Ben Knapper - New Sporting Director

[Graham Paddons Beard 2,457]

19 hours ago, Browno said:

New sporting director joining from Arsenal on November 27th.

https://www.canaries.co.uk/content/norwich-city-announce-ben-knapper-as-sporting-director

Has anyone heard what the job spec actually was? Webber controlled all footballing matters including (in practice) coaching appointments, transfers as well being directly responsible for loans and Colney. Webber had several folk reporting into him . Is this guy the same ? 
Always been told the key to sporting directors role is contacts . Webber has this as McNally did before him both operating at the very top of their clubs . Knapper doesn’t appear to have been at that  level?  
 

Will be a handover period now. In theory till March but I’d be surprised if it is that long. 

[Monty13 2,254]

17 minutes ago, The Bunny said:

The turning point of course was the summer preceding that when he sold Buendia and failed to adequately replace Skipp. The recruitments weren't good enough, the spine of the team had been ripped out, and Farke was thrown under a bus as a result. 

It's been a gradual downhill slide since then. What's telling is two successive managers since have made almost no difference to the trajectory. Poor recruitment over successive seasons has reduced us to a mid-table championship side.

These days of course, money is the main issue. But had we been more careful with recruitment when we had premier league TV money, we wouldn't be in this situation.

Webber had an amazing start, but the last few years of his tenure have been catastrophic for the club. 

Oh I agree completely that was the catalyst, my point was the sacking of Farke signalled the end of that era.

[norfolkngood 1,092]

was hoping for someone with experience maybe someone foreign with knowledge of other leagues and managers  , 

like someone from a small foreign  team who had took them from 4th div to the top league with cheap buys , 

having said that we are where we are so hard to get those people here 

But as i know nothing about Ben ( Ayia Napa )  Knapper will be interesting to see how he does and what he will bring to the club ,

[Badger 2,412]

4 hours ago, Davidlingfield said:

Yes, he started well but has single-handedly created the financial disaster that has required the begging bowl to be thrust out to some random Americans.

Of course, the big losers from that are actually the ex-majority shareholders who have effectively given away their control on the cheap, but is also seen on the pitch with recruitment largely currently being limited to free agent journeymen.

Yes, the facilities are better than pre Webber, but the squad certainly isn’t - of course it may all be a blessing if the random Americans can steer us out of trouble but only time will tell.

Financial disaster?

 

Have you had a personal preview of the accounts or are you just making this up?

Edited October 7, 2023 by Badger
Clarification

[Capt. Pants 4,297]

1 hour ago, Sufyellow said:

Or frustrating when we sell them with potential instead of building anything that resembles a team.  Keeps the money coming in but will  not get us  competing in the Premiership   

Yeah, that subtle or not so subtle balance. It's always sad to see young players depart ahead of time but I don't see that changing in the near future. Enjoy them while you can, especially Johnny Rowe.

[pete 320]

Was Benny our favourite to replace Webber a la when the Korean lad came from Forest.  Taking us to the next level according to Mrs Webber, without any significant funding it will be difficult if not imposs.  Best of british Ben you will need it you may have been impressed with the club soon reality will hit once you discover the Board's incompetence.

[By Hook or Ian crook 917]

5 hours ago, nutty nigel said:

Pukki and Buendia was a fluke. They were both great signings and those responsible should get a lot of credit for that. But they weren't signed as a pair. And it was the telepathy between them that won two championships. Webber couldn't replicate that. I doubt anyone will. It was a once in a lifetime occurrence. It lifted our ceiling to top 20. But no higher. Now our ceiling is where it was before they signed.

Our financial position also appears to be back where it was before they sign also. 
 

a fluke yes but I would put it all down to telepathy. I think it’s just good players enjoy playing with other good players. Sadly we don’t have anyone on that calibre at the moment. 

[Creedence Clearwater Couto 1,297]

We need more than a 36 yr old staff member from Arsenal to sort this **** out.

[Davidlingfield 63]

3 hours ago, Badger said:

Financial disaster?

 

Have you had a personal preview of the accounts or are you just making this up?

Why do you think Attansio has bought the shares on the cheap - because he has held the Club to ransom by providing necessary loans that were unfundable elsewhere. I would call that a financial disaster.

[Nuff Said 5,179]

4 hours ago, Badger said:

Financial disaster?

 

Have you had a personal preview of the accounts or are you just making this up?

He’s just Essex’s second account Badger. Ignore.

[Nuff Said 5,179]

5 hours ago, The Bunny said:

The turning point of course was the summer preceding that when he sold Buendia and failed to adequately replace Skipp. The recruitments weren't good enough, the spine of the team had been ripped out, and Farke was thrown under a bus as a result. 

It's been a gradual downhill slide since then. What's telling is two successive managers since have made almost no difference to the trajectory. Poor recruitment over successive seasons has reduced us to a mid-table championship side.

