Dressing Room

[kenfoggo 247]

Everyone , including Chris Sutton, seems to agree that the first order of play for Knapper when he arrives on Monday will be to sack Wagner. However, I would rather see him sweep out all the overpaid dross from the dressing room. By which I mean all the players who I have witnessed in the last five home games that I have attended who have not applied themselves to the Head Coach’s game plan. That includes all the players who did not track back, all the players who did not even attempt to challenge for the ball, all the players who with nine Norwich players in front of them would turn round and pass back to the keeper, all the players who walked around the pitch and hardly broke sweat. Basically all the players who did not show the basic requirements of a professional football player with the correct attitude. Having done that , which will leave only a few left, perhaps the Club may have more ambition, more drive and less apathy.

[CardiffCanary 131]

Interesting that Sutton references bad apples 

something has clearly gone wrong or happened at Colney since that blistering start.

I know winning games helps but this is a joke for all of us to see

[Capt. Pants 4,252]

The bad apples might be the coaching staff and sporting director as well though. 

I'm not sure the first job of the SD should be deciding which players we keep (or play), that has to be the Head Coach, assuming we have a new one. Knapper needs to start working on his strategy such as playing style, player age mix, target transfer markets, promotion or established Championship or what. The other key factor is finances - we can't kick many out as we can't afford to replace them, plus we still have injuries!

My initial hope is that the existing squad comes good again, otherwise we're looking at next summer at the earliest before we can think about a change to playing personnel.

[cambridgeshire canary 6,747]

26 minutes ago, CardiffCanary said:

Interesting that Sutton references bad apples 

something has clearly gone wrong or happened at Colney since that blistering start.

I know winning games helps but this is a joke for all of us to see

Its been obvious for a while that Wagner has lost the dressing room

 

So why hes being kept on having lost both the fans AND players is beyond me

[KiwiScot 1,453]

Most players these days are dross. They all eventually do not apply themselves.

[ridgeman 132]

48 minutes ago, kenfoggo said:

Everyone , including Chris Sutton, seems to agree that the first order of play for Knapper when he arrives on Monday will be to sack Wagner. However, I would rather see him sweep out all the overpaid dross from the dressing room. By which I mean all the players who I have witnessed in the last five home games that I have attended who have not applied themselves to the Head Coach’s game plan. That includes all the players who did not track back, all the players who did not even attempt to challenge for the ball, all the players who with nine Norwich players in front of them would turn round and pass back to the keeper, all the players who walked around the pitch and hardly broke sweat. Basically all the players who did not show the basic requirements of a professional football player with the correct attitude. Having done that , which will leave only a few left, perhaps the Club may have more ambition, more drive and less apathy.

Doubt we could field a team if that happens. I think one of the biggest problems will be gone after Saturday.

[hogesar 9,704]

Doubt Chris Sutton has any idea what's going on in the Dressing Room to be honest.

[Capt. Pants 4,252]

21 minutes ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

Its been obvious for a while that Wagner has lost the dressing room

 

So why hes being kept on having lost both the fans AND players is beyond me

Don't disagree. However, it seems daft that the new SD has to be brought in 2 weeks early just to sack Wagner. Surely there is someone at the club that could have done that; Zoe or Neil Adams?

I'm hoping that Wagner has effectively already been served notice,  and BK is starting early to find a replacement, but I fear he will want to run the rule over Wagner first before eliminating him from the club.

 

[daly 505]

Can’t have two steering the Good Ship Lollipop to disaster 

[CardiffCanary 131]

Do you think Webber is now on gardening leave having refused to sack his mate ?

[ridgeman 132]

Is it a good idea to retain Mrs Webber at the club. What happens if Knapper makes decisions, Mrs W goes home tells Stu who says that’s wrong, Mrs W ( having the ear of Delia) tells Delia this does this undermine the new Sporting Director. I would prefer a clean break.

[canarybubbles 1,924]

I know I'm probably in a minority of one here, and I suspect I'll be shot down a few times, but for me the key change was getting Webber out of the door, not sacking Wagner. Not because I think Webber's period overall has been an unmitigated disaster - two promotions prove that it hasn't been - but because he has made a long stream of mistakes since our last promotion and, even more importantly, created a toxic atmosphere which will not begin to mend until he is gone. 

