Knapper interview

[hogesar 9,734]

1 hour ago, Dean Coneys boots said:

I do worry he looks a little wet behind the ears and might not, therefore, be the strong experienced critic to hold club to proper account. We don’t need a timid yes man given the mess. Time will tell I guess. 

I mean ultimately he is the club in his position of SD at our club. It's the full continental all-controlling role. Webber was from a yes man and went and done exactly what he wanted and you are now describing that as a 'mess'. So maybe the opposite will suit you better? 

 

1 hour ago, It's Character Forming said:

Thanks you Purple for quoting this.  I'm at work so haven't had time to watch the interview yet, but it's good to hear what he's saying rather than just quotes pulled out of context.

 

For me as a City fan of 30 years, this is what I want to hear and I hope he's able to implement it.  Our style of play has clearly been variable over the years, but generally when we've been successful IMO it's been when we've had an approach with many of the above points included.  And not for example more of a Stoke or Burnley (pre-Kompany) approach which I'd never want to see from City.

There's a problem though. Our fans hate that style of football until it's regularly delivering results. If we want to control the game with the ball then we'll need to pass it out from the back. Ideally we'll likely need a new RCB, LB and RB who are more comfortable, Gibson is probably the only one who can regularly play the ball out from the back with any level of effectiveness. He's also one of the only one's who'll actually wait for the press to be engaged to then try and play through it.

But whenever we've done that it's led to groans and moans and sometimes boo's. It's happened under Wagner, Smith and Farke. It only turned under Farke due to an incredible run of form and the Barclay around me had to stop moaning because it was working. But it's incredibly hard to implement it with young players if the fans aren't on side with it. It's probably one of Farke's greatest achievements!

[Serinus Canaria Domestica 45]

26 minutes ago, hogesar said:

I mean ultimately he is the club in his position of SD at our club. It's the full continental all-controlling role. Webber was from a yes man and went and done exactly what he wanted and you are now describing that as a 'mess'. So maybe the opposite will suit you better? 

 

There's a problem though. Our fans hate that style of football until it's regularly delivering results. If we want to control the game with the ball then we'll need to pass it out from the back. Ideally we'll likely need a new RCB, LB and RB who are more comfortable, Gibson is probably the only one who can regularly play the ball out from the back with any level of effectiveness. He's also one of the only one's who'll actually wait for the press to be engaged to then try and play through it.

But whenever we've done that it's led to groans and moans and sometimes boo's. It's happened under Wagner, Smith and Farke. It only turned under Farke due to an incredible run of form and the Barclay around me had to stop moaning because it was working. But it's incredibly hard to implement it with young players if the fans aren't on side with it. It's probably one of Farke's greatest achievements!

Going back to the John Bond years……. He through his Bournemouth recruits, Benson and Machin, coached the others, in game, to play out from the back. I don’t remember much crowd resistance then, but it is half a century ago!

[AJ 1,224]

Just listened and thought he came across very well. People have to understand he's not going to overhaul everything overnight but he's clearly very keen to get involved and make improvements and for now that's all we need to hear

[Capt. Pants 4,276]

2 hours ago, alex_ncfc said:

He may appear nervous on camera, but he's probably not used to being interviewed in the roles he has had. Hopefully he will be more about taking action and making changes in the background rather than coming out too talking too much. Most clubs have a sporting director who you probably wouldn't even know about or be able to name, because they just get on with their tasks without much fanfare, but Webber always struck me as having a massive ego, although there were obviously also times where his communications and openness with the fans was welcomed as it gave a good insight into the running of the club.

I think that's a really good point. I don't want another high profile SD wasting time with the media team - just let him get on with whatever he needs to do.

However, there needs to greater accountability on Knapper from the owners and BOD and likewise on Wagner or whoever the Head Coach is. It never felt Webber was accountable to anyone. For too long it seems we have just drifted along.

Maybe unfairly, I just sense from Knapper that he'll want to do the right thing in whatever time it takes. In my opinion we need a renewed sense of urgency. Get stuck in Ben!

