Cosy Relationship at Unambitious Little Norwich

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

"Worthington was asked whether he ever feared he would not be in charge at the start of 2006-2007.

But he insisted "No, becuase I''ve got a close relationship with the board of directors and its about working together. This football club has had the experience of changing the manager pretty much every season before myself coming in and experience tells you its no way forward."

he also said "there''s no more pressure on us this season than there was the last 5 and a half that i''ve been in charge."

Erm well there damn well should be Nigel and if there isn''t then something is badly wrong.

I HATE this cosy little thing they have going on, it speaks nothing of ambition and a desire to progress and everything about maintaining a nice little status quo and jobs for the boys.

ZERO AMBITION AT CARROW ROAD.  January was an average month...................

[We need a Manager 0]

This one interview shows up all that is wrong with Norwich City

[Jerzy Krukowski 5]

hmm, can''t say I''m particularly inspired by the multiple mention of

hope either. No comments like " I know what went wrong last season and

it''s been changed" just, I hope we do ok, hope we''re up there. I hope

so too, but see little to expect any change from last season.

[Baldyboy 0]

i agree that this shows all that is wrong with the club at the moment. a manager should always feel pressure to deliver but sadly worthless doesnt, although it cannot be totally his fault the fault must lie with the board who tell him what they expect and at the moment it doesnt amount to much from what hes said

[JohnoBono 0]

This sums up every thing that is wrong with Norwich City. It is all far to cosey. There is now ambition. It''s a little cliche patting and watching each others back and looking over their collective shoulders and saying damm everybody else with a little smirk on their faces.

There really is something seriously wrong at Carrow Road if what Worthy days is correct.

Yes it''s still the nice family club, only now the family is the manager and the board of directors.

If Worthy was not not under pressure last season then there is really no hope for us.

[Evil Monkey 52]

My initial thoughts on this are that surely every single football manager is under pressure to deliver results? It''s a tough world, is football, and if you don''t get results then you make way for someone else who can.  That''s how it has always worked.

Even the most successful managers, who have consistently delivered titles and silverware on a yearly basis have to deliver to guarantee their jobs.  Sure, both Wenger and Fergie have missed out on medals in recent years, but you can be sure that if this downward trend continues then they''ll be out on their ear!

[alex_ncfc 647]

It''s a bloody joke! What sort of manager would come out and say things like that? There''s only one thing for it. Why adopy the "lets give him 10 games", "lets give him till Christmas" etc, when as fans, we have the power to drive him out?

[Ginja 26]

This is the problem, we are nice little Norwich, hence why we will never be the force we should be. Its about time we started being ruthless, stopped being such a pushover. where''s the passion, the killer instinct, the want to fight and win? because evidently Nigel has none and niether will this club.

[First Wizard 0]

He doesn''t even mention relegation from the premier league, when we had not one away win. This club and manager are a total joke!.

[Rasputin was a C... 0]

I think I''m right in saying the Reading manager only ever signs 1 year contracts so he has a reason to proove himself. Surely thats the way it should be for everyone in football. It is one of the biggest concerns I have about the current board/management team. You''re boss shouldn''t be your friend as it would seem is the case at Norwich.

[blahblahblah 2]

[quote]Why adopt the "lets give him 10 games", "lets give him till Christmas" etc, when as fans, we have the power to drive him out? [/quote]

That''s entirely the point alex, you don''t.

You tried last season.  You failed. 

If you want shot of him that badly, you have to pray for a stream of bad results (some fan you would be if you did), or do something to get yourself on the board of directors.

Do you have, or do you know anyone with several million pounds to spend on a football club ?

Are you able to persuade the current board to sell you their shares ?

No ?

Then deal with reality.  Unless things get a lot worse, Worthington is here to stay.  And all the negative posting, walks from the bridge to the club shop, panto booing of Hughes, and beach balls won''t change that.

[Ken Aries 0]

That''s almost another arrogant statement from Worthless. Another Up Yours! to the long suffering faithful. It sure as heck is going to take some effort to lever him out of the hot seat. Still, constant chanting of Worthless Out should at least make our passive board sit up and take notice. Who knows, if we keep up the barracking for long enough they may actually take action and do the dastardly deed of removing the clown from office.

[alex_ncfc 647]

[quote user="blahblahblah"]

[quote]Why adopt the "lets give him 10 games", "lets give him till Christmas" etc, when as fans, we have the power to drive him out? [/quote]

That''s entirely the point alex, you don''t.

You tried last season.  You failed. 

If you want shot of him that badly, you have to pray for a stream of bad results (some fan you would be if you did), or do something to get yourself on the board of directors.

Do you have, or do you know anyone with several million pounds to spend on a football club ?

Are you able to persuade the current board to sell you their shares ?

No ?

