Knapper's done an interview

[Corbs1 89]

A calm low key but slightly reassuring start. I did like the pathways thinking regarding younger talent. In the pub over a pint type talk - i did think he looked quite young, I was mildly surprised at the informality of his turnout and he wasn’t a natural speaker. Like many fans I do wonder how much of his own man he is in terms of taking tough decisions. All we can do is what we do, and wish him well. 

[Terminally Yellow 2,448]

Does it address every issue I have with the way the club is being run at the minute? No.

Does it go into sufficient detail to help me understand the direction of travel the club is on and what Ben Knapper wants Norwich City FC to be? No

Does it give me confidence in Ben Knapper? Yes. He says the right things. Definitely not as charismatic or forceful in his manner as Webber, but he's clearly a talented football man, the lines about youth pathway does give me encouragement and I like what he says. 

I hope to perhaps get better clarity in the summer when I think we'll start to see a bit more change undertaken. 

[hogesar 9,676]

3 hours ago, Monty13 said:

He said the job of a sporting director is to stay calm and think logically. Brutal destruction of his predecessor.

To be honest other than the absolute clangers Webber used to regularly drop I’m not sure how much more insight he ever gave.

Regardless it’s only been a few months, we are mid season as well so his job was just to reassure right now, was never going to be that interesting to be honest.

I think Webber gave us quite a bit more insight but each to their own. The placid corporate talk is probably the right move anyway, we learnt that fans only want the actual truth when it suits. That's not a criticism, it's fine. Of course, if he does a bad job these same interviews will be ripped apart in 12 months time, even the amount of times he says "umm" will be called into question!

The only thing he mentioned directly really was the youth academy and that's easy because every Sporting Director would say the same thing. Webber backed that up in his time here, let's see if Knapper does.

[Monty13 2,234]

42 minutes ago, hogesar said:

I think Webber gave us quite a bit more insight but each to their own. The placid corporate talk is probably the right move anyway, we learnt that fans only want the actual truth when it suits. That's not a criticism, it's fine. Of course, if he does a bad job these same interviews will be ripped apart in 12 months time, even the amount of times he says "umm" will be called into question!

The only thing he mentioned directly really was the youth academy and that's easy because every Sporting Director would say the same thing. Webber backed that up in his time here, let's see if Knapper does.

I think we will have to disagree on “the actual truth”, it always felt very much the truth according to Webber to me.

I don’t know, there’s not much really going on but I thought it was interesting enough.

One thing about the youth element I thought interesting was him basically assessing the squad he inherited as bloated but Wagner was worried about bodies in interviews during the window. He’s definitely backing Wagner right now but I think it’s possible there’s some tension there in terms of academy progress. 

I also thought it interesting he said the club needed to get back being focussed on player development and in terms of player trading, and set up to do that. Perhaps more had been lost behind the scenes than one window focusing on older players.

Edited February 8 by Monty13

[canarybubbles 1,915]

11 hours ago, sgncfc said:

Like many supporters I have a dilemma about that - wanting us to win every game, but recognising that if we do go up we will be completely unprepared (despite what he says) and will probably be even worse than Sheff Utd.

Virtually every team is completely unprepared for promotion to the PL these days. Look at Burnley. They stormed the Champs, looking a class above everyone, but at the moment they're almost certain to go back down unless Everton and Forest get docked more points.

These days you take your chance if you get it and do your best.

[canarybubbles 1,915]

I personally read a couple of his comments as a very, very veiled criticism of his predecessor. No spaffing up the wall or anything so crass, of course. Let's be honest - Knapper is in a delicate situation. Firstly, he has an owner who is like a teenage fan whose favourite K-Pop singer has left the group. Then the spouse of his predecessor is sitting on the board and outranks him. Not an easy place to be. Secondly, unlike his predecessor, he shows signs of having some class, and is willing to bury his ego for the greater good of the club. Within his difficult position, I thought Knapper did quite well, even though as fans we might have found the interview a bit corporate and uninformative.