[It's Character Forming 1,165]

2 hours ago, hogesar said:

I mean ultimately he is the club in his position of SD at our club. It's the full continental all-controlling role. Webber was from a yes man and went and done exactly what he wanted and you are now describing that as a 'mess'. So maybe the opposite will suit you better? 

 

There's a problem though. Our fans hate that style of football until it's regularly delivering results. If we want to control the game with the ball then we'll need to pass it out from the back. Ideally we'll likely need a new RCB, LB and RB who are more comfortable, Gibson is probably the only one who can regularly play the ball out from the back with any level of effectiveness. He's also one of the only one's who'll actually wait for the press to be engaged to then try and play through it.

But whenever we've done that it's led to groans and moans and sometimes boo's. It's happened under Wagner, Smith and Farke. It only turned under Farke due to an incredible run of form and the Barclay around me had to stop moaning because it was working. But it's incredibly hard to implement it with young players if the fans aren't on side with it. It's probably one of Farke's greatest achievements!

The relevant part of the quote is this :

Ever since I was a kid, the football that I’ve enjoyed watching is attacking, proactive football where teams try and control the game with the ball. They’ll be the protagonist in the game, and want to go to win the ball back high and be aggressive and try to entertain and score goals.

So I'd say he is talking about a bunch of different things (and Ideally we'd achieve them all).  If you're trying to win the ball back high and then attack directly, that's a different emphasis from controlling possession by passing it around at the back and slowly developing an opening.  Under Farke, we certainly didn't have the approach of trying to win back the ball high, I was hoping for this from Wagner, but it seems to have dropped away.

I agree fans are nervous about us playing it about at the back, for me this started when we were in the Prem under Farke and it too often led to us giving the ball away in our defensive 3rd and again under Dean Smith when we did that a lot (it didn't help when Krul got into the habit of suicidal passes direct to the other side).  For me these are a mix of aim and we want to have a playing style including them all, but sometimes you've got to be a bit pragmatic on some aspects.

I totally agree it would help if at home the fans could be less nervous and let the players play the way they are being coached, but the nervousness will go if the style starts to deliver results.

 

[norfolkngood 1,087]

4 hours ago, Capt. Pants said:

I think that's a really good point. I don't want another high profile SD wasting time with the media team - just let him get on with whatever he needs to do.

However, there needs to greater accountability on Knapper from the owners and BOD and likewise on Wagner or whoever the Head Coach is. It never felt Webber was accountable to anyone. For too long it seems we have just drifted along.

Maybe unfairly, I just sense from Knapper that he'll want to do the right thing in whatever time it takes. In my opinion we need a renewed sense of urgency. Get stuck in Ben!

That's  My Thoughts and First impressions ,

Looked Nervous but we are not after the next talk show host we are after a DOF ,

He is a Stats guy and i would take one of them over a tough talking take no rubbish type as often they do not have the stats to back their arguments up ,

As long as he is good at his Job and makes the right calls at right time ,

 

[Petriix 2,853]

I've been holding fire on saying this because I don't want to pi$$ on the parade but there's a real disparity between the noises coming from the club and the feeling amongst the fans. Knapper's interview really surprised me, and not really in a good way.

I get the impression that the club view Webber's departure as a setback rather than a positive change and Knapper seems to have been brought in to continue the work rather than do anything differently. Hopefully I'm getting the wrong end of the stick but I've got a nagging feeling that things will continue to get worse before they get better. 

There's just something about the way Webber left with a guard of honour then wrote his leaving statement like an Oscar acceptance speech. Now the tone of this interview feeds the same narrative.

Reassure me that I'm reading it wrong! 

[Worthy Nigelton 1,063]

6 hours ago, hogesar said:

I mean ultimately he is the club in his position of SD at our club. It's the full continental all-controlling role. Webber was from a yes man and went and done exactly what he wanted and you are now describing that as a 'mess'. So maybe the opposite will suit you better? 

 

There's a problem though. Our fans hate that style of football until it's regularly delivering results. If we want to control the game with the ball then we'll need to pass it out from the back. Ideally we'll likely need a new RCB, LB and RB who are more comfortable, Gibson is probably the only one who can regularly play the ball out from the back with any level of effectiveness. He's also one of the only one's who'll actually wait for the press to be engaged to then try and play through it.

