next season

[sjs 0]

i am a fan of nigel, he is a shrewd manager who has done a fine job in taking the canaries from div 1 to the top table of english football. however i feel the board must now give the man the backing he needs to enable norwich to stay in the prem, bring in quality, experienced players to help us through the 1st season

delaney 1.5m
pennant 2m
westlake 1m
petit free
di canio free
keown free

possible team

green
delaney fleming keown drury
pennant holt petit westlake
di canio huckerby

the board must allow worthington the money to let it happen, if they want to stay up

[DumbleDelia is Magic 0]

We can''t over spend though. Spending X Million on the team isn''t going to guarantee success. We could over stretch, get relegated and end up like Ipswich- Penny less. I think the board are doing exactly the right thing- Giving us a realistic chance of staying up, without it being a disaster if we get relegated

[Making Plans 936]

Why is it that virtually everyone who posts "possible teams" to this board wants to ditch half the players who got us into the Premiership in the first place. The above being a classic example where only 5 of the current team appear to survive.
There are lots of assumptions being made that the players who got us there ain''t good enough to keep us there. I don''t go along with this theory although I do agree we need two or three players to increase & strengthen the squad.
I can''t understand why there is this sudden urge to write off some perfectly good players. I agree that they don''t (yet) have proven Premiership experience but neither does Worthington so perhaps we should get rid of him as well while we''re at it
When I look at some of the "fantasy teams" I have to wonder if any of the suggested "imports" are any better than what we''ve already got and in most instances the conclusion I come to is, no defintely not
We here a lot about the lack of loyalty in football and now it looks as though it''s arrived here.
The minute that we get a bit of success and there''s the whiff of a few quid in the air, all reason appears to go out the window

[Rabbit 0]

well said Nigel, i don`t remember the scum buying many in their 1st season up and look how well they did.....by the way was it xtc that sang that song.

[At last? 0]

sjs, did you buy shares? do you understand the finances of the club? Are you a newby johnny come lately supporter?

This club is lucky to still be in existence. I will trust the boards judgement to avoid us turning into a Leeds, Shef Wed, Sc*mswich.

I will also trust Worthys judgement to bring us players in to keep us up and not upset the dressing room. I stil think most of the current squad can do a job for us.

[Ayrton Twigge 0]

Just to add to this thread.

Gradual evolution is the way to go. Lots of examples. Ipswich Year 1. Birmingham. Charlton.

Even in the Premiership, Arsenal last year hardly changed the squad and won at a canter and Chelski, who can buy anyone they damm well please, were well behind.

Keep what you have with the obvious pruning out of dead wood - cheers Clint.
Add to key positions - but the new men have to earn their right to play, its not a foregone conclusion that the new guys come in and automatically play. The existing nucleus if they can hack it will keep their positions.

Its a strategy of minimum disruption, team harmony, keep the shape etc.

I for one am confident that most of the current team WILL grow into their new Premiership status. What is lacking in skill and experience is compensated in part by determination, effort, energy and a desire to play for one another.

And Nigel knows when to bring in more. If it ain''t working by Christmas, theres still time to change - you haven''t burnt all your options.

[Making Plans 936]

Hi Rabbit, sorry but it was definitely The Jam

[Dirty Lyle 0]

I have to agree with the majority opinion on this thread. There is neither the finances nor the inclination to make sweeping changes to the line up.

The only position where a new signing would be guaranteed a start is right midfield. As Ayrton points out the rest would have to work to achieve a place in the side. Unless we are buying big name internationals at their peak there can be no other way.

The first game of next season will feature (injuries permitting) our usual defensive back six. The communication between the whole defence was a crucial aspect to our success this season. To disregard that would demolish a pillar of our triumph. Like it or not wholesale alterations to the squad will damage the morale within the squad and affect the start to the season. SJS''s team is not only unrealistic but does not show an appreciation of the positive team building and togetherness that has been a hallmark of this side. Those are rare qualities that have taken time to develop and will not be discarded on a whim.

[ZLF 271]

Without a doubt it was XTC, and not The Jam.

As far as the less important topic is concerned the current team does need strengthening down the middle for us to stay up next year - but that does not mean losing any more players or that any signings will be first choice players. Our three priorities remain some variety with a touch of class in central midfield, a right winger and a central defender with good distribution skills and preferably a bit of pace.

OTBC

[Rabbit 0]

Could`nt have been the jam Nigel, i`ve got every record they made and thats not one of them, sure it was xtc... but all the same its a good name

[Saint Canary 0]

SJS, 3 of those players you have in your team are well over 30, past their best and with those 3 players wages there would be no way we could afford the other 3. I really can''t see Di Canio or Keown playing 90 mins of football once or twice a week and Petit, well i''m not even sure if he has played any PL football this season.

On top of that you have just dis-regarded half the current team. I have said this before but I really think the less brutal type of football played in the PL will suit Mullers and McVeigh and they could end up being stars for us next year. They are both clever footballers, who could be better suited to the PL than Div 1. I would rather have Svensson and Mackay over Keown and Di Canio, just because they know what the club is about and have both proved how hard they will work. Francis has a lot to offer as does McKenzie. A lot of posters (not all!) seem so keen to forget about McKenzie and want to buy another striker, the guy has a 50% goals to games ratio and half his appearances were from the bench but that doesn''t matter, lets get in X player because 5 years ago he was a good player. As SJS says we need to"bring in quality, experienced players to help us through the 1st season" just a couple of questions relating to Edworthy, was he not one the most consistant players in the league this season? Does he have PL experience? Answer to both is YES.

Lets not be so desperate to buy players for the sake of it, we aren''t playing Championship Manager, we can''t restart the game if the club goes bankrupt! We need some players but the right players, not just any player.

[Mello Yello 2,273]

IT WAS BL**DY XTC WHO DID MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL OK!!!

Phew, I feel better for that, now I can crack on and catch up on reading the rest of the threads. OTBC

Oh, and Andy Partridge was the singer.......

[Kent Canary 0]

Its DEFINITELY XTC.