Worthington - Ashton

[Tangible Fixed Assets anyone? 0]

About half way down the article is a reference to Worthington and Ashton:

http://norwichcity.myfootballwriter.com/2011/05/29/to-stick-in-the-summer-or-to-twist-again-in-the-winter-thats-the-real-teaser-but-in-paul-lambert-we-trust/

[lappinitup 629]

"I spoke to Worthy recently. He was full of praise for Lambert and genuinely full of hope and support for Norwich. But he believes that, if he had been allowed to buy Dean Ashton in the summer instead of in the January, City would have stayed up."

 

Thanks for drawing our attention to that Tangy! [Y]

 

Just proves the "Worthy outers" got it completely wrong. We may have been an established premiere club now if he''d been backed at the time. I bet you''re glad you didn''t get those stickers made now.

 

 

 

 

[Syteanric 1]

[quote user="lappinitup"]

"I spoke to Worthy recently. He was full of praise for Lambert and genuinely full of hope and support for Norwich. But he believes that, if he had been allowed to buy Dean Ashton in the summer instead of in the January, City would have stayed up."

 

Thanks for drawing our attention to that Tangy! [Y]

 

Just proves the "Worthy outers" got it completely wrong. We may have been an established premiere club now if he''d been backed at the time. I bet you''re glad you didn''t get those stickers made now.

 

 

 

 

[/quote]we werent relegated because we signed Ashton too late we were relegated because of the "Little Norwich" mentality around the club at the time... that and the rest of the squad werent good enough.

[San Miguel 0]

i think we would have stayed up had Ashton been purchased in the summer and if his form and fitness were the same as they were Jan-May.

but the mentality was an issue, and a lot of the summer signings were poor.

i have so much more faith this time.  OTBC

[Tangible Fixed Assets anyone? 0]

I thought the comment about why there was a delay in signing Ashton said alot.

The improvement in form, especially at home, after signing Ashton convinces me that had we signed him before the Prem. season we would have stayed up. 

I can''t see us making the same mistake under Bowkett - McNally - Lambert.

[Row D Seat 7 0]

Huckerby did an interview with Worthington where he said that he wanted Dean Ashton in the summer, but Doncaster said the money wasn''t there. Worthington''s reaction was ''If you''re saying no now, don''t come to me in January and suddenly tell me the money is there to sign him''. We then signed Ashton in January.

[Tangible Fixed Assets anyone? 0]

[quote user="Row D Seat 7"]Huckerby did an interview with Worthington where he said that he wanted Dean Ashton in the summer, but Doncaster said the money wasn''t there. Worthington''s reaction was ''If you''re saying no now, don''t come to me in January and suddenly tell me the money is there to sign him''. We then signed Ashton in January.[/quote]

So what do you think about the reason given in the Dennis article?

[nutty nigel 7,902]

It''s not news though Tangie. The fact that Worthy wasn''t allowed Ashton in the summer of 2004 has been public knowledge for 5 years. It was certainly in the press in the summer of 2006 before he was sacked because I made reference to it on here. This was what Worthy actually said in 2006 when he was once more trying to buy a qualiity striker and was once more frustrated with Munby and Doncaster :-

 

“It is most important from my point of view that we get people in as early as possible. The problem is that anybody who joins us now will be 2½ weeks behind in training and the very high levels of fitness we are trying to achieve.

“We have to be proactive rather than reactive. We signed Dean Ashton in January instead of pre-season and I think the lesson should have been learned from that.

 

“Things can develop very fast and it is a case of you can miss out if you don''t move swiftly.”

 

Rather than sign "just anyone" Worthy let the window close and signed Dion Dublin. He was sacked a couple of months later and Grant fitted in just fine with Doncaster and Munby and signed those "just anyones" that Worthy wouldn''t truck with. In the end it was probably Dion Dublin that kept us up. Ironic!

 

 

[First Wazzock 1,014]

[quote user="San Miguel"]

 the mentality was an issue, and a lot of the summer signings were poor.

i have so much more faith this time.  OTBC

[/quote]

Totally agree

[Row D Seat 7 0]

Signings of Helveg and Jonson totally went against Lambert''s thinking behind signings. Helveg and Jonson came in, didn''t really care, and both never ever performed well - apart from Helveg''s cross for Ashton against Newcastle at home.

[nutty nigel 7,902]

I don''t think anyone could accuse Jonson of not caring. The bloke gave everything while at our club. Trouble was he wasn''t suited to our game or Worthy never got to the bottom of him. probably a bit of both but he was certainly 100% committed.

 

 

 

 

[PurpleCanary 6,386]

[quote user="nutty nigel"]

I don''t think anyone could accuse Jonson of not caring. The bloke gave everything while at our club. Trouble was he wasn''t suited to our game or Worthy never got to the bottom of him. probably a bit of both but he was certainly 100% committed.

