If/When we survive

[Chunky Norwich 0]

Here''s my second-biggest football-related fear - after going down of course:

The final home game of the season ends at Reading and after the game we''re 4+ points clear of the drop or 3+ with a vastly superior goal difference. The players come out for their lap of honour and everyone cheers and applauds. The players get a brilliant reception, Gunn is given the freedom of the city and a brand new contract and everyone leaves the ground with a warm feeling in their tummy.

Basically it''s a fear that survival by the skin of our teeth from the third tier of English football is a GOOD thing. The bench-mark is set ever lower, the fans adjust their expectations and the board adjust their wage availability.

After the season ends, we must still push for some accountability - whichever league we''re in.

[rjwc22 0]

I think the level of discontent around the club makes some form of post mortem inevitable regardless of whether we avoid the drop.  Comparing the situation to 12 months ago - we had an experienced manager who had saved us from the drop and all was about building for the next season.  This year the club is basically up for sale and being run on a shoestring budget by ex players.

This is not to say that the answer will be to find a lot of money in the summer but think there needs to be some serious discussion about how to move the club forward in the current financial climate.  Surely we need to start trying to use the youth players and hopefully unearth a few gems like odeyemi or daley and then profit one way or another from them.

[Muddy funster 0]

No, it would be a relief that we haven''t been relegated, which is a very scary possibility currently.

Rebuilding is needed but I think Butterworth and Chippy are perfect foils for Gunny''s man management skills, perhaps they may surprise a few people next season if we stay up.

Survival would not set a low benchmark for future seasons.  Addressed in the right way, it can be a wake up call to Directors and players alike as to just how close the possibility of relegation is if we don''t clean our act up. 

If we survive this season then 10th or above (whilst not being acceptable) would certainly be a building block to attack the playoffs the following season.  3 Year plan anyone?  Remember who came up with that and what happened....

[Mello Yello 2,281]

''Success''......Is the amount of season tickets sold.....

[William Darby 0]

''Gunn is given the freedom of the city''He already has this doesn''t he? For being an  Ex-Sheriff

[Canary02 III 0]

I think it depends upon whom you believe is setting the standards. The standards on the pitch are currently being set by the management team and that is moving in the right direction. If this were to continue into next season, I for one would not be displeased.

Off the field, despite the endless cod-finance debates, the simple situation is that we''re financially safe, but unable to add much into a transfer kitty. The board have made some serious errors in what should be their most important decision regarding the club: the appointment of a new manager. I''m happy for the current board to continue on the proviso that this summer, they look to appoint a footballing expert to the board, and preferably a fans representative as well. They have made some big mistakes and they need to acknowledge that maybe they are not best positioned to have the only say in these matters and for the good of the club, there needs to be a specialist voice or two added.

[city-till-i-die 7]

[quote user="Chunky Norwich"]

Here''s my second-biggest football-related fear - after going down of course:

The final home game of the season ends at Reading and after the game we''re 4+ points clear of the drop or 3+ with a vastly superior goal difference. The players come out for their lap of honour and everyone cheers and applauds. The players get a brilliant reception, Gunn is given the freedom of the city and a brand new contract and everyone leaves the ground with a warm feeling in their tummy.

Basically it''s a fear that survival by the skin of our teeth from the third tier of English football is a GOOD thing. The bench-mark is set ever lower, the fans adjust their expectations and the board adjust their wage availability.

After the season ends, we must still push for some accountability - whichever league we''re in.

[/quote]it will be great to avoid relegation...but i dont think the benchmark will be set lower by the supporters we deserve and demand more then a relegation fight each season...THE BOARD MAY SET A NEW BENCH MARK(if they could do/set much lower than now...OTBC

[gazzathegreat 0]

Good call re the board Canary02III. Trouble is, as far as I have seen/heard, the only "mistakes" they acknowledge are the appointments of Grant and Roeder. Nothing else. Surely even the most pro board supporter could add a few to that list and the rest of us, several. With the custodians of the club in denial and leaving everything to Gunn and co on the pitch, I will be mighty relieved if we survive. But questions have to be asked and solutions to each year''s decline addressed. Like you, I find a board as small as ours alarming, and not just for the scope of those individuals'' investment potential but for their inability to plan our future. We just won''t survive many more ''fingers crossed'' seasons.

[Canary02 III 0]

[quote user="gazzathegreat"]Good call re the board Canary02III. Trouble is, as far as I have seen/heard, the only "mistakes" they acknowledge are the appointments of Grant and Roeder. Nothing else. Surely even the most pro board supporter could add a few to that list and the rest of us, several. With the custodians of the club in denial and leaving everything to Gunn and co on the pitch, I will be mighty relieved if we survive. But questions have to be asked and solutions to each year''s decline addressed. Like you, I find a board as small as ours alarming, and not just for the scope of those individuals'' investment potential but for their inability to plan our future. We just won''t survive many more ''fingers crossed'' seasons.[/quote]

I think that the board are nice people with genuine intentions but when it comes to football matters they all know that they''re a little out of their depth. However, as with most people who find themselves in a similar situation, in whatever walk of life, the last thing they want to do is highlight their inadequacy by admitting to it and bringing in an expert who will see through their naivety in such manners in a second. Hence they band together, take advice from a safe source like Dave Stringer who will never criticise or make public his feelings, and on some occasions we end up with a poor decision borne out of fear and insularity. I think there is a little too much vanity there that costs us, but it is understandable considering the amount of flack they take for whatever they do, whether it be good or bad. I still maintain that they''re not that bad as a board, but they''ve circled the wagons too tightly and there isn''t enough footballing knowledge which undermines key decisions such as the appointment of a new manager.

