scimeca has officially signed up to play **** football!!

[Dirty Lyle 0]

zlatan, thank you for your kind comments about Norwich''s season. Im just curious though,

If you think you are going to increase your capacity to 40,000 and have £25 million to spend then you are either foolish or brave. Whilst I cant believe your previously prudent board would blow that kind of cash, where are you going to get the money from? Is there a Roman ABAGovich in hiding somewhere off the M6? Can you account for that figure?

Im more than happy for the Baggies to be the bigger club - it doesnt really matter if all that means is you can sign a carthorse like Scimeca (who choose you because he didnt want to uproot his family) and play distressingly negative football all season. The ginger one decided to play an expansive game for the last three matches of the season and you were embarrassed by teams you would have beaten had you employed your usual "kick them til they are lame" style. It does not look promising if you play those tactics next year. What are you going to do to remedy that? West Brom were an ugly team this season, but as you state, gained promotion and as such those tactics were justified.

As Im sure you''ve carried out your research on Norwich before posting I''ll address your other points in order.

Our average attendance was well down on yours this year because we were building a brand new stand. Since the new stand came on line in March the home areas have been sold out for every fixture averaging around the 23,000 mark.

The transfer budget is a subject I have already mentioned. Norwich will employ an ambitious but prudent line with their signings in a similar way to the Baggies two years ago. The majority of the funds gained from promotion will go to reducing our debts and making the club financially secure. If your figure is accurate you will join Bradford and Leeds in oblivion unless you qualify for the Champions League.

The number of playing staff at a club is irrelevant to how big that club is. The quality of players is more important. How many of your playing staff played a first team game this season? is maybe a more relevant question. A large squad is surely a waste of money.

As for profit made either over a week or year, Im sure any club in your position would register similar figures if they spent wisely and benefited from a £9m parachute payment. The size of profit made does not equal a big club. Leeds won''t make another profit for years but no-one could argue that they are a bigger club than either WBA or Norwich.

Size of club doesnt really matter in football. What matters is the goodwill and potential of the fan base and the dedication of whole club infrastructure to achieving their goals. Norwich score highly on both counts - evidenced by our successful share issues and harmonious relationship between board and management.

I would be interested to hear from you Zlatan, your own opinions on Megson, his style of football, where is that £25 million coming from and what exactly West Brom will do better than Norwich to stay in the Premiership.

[DumbleDelia is Magic 0]

Cheers Suse. I''m sure every team has it''s idiots, though I bet there are 50 genuine fans to every one Zlatan. Apologies if it seemed like I was calling all Baggies fans arragant. Just "The Russian sounding one" ;-)

[Jonzey 0]

The results next season will show who''s correct here Zlatan. If West Brom finish above us I''ll be man enough to concede defeat, I would expect you to do the same. Although I have to say please brush up on your knowledge as Delia and Gazza pooed all over your arguments, well done gals - you rock!

For the time being lets just agree on one thing, we''re both medium sized clubs with a great following from all walks of life. We''re in the same boat so let''s not rock it. Let''s just enjoy the journey.

[Mello Yello 2,320]

zlatan ibrahimovic - I can''t be ar*ed to contradict your rant about your "Big Club"! It''s not how big it is, it''s how you use it!. Let''s face it mate, we used our "Little Club" to good effect this season, and we weren''t turned over by the even more miniscule Wimbledon FC. As Delia says, "The proof is in the pudding"! Buy whom you like as I don''t give a toot!, but never mind the width, feel the quality!.

[Chunky Canary 0]

I couldn''t help noticing that several of you think Scimeca is a carthorse or a makeweight who is not good enough for the city team. Are those of you who are making these comments reflecting on Nigels Judgement of this player?

[zlatan ibrahimovic 0]

You all produce fair arguments, and I am happy to accept them, I''ve stated my reasons why I think WBA are a bigger club, and you''ve produced counter-arguments.

I think I''ve said in two of the three posts Norwich were worthy winners of the 1st Division, and I''m sure that no Albion fan has a problem with being beaten to the title by yourselves.

However, what would bother Albion fans on here (including myself) is the way in which, you dismiss us, as inferior (which I, in anger and haste, admit doing to you). I know full well that both clubs need to work wonders if they are to survive, what I''m trying to say is that West Brom are in a better position to do so, which is why Scimeca opted for us rather than for you.

Having read numerous threads on here, many of you degrade Megson and our squad, for no reasons other than ''We''re after the same players'' and ''You don''t like our style of play.''