 

 

 

 

[/quote]

 

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Worthington tried to turn Jonson from a striker/wing-striker into a workhorse midfielder. Which explains why someone who in 57 appearances for Sweden (including as a sub) scored a goal every six games didn''t get even one for Norwich in 28.

 

As to the Ashton bit, this is just the Gospel according to Worthy. Again. Relegation wasn''t my fault; it was the board being stingy. This was the board that was so stingy that when we were already comfortably in the top two gave Worthington the money for McKenzie AND Svensson AND Huckerby.


And then in the summer gave him the money for Safri, Charlton, Doherty, Helveg, Jonson and Bentley. That adds up effectively to a whole new outfield to try to keep us in the Premier League. But apparently dear old Worthy Copperfield still wanted more. He should have thought about that when asking for the money for those other nine.

 

[Crafty Canary 547]

Shouldn''t it be Worthy Twist rather than Copperfield?

[PurpleCanary 6,386]

[quote user="crafty canary"]Shouldn''t it be Worthy Twist rather than Copperfield?
[/quote]

---

Yes. It should. That IS embarrassing.[:$] Really embarrassing.[:$] And I mean that. It really is.

[nutty nigel 7,902]

[quote user="PurpleCanary"][quote user="nutty nigel"]

I don''t think anyone could accuse Jonson of not caring. The bloke gave everything while at our club. Trouble was he wasn''t suited to our game or Worthy never got to the bottom of him. probably a bit of both but he was certainly 100% committed.

 

 

 

 

[/quote]

 

---

 

Worthington tried to turn Jonson from a striker/wing-striker into a workhorse midfielder. Which explains why someone who in 57 appearances for Sweden (including as a sub) scored a goal every six games didn''t get even one for Norwich in 28.

 

As to the Ashton bit, this is just the Gospel according to Worthy. Again. Relegation wasn''t my fault; it was the board being stingy. This was the board that was so stingy that when we were already comfortably in the top two gave Worthington the money for McKenzie AND Svensson AND Huckerby.


And then in the summer gave him the money for Safri, Charlton, Doherty, Helveg, Jonson and Bentley. That adds up effectively to a whole new outfield to try to keep us in the Premier League. But apparently dear old Worthy Copperfield still wanted more. He should have thought about that when asking for the money for those other nine.

 

[/quote]

 

I wouldn''t argue with you that Worthy didn''t get the best out of Jonson. After we were relegated Jonson went back to Sweden and won a coulpe of trophies for his new side. A club I won''t even attempt to spell here. He also played for Sweden in the 2006 World Cup. Worthy tried to add his pace to the right side of our midfield and, as you say, it never worked. Jonson didn''t stay in England and was happy to go back to Sweden. I have fond memories of him giving everything to the Norwich cause. Games played with his head bandaged amongst other things. Anyone who was at Portsmouth on New Years Day 2005 couldn''t possibly doubt his commitment as he played pretty much the righthand side on his own after Edworthy''s early dismissal, and was the best player on the pitch that day. But it was a strange signing which was made only a week or so before the season started. In fact the last two signings that summer were players who Worthy saw as being able to play in two positions.

 

But I think you are being harsh on Worthy saying he used Ashton as an excuse to blame the board on our relegation. To my knowledge, and I followed it pretty closely, he didn''t mention it until over a year later. Worthy is a good honest man and certainly never hid as a player or manager. And to suggest dear old Worthy Copperfield wanted more ignores the fact that most of those summer signings you mention came after the board turned him down for Ashton.

 

 

[nutty nigel 7,902]

Stick with Worthy Copperfield or Twist[:^)]

 

[;)]

 

[Yorkshire Canary 118]

I remember the season well. Regardless of the reasons if we had signed Ashton from the start of the season we would have got at least half a dozen more points and for that season at any rate would have been safe

[lappinitup 629]

[quote user="PurpleCanary"]

[quote user="crafty canary"]Shouldn''t it be Worthy Twist rather than Copperfield?[/quote]

---

Yes. It should. That IS embarrassing.[:$] Really embarrassing.[:$] And I mean that. It really is.

 

[/quote]That''s your credibility completely shattered then Purple. Lacking credibility however, makes you eligible to become one of Clucks "Purists".

 

[:D]

 

 

[Tangible Fixed Assets anyone? 0]

Has anybody noted the reason quoted in the Dennis article?

[Tangible Fixed Assets anyone? 0]

[quote user="lappinitup"][quote user="PurpleCanary"]

[quote user="crafty canary"]Shouldn''t it be Worthy Twist rather than Copperfield?[/quote]

---

Yes. It should. That IS embarrassing.[:$] Really embarrassing.[:$] And I mean that. It really is.

 

[/quote]That''s your credibility completely shattered then Purple.

[:D]

[/quote]

That would normally qualify you for  membership of the lunatic tendency but Purple Canary is far too good for that lot!

You are safe PC.