[ron obvious 1,501]

[quote user="Mello Yello"]''Success''......Is the amount of season tickets sold.....[/quote]For once, you''re absolutely correct.

[JJ 0]

[quote user="Chunky Norwich"]

Here''s my second-biggest football-related fear - after going down of course:

The final home game of the season ends at Reading and after the game we''re 4+ points clear of the drop or 3+ with a vastly superior goal difference. The players come out for their lap of honour and everyone cheers and applauds. The players get a brilliant reception, Gunn is given the freedom of the city and a brand new contract and everyone leaves the ground with a warm feeling in their tummy.

Basically it''s a fear that survival by the skin of our teeth from the third tier of English football is a GOOD thing. The bench-mark is set ever lower, the fans adjust their expectations and the board adjust their wage availability.

After the season ends, we must still push for some accountability - whichever league we''re in.

[/quote]

Good call.  I fear people will just forgive and forget everything that has gone before.  The same happened at the end of last season when Roeder kept us up, the season before when Grant kept us up, etc.  Looking at the bigger picture, there''s no guarantee it will be any different next time and I don''t think that''s a particularly negative outlook.

 

[Mello Yello 2,281]

[quote user="ron obvious"][quote user="Mello Yello"]''Success''......Is the amount of season tickets sold.....[/quote]

For once, you''re absolutely correct.


[/quote]

May I add.....To the NCFC Board and the CEO -''Success'' regarding whatever occurs on the playing field......is the amount of season tickets sold."

(make that absolutely correct, twice).....

[Salopian 1]

If you look at the last five games - 10 points and only 3 goals conceded, it seems that the new set up is beginning to deliver the goods. Of course we shall lose some good loan players at the end of the season, especially Mooney, Dow, Bertrand, Shackell, Clingan?Croft?, but with connections of the fabulous four we may be able to make some Bosman signings or other bargains, and we may have the money for one or two of the loanees.If things continue as they are the "escape velocity" achieved may persuade Board and players that things are on the up, that some money is found and ambition increased. If course, if the wheel comes off for some reason........

[Yellow Rider 0]

[quote user="Canary02 III"]

I think it depends upon whom you believe is setting the standards. The standards on the pitch are currently being set by the management team and that is moving in the right direction. If this were to continue into next season, I for one would not be displeased.

Off the field, despite the endless cod-finance debates, the simple situation is that we''re financially safe, but unable to add much into a transfer kitty. The board have made some serious errors in what should be their most important decision regarding the club: the appointment of a new manager. I''m happy for the current board to continue on the proviso that this summer, they look to appoint a footballing expert to the board, and preferably a fans representative as well. They have made some big mistakes and they need to acknowledge that maybe they are not best positioned to have the only say in these matters and for the good of the club, there needs to be a specialist voice or two added.

[/quote]

Really? Because ND said so?

Fact is we are c£20M in debt and that increases yrear by year with our over expenditure unless The Cook chips in with a million here, a million there by way of loans (then converted to shares) simply so that we can stay afloat.

[Binky 0]

[quote user="JJ"][quote user="Chunky Norwich"]

Here''s my second-biggest football-related fear - after going down of course:

The final home game of the season ends at Reading and after the game we''re 4+ points clear of the drop or 3+ with a vastly superior goal difference. The players come out for their lap of honour and everyone cheers and applauds. The players get a brilliant reception, Gunn is given the freedom of the city and a brand new contract and everyone leaves the ground with a warm feeling in their tummy.

Basically it''s a fear that survival by the skin of our teeth from the third tier of English football is a GOOD thing. The bench-mark is set ever lower, the fans adjust their expectations and the board adjust their wage availability.

After the season ends, we must still push for some accountability - whichever league we''re in.

[/quote]

Good call.  I fear people will just forgive and forget everything that has gone before.  The same happened at the end of last season when Roeder kept us up, the season before when Grant kept us up, etc.  Looking at the bigger picture, there''s no guarantee it will be any different next time and I don''t think that''s a particularly negative outlook.

 

[/quote]Fair comment JJ - but I think you are wrong. First, the Board have been well and truly scared this time around - and whether they want out or in, getting relegated will not help them one bit. Second, our new management team also got/are very worried too. Third, our new management team is a very good one IMO. Between them they will seek out good players AND will get the best out of them. I know there are still a few Roeder supporters on this board but no-one in their right minds can say Roeder was a good motivator and sometimes his actions (discarding certain players and discarding others before getting replacements) beggared belief. We became very vulnerable. If the past few games have been an aberration then you may be proved right. But I firmly believe we are now playing at the right level - a level we never saw under Roeder, except perhaps briefly when Lita led the team. We will need to keep some very important players though.

[grantroederdisaster 0]

Of course it will be great if we survive considering the cr*p we''ve had to put up with this season and the fact that after Blackpool the other week survival looked a very long shot!

 

After the euphoria of hopeful survival has died down I hope realism will set in and all club officials and playing staff will have a serious inquest into why our club has been  on a downward spiral since getting relegated from the Premiership in 2005!

 

As for expectations - Of course we know the club should be doing better but at this moment in time I would take 4th from bottom and so would any other sane Norwich fan!