But whenever we've done that it's led to groans and moans and sometimes boo's. It's happened under Wagner, Smith and Farke. It only turned under Farke due to an incredible run of form and the Barclay around me had to stop moaning because it was working. But it's incredibly hard to implement it with young players if the fans aren't on side with it. It's probably one of Farke's greatest achievements!

Couldn't agree more. People love talking about the 'Norwich way' and how we're not like Stoke etc, but in reality a huge percentage of the ground want us to boot it up to a big number 9, win a flick on to a pacey winger to run down the line and cross back to a big number 9 to head it in.

People want to see a free kick from the halfway line put 'in the mixer'.

People love a new player if he's massive and kicks people, regardless of whether he can play or not. Listen to that buffoon Chris Reeve on TNC and its all he goes on about.

I'm convinced if we had Messi 60% of the fans wouldn't want him in the team coz he's not very good in the air.

[Midlands Yellow 4,066]

8 minutes ago, Worthy Nigelton said:

Couldn't agree more. People love talking about the 'Norwich way' and how we're not like Stoke etc, but in reality a huge percentage of the ground want us to boot it up to a big number 9, win a flick on to a pacey winger to run down the line and cross back to a big number 9 to head it in.

People want to see a free kick from the halfway line put 'in the mixer'.

People love a new player if he's massive and kicks people, regardless of whether he can play or not. Listen to that buffoon Chris Reeve on TNC and its all he goes on about.

I'm convinced if we had Messi 60% of the fans wouldn't want him in the team coz he's not very good in the air.

That’s a crock of ****. 

[ridgeman 135]

Let’s hope Knapper can turn things around and get us playing decent football again. I have no problem with him taking his time implementing his systems if it improves the football.

[PurpleCanary 5,580]

1 hour ago, Petriix said:

I've been holding fire on saying this because I don't want to pi$$ on the parade but there's a real disparity between the noises coming from the club and the feeling amongst the fans. Knapper's interview really surprised me, and not really in a good way.

I get the impression that the club view Webber's departure as a setback rather than a positive change and Knapper seems to have been brought in to continue the work rather than do anything differently. Hopefully I'm getting the wrong end of the stick but I've got a nagging feeling that things will continue to get worse before they get better. 

There's just something about the way Webber left with a guard of honour then wrote his leaving statement like an Oscar acceptance speech. Now the tone of this interview feeds the same narrative.

Reassure me that I'm reading it wrong! 

What I have taken from the Knapper interviews, going on his direct quotes, is the opposite of what you fear. He emphasis  it will take time for him to achieve what he wants, indicating that far from just carrying on as he has found things he plans significant changes. 

[Canary Jedi 589]

Apologies if this has already been mentioned. Knapper said in relation to his footballing philosophy:

”ultimately for me, it’s aggressive, proactive and attacking football.”

Like that. But that’s not Wagner-ball, right? Starting from the back and trying to suck in the opposition is not what I would describe as aggressive or proactive. 

[hogesar 9,734]

1 hour ago, Canary Jedi said:

Apologies if this has already been mentioned. Knapper said in relation to his footballing philosophy:

”ultimately for me, it’s aggressive, proactive and attacking football.”

Like that. But that’s not Wagner-ball, right? Starting from the back and trying to suck in the opposition is not what I would describe as aggressive or proactive. 

It's certainly proactive.

And at the start of the season our counter-press was very high with Sargent and quite agressive.

We've not been good at it but the blueprint is there for it.

 

Edited November 15, 2023 by hogesar

[S_81 840]

48 minutes ago, hogesar said:

It's certainly proactive.

And at the start of the season our counter-press was very high with Sargent and quite agressive.

We've not been good at it but the blueprint is there for it.

 

The only blueprint is continued failure with Wagner in charge. 

[alex_ncfc 664]

9 hours ago, S_81 said:

The only blueprint is continued failure with Wagner in charge. 

