Yet again concrete is more important than players!!!.

[First Wizard 0]

I really thought those dark days of collecting concrete instead of players were over, but damn it they''re back.

When, after 9 awful years, we finally get back to the promised land, led by one of the best young managers in the game, what does our illustrious board do?. Strengthen the team?. No, they build a bloody corner infill, thats what!.

Worthy wanted a striker because City NEED a striker, and they cost money, serious money. how much would the board give him, not enough I wager, to ensure his target signed. But they could fund the infill, madness!, Doomcaster led maybe, remember his ''We can''t afford Hucks'' quote of his?.

I honestly ''saw'' Harwoood signing in my balls (still might in January) but it would appear my powers are on the wane. Anyway, it will be too late then

Although its is nothing like the Chase era, this prioty of concrete before players worries me greatly.

Look at the forwards in this club, with the exception of Hucks, Leon, Bently (not really ours) who else do you think will ensure we will beat ''lesser'' teams.

Hendo and Jarvis -still a bit young,

Doherty- Fitted in well, but happier at centre half!.

McVeigh - Just can''t cut the mustard in my book, sorry.

Svensson and Jonson- Still have a lot to prove.

Brennan - out of favour.

Take into acccount injuries and suspensions, to the former three or indeed one, and thats that, no one!!.

Is that the best forwards, this club has got, to keep us in the Premiership. Well they won''t.

Still it should be the best corner infill in the micky mouse championshiip!.

[BH0201 0]

Haven''t ever heard such nonsense in a long while.

Quality strikers cost quality money and want quality wages and long contracts. Say the worst happens. Quality striker screws quality club turning it into quality waste ground.

So you go off and moan about it. I tell you what, organise a protest at the lack of ambition of the board for before Villa. In fact, i''ll start it for you. Protest at 1pm outside the City Stand. See how many turn up. You can see the chanting throng now "Delia Out." All 2 of them.

[Meeky 0]

Hey Wiz
Have a look at this table from last season, and remember who was playing up front for us then? Iwan, Zema and Elvis.

http://www.norwichcity-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=30&Month=Aug&ssnno=133&teamno=400


So McVeigh can''t cut the mustard either, is that with or without the goal he scored at OT. Don''t think I have ever read so much drivel on this board as this post.

[Tumbleweed 106]

I really don''t know why you''ve become so negative Wiz, maybe its the onset of Autumn as your balls drop with the leaves........or perhaps your toy Palantir has run out of batteries?

What you are underestimating is team spirit. Don''t recall those dark days of Chase, but this Third Age echoes that of the time of Mike Walker the younger version. Did anybody really think that a converted centre half would score 28 majestic goals in one season ably supported by some good solid but unheralded and unheard of fellow travellers? Its remarkably similar to what''s happening now.

Now for some maths: Corner Infill=more spectators=revenue=players

What would you get for the cost of the Corner Infill? Wayne Rooney''s boots? A League One striker from Nowheresville United? We have more striking talent here now than for many a year and if people got off their backs because they only scored 4 goals against two of the best teams in Europe and one which finished fifth.

Arguably its the defence which still needs a look. Birmingham have scored just two goals but are in healthy mid table. Had we not conceded 9 then we wouldn''t be where we are. So why don''t you start blaming Green, Drury or Fleming (no, that would risk eternal opprobrium and the return for you of the dark age)

I know this Board is great for debate and freedom of speech, but some of the negativity emanating herefrom recently has been astonishing. In case anybody didn''t notice we are back in the Premierhsip (read that again if necessary), why can''t we just enjoy it? We all knew we would probably drop or at best struggle to lower midtable, if we go down we go down stronger wiser and better.

Oh, and by the way this must be a record series of summer signings for City (Hamilton loan glut apart):

Jonson
Helveg
Doherty
Safri
Bentley
Charlton

some of these need time to gel plus there''s Mullers still to come back and we still don''t know how Zema will return (another Efan Ekoku would be rather nice).

We are in danger of being like supporters of Wolves, Spurs, Boro, Everton, Man City, West Ham and so on: never happy and not appreciating what we have. Spoilt children all of them who demand more more more.

Please come back the dear old positive Wiz from last season................