These days of course, money is the main issue. But had we been more careful with recruitment when we had premier league TV money, we wouldn't be in this situation.

Webber had an amazing start, but the last few years of his tenure have been catastrophic for the club. 

“Catastrophic”? We’re back where we were when he started according to most posters. Is that catastrophic?

[nutty nigel 7,647]

45 minutes ago, By Hook or Ian crook said:

Our financial position also appears to be back where it was before they sign also. 
 

a fluke yes but I would put it all down to telepathy. I think it’s just good players enjoy playing with other good players. Sadly we don’t have anyone on that calibre at the moment. 

Pukki had his best seasons in the champs with Buendia. Last season Josh would have been a better option. Of course good players like playing with other good players but Maddison, Hoolahan, Vrancic, Stiepermann, Reed and Klose, amongst others, finished 14th. The pairing of Emi.and Teemu lifted us from there to the PL.

[repman 635]

I think at this point the current season isn't worth focusing on. When Knapper starts he will have a choice to make over the head coach but it should be with an eye on the next 2/3 years not this season. As a club we've been operating with a short term outlook ever since our first relegation under Farke and it's now caught up to us completely. The shocking thing is that the summer gone was seemingly a perfect reset point, but instead we back the manager with a group of players who are going to be very hard to shift so it's more than likely they will be here until their contracts run out. That could, in my view, set this rebuild back a couple of years but we will have to wait and see on that one.

[Unthink road 132]

7 hours ago, Graham Paddons Beard said:

Has anyone heard what the job spec actually was? Webber controlled all footballing matters including (in practice) coaching appointments, transfers as well being directly responsible for loans and Colney. Webber had several folk reporting into him . Is this guy the same ? 
Always been told the key to sporting directors role is contacts . Webber has this as McNally did before him both operating at the very top of their clubs . Knapper doesn’t appear to have been at that  level?  
 

Will be a handover period now. In theory till March but I’d be surprised if it is that long. 

This guy has real potential. Time will tell obviously.

[Michael Starr 522]

Ultimately, Webber has failed. We are where we were when he took over. Sure, we have a fancy training ground now with soccerbot and a swimming pool, but we are where we were. An aging squad with only a couple of assets to sell (Sara and Rowe) mid table in the second tier of English football with debt.

[Sufyellow 225]

7 hours ago, Capt. Pants said:

Yeah, that subtle or not so subtle balance. It's always sad to see young players depart ahead of time but I don't see that changing in the near future. Enjoy them while you can, especially Johnny Rowe.

Only person worth watching on the pitch today , unfortunately got taken when he was the only threat on there . Horrendous management.  He will be sold next summer.  

[norfolkngood 1,092]

I hope Ben doesn't listen to Webber to much on the hand over period 

[York Canary 28]

On 07/10/2023 at 09:07, FenwayFrank said:

https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/how-smith-rowe-and-more-have-been-boosted-by-ben-knapper-the-loan-manager-who-could-become-arsenal-s-next-technical-director/blt05d68fa443325d8d

 

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenal-edu-norwich-arteta-transfers-31126831

Another article that links into the Goal one. States that Knapper was eventually tipped to replace Edu. 
Either way, the more I read about him the more I can understand why we chose him. 
 

[norfolkngood 1,092]

1 hour ago, York Canary said:

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenal-edu-norwich-arteta-transfers-31126831

Another article that links into the Goal one. States that Knapper was eventually tipped to replace Edu. 
Either way, the more I read about him the more I can understand why we chose him. 
 

I think he will be looking at our stas with interest , comes from a massive club the more i read the more i like,

Got  lot of work to do and hopeful knows a few players we need

Edited October 8, 2023 by norfolkngood

[By Hook or Ian crook 917]

20 hours ago, nutty nigel said:

Pukki had his best seasons in the champs with Buendia. Last season Josh would have been a better option. Of course good players like playing with other good players but Maddison, Hoolahan, Vrancic, Stiepermann, Reed and Klose, amongst others, finished 14th. The pairing of Emi.and Teemu lifted us from there to the PL.

I would bet good money that if we had Pukki and Maddison in the same team Pukki still scores the same amount of goals though. 

[Capt. Pants 4,297]

Found this on YouTube if you want to hear a bit from Ben...

 

[Canary Wundaboy 1,360]

Good lord he looks young. Not that that's a bad thing, he's obviously ambitious and successful at Arsenal which is exactly the sort of quality we need.

[yellowrider120 793]

I wish this boy nothing but the best but I have a horrible feeling he may sink amidst all the turmoil at FCR. In many ways we need a very early version of Webber (before he veered very badly off the 'project'). Knapper's lack of experience (one assumes) in having responsibility for and carrying out high level man management issues (like sacking the first team manager and selecting a new one) whilst not his fault of course, is worrying. 