I know that you can''t understand why I''m saying that you''re naive, but having seen it on the Albion message board 2 years ago and one the dingles one last year, There''s little if no difference at all! After we were promoted I was 100% certain we would survive, I thought we had the 2nd best 1st division squad, which would probably struggle in the Prem but with a few improvements would walk into about 15th place, we bought, what we thought at the time, were top quality players, and to be honest only Koumas out of the signings was good enough for the Premiership. I, along with other Albion fans thought that we would be signing players like John Carew and other top quality players, but it doesn''t happen for a club, which were in our situation then and yours now. Fan''s favourites need to go if you are to have any chance of surviving, that''s what you don''t seem to grasp, not just 2-3-4 fan''s favourites but at least 7-8-9! We need to purchase 2 strikers, 2 midfielders, 2 centre backs and 2 wingers if we are to survive (In a 3-5-2 formtion). I admit to not knowing too much about Norwich''s squad, but from what I''ve seen/heard/read, you have a fantastic goalkeeper, two good central Midfielders and a good striker, there may be more, having not seen you play more than 5 times this season I can''t say whether other players are any better, but that''s my opinion. THEN... you need back-up players, good quality back-up players, a few injuries suspensions etc. in the transfer window and your up a certain type of creek without a paddle. At one point we had 3 central midfielders playing as our centre-backs!

As for my views on Megson, I like the majority of Albion fans think he is fantastic, as you all do of Worthington I suppose. He is a very intelligent manager, who knows how to adapt very quickly, and can make changes which alter matches and seasons in one moment. When he came to Albion he played 4-4-2, but saw that we couldn''t get results that way. He does what he needs to do to win games, if we play 4-4-2 he knows, with the players we have, we will produce some fantastic football, unfortunately we will concede goals, if we were to play 4-4-2 we wouldn''t be much different to Ipswich. You all seem to think that we just play defensive football, wrong. Megson will play defensive football when it''s better to get one point that to get none, a perfect example was the Norwich game, he knew that if we lost then the teams below us would be able to gain points on us and possibly overtake us, but a draw would allow us to maintain the 2nd spot, and also make sure that you didn''t leave us lagging behing pointswise. By man-marking your dangerman, and having two of our midfield trio play defensively it would be difficult for you to score, and if we were to break away and score a lucky goal (a la Sunderland) then we would be in a very good position.

You all want to see fantastic football, with plenty of goals, as some of our fans do, Worthington provides that, with the results. Megson on the other hand is more conc

[zlatan ibrahimovic 0]

Sorry I missed a few points, the £25m transfer budget comes from making, lets put it this way, a rather substantial profit, in our first Premiership season. We will also be looking at a large amount of the green stuff next year as well as being one of the few clubs outside of the Premiership to make such a large profit this year. Remeber we still have a wage structure, which the chairmn has stated will only be increased if there is no chance of it forcing us into debt.

The stadium will be developed as soon as we spend 3 years in the Premier. We already have planning permission and a sceme set up if that happens.

How do I think West Brom will stay up? I''ve explained the budget situation with you, I would like to think that Megson has the managerial know how to bring players into the squad that will vastly improve it.

I would like both clubs to enjoy the forthcoming summer, and season. But the way you speak of our club has forced me to react.

[Saint Canary 0]

Zlatan, if it is indeed true that you have a transfer budget of £25 million then good luck to West Brom. I think if you spend £25m than you will be one of the top 5 biggest spending clubs in the league and have a better chance of staying. You won''t need any luck next year because you should have some class players...........

Just a couple of questions though. The URL you posted was a link a local newspaper was it not? Not always renowned for impartiality are they?

Secondly the article states that the money is for transfers and WAGES, our wage bill was £6mil last year and will rise with players having clauses in contracts for higher wages after promotion. Now as West Brom are a bigger club, with a bigger squad, your wage bill is going to be at least £10mil. Leaving you about £15mil for transfers and the new players wages.

Last question, with this vast war chest of cash for player transfers, West Brom must be compiling a list with some real quality players on it. I''ve been looking at some of the targets mentioned for WBA they are:

Ricky Scimeca - Well done, has the class to keep you in the Prem

Steffan Iverson - What a season he has had, you''ll have a fight on your hands to sign him, if he joins you then the Wolves physio will be out of a job!

Paul Dickov - Pure class, silky skills and stable temperament. I hear he is already booking the Baggies summer holiday in La Manga!

Seyi Olofinjana - Who?

Stern John - If he can''t score the goals to avoid relegation then no-one can.

I understand some of these targets won''t join you, which is a shame, something which I’m sure we are all agreed on. Do you think these targets are just a smokescreen to disguise your real targets, or are the baggies going to bring in these cheap and free players to save the whole £25mil on bringing David Beckham back to the Premier League?

Let the spending begin!

