Chris Lakey article on Pink Un

[Midlands Yellow 4,682]

Sounds fair and balanced to me.

[......and Smith must score. 1,596]

Thank God no one on here feels like that 😚

[Thirsty Lizard 3,215]

A good piece of comedy writing from Lakey. I've just about stopped laughing from his straight faced assertion that Gunn, Grant and Roeder were 'winners'. (1-7 to Colchester anyone?). 

Edited March 4, 2020 by Thirsty Lizard

[nutty nigel 7,902]

I don't think he's wrong. Except for the "some fans" bit. All fans would be nearer the truth. There's not a murmer of discontent in the stadium on match days. There is some in the anonymity of social media, but there will always will be that. I guess in the stadium they're waiting for the stronger characters to turn.....

[Nuff Said 5,963]

Why aren't we complaining? Because, for most of us at least, we look around at the likes of Ipswich, Bury, Portsmouth, Sunderland to see where we might be. Then there's Derby, Forest, Leeds, Middlesborough and all the others who think they are deserving PL teams but who have consistently failed to get back there.

 

We have over-achieved even before you look at the relative poverty of our owners. But not only have we managed to spend 5 out  of the last 8 seasons in the Premiership, we are now building the foundations that will give us the best chance of improving on this. We play youngsters, and we play entertaining and admired football. Yes, this season has been a disappointment, but most can see that we are establishing ourselves for the best possible future.

[wcorkcanary 4,784]

The Article reads like a "shoulda spent more "post on here. Very poor indeed. Hard to believe that a 'journalist'  cant understand whats going on at our Club, or pretends not to understand. Its been made 100%- clear , several times ,to anyone that can open their listening ears, how the Club now approaches recruitment, and is on a different tack nowadays. All the moaning in the world wont change that. He's surprised that people are generally on board with it.Yet acknowledges what a state we were in LESS THAN THREE SEASONS AGO. Does he think we are all as fickle as him...and Lambert. Ifeel grubby reading it,I sincerely hope he didnt get paid as I have read far more coherent and well written posts on here, i may not agree but can understand less patient supporters  panicking at the thought of relegation.

[ROBFLECK 134]

I can relate to some of the stuff he says , but I don't like the bits where he has a go at some fans now , as though they just calmly accept everything  (I don't...but I think in this day and age , the board hasn't much other options, they don't have any money...compared to the rest).

But the "winning" part is true  , if that is not the top priority , why are you involved in sports or why do you support a club? I want my team to win , first and foremost tbh... It's about getting points to stay up , to gain promotion, to get to the playoffs,... If it would be just purely a case of entertainment ... we would all be watching the best players on this planet

[Half Ar5ed Hipster 82]

 

"Norwich are never going to win the league, but they still turn up every week don't they? The pr!cks!"

Super Hans, 'Peep Show'.

What a quote to live by.

 

 

[Half Ar5ed Hipster 82]

18 minutes ago, wcorkcanary said:

panicking at the thought of relegation.

I think had we have been in dire straights like we were in the Naismith-era then I would be panicking a little too. Now, I look at it like a 'lessons learned' and we have the infrastructure in place to give it a damn right go again without fear of a financial Sword of Damocles above the club's head.

[hogesar 10,763]

42 minutes ago, Thirsty Lizard said:

A good piece of comedy writing from Lakey. I've just about stopped laughing from his straight faced assertion that Gunn, Grant and Roeder were 'winners'. (1-7 to Colchester anyone?). 

Such a p*ss poor bit of writing I can't believe Archant have allowed it to appear on the front page.

[ron obvious 1,711]

5 minutes ago, Half Ar5ed Hipster said:

 

"Norwich are never going to win the league, but they still turn up every week don't they? The pr!cks!"

Super Hans, 'Peep Show'.

What a quote to live by.

 

 

I'd forgotten that one. What a show that was!

[nutty nigel 7,902]

2 minutes ago, hogesar said:

Such a p*ss poor bit of writing I can't believe Archant have allowed it to appear on the front page.

You should see his videos. It's like watching Eeyore...

