Borad and manager: my thoughts

[Dean Coneys boots 1,531]

 

ROEDER: I think it is the case that Roeder is a very bolshy unaccomodating man, who is inflexible and utterly uncompromising. When he first goes to clubs who have suffered with ill discipline and an overly relaxed atmosphere- he does wonders. At first people get the kick up the pants they need, but in time the truth dawns and he loses the dressing room. Becuase it becomes apparent that the favourites play (so why bother trying- ie Lappin) the heroes go (Hucks treatment) and the ''gaffer'' regins supreme as a little dictator. But to his credit he does have good links within the game- and like many power hungry people- is very nice with those he is not in charge of.

Sadly none of the above eclipses Roeder''s biggest and fatal mistake. His arrogance led him to think he would sign players without any problem and so he simply got shot of Hucks, Brown and did not concern himself with Dion''s retirment. He then failed to replace them and I have - in all my years of following Norwich- NEVER known the team to have so little bite up front. He has also- I think- promised games to the loan kids and in a relegation dog fight they simply crumble. Let us be honest the team IS actually better than this- but the confidence is low and the team is simply not as good as the sum of its parts. But then you will never do well without goalscorers...and you do NOT need to play for England to understand that. Cloughie once said that if you gave him £2m he would split it and spend one on the goalie and one on a stiker- and fill the other positions in whenever, he made an apt point. We have the keeper - but the striker was never replaced when Earny left. Curo was a very desperate purchase - a one season wonder who is clearly washed up.

Roeder has now lost the fans. Barring a twenty game unbeaten run I do not ever see him winning them back. He is now a dead man walking- or should be. I cannot see him here in the summer.

BOARD: They are actually more arrogant than he is. They enjoyed the good times but fail to take responsibilty for the bad. Whilst personably charming they are in no mood to move. The refusal of Cullum looks more and more stupid. Had they accepted his offer last year we would NOT be here now. You can whinge about the quality of the shares etc...but that was the move that was best for the club and it was not taken. Yes they are courting investment but that is very different from being prepared to stand down for the good of all.

The board''s main failure was to spend on non footballing aspects and ignore investment for the team. They have effectively asset stripped the club- you see that in Ashton- Earny- Curo - noone or even Francis- Dickson- Fotheringham (who is lightweight and awful). Ultimately I can forgive them not having the money to invest -but when you blow the chance of millions spent on players (which was offered) it is over for me. Yes it would have involved sacrifice- so be it.

They are FAR too slow to act. If Roeder is not sacked today then we WILL go down in my opinion. A new man is needed- any will do at this moment. Yes any Tom, Dick or Harry will at least freshen the mood as it did last year. Relegation is not worht considering. But after the window will be too late and we need TWO GOOD strikers NOW....they will not come. Alas the best we can hope for is either a raw teen belonging to someone else or else a washed up journey man. Norwich stopped signing quality players of its own a very long time ago.

Finally please do not believe the ''we have little resources'' guff. Plenty of teams with smaller budgets and fan bases are consistently out performing us in this league. We are seriously punching below our weight which is why change is needed to both board and manager in my opinion. The manager because he is rude and stubborn. The board because they are the ever present problem in all this steady and terminal decline.

 

[Morph 31]

So if Roeder is sacked should the board appoint a manager on a contract that runs only to the end of the current season? A contract of the style of Kinnear at Newcastle when he first joined. The goal to achieving further discussion on a new contract is then to avoid relegation.What do they put in place to make sure they get the right man? Without any footballing knowledge on the board how do they ensure that they don''t have another Grant or another Roeder?

[Dean Coneys boots 1,531]

I think a short term ''earn your spurs'' would be a great idea. And I would build into the contract the following provisos:

If at Christmas the following year:

1) The team are in top six- a 2 yr contract is offered with large bonus

2) the team is midtable - a 1 year extension is offered

3)  The team is fighting for usrvival- the manager walks when requested with mimimal compensation.

 

Probably not possible but there you go. For my money Curbishley is the best currently out of work.

[shefcanary 2,955]

Did you mean Borat for Manager - now that''s an adequate replacement for the current clown in charge!