[PurpleCanary 6,386]

[quote user="Tangible Fixed Assets anyone"][quote user="lappinitup"][quote user="PurpleCanary"]

[quote user="crafty canary"]Shouldn''t it be Worthy Twist rather than Copperfield?[/quote]

---

Yes. It should. That IS embarrassing.[:$] Really embarrassing.[:$] And I mean that. It really is.

 

[/quote]That''s your credibility completely shattered then Purple.

[:D]

[/quote]

That would normally qualify you for  membership of the lunatic tendency but Purple Canary is far too good for that lot!

You are safe PC.

[/quote]

 

 

---

 

On the face of it a truly mortifying error.[:$] I could plead temporary sobriety[8-|] but then again perhaps not. After all: "Mistakes are to a genius as pearls to an oyster." And if the result is being debarred from membership of ANY grouping on this board then it has to go down as a really very lucky faux pas...[;)][:D][;)]

 

[Mister Chops 7]

[quote user="Tangible Fixed Assets anyone"]

About half way down the article is a reference to Worthington and Ashton:

http://norwichcity.myfootballwriter.com/2011/05/29/to-stick-in-the-summer-or-to-twist-again-in-the-winter-thats-the-real-teaser-but-in-paul-lambert-we-trust/

[/quote]About halfway down this picture is a visual metaphor for your good self.[img]http://3alleypub.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/beating_a_dead_horse.jpg?w=450[/img]

[TIL 1010 5,246]

[quote user="Tangible Fixed Assets anyone"]Has anybody noted the reason quoted in the Dennis article?[/quote]

The thing is does anybody really care after all this time?[:|]

[PurpleCanary 6,386]

[quote user="nutty nigel"]

 

But I think you are being harsh on Worthy saying he used Ashton as an excuse to blame the board on our relegation. To my knowledge, and I followed it pretty closely, he didn''t mention it until over a year later. Worthy is a good honest man and certainly never hid as a player or manager. And to suggest dear old Worthy Copperfield wanted more ignores the fact that most of those summer signings you mention came after the board turned him down for Ashton.

 

 

[/quote]

 

---

 

nutty, he may not have used it as excuse until later. Hardly surprising since he was still an employee. But since he left he has done nothing but use it as THE excuse. Re-read that appallingly self-seving interview on the Darren Huckerby website. Everything good was down to him. Me, me, me all the way through. Not one word of thanks for the board for anything. I had to do this, I had to do that.

 

Equally, everything bad IS the board''s fault. Specifically not giving him enough money. And his example of a club that the board should have emulated? Hull. The Hull that spent money it didn''t have and now is screwed financially. That Hull.

 

[nutty nigel 7,902]

Self-serving interview only because it''s obvious that Hucks rates the guy and already knows the answers. If you want a more searching interview then you would need a more searching interviewer. Hucks Meets is one big happy family really. But if I remember rightly Worthy did give credit to Barry Skipper for his part in securing the signature of Hucks. I have always thought Skipper was a big miss when he went and was replaced by the Turner Two.

 

 

[PurpleCanary 6,386]

[quote user="nutty nigel"]

Self-serving interview only because it''s obvious that Hucks rates the guy and already knows the answers. If you want a more searching interview then you would need a more searching interviewer. Hucks Meets is one big happy family really. But if I remember rightly Worthy did give credit to Barry Skipper for his part in securing the signature of Hucks. I have always thought Skipper was a big miss when he went and was replaced by the Turner Two.

 

 

[/quote]

 

But, nutty, that was my point. People treated that interview as if it provided definitive answers - THE TRUTH - when all it provided was the Gospel according to Worthy. Anyway, as has been amusingly pointed out, this thread was a dead horse from the outset.

 

As to Skipper, you may well be right. Of course I could tell you THE TRUTH behind the Turners but then I would have to kill you, and neither of us would want that...[:P][;)][:P]

 

[nutty nigel 7,902]

[quote user="PurpleCanary"][quote user="nutty nigel"]

Self-serving interview only because it''s obvious that Hucks rates the guy and already knows the answers. If you want a more searching interview then you would need a more searching interviewer. Hucks Meets is one big happy family really. But if I remember rightly Worthy did give credit to Barry Skipper for his part in securing the signature of Hucks. I have always thought Skipper was a big miss when he went and was replaced by the Turner Two.

 

 

[/quote]

 

But, nutty, that was my point. People treated that interview as if it provided definitive answers - THE TRUTH - when all it provided was the Gospel according to Worthy. Anyway, as has been amusingly pointed out, this thread was a dead horse from the outset.

 

As to Skipper, you may well be right. Of course I could tell you THE TRUTH behind the Turners but then I would have to kill you, and neither of us would want that...[:P][;)][:P]

 

[/quote]

Two things Purple..

 

One.. I don''t think there was anything new and startling in that Hucks Meets Worthy interview. Most of it had been knowledge for years. The bit in question, about Ashton, had been mentioned to the press by Worthy when he was still manager in the 2006 transfer window.

 

Two... THE TRUTH always comes out in the end.

 

 

[nutty nigel 7,902]

 

 

[;)]