Loyalty no longer exists - our major problem

[Garfunkel 0]

Screaming at the board, questioning the loyalty of individual players, all the moaning and groaning in the world, all of this changes absolutely nothing in the current world. Players effectively rule the roost and clubs more or less dance to their tune. The clubs are little more than bit players no matter where they are placed - look at Man U and Tevez, Chelsea with Terry and Lampard. These are nothing more than higher value situations than we are faced with at NCFC. Further down the leagues, exactly the same problems exist but we care little about them if we want a player.

Totally gone are the days where the relationship between club and player was one of mutual respect - West Ham and Bonds, Man U and Charlton and prime examples of players who gave their all for the club and received support in similar measure back from the club. Players today are roving mercenaries, plying their trade where the bidders are biggest and with relatively little concern which shirt they wear.

Sitting in complete juxtaposition is the fans'' view - a love for the club, wanting the best at all times and wishing that all good players stay put. We don''t give up our seats at the slightest whiff of more money to go down the road to Suffolk or the Midlands. We suffer from loyalty and expect it from all quarters in return. But we are not a business and we do not earn from the game. We give relentlessly in anticipation of joy and mutual respect. No wonder we receive very little of these when they totally conflict with how players see their lives.

Sadly, who can blame them. They earn where they can and at the best level they can. We do not have the options they have but our problem is that we do not want these options either. We want to stay, be loyal, support our team and believe. The players we value so highly rarely share such feelings. And so, whether it be Etuhu, Saffri, Earnshaw, Ashton - it will happen time and time again until there is a reversal of power in the game. We need a balance between clubs and players and work in an era where the word loyalty means something to clubs, players and fans alike.

[Marty 0]

well done for using the word "juxtaposition"

Your post in in general makes a lot of sense, it is the truth whether or not we like it.

[blahblahblah 2]

[quote]Totally gone are the days where the relationship between club and

player was one of mutual respect - West Ham and Bonds, Man U and

Charlton and prime examples of players who gave their all for the club

and received support in similar measure back from the club. Players

today are roving mercenaries, plying their trade where the bidders are

biggest and with relatively little concern which shirt they wear.[/quote]Agreed, which is why Sheffield United were so lucky to train a young boy with the name of Billy Sharp.

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

[quote user="blahblahblah"][quote]Totally gone are the days where the relationship between club and player was one of mutual respect - West Ham and Bonds, Man U and Charlton and prime examples of players who gave their all for the club and received support in similar measure back from the club. Players today are roving mercenaries, plying their trade where the bidders are biggest and with relatively little concern which shirt they wear.[/quote]

Agreed, which is why Sheffield United were so lucky to train a young boy with the name of Billy Sharp.
[/quote]

And a player like Hucks, a true city player is now be having second thoughts about staying here any longer.  What the hell has happened since promotion??  We have a manager who has not improved us in the slightest in his 6 months here, and our only outstanding player is 31 year old Hucks, the rest are average, poor or unproven players even at this level.

[mr carra 0]

What has happened is that we are gradually returning to our true level.

In modern football money determines all and too many clubs have more than us.. 

We have mid-Championship level resources and that''s where, barring a miracle, we belong.

 

A bit sad, but true.

 

And hardly the Board''s fault.

 

[Dexx 0]

You hit the nail on the head and since the premiership we have expected to much its not going to happen we dont have the players or money to compete with the best or even  a average premiership side

[Dame to Blame 96]

Exactly Mr Carra we are just a mid table championship club when most fans realise this the better you need mega bucks something we don''t have to get out of this league now that the relegated prem teams will be getting huge parachute payments but to hell with it lets blame the board anyway.

[canary cherub 1]

[quote user="barclayendboy"]Exactly Mr Carra we are just a mid table championship club when most fans realise this the better you need mega bucks something we don''t have to get out of this league now that the relegated prem teams will be getting huge parachute payments but to hell with it lets blame the board anyway.
[/quote]

If the parachute clubs invest the money in a determined bid for promotion, it is true that the others are at a disadvantage.  For whatever reason we didn''t do that in the past two seasons, but that''s history now.  Nevertheless, there are only four teams in this division next season with parachute payments.  There are six promotion/playoff places.  There is no reason whatever why we shouldn''t expect to be challenging for one of them.

To the defeatist, lily-livered "we can''t compete" brigade, who imagine that we can somehow settle unchallenged into our ''rightful place'' in mid-Championship, take a reality check.  If we show a lack of desire to compete, other clubs in this division will scent blood if they haven''t already and we will get chewed up, spat out and RELEGATED!