He strikes me as one of the modern, very trendy almost 'geek' like characters that are all into 'data', 'data systems' etc. I noted down the following fancy phrases that he's clearly picked up somewhere - 'Loan staircase', 'intersection', 'stakeholders', 'pathway plans', 'maturation', 'placement ID' and 'asset management project'. Fine for a manager in the HR department of a multi national business  but for a 'Sporting Director' in the cut throat world of The Championship I'm much less convinced. Yes - I know he was referring to a 'Loans Manager' role and not the job he will have here (when he finally turns up) but the more I think about this appointment the more uneasy I feel. 

[Sufyellow 225]

On 07/10/2023 at 13:47, Capt. Pants said:

Yeah, that subtle or not so subtle balance. It's always sad to see young players depart ahead of time but I don't see that changing in the near future. Enjoy them while you can, especially Johnny Rowe.

Yep , we will do well if we get to see a whole decent season out of a youngster before we have to sell. Clubs a bit pointless at the moment.  

[Capt. Pants 4,297]

11 hours ago, Canary Wundaboy said:

Good lord he looks young. Not that that's a bad thing, he's obviously ambitious and successful at Arsenal which is exactly the sort of quality we need.

I haven't watched it all the way through yet but yes he carries his age well! 

I'm hoping he's rubbed shoulders with some influential people and learnt well at Arsenal. 

A certain amount of corporate speak and jargon there but some of that will reflect the audience of the Webinar he was speaking to.

[The Real Buh 3,486]

He must be aware that this situation is getting worse and worse for his arrival and it’s compounding the job that he’s going to have to sort out?

He needs to start immediately and start placing his mark on the football mark if that’s what’s going to happen.

[Canary Wundaboy 1,360]

33 minutes ago, The Real Buh said:

He must be aware that this situation is getting worse and worse for his arrival and it’s compounding the job that he’s going to have to sort out?

He needs to start immediately and start placing his mark on the football mark if that’s what’s going to happen.

You don’t know his situation, what his old job was like, what commitments he made to his family etc that have resulted in this break between jobs.

He knows what a tough position he’s going to be in when he gets here so I can’t fault the guy for making sure he’s well rested and mentally prepared for this absolute horror show he’s taken on.

I’ve moved from job to job multiple times and not taken a break and I’ve always ended up having to take holiday due to mental fatigue down the line, he won’t be able to do that so I can’t hold him to fault for that.

It doesn’t excuse the ownership not getting Webber out the door and putting someone in charge in an interim basis to plug the gap though.

[Creedence Clearwater Couto 1,297]

11 hours ago, yellowrider120 said:

I wish this boy nothing but the best but I have a horrible feeling he may sink amidst all the turmoil at FCR. In many ways we need a very early version of Webber (before he veered very badly off the 'project'). Knapper's lack of experience (one assumes) in having responsibility for and carrying out high level man management issues (like sacking the first team manager and selecting a new one) whilst not his fault of course, is worrying. 

He strikes me as one of the modern, very trendy almost 'geek' like characters that are all into 'data', 'data systems' etc. I noted down the following fancy phrases that he's clearly picked up somewhere - 'Loan staircase', 'intersection', 'stakeholders', 'pathway plans', 'maturation', 'placement ID' and 'asset management project'. Fine for a manager in the HR department of a multi national business  but for a 'Sporting Director' in the cut throat world of The Championship I'm much less convinced. Yes - I know he was referring to a 'Loans Manager' role and not the job he will have here (when he finally turns up) but the more I think about this appointment the more uneasy I feel. 

I share this thought. 

The structure of the club right now is a shambles, and I see Ben K as a guy that works best in an integrated team. We need more than just Ben K. We need a chairperson, and one or two more football people behind the scenes.

[Capt. Pants 4,297]

32 minutes ago, The Real Buh said:

He must be aware that this situation is getting worse and worse for his arrival and it’s compounding the job that he’s going to have to sort out?

He needs to start immediately and start placing his mark on the football mark if that’s what’s going to happen.

Possibly, although if we had been 9 pts clear of 3rd with a game in hand then he would also have to hit the ground running in fear of ballsing it up.

The circumstances are such It's a wonderful opportunity for him to rebuild NCFC. In some ways the worse things are here the better he will look - if he gets it right.

[shefcanary 2,468]

1 hour ago, Canary Wundaboy said:

I’ve moved from job to job multiple times and not taken a break and I’ve always ended up having to take holiday due to mental fatigue down the line, he won’t be able to do that so I can’t hold him to fault for that.

I always made a point of having at least a week's break between jobs. Some used to laugh at me, saying I should have worked up to the end of my contract and take the holiday pay owed as an extra payment, but in my view a reset always paid dividends in the end. 

However in this case, if he was on holiday last week, and isn't going back to work before he joins us, that's a huge period of time (five weeks) and reset. This tells me that he is on "Gardening Leave" which means Arsenal aren't actually that pleased with his departure and are determined to hold him to his contract whilst also ensuring he doesn't have their latest data available when he starts at Norwich. Don't expect very much support from the Emirates for a while.