[Mr.Carrow 382]

A couple of questions for you Zlatan. How many times have you sold out the Hawthorns this season? An average attendance around 4,000 short of capacity in the wake of a glamorous season in the Prem, the windfall payments,several big signings and spending virtually all season in the top three is pretty pathetic. As has already been stated City have sold out the home areas of the ground for virtually every league game for the last 2 and a half seasons, on average about 4 weeks in advance but up to 10 weeks for big games. Capacity was increased to around 24,000 for the last couple of months of the season and this basically made no difference, games still selling out way in advance.

How many season ticket holders did you have this season? We currently have 19,000 with 2,000 more on a waiting list because we cant fit them all in! I doubt, given an average of 24,500, you had that many despite the positive factors listed above.

As for away support you had less than 2000 at Wimbledon, we had 3,500. Palace gave us 8,000 tickets because they knew we could sell them, why didn`t they do the same with you? Reading gave us 4,500 tickets which sold out in a few days, we pleaded for more but were told it was impossible due to season ticket holders, safety etc. so im afraid your boast of 8,000 is ridiculous.

I suggest you do a bit of homework before you get on your `big club` high horse then maybe you wont look so silly next time.

[gazzathegreat 0]

ahhh, finally you crack mate

"in the end playing for the title as a target, which looked as if it was certain to go to you, wasn''t enough to inspire our players to perform to the peak of their abilities"

what the hell does inspire them then, a whip across the arse from megson to wake them from their slumbers, don''t know about you, but watching that dross every week (and worse still playing it would send anyone to sleep),

sorry, if a professional footballer cannot be motivated to go for the title then he shouldn''t be playing - hope your donkeys can motivate themselves for the fight against the drop back to division one - or you will be in trouble

and as for the rest of the world, excuse me, like who thinks you will do better than us?

and as for adapting, you can''t under megson you will only ever get one sort of football - why do you think we got rid?

and as for large away attendances, ummm, whenever we have seen your lot on tv, seemed strangely quiet and sparse, and you did not sell out your allocation at carrow road - great fan base, yeah right - dream on mate, and your promotion celebration, when is it, or has it happened yet, no one noticed !!

[DumbleDelia is Magic 0]

Zlatan, I guarantee, absolutely GURANTEE you do not spend £25M this summer. If you are why have you got Schimca for next to nothing? Why are you going for Dickov on the cheap? If your aiming to do a Birmingham and aim for Europe you will need better players than that.

Don''t come on this site and patronise us by saying we''re naive about our chances next year. We know how hard it is. Last time I checked this site was for genuine Norwich fans. That''s not you. Go back to your own sites, with your own deluded fans and dream about your imaginary spending spree

[Mr.Carrow 382]

Oh yeah Gazza, i missed a complete sitter there! West Brom were given 1500 tickets and they failed to sell around 300 of them. In fact there were several City fans moved from the away end that night because that was the only place they could get tickets. People around me were amazed at such a paltry turn out for such a huge game. In the programme that night was a comparison of the two clubs gates over the last ten years and on average they were very similar.

I actually have very little against W.Brom as a club, generally finding them one of the more friendly Midlands clubs with a decent, loyal support but im afraid Zlatans patronising comments smack of a very common arrogance and worse,ignorance when it comes to clubs the wider football world find convenient to catagorise as inferior. Im not going to get into a petty `our clubs bigger than yours` spat but it would be nice if other peoples opinions were based on facts rather than assumptions and preconceptions.

[Young_Riles 0]

doesn''t koumas want to leave WBA anyway? sorry but the baggies will be torn apart by many of the teams in the premier, i cant see it happening any other way. we''ll have bad results to, but i would say we are more equipt to capitialise if a big team has a "bad day at the office". cant wait to our next encounter. in the words of Mr K.Keegan- "i would love it if we beat them!"
i dont see the point on coming on our message board and spouting rubbish anyway. sounds insecure, and like a bit of sour grapes really.
ALWAYS PEE ON THE TESCO CARRIER BAGS, dee duh, dee duh, dee duh, dee duh!!!!!

[Tilt 12]

Chunkey Canary: Yes, I am saying that. Remember that we almost signed the likes of King etc and thank goodness we didn''t. See the "free transfers" thread for my thoughts on who we **should** be signing :)

[sheded 0]

Give me strength ! ........... hey zlitant ....... its foreign players with your attitude that pollutes a lot of our teams these days ! ...... in it purely for the money , look after numero uno , arrogant and conceited , destroyers of team spirit [ something they can`t grasp ! ] , getting " injured " at the first opportunity so they can put their feet up and draw their wage with no effort ... read my lips zlitto , If I was a manager your kind would NOT be hired in the first place ! ........ and if , inevitably, they become useless pests , I would make sure they would be stuck in the reserves for a very short spell , then booted out ! ..........