[BobLoz3 609]

Chris is a Peterborough fan. So, it's only natural that he may not have the same feeling many of us do about our club. I used to work for Archant and got on very well with him so I'm not knocking the fella!

However, I mean, he's talking about 'trekking up and down to Carlisle and Yeovil'.

Two things there, Chris. Firstly, I'm glad we are not having to worry about playing teams like that at crappy stadiums anymore and probably won't have to for some time. Secondly, away fans are often more vociferious. It's just the way it is. We want to be heard and rightly so. I still think we're the same when we go away. Add to that the fact that we were pretty much rolling over teams back then and there's your answer.

I also think that we feel a lot more entertained by our team now than we did back then (Lambert seasons excluded) and there's a certain expectation from us in regards to how we play. We have overachieved and I am totally convinced that the way we're going about things is absolutely the right way for Norwich City. In other words, most fans are quite happy with their lot (especially after having such a good season last time out) and the powers that be at NCFC have earned that respect, understanding and patience.

If that makes me a happy clapper then 😁👏

Edited March 4, 2020 by BobLoz3

[Pugin 601]

I am not sure what's worse, the horrible sentiment behind the piece, or the excruciating style in which it is written. 

[Chumino 57]

Some fair points. 

[Mason 47 1,924]

Just now, hogesar said:

Such a p*ss poor bit of writing I can't believe Archant have allowed it to appear on the front page.

I was literally about to post the same thing- reads like the sort of thing you'd see on Talksport to clickbait views.

Don't get me wrong, is there some truth that the demographic inside the average CR crowd is a bit softer than what you would find elsewhere? Sure. But the days of the slavering, chest-beating football fan are over and we have always been a community-based, family-friendly club.

The last few years have built up a level of trust between the club and the fans that means- although nobody likes losing- we're still on the best course for the club in the long term.

Tone-deaf doesn't come close.

[Parma Ham's gone mouldy 2,462]

Populist clickbait.

Finances in football are radically different to even 10 years ago. 

The owners don’t have the money to compete - £23m vs £23bn - so they embrace a transparent plan to do the best with the resources available. 

Raising ‘Little old Norwich’ is disingenuous in the extreme. Even billionaires owners can’t come close to competing at the top of the top level. 

Fomenting dissatisfaction at this moment achieves nothing. Get on a bus to Spurs and sing 👍⚽️✅

Parma

[lake district canary 4,830]

It still surprises me that people can't accept that we are in the best state as a club that perhaps we have ever been structurally - on and off the pitch. Even at the bottom of the league we are playing attractive skilful football that is admired by many - and is starting to get us results. 

So we haven't quite been good enough to win more matches - well that is more down to injuries robbing us of a settled back four than anything else imo - yet we have come through that and our form has improved. It may not be good enough in the time available to keep us up, but we are still in there fighting. 

If you want to find something negative to say about the club, it is easy to find something, but the bigger picture - although  some people don't want to see it - is important - and that bigger picture means the club evolving over a few years, not risking all on spending like we have done before for short term gain, which could and probably would be folly and set us back another ten years.  

 

Edited March 4, 2020 by lake district canary

[ROBFLECK 134]

I think he's just ill informed in this case . He hasn't spoken to enough supporters (or the wrong ones ...)  and he hasn't bought into what the club is attempting to achieve .

It's much too onesided and his writing leaves a lot to be desired...

[First Wazzock 1,014]

A soon as I read that Grant, Roeder and Gunn were winners, I realised that Chris Lakey needs to be sectioned for his own good.

[Icecream Snow 777]

"I have zero dispute about the way the club is run, but I'd be a little angrier at the position City are in. I'd be annoyed at the weekly diet of so near and yet so far. I'd be mortified at the thought of an unloved rival club's fans dishing it out and laughing."

They're too busy languishing in midtable League One mediocrity. 🤣

[wcorkcanary 4,784]

1 hour ago, ron obvious said:

I'd forgotten that one. What a show that was!

All episodes available for streaming on All 4. Whenever my son is home,we watch a couple. Also worth a mention. The Windsors.Friday Night dinner. 

