OK, Prudence........methinks the game's up.

[......and Smith must score. 1,359]

Eerie isn''t it ? I feel like I''m in some kind of parallel Universe. This very weekend a year ago saw the painful removal of manager Nigel Worthington, displayed in minute gory detail on national TV, accompanied by the unexpected grand finale of a terrific thunderstorm complete with forked lightning. No thunderstorms are forecast for this weekend but I''m not so sure.....

Only seven games into the new season and we seem to have reached crisis point once more. And, once again, all our dirty laundry will be on full show for the TV cameras. Did the Board of NCFC not learn any lessons last October as they huddled in the bunker as '' Worthington World '' came crashing down around them ? Presumably not, for, safely tucked in there with them '' Prudence '' knew she was secure for an indefinite period whilst her alleged companion '' Ambition '' had always been an uncomfortable presence in the '' inner circle '' and had long since deserted Carrow Road.

Now I''ve no idea whether Peter Grant is a good manager or not. He '' talks the talk '', as once did one Brian Hamilton. Unfortunately this association does little to enhance his CV. At times he makes what appear to be rather odd team selections and people do question some of his public outbursts against his players. Some say he''s '' lost the dressing room '' and this does seem to have some substance : witness three sendings-off in two matches - there''s often less in a whole season - and our most respected player voicing on local radio that " this is the weakest team I''ve played in ".

There are four options for the Board to consider :

1) Muddle along as we are and pray that every player recovers from injury, is available for selection, and discovers some consistent good form thereby leading to an upturn in fortunes.

2) Decide that Peter Grant was the wrong choice, pay him off and appoint someone else, but expect the new man to perform miracles with what he''s inherited.

3) Give the current manager a substantial cash sum to re-vitalise the current squad.

4) Pay off the present manager, appoint a new one and give him the cash to improve our playing fortunes.

'' Prudence '' will, of course, be whispering in everyone''s ear to take Option 1. In my opinion that must be the worst choice of all. Affairs have reached a point at our football club where the Board cannot '' fiddle while Rome burns '' any longer.They must act decisively and immediately.

By all means persevere with Peter Grant but do not expect him to make a ''silk purse out of a sow''s ear ''. The man cannot hope to assemble a squad for a realistic tilt at promotion if he''s constantly starved of funds to do so.That''s a huge '' ask ''. If you think he''s the person to lead us forwards then please beg or borrow the resources to give him a chance. Please don''t say " We daren''t stretch ourselves too far - look what''s happened to some other clubs ". Yes,  it''s true that certain clubs have peered over the abyss but let''s ask ourselves how many have actually gone out of business. If I''m not mistaken Accrington Stanley were the last League club to completely fold, and that was in 1962 !

Contrary to the constant mantra from the men in grey suits in our Boardroom football is not like most other businesses. Football clubs are built on hopes, dreams and passion.Yes, clubs do make mistakes and overstretch but it''s a cyclical thing. All clubs experience periods of success and failure, even clubs the size of Man Utd. Leeds United recent experiences are often quoted as a prime example of " How Not to Run a Football Club ". True, they did have a spendthrift previously in charge and are now in the clutches of another eccentric, but hey, somehow that''s all been forgotten as they''ve have just reeled off their seventh straight League win, a run not equalled since the days of Don Revie. Are their fans still wringing their hands in despair? No, they''re euphoric, I''ll bet.

The Norwich City Board need to take decisive action. If you want to sack Peter Grant then do so but don''t expect him to leave without due compensation. Many of us suspect that the thought of paying compensation to Nigel Worthington was the primary reason things were allowed to stagnate as they did then.The same mistake must not be made twice.

There are those that clutch at straws in the hope that with a little run everything will be alright. True, we have, on paper at least, four consecutive winnable games, albeit with an improvement in form needed, in the present circumstances in itself a big '' ask ''. But we all know that even by winning all these games it will only be a cosmetic '' papering over the cracks '' exercise until the next crisis looms, which it surely will.

All I ask of the Board is this : Please don''t prevaricate. The problem requires immediate attention. Find '' Ambition '' and get him back on board. '' Prudence '' has had far too much influence over you these past few seasons 

Do nothing and you''ll find us incredibly loyal supporters - too loyal some might say - finally say, " Enough is enough " and  melt away from Carrow Road leaving all the handsome stands echoing to the sounds of a half-filled stadium.

What good purpose would that achieve ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ricardo 7,397]

You''ve missed out the boards fifth option.

Resign .

Methinks it would have more support than the first four.

[Pinks 0]

Excellent post ! hear hear.

Send it off to ND at once.

