Where will we be in 5 years?

[Gnasher 0]

Simple question, where do you think the club will be in terms of squad strength, league status (Top 6/Europe/Top Half/Bottom Half etc) and anything else important.

For me, if Hughton can do a good job, we''ll have a couple 9-15 places, followed by some challenges for top 8 and in 5 years could be looking at a Europa place, either through league or a cup run somewhere along the line.

I think squad wise we''ll have upgraded a fair bit, not masses of top top quality, but with the club clearing the debt at the end of this season, I think that 3/4 years time could see a better wage offering which will allow us to compete with the likes of Fulham and Everton, whilst retaining a fair few of the talented younger players we have.

Thoughts?

[Aggy 752]

I''d pretty much agree. A lot of the teams who struggle year in year out spend large wages on average players and are in quite a lot more debt than us - both of these things mean they can''t afford to spend as much on the actual transfer fee. If we can keep wages in check and continue to stay debt free once we get there, then that''s going to work in our advantage.

Of course wages will have to go up to attract higher quality, but at the same time, as long as they''re sensible and we''ve got a good manager who won''t bring in average players on high wages, then we should be looking good.

Of course, we shouldn''t be getting ahead of ourselves. A lot of this is dependent on staying in the prem next season and for the season or two after that. Then maybe expanding the stadium to 35000 or around there. And from then on maybe trying to establish as an Everton/Villa type team.

[Yelverton Yella 0]

Two very realistic posts which very much echo my ownthoughts.

I would only add that I think the investment we are making in the Academy may provide another useful source of talent to help us hold our own. If clubs like Southampton and, to a lesser extent, our neighbours over the border, can produce gems to strengthen the team or the coffers, we should be able to do the same. 

[Aggy 752]

The academy takes time. I don''t personally know much about the players currently in there, but I''ve not heard any raving reviews of too many of them. Any new investment into the academy can only be a good thing, I agree, but I wouldn''t expect to see results from it too quickly.

But generally I agree - and of course not only will a homegrown player from the academy either benefit the team or the coffers in terms of sell on price, but it would also save us spending money on bringing transfers in and more than likely the academy graduate will be on lower wages than anyone we had to sign. So all round good sense.

[Yelverton Yella 0]

Aggy

Agree that it takes time to see a return for an investment in the Academy but, hopefully, the new Premier League academy restructure under which we have committed to achieve Category 1 status, will give us a real boost as we will not be restricted to recruiting youngsters from our ''home area'' as we are at present. 

[lake district canary 0]

Building for the future is important.   The Academy is part of that.  The structure of the club, wages etc has to be good too.    The main thing though is to keep Norwich as an attractive club that players will want to come to - even if wages are slightly less than at other clubs.    The style of football is key.  The kind of manager is therefore key.   If Hughton does well, he may be here for five years and if he is, it means we will have progressed to the stage of having the kind of club that stays in the premiership year in year out - like Fulham, Everton and Stoke (hesitate to put Stoke in there given their style of football).    So in five years we should be at that stage - and doing well in cup competitions - and getting into the Europa.     

 

 

A five year plan is one thing.  Bringing it in to fruition is something else.  But that is part of what makes football so enjoyable to follow.  Can they do it?  Will we be like Fulham/Everton in five years?     The structure is in place,  the team and manager are there - but nothing is a given in football.  

 

 

Exciting times.

 

 

[Jacko 0]

I think this year will basically determine where we will be for quite a while afterwards. If we survive, the external debt has been entirely cleared there will be more funds available next season for the club to kick on and really consolidate themselves. If we go down while the debt will still be cleared getting out of the Championship as we know is incredibly hard work. But I am confident Hughton will steer us to safety and further success.

[SnakepitCanary 0]

Don''t want to be a pessimist, but I''d be happy enough if we were an established Premier League side in 5 years.

[Power Hamster 0]

I think it''s safe to say that if you had asked the question in summer 2007, not many would have forseen anything like what we have had in the last 5 years. That''s why we are all football supporters - there''s no other interest or hobby that gives you the emotional roller-coaster ride that supporting a football club does.Personally, I would be quite happy with another couple of mid-table seasons, but with a couple of cup runs to add a bit of spice to mid-table boredom. And I mean proper cup runs - not just quarter-finals, but going all the way to Wembley. Realistically that would be our only route into Europe, and if teams like Stoke and Birmingham can do it, why not us? [:D]

[. 0]

Not impressed with Hughton as manager.... too chummy and lacking in authority.For me we will go down next season and sit in Division Two for a good many years. With the money gained lately I don''t think even Delia Smith could take us down to Division Three again.