I wish he was out of the building already so that we would know that Wagner has complete freedom with his line-up at Cardiff without any interference from higher up. Frankly, some of Wagner's line-ups and formations have been so strange that I can't help but wonder if he has been pressurised into making them by someone who has no coaching training or experience.

 

[canarybubbles 1,924]

I'd add that the idea that Wagner has lost the dressing room is pure speculation. Yes, they have looked lethargic at times in the last two games, but what McLean is publicly saying suggests that he hasn't. Or perhaps there are two camps within the squad?

It's such a mess it's hard to have any idea what the reality is.

[ron obvious 1,513]

Maybe too many players in the squad who think they should be in the PL? We're signing too many players with the wrong sort of attitude? I suspect we'd be better off with young players eager & desperate to prove themselves - the young players we've brought in recently have shown much more than the established team members. With one or two motivated older heads around them ( as, for example, Barnes seems to be) I think we'd be doing better. I mean, look at Ipswich, hardly a team full of household names ...

[Badger 2,407]

1 hour ago, ridgeman said:

Doubt we could field a team if that happens. I think one of the biggest problems will be gone after Saturday.

The biggest problem will be with us for years, I fear - we are nearly £100 million in debt, and depending upon how we refinance the shorter term debt, next year's interest payments could be the same as, or exceed, gate receipts!

[Badger 2,407]

8 minutes ago, ron obvious said:

I suspect we'd be better off with young players eager & desperate to prove themselves - the young players we've brought in recently have shown much more than the established team members. With one or two motivated older heads around them ( as, for example, Barnes seems to be) I think we'd be doing better. I mean, look at Ipswich, hardly a team full of household names ...

Agree. 

The squad assembled last year was the most expensive we have ever assembled.

[komakino 272]

50 minutes ago, canarybubbles said:

I'd add that the idea that Wagner has lost the dressing room is pure speculation. Yes, they have looked lethargic at times in the last two games, but what McLean is publicly saying suggests that he hasn't. Or perhaps there are two camps within the squad?

It's such a mess it's hard to have any idea what the reality is.

You don't have to have inside knowledge to know that Wagner has at least lost some of the dressing room. He would have been sacked at any other football club, but due to the issues above him, he is still here. 

Knapper probably didn't expect that his first job would be getting a new manager in, but I hope we don't end up going for coaches out of work. Get an up and coming manager at another club and pay any fine or compensation - it's a lot cheaper than being in  League 1. 

[stratton canary 134]

1 hour ago, daly said:

Can’t have two steering the Good Ship Lollipop to disaster 

Only two families & one of them is walking the plank! 

[Gordon Bennett 786]

2 hours ago, hogesar said:

Doubt Chris Sutton has any idea what's going on in the Dressing Room to be honest.

And if he does I can't see what good it does coming out with this kind of stuff.

[S_81 805]

2 hours ago, Capt. Pants said:

Don't disagree. However, it seems daft that the new SD has to be brought in 2 weeks early just to sack Wagner. Surely there is someone at the club that could have done that; Zoe or Neil Adams?

I'm hoping that Wagner has effectively already been served notice,  and BK is starting early to find a replacement, but I fear he will want to run the rule over Wagner first before eliminating him from the club.

 

I think that’s a very real fear. The assumption is Wagner is gone next week. I remain cynical re that pace. But damn hope it’s the case 

[Nuff Said 5,146]

2 hours ago, ridgeman said:

Is it a good idea to retain Mrs Webber at the club. What happens if Knapper makes decisions, Mrs W goes home tells Stu who says that’s wrong, Mrs W ( having the ear of Delia) tells Delia this does this undermine the new Sporting Director. I would prefer a clean break.

Yeah! What happens if Knapper only puts one sugar in Zoe’s tea and kills Sara with an axe in a fit of pique? 
 

“What if” ??? Jesus.

[Cowboy 197]

Are you suggesting Wagner needs this sort of signage installed?

[Conrad 170]

4 hours ago, kenfoggo said:

Everyone , including Chris Sutton, seems to agree that the first order of play for Knapper when he arrives on Monday will be to sack Wagner. However, I would rather see him sweep out all the overpaid dross from the dressing room. By which I mean all the players who I have witnessed in the last five home games that I have attended who have not applied themselves to the Head Coach’s game plan. That includes all the players who did not track back, all the players who did not even attempt to challenge for the ball, all the players who with nine Norwich players in front of them would turn round and pass back to the keeper, all the players who walked around the pitch and hardly broke sweat. Basically all the players who did not show the basic requirements of a professional football player with the correct attitude. Having done that , which will leave only a few left, perhaps the Club may have more ambition, more drive and less apathy.