Then deal with reality.  Unless things get a lot worse, Worthington is here to stay.  And all the negative posting, walks from the bridge to the club shop, panto booing of Hughes, and beach balls won''t change that.

[/quote]

I honestly can''t believe what I am reading. I can only assume you are happy to watch second tier "football" for the foreseeable future?

[We need a Manager 0]

Be assured Blah Blah , the fans in the end will decide and he will be kicked out this season

[blahblahblah 2]

[quote]That''s almost another arrogant statement from Worthless. [/quote]

Interesting word, arrogance.

Put yourself in the position of one of our majority shareholders.

You have invested a large amount of time and money (i don''t have figures but I would imagine the amount stretches into thousands of hours and several millions of pounds) in keeping the club you supported since childhood afloat, ensuring that the club is managed well financially, and creating new revenue for the club with profitable new outlets, and investing in the clubs'' long term future.  Your wife puts her own very successful career on hold to pitch in, and one season you win promotion.  Everybody shares in the success and cheers the players from an open topped bus.  The next season you return to earth with a bump (and which team doesn''t when they start from where we have ?), and the season after your team performs to a mid-table level in the Chmapionship.

Then some people pitch up, having spent 2,000 pounds on a website, some car stickers, a couple of banners and a grudge, and persuade a few hundred people to follow them to the ground and chant before a game, which isn''t difficult to do, as the team aren''t playing that well and the people will be there to watch the game anyway.  They get some interest from the local news and papers, which isn''t hard to do, probably pushed the local churches'' spring festival back to page 8 or something.

Anyway, these 1000 people (initially, more like 70 people on later marches), who 18 months ago were cheering you from City Hall, demand to have a veto over the most important decision you can make at the club.  They haven''t bought any shares in the club, the only money they have invested is 500 pounds per season in season tickets, the only time they have spent has been invested in trying to make key members of staff look ridiculous and like cartoon characters, and they want to tell you how to run your company ?

Norwich City Football Club is a limited company.  It isn''t a democracy.  Even if it was a democracy, Nigel Worthington would still be in charge.

Like I say, arrogance is an interesting word.

[EddieYellow 0]

“Most of the time I''ve been here the club''s made huge strides. We''ve had a wonderful time. We''ve had a hiccup last year and we''ll hopefully try to put that right and move forward again this year.”

I know what you mean, Nigel. Shelling out £100s to see 19 away games without a win was just superb. And those fans trying to start fights with each other last season, definately a sign that everyone is having a great time. And remember the protesting in the snow. Fond memories for all I''m sure.

Of course when he says ''we'', he means himself, Delia and Michael and those cosy evenings together. As for his job not being on the line, that may be the case, but he is still just saying it to wind up those fans who want him gone.

Worthington must go.

[Mello Yello 2,280]

At least the ''minority'' were prepared to stand up for a cause they believed in. Whilst some "Oh well, ho hum" fear of change ''folk'' - roll submissively onto their tubby bellies - and let the Club fill them with patronising and pretentious pap.

You defend your corner, and at our first home game, I will be listening most intently for you leading a chorus of "Worthy''s Green and Yeller Army!"..........

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

[quote user="blahblahblah"]

[quote]Why adopt the "lets give him 10 games", "lets give him till Christmas" etc, when as fans, we have the power to drive him out? [/quote]

That''s entirely the point alex, you don''t.

You tried last season.  You failed. 

If you want shot of him that badly, you have to pray for a stream of bad results (some fan you would be if you did), or do something to get yourself on the board of directors.

Do you have, or do you know anyone with several million pounds to spend on a football club ?

Are you able to persuade the current board to sell you their shares ?

No ?

Then deal with reality.  Unless things get a lot worse, Worthington is here to stay.  And all the negative posting, walks from the bridge to the club shop, panto booing of Hughes, and beach balls won''t change that.

[/quote]

you know what the reality is blahblah??  if we aint top 6 in the first 3 or 4 games We will be trying yet again top get rid of the arrogant fool - cue a repeat of last season, and nothing you can stay will stop them trying.  How long before the wall of silence is back in Carrow Road? 4 games is my guess.

And Hooze, he cost £550,000 and is utter ****, unyet gets picked week in week out by the plonker in charge.  Having said that having seen Dickson Etuhu''s utterly appalling performance against Cambridge I now refuse to even beleive he is a footballer, neither of em in fact they are that bad.....

[The Judge 0]

Blah Blah wrote....."Even if it was a democracy, Nigel Worthington would still be in charge"

You seem to be very confident at the moment that you and others that support the status quo are in the majority. Time will tell won''t it and my view is the club and the manager have done nothing to date to heel the wounds that were created in the second half of last season. In fact Worthington''s comments yesterday about never feeling his job was on line will just stoke the fires nicely leading up to the start of the season. How can someone who managed a side that lost far more games than it won, playing appaulling football in morge like conditions not feel under pressure ? - what an incredible statement to make, even you must think this is wrong ?