[DumbleDelia is Magic 0]

Wiz,

I''m sorry but I''ve got to disagree with you again. You seem to be under the impression that this year is win or bust. Well it isn''t. I crave for us to stay up too. We''ve only been here a couple of weeks but I love the Premiership. However, we HAVE to look at our clubs future long term. The way we have spent this summer, if we go down, which lets face it is a realistic possiblilty, we will not have to disband the squad. We will not have to sell left, right and centre. However, if we had spent like West Brom and STILL gone down, again a realistic possibilty, we WOULD have had to sell left right and centre. If that had been the case we would in actual fact have gone BACKWARDS as a football club in two years. This seems ludicrous. The corner infill is vital to us long term. Getting crowds of 26,000 instead of crowds of 22,000 week in week out will make a hell of a difference

If we stay up- FANTASTIC. Well done lads. Brilliant. If we go down we''ll give it a bloody good go at getting back up. We can''t expect miracles in our first season back in the Prem. To spend beyond our means would be foolish. I''d rather do a Charlton than a Bradford

Keep the faith

[First Wizard 0]

Time will tell children!.

[Mcsncfcmcs 0]

Sorry, but this is the most ridiculous post I have ever read. The in-fill is being built on the back of unprecedented demand for tickets, a demand which will still be there if we are a team challenging at the top end of the Championship after our profile has been raised so highly this season. The in-fill is being built purely on the basis that the additional revenue it will bring will be guaranteed to pay it off over the course of 5 or 6 years. The money could not have just been spent on a striker instead as a result. Buying another striker would not guarantee us anything.

I simply cannot comprehend how twisted some people are. We''ve come so far in the past few years and you want to throw it all away on the back of not being able to sign a ninth player (the news incidently now strongly states that we thought Johansson was all but signed but Curbishley-who himself is being cautious knowing how a few injuries could lead his side to relegation and devastation- wouldn''t sell when they couldn''t buy another striker to replace him).

Just because you convinced yourself we were going to sign Harewood (when there was probably nothing in that anyway, even perhaps just based on Worthy not being keen on Harewood''s famed bad attitude, and nothing to do with money) you are going well over the top.

Oh, and I could spend 1500 words explaining why "Doomcaster" initially said we couldn''t sign Hucks (eg that the fans support, whilst a massive factor in Hucks wanting to come here, actually made it harder to sign him as Man City could keep their initial asking price out of our reach in the hope that the board would be forced into overspending- an asking price which was eventually greatly reduced after we didn''t buckle once his loan deal was up therefore making the signing possible) but you will be too determined not to accept facts for me to bother.

[BH0201 0]

Any chance of being any more patronising if you tried?

[kennyfoggo 0]

with regards to JJ the deal was almost signed......

[Jim Smith 2,608]

I can see both sides of this argument. I agree we can''t cripple the club financially but at the same time I can''t help thinking that we could have scraped together enough cash to have brought in at least one quality striker this summer which would have made a world of difference. We appear to have a budget of about 500K per player which simply isn''t enough at this level.

The one thing though that really bugs me this season is this we are planning to go back down and then come back up again attitude. Ok we have to keep half an eye on what happens if we get relegated but for me there have been too many references to it from important people at the club during the close season and you almost wonder if the club really believes we have a chance of staying up. Having seen us play in the first 4 games i really think we do but the one thing lacking is that goalscorer as not only do we need to take our chances but we might also need Docherty to play at the back in some games for his height. As such i am a bit worried that we have not managed to get someone in.

[Gentleman Jim 0]

Do they still send failed wizards to Azkaban ?

Must ask Harry Potter sometime !

[First Wizard 0]

Wise, wise words from Tumbleweed as usual, I shall try to heed them.

But sometimes the passion of a non event gets me really ''wound up'' because I think it will be City''s downfall in not signing a striker.

However here goes, Keep the Fai...

No, still can''t say it, maybe after Spurs, maybe.

[beelsie 0]

Well said Craig 021, I love most of Wizzes posts posts, he''s back in stirrers mode again, poking the board with his pointed wand hoping to make sparks.!!! OTBC!!!

[Bayern Eunuch 1]

"Time will tell children" !

so what age do most people grow out of WizardSpeak !

[gazzathegreat 0]

can tell you haven''t been on here long meeky, take a look back at this time last year, you might just be surprised lol

[Nepturamus 0]

I think someone has stolen the Wizard''s log-in with the sole intent of destroying any sort of a reputation.

Didn''t see any front men in the Arsenal side leading the line, winning headers and holding up the play. Not as vital as the lower divisions if we are capable of playing balls to feet. If we need another striker they have to be better than what we''ve got.

Three more things...

Any proven 20 goal a season man is going cost a fair bob or two (Rooney''s not even that and look at his price!)

On the Rooney subject, and with Fabregas''s introduction to the premiership - how can Jarvis or Hendo be too young?

