Delia Interview in FT Still unsure about MA

[norfolkngood 1,087]

Delia Smith is still unsure of the future with Mark Attanasio at Norwich City but has no plans to retire. 

City's joint-majority shareholder has been working closely with the American businessman since he bought a stake in the club last year from long-serving director Michael Foulger. 

Attanasio's arrival marked the first time since 2007 that City have welcomed external investment into the club. It's expected the American will increase that hold of the club in the coming months through newly created shares, with the legal process ongoing before they can be allocated. 

Smith has revealed her commitment now is ensuring the club is handed over to the right person given the struggles that some football clubs have, but still plans to play an active role in City's future. 

“At the moment, we don’t know," Smith told the Financial Times when asked if the American was the heir apparent. "He seems like a really good guy. We have no idea what the future will bring.

"We just have to wait and see. What we have to do now is hand over to people we think will be good caretakers. Football is full of terrible disasters. We won’t have a disaster. We’ll do it properly.

“No, I won’t ever retire. I can’t not do anything. I can’t just sit down and wait for the six o’clock news. I believe bodies age but souls don’t. Everyone is 19 inside. I really believe that.” 

Smith remains as passionate about football as ever despite the ever-increasing football bubble that is awash with money from global states and wealthy benefactors. 

Norwich have attempted to swim against the tide with their self-funding model and it remains to be seen whether Attanasio's involvement ends that experiment in the coming years. 

It is the sense of community and togetherness that fuels Smith's love for the game rather than the ups and downs that have been involved in running Norwich over the last 25 years. 

One thing that fascinates me about football is that it’s one of the last bastions of community. It’s something incredibly precious. Somehow I believe in it. Somehow we’ll get through. All this money, money, money, one day it’s got to pop.” she said. “Beneath it all there’s this human connection. I don’t think there’s anything else like it.

“If you take a child to football, the one lovely thing they are going to learn is that life is not a bowl of cherries. It’s good and it’s wonderful and it’s thrilling. But it’s also painful and horrible.”

Edited July 14, 2023 by norfolkngood

[Google Bot 3,301]

Interesting to see how reluctant to retire she is, I presumed they wanted out but clearly read that wrong. 

I wish she wouldn't use the phrase "Can't not do anything" though, as it reads wrong, but is in fact correct... Which bothers me for some reason.

[norfolkngood 1,087]

2 minutes ago, Google Bot said:

Interesting to see how reluctant to retire she is, I presumed they wanted out but clearly read that wrong. 

I wish she wouldn't use the phrase "Can't not do anything" though, as it reads wrong, but is in fact correct... Which bothers me for some reason.

i really do not know what to make of it really a lot of nothing news ,But i thought she was winding down a bit but does not seem to be the case 

[lake district canary 4,545]

I love it. I know people in their 90's who are more switched on than people a lot younger and if their enthusiasm and drive is there, age doesn't matter.

[Midlands Yellow 4,079]

Fantastic news, ten more years please Delia 

[norfolkngood 1,087]

3 minutes ago, lake district canary said:

I love it. I know people in their 90's who are more switched on than people a lot younger and if their enthusiasm and drive is there, age doesn't matter.

Not really about if she is switched on etc

it is more can she and MWJ afford to run a football club and if she is holding us back by not selling because she wants to keep busy , 

We need some investment and money put into the team some how 

i honestly thought she was going to sell to MA but this does not seem quite like that 

Edited July 14, 2023 by norfolkngood

[Deptford Yellow 260]

Well she’s right that supporting Norwich is a good way to learn that life has its ups and downs !

[BroadstairsR 2,205]

Perhaps she should ask the fans what they want? After all, it's a community club, as she always states. 

If the club drops like a stone this season she'll find out that life's not her a bowl of cherries all right.

Let's, first and foremost hope upon hope they get the next Sporting Director appointment spot on.

Edited July 14, 2023 by BroadstairsR

[Channon’s Windmill 330]

It was certainly painful and horrible last season.

[cambridgeshire canary 6,795]

"all this money, money, money, one day it’s got to pop."

 

If anything it's only going to get worse

[Nuff Said 5,176]

Never mind that, have you seen this!

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/jul/14/better-than-a-doughnut-delia-smith-dishes-up-a-deep-fried-jam-sandwich?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Delia doing her bit for the nation’s waistlines. 

[Grando 270]

It'll be Nephew Tom, we all know it!

[Danke bitte 967]

I would say I’m a fairly balanced poster and supporter, but I generally a bit tired of hearing these lines trotted out about community and it’s not about the money etc when we clearly did try to spend our way last time we were in the Prem and we fkd it up. The lip service feels like smoke and mirrors about how we just can’t afford to compete at the top - I think I would feel more comfortable if they were more honest about their financial capabilities than try and spin it about “family love” blah. Also, feels a bit weird to mention not knowing what the future will hold with Attanasio - maybe I’m reading it wrong and it’s just guff though…

[essex canary 506]

Pity that some of the 'awash with money' associated with our recent PL seasons didn't get redirected from the wage bill to the ground development to facilitate younger fans.