[Yelverton Yella 0]

Good post LDC.

Like you, I think that continuity is key.

I guess we have all been thinking about the future over the last week or so and, at the risk of attracting a volley of bullets, I think one of the worst things that could happen to us would be a huge investment by a random ''moneybags''. With very few exceptions, huge outside investment into a club has led to massively inflated expectations, an influx of superegos, disappointment and then a crash to earth requiring an extended recovery period (some have yet to recover!). 

While investment would obviously be welcome (35,000 capacity anyone?), I would prefer us to continue making steady progress with a clear strategy involving maintaining the team ethic, sustainable finance and acquiring and developing young players rather than buying superstars. I am sure that, in the long term, this is a more sustainable model and probably better reflects the wishes of the Canary Community.

Just to be clear, I am not advocating the ''little old Norwich'' philosophy, and am as ambitious as anyone else, it''s just that I would rather see us achieve success in a measured way rather than become a ''shooting star'' that quickly burns out!

 

 

[Yelverton Yella 0]

[quote user="Cluck Nose."]Not impressed with Hughton as manager.... too chummy and lacking in authority.

For me we will go down next season and sit in Division Two for a good many years. With the money gained lately I don''t think even Delia Smith could take us down to Division Three again.
[/quote]

And along comes Cluck to pi** on the parade....

Who would you have preferred Cluck? Obviously an authoritarian manager- I know- let''s poach Roeder from Villa!

[Jacko 0]

[quote user="SnakepitCanary"]Don''t want to be a pessimist, but I''d be happy enough if we were an established Premier League side in 5 years.[/quote]

I think thats the best case scenario we can realistically hope for. Along with a 30,000+ capacity ground if we can sort the top tier out during that time.

[paul moy 235]

[quote user="Yelverton Yella"]

[quote user="Cluck Nose."]Not impressed with Hughton as manager.... too chummy and lacking in authority.

For me we will go down next season and sit in Division Two for a good many years. With the money gained lately I don''t think even Delia Smith could take us down to Division Three again.
[/quote]

And along comes Cluck to pi** on the parade....

Who would you have preferred Cluck? Obviously an authoritarian manager- I know- let''s poach Roeder from Villa!

[/quote]

Well, if we sign players like Zigic on massive wages I will start to worry. I think it will be touch and go next year but in 5 years we will at least be either in the Champs or Prem. I just hope these highly paid ''stars'' have relegation clauses that cut wages to Champs level !!!! No Portsmouth or Leeds please !!

[Power Hamster 0]

I would be interested to hear the opinions of  those who, 4 or 5 years ago, were criticising the club for lack of ambition. You know, the ones who were suggesting that we sell out to the first wealthy foreign "investor" we could find, without asking too many questions.Like, for example, Potsmouth or Birmingham did.....[:''(]

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

Premier league 2

[Jacko 0]

[quote user="lincoln canary"]Premier league 2[/quote]

I bet Phil Gartside isnt backing that horse so much now Bolton have been relegated. What a chump.

[Syteanric 1]

[quote user="Jacko"]

[quote user="lincoln canary"]Premier league 2[/quote]

I bet Phil Gartside isnt backing that horse so much now Bolton have been relegated. What a chump.

[/quote]wonder what Liverpool and Villa might be thinking to a premier league 2 as well if things dont turn round for them!

[PKC 0]

A lot I think depends on the structure of the league in five years. Will a European Super league be in place, this could take the top teams, or at least their first teams, out of domestic competitions. If this did happen it could lead to a much more equal and exciting English League or whatever the equivilant might be.

[. 0]

[quote user="PKC"]A lot I think depends on the structure of the league in five years. Will a European Super league be in place, this could take the top teams, or at least their first teams, out of domestic competitions. If this did happen it could lead to a much more equal and exciting English League or whatever the equivilant might be.[/quote]Wouldn''t that be great....I think the likes of Chelsea, Man Utd, Arsenal et al already see the domestic league as a necessary evil in order to play European football.... so the sooner they set up a separate Euro league the better it will be for English club football.