As for Palace''s squad - It looks a real hotch potch of potential pay check passionless players who are going to need all of the walk on water Ian Dowie skills (and Italian, Hungarian and Equadorian linguistic talent) to keep them out of 20th place.

KTFOTBC wer wer wer

[shardy 0]

I keep asking this question, who could we have signed, for a realistic price (less than 2.5 million) who would be better than what we have. Imo harewood is not good enough who else.

So give worthy a break as its the same for him to try and think of a striker that WILL definately score 15 goals, who is available and will cost less than 2.5-3 million i cant think of any one.

so give it a rest and enjoy the premiership while you can. iI believe their are 3 teams worse than us in this league any way.
Palace, Portsmouth, Everton, West Brom? Man City? Fulham? etc... we have a good chance of staying up so get behind the boys.

come on you yellows

[Texas1 0]

My view is that we have a very positive future........

From watching the first 4 games I honestly believe we can stay up and if we don''t I think we will have come very close.

People keep talking about the dreaded 1st Division, but I don''t see it as all that bad. I believe we will have a very strong (and together) 1st Div squad if we dont make it this year in the prem, and we can be involved in another exciting promotion chasing season.

It''s nice to know if we go down we''ll be considered one of the big clubs in that league (which is something we''ve never honestly been before).

As a fan I dont think we can ask for much more at the moment, we''ve several very exciting seasons ahead of us whatever happens and it just nice to know we''re not going to end up like Bradford/Sheffield Wednesday etc etc at the end of it.

We WILL scrape into 17th spot in May and attract bigger names next year.

Thanks for listening!

[blacko 0]

I agree with you Texas and just imagine the fun if we do manage it. 4th from bottom £2million plus the second half of the season tv money, plus whatever we do in the cups,plus another £15 million for next year. Take off £4-6 million to put another layer on the city stand, bring in the new season ticket money, then we will have a budget!

[GMF 1,010]

Let''s not overlook three crucial points relating to the non signing of any players before the closure of the transfer window.

First, we do not know, and probably never will, what money was actually available to cover not only any transfer fees, but additional player wages.

Second, just because the money wasn''t spent, doesn''t mean it isn''t available. Worthy said he had a look at what was available and it wasn''t, in his opinion, any better that what we already have.

Third, failure to sign anyone may actually have occurred because, either the owning clubs have unrealistic valuations for the target players (remember Alan Lee who went to from Rotherham to Cardiff) or the player himself, just may not have been interested in Norwich.

Clearly there are a mutitude of reasons why someone may not have been signed.

[susie b 0]

Texas1 - nail on head truly banged I think! I am really encouraged that, despite only two points to show for our efforts, we are definitely playing at a higher level than last season and we seem to be improving with every match as we learn the lessons we need to learn quickly. There- I promised everyone I would have my positive hat on this season and, as you can see, it is still well and truly stuck there!

[KeelansGlove 0]

OK I''ll get my coat.

I will buck the trend and agree with the Wiz, whilst I am not complete doom and gloom I am very dissapointed and failing to sign a recognised premiership goalscorer at leat till January has in my opinion halved our chances of staying up.

Hopefully a number of players will play beyond themselves in the coming months but I cant imagine our forward line being the envy of many other premiership clubs can you ?

Svenson , in my opinion the jusy was still out at first division level and he has proved nothing so far this season.

Huckerby , will say it again for the hundredth time is not a centreforward , his shooting is just not acurate enough (see Newcastle sitter most recent of many) He is a fantastic player and can make any team tick at any level but will not be the one to score the goals to keep us in this league.

Doherty , prefers to play at centre half and although I can see him doing a job for us cant see him being prolific.

McKenzie, Got pace and possibilities but currently very short on confidence having had good chances in all his appearances and yet to get close to scoring.

Jarvis and Henderson , not ready yet, showing some promise but we cannot rely on them to keep us in the premiership.

Bentley, Mcveigh and Jonson all have possibilites but currently playing much deeper. I would be keen to see any of these play upfront with Doherty with Huckerby in behind but still think we are clutching at straws.

Huckerby scored 14 goals last year at a lower level, the reason we were so succesful was that he created at least as many for others, he will not do that playing upfront.

Well I hope that I am proved wrong we have played well in our first few games but in my opinion lack the key ingredient of a natural goalscorer who can crack premiership defences.

We still have less points than we would have hoped by now, 3 points from Crystal Palace. The gutsy displays against Man U, Newcastle and Arsenal count for nothing.

