Faith in the Unknown

[Canary02 III 0]

It''s come to something when all of my faith and sanity is wrapped up in the hope that a Chief Executive whom we barely know is actually a shrewd genius and not just the latest yes man.

DS, MWJ and MF all gave Dangerous Bryan a 2 year contract on the strength of his disasterous record last season and what they described at the time as a need for continuity, and then after 1 match and a summer with the transfer warchest, recanted and decided he wasn''t any good to last longer than 90 minutes. These are facts, not speculations, actual recorded facts.

This factor alone displays just how impossible they have made their own position. Whilst I believe that getting rid of Gunn now before he has the chance to do any real damage in his naivety was essentially the right decision, the fact is that these three people (one of whom has since been rewarded with the position of Vice-Chairman) have to all intents and purposes renounced their intellectual integrity by joining the unanimous vote to get rid of Bryan Gunn. I would have had more faith if they''d vetoed the decision because at least their words would have been worth something. As it is the only conclusion to draw is that they were convinced that Gunn was the best man for the job, they then had three new board members who said otherwise and rather than back their own judgement they meekly aquiesced, holding up their hands and saying that three people who have never been directors of a football club before (albeit one who has good experience as a leading staff member) know better than them with god knows how many years experience between them as board members, after one match on the board.

Essentially, "we''re thick and we know we are".

So why in the hell should we trust them to be part of the decision-making process in the future? By their own admission they are not capable.

My only prayer is that in McNally we have a real gem. That the three old directors have to all intents and purposes handed over total control to him on every aspect of the club bar the catering. That in his short time with us McNally has made the decision to root out the obvious disaster in the making that was Gunn, persuaded the other directors by force of personality that this was the only direction to move in, and will now make a genuinely impressive and progressive appointment to what is the biggest role within the football club. If this is the case then I would expect him to already be a long way down the road to making that appointment. And he MUST be the man with the final say on the appointment because the three old directors have renounced any integrity they have in this respect by their actions this week.

Listening to him on RN tonight, I am concerned that this may not be the case, but am willing to concede that in his efforts to remain circumspect and not get drawn into wider debates he has played a straight bat and said nothing deliberately (if not particularly articulately). But it sounded from what he said, like he has no back up plan, which would be truly worrying.

• If there''s a takeover happening which has resulted in a demand for Gunn''s removal which McNally is stalling for time on to announce: Great.
• If he has a top quality experienced appointment in the bag and is just stalling for time while contractual details are ironed out: Great.
• If he has spotted Gunn as a poor manager and acted quickly to get him out at the first opportunity and equally has the power to appoint someone himself but has only now begun his search for a manager: Then I am not as impressed but his effectiveness will then be decided by the success of the appointee.
• If he has gotten rid of Gunn only to allow DS, MWJ and MF to have strong input as to a successor: He may as well go too.

The quality of the appointment and how it plays out over the coming days will determine a whole lot about the viability of this board going forward. A cheap, unproven, or poorly historied appointment will bring me to join those calling for a removal of the entire board. I have stood up for them on many occasions before as good-hearted people doing their best but their actions of the last year have made their presence in decision-making untenable. All my hope is now in McNally, and the hope that they appoint better Chief Execs than they do managers. I may have to reach for the pills over the coming days.

[Simon Lappin, King Of Spain 0]

Agree with everything you have said, can''t beleive that they would sack Gunn without a much more experienced replacement. McNally does not strike me as someone who would act in a rash, ill considered manner. However as you say if they mess this up then it will be the last straw and I will be among those protesting and calling for their heads on a platter.

[gazzathegreat 0]

Canary 02

I doubt you are alone in your sentiments. As with most of the actions from the board at Carrow Road, we, at least at present don’t have access to all the facts or really anything other than pure speculation into their decision making processes.

Is McNally a shrewd genius? I really do hope so. I wondered on his appointment why on earth someone who had been at a much higher stage than where we currently are as a club would indeed by enticed here. After the fine words and his reasons for coming, we have, in essence his first ‘action’. Of course the sacking of Gunn goes down as an unanimous board decision. This I just don’t get.

We all know Delia and Michael appointed him (along with the go ahead from Foulger and Munby at the time) after relegation because (to quote Delia) he deserved it. For me that utterance was possibly one of the most chilling ever to be made by our majority shareholder, and let’s face it, she has an astonishing and rich back catalogue we can examine.

Just how comfortably the decision to appoint Gunn sat with the three new board members is of course, anyone’s guess. I still don’t really know anything about the other two new board members, there doesn’t seem to be any reliable quotes anywhere, so we can only assume they are agreeing with McNally’s public statement. What happened at the Capitals’ AGM on Monday though. Several of our own posters on this very forum attended and told of the difference in body language and demeanour of Delia and Michael and that of McNally. Did ALL THREE know then that Gunn was sacked (if it had already been decided) or that it was imminent?

Do we trust them to make further decisions? Delia and Michael, most certainly not. How they have either the will to continue to do so, or the backing of the rest of the directors, is quite frankly beyond my comprehension. I can only assume that some pressure was brought on the pair by the rest of them. How they did it we may never know. Do we trust McNally, Foulger (debatable in the extreme) or the remaining new men, my guess is we don’t have much choice. One thing, for me Canary 02 is 100% certain. Delia and Michael must have ABSOLUTELY NO PART IN RECRUITING THE NEXT MANAGER.

