Chelsea talking to Webber

[A Load of Squit 5,162]

1 minute ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

He's a what now? 

Think he won a league cup with somebody as a player, but he's never won the top flight!

He won the league with Everton.

[A Load of Squit 5,162]

3 minutes ago, Worthy Nigelton said:

Are we in a much better league position? Even if we win the league this year (no certainty) he has moved us up 7 places in 6 years.

Yes.

[Kingston Yellow 220]

36 minutes ago, Ashwood said:

Wasn’t Neil Adams the succession plan or did I make that up ? 

They scoured Europe for him after all.

[cambridgeshire canary 6,716]

Of all the clubs.. Now that would be a VERY big paycheck to him. Wonder if he will publicly talk about not caring about the job and fans and wanting to be up a mountain when he's with them? Might get somewhat forgiven saying that when he's working for us but I don't think that kind of attitude would fly at a club like Chelsea.. 

Edited October 12, 2022 by cambridgeshire canary

[horsefly 4,300]

2 minutes ago, Worthy Nigelton said:

Are we in a much better league position? Even if we win the league this year (no certainty) he has moved us up 7 places in 6 years.

Jesus! He turned a club in heavy debt and on the brink of administration into one that is financially sound and the envy of virtually all outside the PL (and probably some within). He has also presided over promotion seasons when we have played some of the best football ever witnessed at the club. Find me a DF who has never made a mistake and I might be tempted to revise my view that he has been a remarkably positive influence on NCFC.

[AJ 1,218]

38 minutes ago, Worthy Nigelton said:

Non-plussed at this. There's a strong argument to say he has ultimately failed.

Failed to keep us in the PL? Yes

Ultimately failed? Hell no. This club is in a far, far, far better place than it was when he arrived

[king canary 7,605]

29 minutes ago, A Load of Squit said:

The club is in a much better (league and financial) position than when he came here.

The infrastructure is vastly improved.

 

Yeah, I think if he leaves we'll look back on it'll be largely a success. There is a significant part of what Webber has done that fans will probably never actually see. The issue is the most high profile and visible part of his job (squad building) has been largely questionable since his first couple of seasons.

If he does end up at Chelsea it'll be interesting to see how the job is structured and also how 'media facing' he is. I honestly think his biggest weakness has been some of the PR stuff and that is with a relatively benign fan base. If he tells Chelsea supporters they should 'go and support someone else' if they don't like a performance he'll be taken to pieces. If I were him I'd take this as an opportunity to step back from the media limelight.

[KeiranShikari 1,410]

He failed so hard that recent champions league winners might hire him. 

[Top corner 228]

If Webber decides to join Chelsea & we appoint someone from outside the club, then will the new SD want to replace Smith with his own head coach? 

[Mello Yello 2,291]

Stu maybe thinks that NCFC are crampon his style?.....

[Midlands Yellow 3,980]

6 minutes ago, horsefly said:

Jesus! He turned a club in heavy debt and on the brink of administration into one that is financially sound and the envy of virtually all outside the PL (and probably some within). He has also presided over promotion seasons when we have played some of the best football ever witnessed at the club. Find me a DF who has never made a mistake and I might be tempted to revise my view that he has been a remarkably positive influence on NCFC.

So we were on the brink of administration then before he arrived? That fact was denied by many and the Maddison sale saved the day. 

[A Load of Squit 5,162]

3 minutes ago, king canary said:

Yeah, I think if he leaves we'll look back on it'll be largely a success. There is a significant part of what Webber has done that fans will probably never actually see. The issue is the most high profile and visible part of his job (squad building) has been largely questionable since his first couple of seasons.

If he does end up at Chelsea it'll be interesting to see how the job is structured and also how 'media facing' he is. I honestly think his biggest weakness has been some of the PR stuff and that is with a relatively benign fan base. If he tells Chelsea supporters they should 'go and support someone else' if they don't like a performance he'll be taken to pieces. If I were him I'd take this as an opportunity to step back from the media limelight.

Previous Chelsea Sporting Directors didn't do hardly any media work, I'd be surprised if anyone would know who they were.

[Mike w 46]

Done a lot of hard work getting our Club structure in a much better position but have to doubt his progress at a lot of signings which have not been the best but improved NCFC to a good degree.  Can't see him being a large help to Chelsea with all their money but good luck to him. Didn't see him staying for evermore

[alex_ncfc 662]

If Neil Adams is next in line to take over then it'll be the biggest backwards step ever. Who knows, maybe he'll get Bryan Gunn in as manager? 🙄

[yellow_belly 226]

I hope that he goes to Chelsea, albeit very surprised that they want him.

[Capt. Pants 4,234]

I wonder if Zoe Ward will leave as well?

Assuming we get promoted there's bound to be a bit of conflict of interests.

Huge hole in our strategic and executive set up.

Delia and Michael will have to step up a bit more.