Yep. 

Don't know how anyone can think there is anything other than failure to look forward to by keeping Wagner in the job. His previous records are all the evidence you need to look at to determine this - it is shocking. Just as his record here is, also. 

We need to make a change - this season is done in terms of any real meaningful achievement, there are only two things we need to do now - escape relegation and not lose to the binners. 

[S_81 840]

53 minutes ago, alex_ncfc said:

Yep. 

Don't know how anyone can think there is anything other than failure to look forward to by keeping Wagner in the job. His previous records are all the evidence you need to look at to determine this - it is shocking. Just as his record here is, also. 

We need to make a change - this season is done in terms of any real meaningful achievement, there are only two things we need to do now - escape relegation and not lose to the binners. 

The same people that were happy that we got off to a decent enough start against some of the league’s poorer teams - are now happy that we’re beating the likes of Cardiff and possibly QPR, Shef Wed etc. These people will see this as evidence that some kind of plan is working. 
Until it’s abruptly ended by the average to decent sides in the league. But then a win against another poor one will pacify them. 
 

The only plan visible will be not being quite rubbish enough to be relegated. 
 

Wagner doesn’t offer promotion challenging football. Whether this season or next. I don’t see the point in keeping him. Unless the only strategy available to us is hiring the ‘right’ person out of work. 

Edited November 16, 2023 by S_81

[Pudd 1]

I think my issue with possession based football is the quality of the players necessary to make it work. When you have Buendia and Pukki in a champtionship side its great. But even with those players, it doesn't work in the premier league, because we lack that level throughout the team.

If we prioritise possession over winning games, then we can only win enough games by consistently finding gems like Buendia, and/or stopping selling our best players.

However, a faster, counter attacking game seems most likely to suit a team that has ambitions to get promoted and stay there on a budget.

My memory of successful versions of 'the Norwich way' is this a close-knit team: A commanding keeper. Four solid, but not spectacular defenders,. A mix of quality passing + energy in central midfield. Pace on both wings. One natural goalscorer and one bigger forward. Moving the the ball forward quickly, accurately, and mostly along the ground. The game has evolved since we've had success this way - so it maybe doesn't work anymore. But I think Brentford are the closest to a model for us to follow, and they don't prioritise possession.

[Flying Dutchman 744]

On 14/11/2023 at 20:04, Dean Coneys boots said:

I really worry that if he doesn’t pull the trigger on Wagner the fans will turn on him immediately. Board should have done it in days before he arrived to give him a clean start. As it is he could reap a whole lot of negativity very very quickly 

From you, maybe.

Some of us aren't complete bells though.

[Corbs1 90]

Thanks for the mention of Bondy, I’m sure Greg Downs played it out from the back…..ok I’ll get me coat

[Big Vince 319]

On 14/11/2023 at 19:48, Capt. Pants said:

He has agreed to take on the role of our Sporting Director and been in the job precisely 2 days. Why do you want to put him on trial?

Precisely because he was handpicked by Delia.

And his talk about being a football purist will do nothing to solve Norwich City's innate defensive shortcomings. If the goal is to be in the EPL for longer than one season, then football purism is not the answer, unless you are going to throw £300 million at it in year one. Without that kind of money you need to be a very good attritional football team and so we need to start practising that art now and not have any more of the pretty stuff. In other words Ron Saunders not John Bond.

[shefcanary 2,446]

3 hours ago, Corbs1 said:

Thanks for the mention of Bondy, I’m sure Greg Downs played it out from the back…..ok I’ll get me coat

Played it out into touch 8 times out of 10 more like! 😉  But when he went off on a run, well ...

[Mengo 825]

On 14/11/2023 at 16:52, Midlands Yellow said:

 Enjoyed that, reminded of HARDtalk on the BBC. 

Stephen Sackur would have destroyed  him .😂

 

[Capt. Pants 4,276]

On 15/11/2023 at 18:48, norfolkngood said:

That's  My Thoughts and First impressions ,

Looked Nervous but we are not after the next talk show host we are after a DOF ,

He is a Stats guy and i would take one of them over a tough talking take no rubbish type as often they do not have the stats to back their arguments up ,

As long as he is good at his Job and makes the right calls at right time ,

 

As long as he doesn't hide behind the stats or delay because he doesn't have the stats. 