 

[Buncey 1]

Good post mate! Well thought out and a good summary of the precarious position we are in without resulting to senseless shouting.  I think the board need to consider what we are aiming to acheive. Anything short of reaching the play-offs is destined to fail. We do need money to invest in the squad. However I think the problem with our championship squad happened when we sold ashton and bought earnie. Surely that partnership could have fired us into the play-offs at least and I think that short sightedness has in the end become a permanent fixture at this club. As you say merely sacking grant is not really an option. The board need to seriously consider if what they are doing is enough to keep us in this league. We have not spent a lot of money really compared to many other teams in this league. One thing is for sure is that we need a good manager if we are to sack grant and he needs money otherwise we will slid into thos dreaded relegation places, sacking your manager doesn''t always work look at leicster, they aren''t doing well. The question is if we were to lose 4-1 would Grant be sacked?

[ron obvious 0]

"You''ve missed out the boards fifth option.

Resign ."

Could you please explain to me exactly how they do that? I genuinely don''t understand the mechanism that would enable this to happen. Thanks.

[Hog 0]

Excellent post, pls someone forward this to Doncaster, Delia etc etc

[GJD 0]

An excellant and interesting post. It is time for the board to make some harsh decisions and if they believe in Grant, then back him. If not then best cut our losses now and move on.

Yes the board could resign, but that would need someone to take their place and I have not heard of any whisper''s of Russian billionaires being seen in Morrison''s car park of late!

[walks on water 0]

[quote user="ron obvious"]

"You''ve missed out the boards fifth option.

Resign ."

Could you please explain to me exactly how they do that? I genuinely don''t understand the mechanism that would enable this to happen. Thanks.

[/quote]

um, was gonna post same earlier.  A manager resigns....you''re left with no manager  -but there''s a few about

 Now, a board resigns.........?

um,isn''t it a bit more complicated.  ?  I don''t know...if people do , please enlighten me !

Do executives ( let alone well heeled, good ones ) grow on trees ?  especially with a fondness for NCFC over any other tribal, geographical allegiance ?

I won''t say better the devil you know, but I''d be a little careful for what you wish for

 

[Mook 0]

The one rather major flaw in the "back Grant" plan is that the transfer window is shut and bolted. So we get what we''re given ''til at least January I''m afraid.

[GJD 0]

Still believe we can get loans in? If the board back Grant, then they have to show that support now with loans if that''s possible to strengthen his and the teams position.

If they do not support him, then they best decide to sack him and get someone in they do want.

I am not one for panicking and believe that Grant  probabley deserves longer, but having not seen a game this year I am not best to judge on the team.

If the board and the players have lost faith, or shall we say important players have lost faith, then maybe there is a need for some reflection and change.

 

[Lyds 0]

This thread has inspired me to register and actually do something !!! I remember reading all the comments last season, with some form of perverse excitement, waiting for the ultimate ending of the Worthington reign. It all came too late to rescue last season but somehow it was all held together and the vast majority of season tickets were sold. Now it''s time for the board to reply the loyalty that appears to be expected. They don''t need to look far or hard to see the apples slowly rotting:

• fans turning on Doherty, not because he is unpopular, more that he is a symptom of things going wrong.....we all know he is not good enough and while he remains at centre half, it is a legacy of the lack of ambition at the club
• tactics so naive that even my 11 year old daughter can see they are wrong - 2 goals down on Saturday, corner to the opposition and nobody up front when they get a corner, even though we are down to 10 men, we need to score......not difficult to work it out, well not if you are at school
• stop trying to get players on the way down and scour the leagues below. Surely we can afford to pick the best up and coming players from the lower leagues while the Premiership fat cats are busy scouring the European leagues for the next crop of overpaid imports.
• missing money - we have sold more than we have bought.....where is it !!!
• what''s happened to the promised transparency when Delia took over, now we are treated no different, not even to be told the size of transfer fees, why are we the only club showing undisclosed, undisclosed.....

While accepting that we are unlikely to be able to shift the board, Neil Doncaster, chief architect of the get out clause should get out himself. If we could force such a casualty and a someone Delia has abdicated responsibility to, it would show the seriousness without maybe bringing the club to the brink. Perhaps he could move to BM and resurrect the popularity of the Turkey Twizzler. 

[ron obvious 0]

[quote user="walks on water"][quote user="ron obvious"]

"You''ve missed out the boards fifth option.

Resign ."

Could you please explain to me exactly how they do that? I genuinely don''t understand the mechanism that would enable this to happen. Thanks.

[/quote]

um, was gonna post same earlier.  A manager resigns....you''re left with no manager  -but there''s a few about

 Now, a board resigns.........?

um,isn''t it a bit more complicated.  ?  I don''t know...if people do , please enlighten me !

Do executives ( let alone well heeled, good ones ) grow on trees ?  especially with a fondness for NCFC over any other tribal, geographical allegiance ?

I won''t say better the devil you know, but I''d be a little careful for what you wish for

 

[/quote]

Still no replies I see WOW.

Could somebody PLEASE illuminate us as to exactly how this would happen?

If you seriously want something to change, you have to have a clue aabout how to change it. Otherwise you''re just weeing in the wind.