The proof of the pudding, of course, is where we stand by this time next year, say.

[Bigbrenn 59]

I found it all a bit beige. Nothing revealing in the answers he gave to some very predictable questions. Perhaps on another occasion he can be asked ' do you have the same negative view of some of the fans like Delia and Webber? Does Attanasio disagree with your plan moving forwards? Now that Webber has transformed the training facilities, do you feel the pressure not too fail in using younger players? Do you have a half or whole grapefruit for breakfast?'

[Capt. Pants 4,236]

3 hours ago, canarybubbles said:

I personally read a couple of his comments as a very, very veiled criticism of his predecessor. No spaffing up the wall or anything so crass, of course. Let's be honest - Knapper is in a delicate situation. Firstly, he has an owner who is like a teenage fan whose favourite K-Pop singer has left the group. Then the spouse of his predecessor is sitting on the board and outranks him. Not an easy place to be. Secondly, unlike his predecessor, he shows signs of having some class, and is willing to bury his ego for the greater good of the club. Within his difficult position, I thought Knapper did quite well, even though as fans we might have found the interview a bit corporate and uninformative.

The proof of the pudding, of course, is where we stand by this time next year, say.

This is why we need Attanasio to remove those blockages.

It just feels to me that Knapper will just progress with the low hanging fruit from the academy and young player development until such time his pathway is cleared.

OK I suppose if the football on the pitch is worth watching.

[hogesar 9,676]

8 hours ago, Monty13 said:

I think we will have to disagree on “the actual truth”, it always felt very much the truth according to Webber to me.

I don’t know, there’s not much really going on but I thought it was interesting enough.

One thing about the youth element I thought interesting was him basically assessing the squad he inherited as bloated but Wagner was worried about bodies in interviews during the window. He’s definitely backing Wagner right now but I think it’s possible there’s some tension there in terms of academy progress. 

I also thought it interesting he said the club needed to get back being focussed on player development and in terms of player trading, and set up to do that. Perhaps more had been lost behind the scenes than one window focusing on older players.

I don't think much has been lost at all but like Webber at the start of his reign, if you can start to paint a bad picture then the minimal changes you make can come across like massive changes.

For example, we've got a lot of young players on loan. IF a couple end up in and around the first team next season, Knapper will undoubtedly get the credit even though that was possibly always likely anyway.

Look, it's all very beige and Neil Doncaster esque which was criticised for years, Webber was a breath of fresh air until he told people to go support someone else. Then it turned out he was right and he was a breath of fresh air again.

Right now, Knapper's a very different personality which I think will please most of the fanbase. Unless we start losing again, of course.

[Gordon Bennett 783]

I thought he came across pretty well without saying too much which was revolutionary but ultimately he will be judged and liked/disliked according to performances and results on the pitch. Nobody would really have cared what SW came out with had we stayed in the PL and developed into a mid table side.

[shefcanary 2,409]

11 hours ago, hogesar said:

I think Webber gave us quite a bit more insight

Of him! Not of the club ... who strangely never came riding to his immediate rescue. Weird period at Norwich which shows how off the mark they were in PR. The marketing team may not have actually sorted that out, but thankfully Knapper would have been well schooled at Arsenal in media matters.

But yet again I find people here miss the point about why the interview HAD to be BEIGE. No-one wants him spouting out our trade secrets, what those supporters who want more information are crying out for are commercial trade secrets that other clubs would love to have knowledge of and thus erode any competitive edge our academy and club have!

Let him get on with his job FFS (which is not to pander to supporters but to get the best out of our players), he has a hell of a lot to do to clear up the mess we were in before his arrival. A good start, but lots to do. 

[Kenny Foggo 1,116]

I think in every successful club that employs a sporting director, you don't really hear about them.. they get on with the job & the team does well. Knapper seems like a thoughtful intelligent man that won't go down, the frankly childish name calling route of his predecessor. Says it'll take a few transfer windows to achieve what he wants which is fair enough.

I think he knows what he is doing and seems to have a clear plan. Happy with him & a massive step up in professionalism.