You have stated a couple of time recently that NCFC is a business, yes it is, its a results based business. However unlike other businesses customers (supporters) will keep going despite the poor product on offer - if you are a fan you go. This is where your analogy against a restaurant in a previous post doesn''t stack up. If you have a bad meal - you don''t go back. If you are a fan of a football team go keep going. If a restaurant keeps serving poor meals - it goes out of business (or if a chain, the manager gets the sack). This is where football is different but if the product offer is poor the number of customers will fall eventually. Using your restuarant analogy in another way - its like having to go back to the same restaurant again and again where despite your complaints previously you know you are going to have rubbish meal and come out feeling sick.

For all your beliefs Blah Blah - I believe there is huge underlying current of discontent with in the fan base of our club and it will only take a couple of poor performances and results for this to surface. This time with much more determination to succeed. 

[blahblahblah 2]

[quote]Having said that having seen Dickson Etuhu''s utterly appalling performance against Cambridge I now refuse to even beleive he is a footballer, neither of em in fact they are that bad.....[/quote]

So you''re going to judge Dickson Etuhu on the second 45 minutes he''s played of the season, in a match that is nothing more than a training run with a ball, are you.

Well, nobody said you were impartial...

[quote]How long before the wall of silence is back in Carrow Road? 4 games is my guess.[/quote]

Oh yes, I forgot, silly me.  Someone not cheering because they''re not enjoying a game is exactly the same as someone calling for the managers'' head outside the club shop, isn''t it.  No wonder there are 25 million Worthy Outers in the NR2 post code alone.

What you all seem to miss is that running a football club isn''t like running a protest.  It''s difficult.  It takes a lot of dedicated and skilled staff a large number of hours, and the money of a fair number of generous investors too.

Think you could do better than what we have right now in our situation ?  That you could be the manager, or a director ?  Fine.  You''ll never get to prove it.

I prefer to give out manager and board the benefit of the doubt, and accept that there are some things in life that other people can do better than me.  Also, because these people work harder at these things than I would, they deserve the opportunity to keep doing these things and prove themselves.

On The Ball City !

[Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB 1,017]

Blahblahblah - Once again you make some good points but once again you show a bias towards the club which astounds me!!. As you say NCFC is a limited company, which traded heavily on the post Play Off Final/Championship Title euphoria, and as I have said before I believe some of the statements made by the club at that time were ill advised, consequently you have a situation whereby there is fan unrest because expectations have not been realistically managed. Whilst there is a vocal minority expressing their views, I truly believe that despite the season ticket renewal levels, the club is in no doubt about the views of the majority of fans, indeed the club have acknowledged that they received a lot of letters with season ticket renewals that expressed these views. 

Now you put yourself in the position of a fan (who, as far as I am concerned is also a shareholder in the club) , how many hours have they put into supporting their team ?, how much money have they spent supporting their team ?, lets not forget the £2 million pounds raised by fans as part of the share issue, all they ask in return for their time and money is decent football and a modicum of success.

As far as I am concerned the limited company (sorry Club) is nothing without the fans and the fans are nothing without a Club, to think anything else is plain daft in my book.  

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

[quote user="blahblahblah"]

[quote]Having said that having seen Dickson Etuhu''s utterly appalling performance against Cambridge I now refuse to even beleive he is a footballer, neither of em in fact they are that bad.....[/quote]

So you''re going to judge Dickson Etuhu on the second 45 minutes he''s played of the season, in a match that is nothing more than a training run with a ball, are you.

Well, nobody said you were impartial.....[/quote]

Nope on ALL his appalling performances last season in a city shirt and the views of Preston fans in january 2005.  The guy has no idea what to do on the pitch.  He was reguarly the furthest man forward when we were defending only to be the furthest man back when we were attacking.  For such a big strong lad he was brushed off the ball more easily than Clint Easton!!  He CANNOT run a midfield I do not see what others see in the guy, he seems he needs to be talked through a game!!

[quote user="blahblahblah"] I prefer to give out manager and board the benefit of the doubt, and accept that there are some things in life that other people can do better than me.  Also, because these people work harder at these things than I would, they deserve the opportunity to keep doing these things and prove themselves.....[/quote]

You know what that is exactly what Squit said last christmas. Nothing has changed since - well it did - the atmosphere at carrow road since was at best a morgue and at worst barbed.  All because of an uninspiring offensive irishman.

[sts 0]

His relationship at NCFC is far too cosy.  Employer/employee relationships should never become too close as it blinkers the faults. 

The board needs to distance itself from Worthington.  As it is they will never see any problem with him as they will just accept any excuses he makes.   

Goodness knows why he is so close to them - my imagination works overtime on this subject but you cann''t stop anyone thinking, can you!