[Hillhead 114]

This genuinely seems like a (far too obvious) attempt at a wind up article.

This bit... 

"Worthington, Grant, Roeder, Gunn and Lambert were managers during my tenure as City writer. Forget what you think about them, they were winners. That was all they wanted: to bring home the points. Some were perhaps more conservative than others in their tactics: Worthy was a little cautious, although his teams were on the whole excellent. Grant was a winner for whom it just didn't work out. Roeder knew football, and while he left City a man disliked, he knew the game.

He just didn't know the club. Gunny did: City through and through who wanted nothing more than a win. It meant a lot to him. Lambert was probably the sharpest of them all in that respect. Losing was not in his mentality. But he was fortunate to have collected a coaching team that slotted together perfectly: proof of that is that since it broke up, his star has slipped. But that's another story. Lambert was my last manager.

Today, Daniel Farke is in the hot seat. Top man, very popular, says all the right things and a man who accepts the system. "

Not only is the language just bizarre "Grant was a winner" "Roeder knew football" "Lambert the sharpest of them all" while poor Farke just "Says all the right things" even the basis for the whole article falls down at the first hurdle. With the exception of Gunn, who we actually got relegated with, all other managers had us struggling / failing expectations in the championship. Farke took us against the odds and now we're pretty much performing - perhaps not how we want - but how most of us acknowledged we could well be - in the top flight.

"But it needs to be pointed out that while Aston Villa's player investment doesn't appear to be working, Sheffield United's does"

By that logic there should have been 23 teams in the championship asking how the hell we managed to finish above them last season. going forward every time something good is achieved by someone who isn't you there needs to be anger. Anger in 2017 that we weren't Huddersfield, anger in 2018 that we weren't Cardiff or Fulham. 2019 gets a pass but now it's Sheffield United we should be comparing ourselves with. By my estimations we need to be discontent and asking questions about 95% of the time. 

"But I rarely hear calls for Farke to go. I don't wish anyone out of a job, and what City are doing is bucking a trend. Big time. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

it seems far too easy to understand that we might have an awful lot of patience for Farke considering what he has achieved with us so far and the constraints he's working under. Wouldn't it have nice for Lakey to tell us why there should be discontent with the manager?

 

Edited March 4, 2020 by Hillhead

[wcorkcanary 4,784]

3 minutes ago, Hillhead said:

This genuinely seems like a (far too obvious) attempt at a wind up article.

This bit... 

"Worthington, Grant, Roeder, Gunn and Lambert were managers during my tenure as City writer. Forget what you think about them, they were winners. That was all they wanted: to bring home the points. Some were perhaps more conservative than others in their tactics: Worthy was a little cautious, although his teams were on the whole excellent. Grant was a winner for whom it just didn't work out. Roeder knew football, and while he left City a man disliked, he knew the game.

He just didn't know the club. Gunny did: City through and through who wanted nothing more than a win. It meant a lot to him. Lambert was probably the sharpest of them all in that respect. Losing was not in his mentality. But he was fortunate to have collected a coaching team that slotted together perfectly: proof of that is that since it broke up, his star has slipped. But that's another story. Lambert was my last manager.

Today, Daniel Farke is in the hot seat. Top man, very popular, says all the right things and a man who accepts the system. "

Not only is the language just bizarre "Grant was a winner" "Roeder knew football" "Lambert the sharpest of them all" while poor Farke just "Says all the right things" even the basis for the whole article falls down at the first hurdle. With the exception of Gunn, who we actually got relegated with, all other managers had us struggling / failing expectations in the championship. Farke took us against the odds and now we're pretty much performing - perhaps not how we want - but how most of us acknowledged we could well be.

"But it needs to be pointed out that while Aston Villa's player investment doesn't appear to be working, Sheffield United's does"

By that logic there should have been 23 teams in the championship asking how the hell we managed to finish above them last season. going forward every time something good is achieved by someone who isn't you there needs to be anger. Anger in 2017 that we weren't Huddersfield, anger in 2018 that we weren't Cardiff or Fulham. 2019 gets a pass but now it's Sheffield United we should be comparing ourselves with. By my estimations we need to be discontent and asking questions about 95% of the time. 