I am with you 100% in your prayer that McNally will be the man to turn our fortunes (in every avenue connected with NCFC) around. Let’s face it we have little choice at the moment. Apart from Delia’s biggest supporters (if indeed there are any left after this week, but seriously, we know only too well there are), we have to find a way of reducing her influence on everything NCFC. It’s no coincidence that this club has lurched from crisis to crisis (or is that circus?) Since she bought all those shares. How many appointments as manager? How many have they paid off? How many millions have been squandered on the good old off field investments, none of which are instrumental in helping us achieve our status as a football club now. Look at where we are, and I pray, literally, that we have the right people now, to begin the undoubtedly long road back to something approaching credibility on and off the field.

Now on to your very interesting bullet points. Is there a takeover planned which would result in the happenings of the past two days? We could certainly be allowed to think there could be some mileage in that. Let’s face it, nothing should surprise a city fan these days! Yes, I don’t doubt McNally (at least) has someone in mind for replacing the Gunn regime (and by that I mean all of them). I don’t think he will allow (seeing he has been the spokesperson for the Gunn sacking) Delia and Michael to have any real influence over the appointment of the new manager. Remembering their majority shareholding, they will have to agree with the eventual decision, but they HAVE TO concede that they really should NOT have any major part in it all.

Like you, I wish, totally, wholeheartedly, that we get this one right. We cannot keep doing this to ourselves, I can honestly take the banter, ridicule etc from other fans, but I cannot take the overwhelming sense of loss I feel regarding our league status or our soul destroying destruction of a club, in which we were all once so proud.

So yes Canary 02, we have to dare to dream that NOW they have, despite themselves made a half decent appointment as CE. The downside or the reality of another major failure doesn’t bear thinking about.

[Gingerpele 0]

Woah two huge posts there, i really fell like i should read them, but my eyes hurt, can you bumb them later, so i can read them tomorrow

[Canary02 III 0]

The big worry is that we''re putting all our eggs in one basket with McNally. None of us really know what he''s about due simply to his lack of time in situ, but we''re all hoping that his c.v. speaks volumes.

The worst outcome would be for him to make an appointment such as a Lawrie Sanchez or other failing manager that he has had a prior relationship with. If he does that and proves himself a sentimentalist or someone who sticks to only those he knows because he''s scared to place his neck on the line by venturing into the unknown, we''re utterly screwed. Because if he cocks up, we know for certain that there''s nobody else in charge who can change anything because their credibility is non-existant. What then? Are we hoping that Chairman Bowkett or Lionel Ritchie from Archant will take the reigns and save us?

This is in my opinion, the biggest managerial appointment we have ever made and we have to get it right.

[Downloads 35]

This decision definitely is the biggest decision the club have to make and i think it is pivotal to Norwich''s future.

Fail and we are left in this division, looking at selling anyone of worth and hoping Delia puts money into the club to stop it from going under. I guess that is worst case scenario, cos administration would be more preferable to me anyway. The unfortunate truth is tho that Delia will save the club from administration by puting her own money in and selling off any players worth 2 bob. Adeyemi, Hughes, Hoolahan, Holt. Can see them all going without the next manager getting us promoted by playing the correct players. Stefanovic and Hughes? Would be nice to at least see Maric on the bench? 

[Mello Yello 2,573]

Who appointed Mr Mac? Yes, the Stowmarket Two.....Was he also recruited to turn their personal business fortunes around as well as sort out the floundering football freefall and the finances?

I am somewhat slightly deflated after hearing him on Radio Snorefolk after the game. I understand that he has to remain careful and covert concerning many matters....but he didn''t actually raise my expectations and seemed somewhat aloof, uncertain and not very confident for the duration of his interview. 

I also don''t see Mr Foulger (a nice bloke) as a suitable Vice-Chairman, or what Archant Man''s role at the club actually is.....(although the cynic in me, says that you should keep your enemies close)...The Chairman is like the Scarlet Pimpernel at this moment in time...Is he on his hols?

Match of the Day''s on now.....Bye!

[city-till-i-die 7]

[quote user="Gingerpele"]Woah two huge posts there, i really fell like i should read them, but my eyes hurt, can you bumb them later, so i can read them tomorrow[/quote]lmfao...im with you on this...a bit worse for beer..lol...how can people post sense this time of night...YOU SHOULD ALL BE PI$$ED..[;)]

[Clever Farke 75]

All hopes now rest on McNally pulling a rabbit out of the hat. This would be some magic trick - a brilliant manager coming in on a League 1 wage, with no budget, someone elses players (who have only just started to get to know eachother)  and no time in the transfer window and not to mention the enormous pressure to get promoted at the first attempt....or the hostile natives baying for blood.  So, no pressure David.

[blahblahblah 2]

[quote]The quality of the appointment and how it plays out over the coming

days will determine a whole lot about the viability of this board going

forward. A cheap, unproven, or poorly historied appointment will bring

me to join those calling for a removal of the entire board.[/quote]So who is your ideal boss ?  And who is realistic ?I''ve got a feeling it will be Butterworth, mainly because he knows the players, he has effectively been the boss to all intents and purposes regarding decision making, rumours persist that he picked the team for yeovil, and we can''t possibly have any money left for a new bosses'' wage and yet another tranche of transfers.As has been said, who is honestly going to come in with maybe a week of the transfer window left open, and most of the money already gone  on Team Gunns'' transfers / pay-off.