 

[beelsie 0]

Well said! an honest post.  I for one am totally in agreement.  I''m sure that there are players who have regard for a particular team at first but finding themselves in a marketplace situation for all of their brief career they will go readily to the highest bidder who will in turn affer the most attractive contract.  They will see to it that the contract that they sign will have the lowest sell on price built in so that when that info is made known it gives them the choice of of going into a deal where the greatest personel terms are loaded in the players favour and the rewards to the seller are prohibitive.

[Norwich R Us 59]

[quote user="mystic megson"]

If the parachute clubs invest the money in a determined bid for promotion, it is true that the others are at a disadvantage.  For whatever reason we didn''t do that in the past two seasons, but that''s history now. 

[/quote]but what were the chances, seeing as we somehow got promoted into the holy grail and we DIDN''T EVEN SPEND ANY MONEY THEN!!!Im not one of the serial neggies and god how I want to be optimistic about norwich city but im really starting to feel our board, or certain parties within it, just aren''t good enough at their jobs to lead us forward.Now don''t worry, im not going to pretend i know exactly whats going on or that I have any credible solution because obviously, I dont, but as people keep saying "this is a business" and just like on the pitch it''s becoming more and more obvious that we can''t compete against our competitors.SO what now? Do we have to "stick with what we''ve got" and hope they pull it off or is there anything we as fans can do to help the situation? (yes HELP - moaning doesn''t actually achieve anything)

[mr carra 0]

re "we somehow got promoted into the holy grail and we DIDN''T EVEN SPEND ANY MONEY THEN!!!"

 

We did.  We spent it all.  And more.

Don''t just look at the transfer fees - they''re peanuts in the modern game.  It went on wages.  Every player getting near to £20k a week (and we had a few while in the Prem) would have been costing us £1m per year.  That''s where our Prem and parachute money went.  On players.

 

So don''t give us the "we didn''t spend enough" whinge.  Because we spent all we could.

Maybe that will help you appreciate just how much money it actually takes to compete at Prem level.

[canary cherub 1]

[quote user="mr carra"]

re "we somehow got promoted into the holy grail and we DIDN''T EVEN SPEND ANY MONEY THEN!!!"

 

We did.  We spent it all.  And more.

Don''t just look at the transfer fees - they''re peanuts in the modern game.  It went on wages.  Every player getting near to £20k a week (and we had a few while in the Prem) would have been costing us £1m per year.  That''s where our Prem and parachute money went.  On players.

 

So don''t give us the "we didn''t spend enough" whinge.  Because we spent all we could.

Maybe that will help you appreciate just how much money it actually takes to compete at Prem level.

[/quote]

Mr Carra, we got it all back and more besides. We made a net profit of over £9m in the Prem season. If we''d spent even half of that on strengthening the squad we would in all likelihood have stayed up.

 

[ron obvious 0]

[quote user="mr carra"]

re "we somehow got promoted into the holy grail and we DIDN''T EVEN SPEND ANY MONEY THEN!!!"

 

We did.  We spent it all.  And more.

Don''t just look at the transfer fees - they''re peanuts in the modern game.  It went on wages.  Every player getting near to £20k a week (and we had a few while in the Prem) would have been costing us £1m per year.  That''s where our Prem and parachute money went.  On players.

 

So don''t give us the "we didn''t spend enough" whinge.  Because we spent all we could.

Maybe that will help you appreciate just how much money it actually takes to compete at Prem level.

[/quote]

Absolutely. The level of financial ignorance on here is astounding.

Additionally, I think part of the problem is that most people have no idea of the way money flies out the door when you''re running a business in the real world; you soon find all those little annoying bills mounting up, plus there always seem to be one-off costs that are unforeseeable. You always end up with about half the money you thought you would have. But that doesn''t matter to them, they live in a world where an evil board is fleecing the loyal fans & beating off all those premiership players with a stick ...  (ooh-er missus).

[Dowp End 0]

A lot of sense written here Garfunkel-----As much as I am disappointed with Etuhu leaving us who can really blame him ?Next season he will be playing premiership football for no doubt better wages and if he can muster good performances puts him in the best shop window for his future career-----if the board had put a block on his move we are left with a player who could end up resenting being here and not producing the goods-----players like most of us are employees who look after their own interests and futures---if we are headhunted from our respective employment to companies offering better rewards and fullfillment then we all consider it dont we---we dont expect to be blocked by our employers and if we are would we continue to be committed and give 100%Gutted but a fact of life in football and employment -----------

[a1canary 0]

Agreed with all the sentiments here. It''s times like this when you yearn for the Andy Hughes of this world! I see he featured in central midfield against Lowestoft. Is it too ridiculous to think Grant could get him to do a job in there? If he had the talent to match his heart, he''d be an instant legend at CR. Maybe Grant can help bring it out!?