 

[Jim Smith 2,314]

If NCFC was a true democracy and whether Worthy should be sacked was put to the vote he would be voted out by an overwhelming majority. I do not know any fans who still back him as our manager and I know a hell of a lot of our fans who travel home and away.

You can kid yourself and pretend you are still in the mojority if you like Blah, Blah, Blah but I can tell you you are seriously mistaken.

 

[Ken Aries 0]

Was it really necessary to write that long rambling post "loosely" linked to the word arrogant, blah? I was calling Worthless arrogant, not the board, so I don''t know why you brought the board into it. Dictionary definition for the word arrogant: aloof, contemptuous, disdainful or presumptuous etc. Any one of those 4 definitions fits the Irishman perfectly in my opinion. He was certainly presumptuous to feel his job was not under any sort of threat last season, either that or just stupid. And he has always been aloof and disdainful towards the fans, and even his players sometimes. Yes, an arrogant man if ever there was one.

[blahblahblah 2]

Stephen, you completely missed the point.

Some of the fans that are calling Worthington arrogant are far more arrogant than he has been in any press release or interview.

They insult his nationality and intelligence, he is regularly an irish clown in here, I have seen the word pikey used on a number of occasions, but not on this message board,  One message posted by a regular outer on a different board compared Delia to a female dog, and that was just in the subject heading. These fans also assume that they know better than people who run large companies for a living about when to sack people.  And all because they interrupt their drinking with a bit of shouting at fitter, harder working people on a saturday afternoon.

And you think Worthington is arrogant.  Look closer to home.

[Cyril Z Snodgrass 0]

Norwich City is abusing the loyalty of the fans believing they have no alternative options but this is no longer our Norwich City and no real attempt is made to rectify the position. First and foremost the fans or customers pay to see good football, they buy their tickets but the other side of the bargain is not honoured. Soon it will be, not would the Directors sell their shares but who apart from property developers would want to buy them.

There is a problem, whatever the cause, shutting ones eyes or wishful thinking is not going to resolve it.

[Mook 0]

So why do people attend lower league games, then?

It''s not as if the football is high quality, is it?

No - it''s about the day out, about being with your mates, about supporting your team, about singing songs, about the half-time pies and the post-match chat.

You grumpy lot who say "I am a customer and I deserve entertainment" are kidding yourselves. Football is a sport, and football supporting is a religion, a way of life.

You can''t turn it on and turn it off!!

If you''re looking only for success, go and set up your own business/football club and show us all how it''s done. Report back in 10 years with your success stories, and remember - no failure allowed, and no bad patches will be endured without your family and workforce booing at you!!

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

[quote user="Mook"]

So why do people attend lower league games, then?

It''s not as if the football is high quality, is it?

No - it''s about the day out, about being with your mates, about supporting your team, about singing songs, about the half-time pies and the post-match chat.

You grumpy lot who say "I am a customer and I deserve entertainment" are kidding yourselves. Football is a sport, and football supporting is a religion, a way of life.

You can''t turn it on and turn it off!!

If you''re looking only for success, go and set up your own business/football club and show us all how it''s done. Report back in 10 years with your success stories, and remember - no failure allowed, and no bad patches will be endured without your family and workforce booing at you!!

[/quote]

your point is completely irrelevant Mook.  Personnally I dont care how we play, but long balls up to short strikers is utterly ridiculous........... let alone playing long ball to Ashton - a guy whom scored 20 goals in half a season at those long ball merchants Crewe.

As for the problem, if people beleive that Worthington''s limitations (and he has a fair old few.......) are what is currently holding the club back then that is their choice.  Newcastle fans were right about Souness, Forest fans about Megson, Liverpool fans about Houllier, Norwich fans about Hamilton, Blackpool fans about Worthington.......

Its football - after a time a manager can need changing!! it does happen!! And in many cases a manager stays too long to the detriment of the club.  With this set of players any manager could acheive mid table - dare I say it even Brian Hamilton probably could have acheived 9th with this team - and I doubt he would have let it stay so unbalanced for so long.

Apart from that he slagged off NCFC''s customers...    If for example a Macdonalds manager slagged me off, I wouldnt eat there ever again (I don''t anyway - crap junk food).  Unfortunatly I have no choice as its my football team - so I will pursue actions to get the manager removed as is my right.

Cheers.

[Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB 1,017]

Mook - I do not disagree with a thing that you say, but what you say highlights the real issue. We the the fans see footy as a sport, we are not interested in balance sheets and annual reports. Other posters are keen to stress the business side of the game, and question the fans ability/right to demand the head of the manager when things go wrong, but it is not that simple, as you say part of the religion (and right) of being a supporter is the expression of opinions, where it has gone wrong on this and other boards is the level of abuse and personal attacks on the manager/board/players.