[king of latvia 0]

im really encouraged but what wages are the players on at the moment and if we go down will they take a pay cut ? and how many of the so called supporters will renew they season ticket to see crewe gillingham and also how many aay season tickets will they sell if we go down all this must be thought about ,we must look ahead not just this season ,and i wonder how many of you will be saying i enjoyed the prem but we are in the championship now im happy about that.

[kdncfc 0]

We do seem to be adopting the if we go down we''ll come straight back attitude which sounds good on paper but in reality doesn''t always work like that. I do agree with wiz to a degree but the corner infill is definetely needed with such high demand for tickets. The main problem with our failure to buy a striker will come if we need docs height at the back who will play up front? I''m not convinced he''ll score enough goals cos he lacks the pace to trouble most defences in the prem. Have to admit I think we''ve been overcautious in our spending, West Brom spent 7 million the first time they came up but on the wrong players. We have spent around 2 million which is nowhere near enough to get the necessary quality. We will now find it very difficult to finish above West Brom and Pompey as a result of the Quality theyve bought in and I''m less than convinced that Everton will struggle as some have predicted, the Rooney business seems to have galvanised them.

[Anderz 0]

Wiz, for all the debate and bickering your posting has created, in the greater scheme of things, it now doesn''t make an iota of difference...
The board WILL spend money on the infills (much needed) and HAVEN''T sign anyone on transfer deadline day...
Throwing your toys out of your pram won''t alter the fact that the transfer window has closed or change the fact that we are bound by Premiership rules to not sign anyone till January and that we''ll have to "go with what we''ve got" (Worthers, 2004)

Like you, I was dissappointed by there being no new names added yesterday, but there needs to be some commonsense utilised here; just because HMV has a sale, we aren''t all obligated to pop in and buy something, surely?!?

The need for support and unequivocal encouragement for the players who are at Fortress Sexy Football far outweighs the need for a striker/midfielder/defender now (I''m not questioning your ability/desire to support the team btw...)

So lets not concern ourselves with whats gone on in the past, lets look ahead...

Ffs, we''re in the Premiership...! (apologies for the implied swearing...)

[jobian 0]

All this talk of "quality". If you want quality you have to pay for it. We don''t have enough money to compete financially with the other teams in the league. We will stay up this year because of our team spirit and how we work together as a unit. Football is a team game, having eleven great individuals cannot guarantee success. If we bought a moaner like Harewood we risk crushing the spirit. BTW can we still get someone else in on loan? or do we have to wait till January?

[yoda 0]

with regards to the corner infill , fans on the waiting list will only wait so long , if the dont see enough games they will no doubt get jarred off and go onto something else . we need to build the infill and get the extra revenue coming in . that way those extra fans will be " bitten " and will want to renew next season what ever league we are in .

[Marty 0]

I think it is fairly moronic to start complaining about the future after only 4 games. Many people have added their more positive views about the situation and I think until we have reason to worry we should be relatively optamistic and hopefull. Running a football club involves many decisions that we don''t that we don''t know about, some of us think it is so simple. Well i think considering we have many new players, most of which are yet to settle, we should stick with the team we''ve got and support them for the immediate future. In a month of so I let''s re-evaluate the situation. As for the ground improvements, surely they are necessary or am i missing something, so the original title to the post seems futile rather than merely thought provoking. I understand the concerns but I think it''s too early to start on this track yet.

 

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[quote]I can see both sides of this argument. I agree we can''t cripple the club financially but at the same time I can''t help thinking that we could have scraped together enough cash to have brought in at le...[/quote]

"I can''t help thinking that we could have scraped together enough cash to have brought in at least one quality striker this summer"

I know I''ve been away, but can anybody point me to the interview with Worthy or anyone from the club who has said we couldn''t afford a player, or couldn''t/wouldn''t scrape together the cash for one?

From what I''ve read it just looks as though Worthy is being cautious, or isn''t prepared to pay what some clubs are asking for some players etc. By all means debate that, but unless there is any evidence that the money isn''t there, I think its unfair to criticise the board. For all we know Worthy does have some budget remaining, but at the end of the day its up to him how he spends it. Unless of course you are asking them to find, say, 5m for a player which I suspect they don''t have and would have to borrow.

[First Wizard 0]

[quote]Do they still send failed wizards to Azkaban ? Must ask Harry Potter sometime ![/quote]

As I can''t get use to this damn new board, I''m not sure who you are, so please forgive my error and being thick!.

But if your knowledge of magic can only stretch to just Harry Potter, I shall refrain from being harsh to you.