[chicken 2,627]

22 hours ago, Nexus_Canary said:

Suits and power dressing is for cnuts.

Best thing I ever did was bin off a job that required a full suit. 

Me too, far easier just wearing a suit on your top half... 😉 😂

[jaberry2 550]

Parappa the Knapper is how he likes to be addressed. Please take this into consideration on any future posts.

[hogesar 9,676]

38 minutes ago, shefcanary said:

Of him! Not of the club ... who strangely never came riding to his immediate rescue. Weird period at Norwich which shows how off the mark they were in PR. The marketing team may not have actually sorted that out, but thankfully Knapper would have been well schooled at Arsenal in media matters.

But yet again I find people here miss the point about why the interview HAD to be BEIGE. No-one wants him spouting out our trade secrets, what those supporters who want more information are crying out for are commercial trade secrets that other clubs would love to have knowledge of and thus erode any competitive edge our academy and club have!

Let him get on with his job FFS (which is not to pander to supporters but to get the best out of our players), he has a hell of a lot to do to clear up the mess we were in before his arrival. A good start, but lots to do. 

I agree with this bit. I never got the clamour from posters on here and in general that demanded him come out and say something. 

FYI, I have no problem with it being a beige, almost pointless interview. It will actually pander to a lot of supporters as we've already seen, who are pretending he had anything actually interesting to say!

 

[TheBaldOne66 687]

One glaring error from this interview from Knapper was when he reckons the club are Premier League ready, is that this squad is nowhere near Premier League standard! The last 2 squads that had a go in the EPL were vastly superior to the current one and we all know how that turned out!

This one would need a major overhaul and as there’s no money apparently where will the required players come from?

[Captain Holt 522]

21 minutes ago, TheBaldOne66 said:

One glaring error from this interview from Knapper was when he reckons the club are Premier League ready, is that this squad is nowhere near Premier League standard! The last 2 squads that had a go in the EPL were vastly superior to the current one and we all know how that turned out!

This one would need a major overhaul and as there’s no money apparently where will the required players come from?

Would it though? We’d need a new back four (which realistically isn’t going to happen), a 15m+ midfielder and a striker. Probably a winger as back up. Obviously this isn’t account for any outs. 

[nutty nigel 7,537]

It’s only a couple of weeks ago some of you were trying to convince me Webber was still in charge and pulling the strings from wherever he might be.

What’s changed?

[hogesar 9,676]

9 minutes ago, nutty nigel said:

It’s only a couple of weeks ago some of you were trying to convince me Webber was still in charge and pulling the strings from wherever he might be.

What’s changed?

Did you not know? Webber wrote that whole interview for him! Only, I think Knapper done a search & replace for the word "divorcees" 

[BroadstairsR 2,172]

Clever d-icks corner?

 

[A Load of Squit 5,168]

4 minutes ago, hogesar said:

Did you not know? Webber wrote that whole interview for him! Only, I think Knapper done a search & replace for the word "divorcees" 

They didn't show the bit where Webber pulled off the face mask and said "I would've got away with it if it wasn't for you pesky divorcees".

 

[Robert N. LiM 4,363]

I liked the bit where he repeatedly said how important it was to ignore the noise.

[PurpleCanary 5,562]

2 hours ago, nutty nigel said:

It’s only a couple of weeks ago some of you were trying to convince me Webber was still in charge and pulling the strings from wherever he might be.

What’s changed?

Yes, but nobody you needed to take any notice of, nutty.

[OnDaBall 137]

The youth pathway is a sensible way to go, especially with our philosophy of self funding by developing young players to sell on. We need quality over quantity, so a stronger starting eleven backed up be a mixture of young players and quality back up. We have too many bang average high wage players and have been overly reliant on other teams youth players on loan here stifling our own academy players, in the last few seasons.

[nutty nigel 7,537]

3 hours ago, PurpleCanary said:

Yes, but nobody you needed to take any notice of, nutty.

Yes but they were a smaller some