[king canary 7,605]

2 minutes ago, A Load of Squit said:

Previous Chelsea Sporting Directors didn't do hardly any media work, I'd be surprised if anyone would know who they were.

Yeah the amount of media he does is quite unusual for an SD- I suppose the question is that something he specifically wanted to do or is it just how things worked out when he arrived here. 

[king canary 7,605]

Just now, Capt. Pants said:

I wonder if Zoe Ward will leave as well?

Assuming we get promoted there's bound to be a bit of conflict of interests.

Huge hole in our strategic and executive set up.

Delia and Michael will have to step up a bit more.

She worked here while Webber was at Huddersfield did she not? So can't see why it would be an issue. Maybe we'd get first pick of Chelsea loanees?

[Kenny Foggo 1,116]

Will he be giving Chelsea 90% if he goes? Done well in restructuring the club and leaves it in good place for someone far better at identifying what the 1st team squad needs.

[Kenny Foggo 1,116]

Also will allow our new member of the board to put his stamp on things... 

[TheRock 171]

Just now, king canary said:

She worked here while Webber was at Huddersfield did she not? So can't see why it would be an issue. Maybe we'd get first pick of Chelsea loanees?

Gilmour  😉

[Norfolk Mustard 94]

Stuart Webber literally revolutionised Norwich City! Inevitable he'll move on; when he does, it'll be a huge loss...

[horsefly 4,300]

2 minutes ago, Midlands Yellow said:

So we were on the brink of administration then before he arrived? That fact was denied by many and the Maddison sale saved the day. 

Yes indeed! He had to sell Maddison to avoid the club going bust. He could have opted for popularity among the noisy reckless minority who would have delighted in an unfunded spending spree borrowing heaps of cash and imperilling the club's future (remind you of anyone?). I for one will be eternally grateful that he opted for the financially astute, principled approach of not spending what we can't afford. 

[Gibbo 131]

Club is in a massively better place than when he arrived.  I can see this being one of those moments that some look back to in the future and some folks realize what we had was so much better than what we've got...

[Worthy Nigelton 1,044]

16 minutes ago, horsefly said:

Jesus! He turned a club in heavy debt and on the brink of administration into one that is financially sound and the envy of virtually all outside the PL (and probably some within). He has also presided over promotion seasons when we have played some of the best football ever witnessed at the club. Find me a DF who has never made a mistake and I might be tempted to revise my view that he has been a remarkably positive influence on NCFC.

I agree with all that, but the numbers are the numbers. He took over a team that finished 8th in the Champs and we're currently 2nd.... in the Champs. That's six places in six years. It is more nuanced than that as I've said, but nuanced both ways.

[Nuff Said 5,137]

2 minutes ago, Worthy Nigelton said:

You are correct but it's far more nuanced than "he is great" or "he is crap". On some metrics he has been extremely good and parts of the club have improved significantly, of that there is no doubt, but it is also true that on the biggest metric of making us a PL team he has been the biggest failure in the club's history at that level. The biggest test will be whether a load of gems come through in the next 5 years from his reforms... then is the time to assess him more fully.

Agreed, I’m a big fan of nuance. While he failed to keep us up more than anyone else who has had a similar position at the club, he has also been the most successful at getting us to the PL. And comparisons aren’t very fair, as football has changed so much in the last 10-20 years. 

I believe from the outside, a neutral observer would think he has done a lot to transform the club while balancing the twin demands of short-term success with long-term stability and growth. Given the lack of resources, especially when compared to our rivals, the club has done pretty well. Leaving now, when there appears to be the promise of some extra cash to “invest” (quite possibly nowhere near enough though) is interesting timing, although obviously a good job offer like Chelsea would be almost impossible to turn down. We don’t know what the job offer is though, or if it is even going to happen.

 

I completely agree that how succession planning works out over the few years after his departure will ultimately decide how his time here is viewed.

[Capt. Pants 4,234]

3 minutes ago, king canary said:

She worked here while Webber was at Huddersfield did she not? So can't see why it would be an issue. Maybe we'd get first pick of Chelsea loanees?

She is at a higher level now and held in great esteem by the US investors.

 

[king canary 7,605]

1 minute ago, Capt. Pants said:

She is at a higher level now and held in great esteem by the US investors.

 

All the more reason why we'd want her to stay then?

[A Load of Squit 5,162]

1 minute ago, Capt. Pants said:

She is at a higher level now and held in great esteem by the US investors.

 

She'll probably have to leave when we start to compete with Chelsea in the league and transfer market, so no, there's no conflict of interest. 😀

[Indy 3,298]

It’s daft to think Adams is the same niaive person who took the managers job, he’s been there behind Webber and would probably do as good a job as Webber! Possibly better.

As for Webber, if he goes will he take his number 1 manager? does that mean Smith will be heading to Chelsea as the next Manager? 😉

Edited October 12, 2022 by Indy