  Had that strategy worked and we had stayed in the PL for a couple more years, then maybe there would have been money for development at Colney.  It turns out that the strategy was wrong - and it would have been better to be less ambitious for the team and used at least some of the money to build the infrastructure of the club, but it would have needed someone very strong as CEO to resist the temptation to spend on the team - and risk the wrath of fans for not opening the purse strings.  We gambled and it wasn''t enough.[/quote]The trouble with your argument LDC is that it wasn''t just a recent strategy, as similar happened in the PL under Worthington. Soon after taking control Wynn-Jones ripped up the footballing strategy which Mike Walker has instigated (much of which was youth-oriented).Some things were done well, early under Worthington and under Lambert. But any gains were squandered and soon enough we''d find the club treading water in the middle of the Championship in a generally worse position than where it had started, going from one clueless manager to the next.At least the rot has finally stopped, I would assume because of growing pressure from fans who were getting tired of repeatedly ending back at square one.[/quote]What on earth is the basis for that claim?

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

[quote user="Gordon Bennett"]Would a local newspaper article really get an auction started?

Roll on February 1st FFS.[/quote]

Hmmmm......

[Gordon Bennett 783]

Hmmmm indeed. Only three more weeks of all this nonsense to endure, deep joy.

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

[quote user="Gordon Bennett"]Hmmmm indeed. Only three more weeks of all this nonsense to endure, deep joy.[/quote]

A clear attempt to get an auction started though, eh?

An exclusive story with no quotes. This has been fed straight from Webber.

[king canary 7,606]

I''m assuming that Premier League clubs are showing interest and Pritchard has said he''d like to go.

In that case, getting an auction going is the best idea.

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

[quote user="king canary"]I''m assuming that Premier League clubs are showing interest and Pritchard has said he''d like to go.

In that case, getting an auction going is the best idea.[/quote]

My view is Pritchard would happily see it out here until the summer, given he''s been injured and needs to build fitness and confidence. However, he''d be as happy to move on now if the club accepted a bid for him. Clearly his agent would rather do things now, and IMO so would Webber.

[king canary 7,606]

''My view is...'' complete guess work.