"But I rarely hear calls for Farke to go. I don't wish anyone out of a job, and what City are doing is bucking a trend. Big time. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

it seems far too easy to understand that we might have an awful lot of patience for Farke considering what he has achieved with us so far and the constraints he's working under. Wouldn't it have nice for Lakey to tell us why there should be discontent with the manager?

 

My point entirely  Hillo, does he have sour grapes with the Club? To me it just read like a Midandic Idiot ' be controversial  for the sake of it and see who bites' post. Only a bit longer  .

[GenerationA47 864]

2 hours ago, Parma Ham's gone mouldy said:

Populist clickbait.

Finances in football are radically different to even 10 years ago. 

The owners don’t have the money to compete - £23m vs £23bn - so they embrace a transparent plan to do the best with the resources available. 

Raising ‘Little old Norwich’ is disingenuous in the extreme. Even billionaires owners can’t come close to competing at the top of the top level. 

Fomenting dissatisfaction at this moment achieves nothing. Get on a bus to Spurs and sing 👍⚽️✅

Parma

Yes.... it’s  almost as if he’s a provocative journalist with no responsibility who supports another East Anglian club who play in blue & white (ooh, posh!).

[BobLoz3 609]

2 hours ago, lake district canary said:

It still surprises me that people can't accept that we are in the best state as a club that perhaps we have ever been structurally - on and off the pitch. Even at the bottom of the league we are playing attractive skilful football that is admired by many - and is starting to get us results. 

So we haven't quite been good enough to win more matches - well that is more down to injuries robbing us of a settled back four than anything else imo - yet we have come through that and our form has improved. It may not be good enough in the time available to keep us up, but we are still in there fighting. 

If you want to find something negative to say about the club, it is easy to find something, but the bigger picture - although  some people don't want to see it - is important - and that bigger picture means the club evolving over a few years, not risking all on spending like we have done before for short term gain, which could and probably would be folly and set us back another ten years.  

 

The funny thing is, Lakey dear, is that I thought you actually WERE Chris for some time! You look a bit like what he'd look like with a beard too. It's bizarre 😂 Plus the screen name... I was thinking, "This guy isn't in the Lake District at all! It's Chris Lakey on a mission to find golden nugs of info...on the Pink Un message board"

Yes, I have a wild imagination!

[Nuff Said 5,963]

12 minutes ago, BobLoz3 said:

The funny thing is, Lakey dear, is that I thought you actually WERE Chris for some time! You look a bit like what he'd look like with a beard too. It's bizarre 😂 Plus the screen name... I was thinking, "This guy isn't in the Lake District at all! It's Chris Lakey on a mission to find golden nugs of info...on the Pink Un message board"

Yes, I have a wild imagination!

Hmm, quite an interesting theory... 🤔 but then I am Bill, so that just goes to show what to make of theories.

[Mr.Carrow 394]

The club have shown plenty of ambition in recent years and to a large extent it has worked. What didn't work was going down the same old route of spending vast sums on often demotivated has-been top players who offered little for the money. At some point supporters just have to accept that it doesn't seem to fit the culture of the club or area. Billy big bolox players with big egos and big city lifestyles just don't fit our way. What works is quiet, professional types such as Martin and Zimmerman, under appreciated mavericks who have struggled to fit in elsewhere such as Hucks, Holt and Wes and young sensible players who just want to concentrate on improving away from the glare of the bright lights such as our current crop. Luckily these categories tend to be affordable and it seems they often flourish within the culture of NCFC.

It also fits well with the "do different" slightly contrarian culture of Norfolk which probably explains why it has been largely accepted and embraced by the fanbase.

[Half Ar5ed Hipster 82]

7 minutes ago, Nuff Said said:

I am Bill

I know you're not, but if you were you'd disagree that football formations exist for a reason... players instead just 'play'

[TIL 1010 5,246]

3 hours ago, hogesar said:

Such a p*ss poor bit of writing I can't believe Archant have allowed it to appear on the front page.

Probably because he is Head of Sport.