For 'self-funding' read 'fan-funding'.

Edited July 14, 2023 by essex canary

[Mike w 46]

38 minutes ago, lake district canary said:

I love it. I know people in their 90's who are more switched on than people a lot younger and if their enthusiasm and drive is there, age doesn't matter.

totally agree 'lets be aving you'

[Mike w 46]

31 minutes ago, Deptford Yellow said:

Well she’s right that supporting Norwich is a good way to learn that life has its ups and downs !

absolutely, been a life long supporter since 1950's, wow

[rock bus 854]

Doesn’t sound very hopeful does it,

I’ve a lot of respect for what delia has done for the club over the years but if we are to progress then we really need new owners. It’s not just about the amount of money they can invest (but that is crucial) but also the way the club needs to be run.

She needs to go soon with her reputation intact and not hang on damaging both her legacy and the club

[Dr Greenthumb 750]

45 minutes ago, lake district canary said:

I love it. I know people in their 90's who are more switched on than people a lot younger and if their enthusiasm and drive is there, age doesn't matter.

Money does matter in this game though

[sgncfc 1,253]

We need access to money. That money can come from investors or by developing players, which we've done pretty well. Attanasio has already invested £10m and may be investing some more soon by purchasing new shares - I suspect they don't want to shout about that at least until the transfer window is closed. I understand we are about to sell Aarons; hopefully Rashica and possibly Andrew O. Plus we got another £3m or so for Maddison.

We still have some financial assets - Sargent, Sara, Gunn (whose stock has never been higher after his Scotland exploits), and some youngsters who could explode - Rowe, Gibbs, Springett, Kamara etc.

It's not PL money of course, but it's all more than enough to keep us at mid-table or above in the Champs.

We don't necessarily need new owners - but it's pretty inevitable that we'll get them reasonably soon, given she's in her 80s. She's already on record as saying that nephew Tom will inherit. His challenge will be in deciding what to do then.

[hogesar 9,743]

55 minutes ago, BroadstairsR said:

Perhaps she should ask the fans what they want? After all, it's a community club, as she always states. 

If the club drops like a stone this season she'll find out that life's not her a bowl of cherries all right.

Let's, first and foremost hope upon hope they get the next Sporting Director appointment spot on.

Fans can't be trusted, we know they'd have sold out to both Fernandes and Cullum if this forum is anything to go by...

[yellowrider120 784]

42 minutes ago, rock bus said:

Doesn’t sound very hopeful does it,

I’ve a lot of respect for what delia has done for the club over the years but if we are to progress then we really need new owners. It’s not just about the amount of money they can invest (but that is crucial) but also the way the club needs to be run.

She needs to go soon with her reputation intact and not hang on damaging both her legacy and the club

Totally agree with all that. She just can't let go. 

[yellowrider120 784]

16 minutes ago, hogesar said:

Fans can't be trusted, we know they'd have sold out to both Fernandes and Cullum if this forum is anything to go by...

But did Fernandes ever make any sort of offer?

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

5 minutes ago, yellowrider120 said:

But did Fernandes ever make any sort of offer?

He has sold up at QPR.

[hogesar 9,743]

6 minutes ago, yellowrider120 said:

But did Fernandes ever make any sort of offer?

No idea, didn't stop fans on here begging for it to happen (thank god it didn't).

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

It is disappointing to hear that MA may not be looking for a greater acquisition at the moment. I hate thought of having to worry if we couldn't compete at Championship level because every seems to boil down to money. Like it or not and most of us hate it (although if Red Bull bought us out we wouldn't moan), the amount of money you can generate is becoming even more important. And new supporters will believe it is the only thing that matters.

[ridgeman 135]

1 hour ago, BroadstairsR said:

Perhaps she should ask the fans what they want? After all, it's a community club, as she always states. 

If the club drops like a stone this season she'll find out that life's not her a bowl of cherries all right.

Let's, first and foremost hope upon hope they get the next Sporting Director appointment spot on.

If we are a community club as she says why does she allow Webber to mouth off to the fans.

[nutty nigel 7,619]

It doesn't all boil down to money. It all boils down to other people's money and supposed entitlement to that.

[Canary Wundaboy 1,360]

I fear that both she and MWJ will only realise they’ve clung on for too long when the sentiment of the fans turns for the worse. Another season like last season and people will really start to voice concerns about ownership and direction far more loudly than we’ve seen since the Chase era.

Edited July 14, 2023 by Canary Wundaboy

[Mello Yello 2,303]

[Robert N. LiM 4,482]

Just a little cautionary tale for those who assume that D&M selling the club will lead inevitably to glorious success after having held us back for so long

 

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jul/14/reading-mess-men-women-relegated-squad-part-time