Not many from last Saturday survive then? 

[Thirsty Lizard 3,167]

10 minutes ago, Conrad said:

Not many from last Saturday survive then? 

None from last Saturday would survive - because the last game was on a Sunday. (Sorry for the pedantry 😉 ) 

[Capt. Pants 4,252]

1 hour ago, S_81 said:

I think that’s a very real fear. The assumption is Wagner is gone next week. I remain cynical re that pace. But damn hope it’s the case 

In our current financial state the best case scenario is that Wagner can turn it round. I have my doubts as he does have 'previous' on being a bit useless.

Webber has stiched him up a bit though; Duffy, Forshaw and Hwang who should have been important at this point, have been terrible. We don't know if a new coach can get anything out of them either.

If we get a result at Cardiff (unlikely) then I think he will be in charge for QPR. Beyond that who knows.

 

[Worthy Nigelton 1,057]

4 hours ago, hogesar said:

Doubt Chris Sutton has any idea what's going on in the Dressing Room to be honest.

Maybe not, but maybe he does... after all he is an ex player, lives locally and is in the local and national media. There is a chance he knows a lot more than people on this forum. Are you dismissing speculation you don't like again Hog?

Be interested to see your reaction if someone claimed they'd heard Kenny is the player Knapper wants to build the team around - I'm guessing that would be treated as gospel as it suits your views?

[ron obvious 1,513]

57 minutes ago, Capt. Pants said:

In our current financial state the best case scenario is that Wagner can turn it round. I have my doubts as he does have 'previous' on being a bit useless.

Webber has stiched him up a bit though; Duffy, Forshaw and Hwang who should have been important at this point, have been terrible. We don't know if a new coach can get anything out of them either.

If we get a result at Cardiff (unlikely) then I think he will be in charge for QPR. Beyond that who knows.

 

Hwang has not been terrible. With some half decent service he's a useful attacking option.

[Creedence Clearwater Couto 1,288]

7 hours ago, kenfoggo said:

Everyone , including Chris Sutton, seems to agree that the first order of play for Knapper when he arrives on Monday will be to sack Wagner. However, I would rather see him sweep out all the overpaid dross from the dressing room. By which I mean all the players who I have witnessed in the last five home games that I have attended who have not applied themselves to the Head Coach’s game plan. That includes all the players who did not track back, all the players who did not even attempt to challenge for the ball, all the players who with nine Norwich players in front of them would turn round and pass back to the keeper, all the players who walked around the pitch and hardly broke sweat. Basically all the players who did not show the basic requirements of a professional football player with the correct attitude. Having done that , which will leave only a few left, perhaps the Club may have more ambition, more drive and less apathy.

I've just made a point in another thread about coming round to the idea of supporting Wagner. Perhaps this is exactly what needs to happen, but it starts by Wanger dropping those players first! 

[S_81 805]

2 hours ago, Capt. Pants said:

In our current financial state the best case scenario is that Wagner can turn it round. I have my doubts as he does have 'previous' on being a bit useless.

Webber has stiched him up a bit though; Duffy, Forshaw and Hwang who should have been important at this point, have been terrible. We don't know if a new coach can get anything out of them either.

If we get a result at Cardiff (unlikely) then I think he will be in charge for QPR. Beyond that who knows.

 

I agree. I can see a draw v Cardiff keeping him in the job. I’d rather we lose for that reason. Wagner is tactically inept. And getting worse on that front. He certainly has mitigation as Webber has landed us with yet more dross. But some of Wagner’s selections, his appalling goals against record, and his utter inability to change the game from the bench (despite its limitations) definitely leave the feeling that someone else could get more from this lot. Certainly more than relegation kind of territory. 

[Europe_93 11]

7 hours ago, canarybubbles said:

Frankly, some of Wagner's line-ups and formations have been so strange that I can't help but wonder if he has been pressurised into making them by someone who has no coaching training or experience.

 

I ask myslef at times, if the manager wanted to expedite his sacking what would he do?
Err...  Keep the same back four and the same defensive midfielders that have let in the most amount of goals... keep the same tactics with high full backs, keep sucking the oppositon on to us while making errors and conceding...
The only time he has changed the back four was to bring in Fisher for Stacey, who in fairness is the last defender I would change at this stage.