Excellent Independent article

[ron obvious 1,711]

Focusing on Webber. One where the journo seems to have taken some trouble doing a bit of research for a change:

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/norwich-city-championship-table-leeds-united-derby-county-daniel-farke-stuart-webber-a8625396.html

[PurpleCanary 6,386]

37 minutes ago, ron obvious said:

Focusing on Webber. One where the journo seems to have taken some trouble doing a bit of research for a change:

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/norwich-city-championship-table-leeds-united-derby-county-daniel-farke-stuart-webber-a8625396.html

It is a decent piece, by a former professional cricketer. I was intrigued by this line:

Farke understands why Norwich already have a shortlist of four managers that they’d consider as his replacement when he departs in whatever circumstance that might be.  

It does emphasise how a sporting director can help with longer-term planning. But also raises the question of who might replace the ambitious Webber if and when he goes, given that it seems unlikely we would revert to an old-style CEO/football manager arrangement.

[lake district canary 4,830]

Very informative. Didn't realise Webber was only 34 and has a pro-coaching licence.

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 2,424]

Southampton sacking their equivalent of Webber and England sniffing around for a Director of Football does make me very nervous about Webber's future at the club. He is a massively ambitious guy so I'm sure he is well aware of opportunities  elsewhere.

Luckily with his wife also being at Norwich maybe they are enjoying not having jobs hundreds of miles apart for a the first time in a while.

[king canary 8,757]

I think Southampton might look above the Championship. 

If he did go I'd happily take Les Reed here though.

[keelansgrandad 6,680]

Off to Florida then. Bit of warmth on their backs and a decent swim and they should come back raring to go. Pity the ones on international duty.

[ROBFLECK 134]

Very interesting read...thanks...

[Petriix 3,219]

That really is a great article. It's unusual for us to catch anyone's attention, even when we are successful.

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 2,424]

38 minutes ago, king canary said:

I think Southampton might look above the Championship. 

If he did go I'd happily take Les Reed here though.

Will be interesting to see what Saints do, their new owners are very different to the previous so can see them not bothering to replace Reed at all. 

Les Reed was outstanding a few years back, but recently has looked more questionable in his decision making - hard to know how much of this has been to the changes in the board room though and club becoming more risk adverse. 

[king canary 8,757]

2 minutes ago, Bethnal Yellow and Green said:

Will be interesting to see what Saints do, their new owners are very different to the previous so can see them not bothering to replace Reed at all. 

Les Reed was outstanding a few years back, but recently has looked more questionable in his decision making - hard to know how much of this has been to the changes in the board room though and club becoming more risk adverse. 

To be honest the Southampton model had such small margin for error that it was always going to have the odd year or two where the signings didn't work out perfectly. The problem is as soon as you get close to relegation it becomes very difficult not to go down the Mark Hughes/short term route as the drop off is so significant.

[SwindonCanary 457]

I think it shows how lucky we are to have Webber

[shefcanary 2,955]

I'm looking forward to the carnival!😀

[Norwich R Us 59]

Really leaves you feeling hugely optimistic for the future that!

[ricardo 8,034]

Imexpecting that at the AGM, the entry of the big wigs will be received with rapturous applause.

Will make a change from the sullen silence of recent years.👍

[C.I.D 358]

3 hours ago, ricardo said:

Imexpecting that at the AGM, the entry of the big wigs will be received with rapturous applause.

Will make a change from the sullen silence of recent years.👍

'Tis all part of the grand plan.......winning streak and a top 2 place just as the AGM looms......pats on the back and drinks all round,chaps 😎

 

Edited November 9, 2018 by C.I.D

[ricardo 8,034]

55 minutes ago, C.I.D said:

'Tis all part of the grand plan.......winning streak and a top 2 place just as the AGM looms......pats on the back and drinks all round,chaps 😎

 

Been a number of years since that plan worked though.

[Mark .Y. 375]

So, does anybody really know why he left Huddersfield, on the brink of success, to come to us ?

Was his wife already here and it would give them the opportunity to spend more time together ?

I know about Delia's succession plans (for young Tom)........ but is it possible that he and his wife see an opportunity to become more than just employees of the club - potentially major (possibly, majority) shareholders one day ???

[PurpleCanary 6,386]

43 minutes ago, Mark .Y. said:

So, does anybody really know why he left Huddersfield, on the brink of success, to come to us ?

Was his wife already here and it would give them the opportunity to spend more time together ?

I know about Delia's succession plans (for young Tom)........ but is it possible that he and his wife see an opportunity to become more than just employees of the club - potentially major (possibly, majority) shareholders one day ???

I think Webber was offered more power and autonomy than he had at Huddersfield, and judging by the way he has instituted such a massive overhaul of staff on the on- and off-field football side - there is hardly anyone left as far as I can see from the pre-Webber era - that has been borne out.

And I see that Huddersfield had when he was there and still have as a director a fully-fledged CEO (who played for the club and so presumably has an input on football matters), indicating that Webber's role was more limited than it is with us, where we now do not have that old-style powerful CEO.  It is likely that a factor in Stone leaving was that Webber has taken to himself much of what a CEO traditionally does.

As to the future, as Bethnal has confirmed, Webber is young and very ambitious, and I doubt we are the limit of his expectations, unless  we make staggering progress. Even then I doubt owning the club would be a possibility.

Edited November 10, 2018 by PurpleCanary

[KiwiScot 1,684]

Reading that article...Has anyone seen that Film Moneyball where the baseball team lose their best players and cannot afford to replace them so come up with a new and cheap way of winning.

[Badger 2,745]

Thanks for the link Ron - interesting article.

I share the concern about losing Webber, but hope that the extra power over operations that he seems to have here might make us attractive for a while.

[Molly Windley 76]

Huddersfield downgraded their academy from a Grade 2 to a Grade 4 which severely restricts recruitment. I can see why they would do it as they are competing locally against the Liverpool and Manchester clubs. Possibly a reason for Webber to look for another club (us) with Category 1 status and pro academy outlook.

Just a thought.

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 2,424]

48 minutes ago, Molly Windley said:

Huddersfield downgraded their academy from a Grade 2 to a Grade 4 which severely restricts recruitment. I can see why they would do it as they are competing locally against the Liverpool and Manchester clubs. Possibly a reason for Webber to look for another club (us) with Category 1 status and pro academy outlook.

Just a thought.

Yeah, I think there was some stuff in an interview with Webber not long after he join that basically confirmed that he wanted to work with an academy and Huddersfield not having one worth mentioning was a big push in him leaving. 

As the article points out Webber’s background is in youth recruitment and he sees that as the best way for a limited income club to be competitive. 

I hope Ed Balls has a short list of 4 potential replacements similar to Webber has a short list of potential Farke replacements. 

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 2,424]

Telegraph now reporting that Southampton are looking to hire Webber to replace Les Reed 😥😥😥

[Well b back 3,605]

The Premier League teams usually get what they want and don’t usually seem to get rid of somebody without usually having their replacement already signed up.

This was always a stepping stone ie if it was proved to work a second time other clubs would adopt this system. I don’t suppose the negativity thrown at him until recently will work in our favour if there is truth in this article.