For me the most relevant stat is our goals against - it's equal worst in the league. If he's a football purist he will know you can't build for success conceding 2 goals a game. That's a simple objective to set on Wagner who should be able to deliver quickly. If he can't then he has to go.

 

[hairpie 7]

hopefully he is putting together a short list, so when he  pulls the trigger he knows he has a better option. looking at John Eustace record he may be the best bet

 

[norfolkngood 1,087]

3 hours ago, Capt. Pants said:

As long as he doesn't hide behind the stats or delay because he doesn't have the stats. 

For me the most relevant stat is our goals against - it's equal worst in the league. If he's a football purist he will know you can't build for success conceding 2 goals a game. That's a simple objective to set on Wagner who should be able to deliver quickly. If he can't then he has to go.

 

That is My worry also  ,Stats are great and can tell so much but your eyes also do not lie ,

the fact is we have under performed , how much of that is down to injuries or Wagner of Both ? 

i am a bit concerned if Knapper has a plan , he  should have knowing for months and planning for the job ,

my worry is Wagner is sacked in a few weeks time  knapper has wasted a International break and a couple of games thinking about something fans knew should of happened months ago 

 

Edited November 18, 2023 by norfolkngood

[Samwam27 532]

My worry is we're keeping Wagner until nearer Jan, when his contract will be up for review.

To me this smacks of the cheap option, rather than getting rid of now because the results and performances have been very poor.

A poor result against qpr and this international break has been wasted.

If promotion really were our priority for the season Wagner should be long gone by now. 

[Big Vince 319]

2 hours ago, Samwam27 said:

My worry is we're keeping Wagner until nearer Jan, when his contract will be up for review.

To me this smacks of the cheap option, rather than getting rid of now because the results and performances have been very poor.

A poor result against qpr and this international break has been wasted.

If promotion really were our priority for the season Wagner should be long gone by now. 

Gino Pozzo would have sacked Wagner and his replacement by now if league position had not improved and promotion was the goal.

[Fen Canary 866]

On 15/11/2023 at 10:47, nutty nigel said:

Does he have a hard or easy act to follow?

 

In my opinion reasonably difficult. For all Webbers personality faults we do now have much better infrastructure and academy in the club (despite the money lost due to the Covid season) and a seemingly established scouting network in South America. We’ll see how the squad looks when it’s back to full strength, but the way we started the season does still (naively) give me hope we could finish around the playoffs if we get the likes of Barnes, Sargent, Gunn, Hanley etc back fit 

[essex canary 504]

2 hours ago, Fen Canary said:

In my opinion reasonably difficult. For all Webbers personality faults we do now have much better infrastructure and academy in the club (despite the money lost due to the Covid season) and a seemingly established scouting network in South America. We’ll see how the squad looks when it’s back to full strength, but the way we started the season does still (naively) give me hope we could finish around the playoffs if we get the likes of Barnes, Sargent, Gunn, Hanley etc back fit 

Perhaps an overall fair opinion though bear in mind Webber doubled up on the Covid shortfall by over spending Premier League Wages by the same amount. That hasn't served us well including MA's Interest on same.

[canarybubbles 1,939]

Lots of people still talking about promotion and what planning we need to do now in order to stay up when we go up.

For me, this is nonsense. We're very unlikely to go up this season and if by some miracle we did, it might not even be good for the club in the long run. One of the main reasons for the disaster of the last one and a third seasons since our last relegation is chasing a quick promotion as a kind of desperate strategy.

It's dull, but I think our priorities this season must be a) making sure we don't get embroiled in any kind of relegation battle, b) rethinking everything from scratch and building stable foundations for the future. Wagner is a distraction IMO. Now that Webber has finally gone, we need a better, more accountable structure at Board level and we need to sort out this ownership issue rather than let it drag on for the next three years.

Edited November 20, 2023 by canarybubbles