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YankeeCanary

Is It Time To Dangle The Carrot Delia?

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By the sound of the radio broadcast we can consider ourselves fortunate to have beaten Birmingham. We knew what was on the line but yet struggled to gain any foothold on the game in the first half and, if Birmingham could have finished the chances generated, they could have sewn the game up after 45 minutes. I would have thought our boys would have started out like tigers, all fire and brimstone and filled with tenacity and menace.

However, here we are in 17th place and, no matter what our respective opinions regarding our chances at Fulham, our destiny is clearly in our own hands. How then do we get the boys up to their fighting best from minute one in the final game of the season? Clearly, pregame words and planning do not cut it. The fact that Premiership survival is on the line is not enough. Please note, I''m not even referring here to whether we have the talent to win. Just to demonstrate an absolute tenacity of purpose such that it would throw any opponent off their stride. I know the boys are well paid but how about "juicing things up" Delia. If a difference of 20 million pounds is on the line then let''s throw the dice on roughly 2% of that amount and line up a brand new car for each of the players significant other ( wife/girl friend/mother etc...whoops.. boy friend ) if our boys can win the game. Send out no later than Tuesday coloured brochures for four vehicles so each of these "ladies" can choose their model. This should give the players an adrenalin rush at the start of the game next Sunday.  

 

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Anything that encourages the players to give a bit more effort is a good thing, if we were to finish fourth from bottom we would recieve more than 2 million in prize money. Imo it would be a good idea to give half that to the first team squad which would equate to around 70k for each player. If I  was offered that much money to work my socks off for 90 minutes I''d be more than willing to go the extra mile.

 

 

 

 

 

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No way ! If they cant get fired up for this game then they shoudnt be there! Simple as that!

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Travelling back home on the train yesterday, the Brum supporters all commented on the fact that they thought we would have come out all guns blazing, challenging for the 50/50 balls, and giving everything.  They couldn''t believe the attitude of some of our players, considering the importance of the game.

I know we can play like that, because we have shown it in several games this season.  You do not need to motivate players like Safri, McKenzie, Ashton and a fit Huckerby, but I suggest that one or two others might need reminding next weekend how important a win is against Fulham.  They are safe, probably thinking about their summer holidays, so if we fight for every ball next week it should help us get the upper hand.  I think playing away also takes off some of the pressure on the players.

If I were Worthy my simple message to the players would be '' THIS IS THE BIGGEST GAME OF THE SEASON AND YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE REST OF THE FOOTBALL WORLD WHY NORWICH DESERVE TO BE IN THE PREMIERSHIP.  ALL I ASK IS THAT YOU WEAR THE SHIRT WITH PRIDE, AND GIVE ME NOTHING LESS THAN 100% THROUGHOUT THE GAME''.

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No, Two Sheds, I''m afraid it isn''t as simple as that. If it were, we would have been fired up for the Birmingham game but we were not. We spent too much time in our own half as we have on too many occasions this season. To say "if they''re not fired up they don''t deserve to be there" misses the point entirely. The club belongs to everyone, not just the players passing through, many of whom will not be present next season. The fans want Premiership soccer, the Board wants it, and that desire hinges on 90 minutes of football. So any extra incentive that can make that happen should be considered prior to next week''s game. With respect, Silver Fox, while your words are appropriate, I would guess those words have already been used this season on a number of occasions.

I ask other posters, what would you consider doing differently to add extra motivation to this group of players, to get them playing from the start at a tenacious level?

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I''d put electrodes in their underpants!

In all seriousness you can offer them personal rewards all day long but on the pitch it is a team game.. This is something that either happens or doesn''t, a nervous team will always find it hard to gel.

When you offer personal gains in a match you also put more pressure on players to not let the others down... You can also start to cause niggly arguments as the bar is set higher.

I beleive they should go into this match just as every other and beleive in themselves.. Thats something only Nigel can do, and has been doing all season.. Likewise so have the other battlers which explains why this season has been so exciting at the bottom.

If i was gonna pay anyone a bonus it would be the fulham players to accidently let a few in!

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Interesting debate Yankee. In the paper, just before the game, Worthy had stated he wants much more money for team building next season. Therefore he is implying to the players, that many of them are not good enough and may not be here next season. You could argue that that''s an incentive to prove they are indispensible. The other side of the coin is that they become more brassed off because they expect to be moved on in the summer.

My view about motivation is that it works better on a man to man basis, some need building up and some need a stick etc. Group therapy ought to be motivational just before going out to play, reminding players that they might not be here next year is shooting the club in the foot.

As a direct answer to your question Yankee, I feel that a player ought to be playing out of his skin and should be in that frame of mind through the man management of the coaches. If they do that correctly there should be no need to give other incentives.

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[quote]No, Two Sheds, I''m afraid it isn''t as simple as that. If it were, we would have been fired up for the Birmingham game but we were not. We spent too much time in our own half as we have on too many occ...[/quote]

Watching the fizzy league yesterday. The Wigan chairman had booked flights to Barbados for players and families, for this Friday if they went up. Seemed to work for them, would have cost him quite a few quid to cancel if they had failed.

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Meeky, I love that idea. Someone said the boys were nervous against Birmingham. Something like the Wigan approach would get them laughing and joking about an island bound  trip as a team with their families as a great way to finish the season. It motivates and helps settle the nerves at the same time.

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It''s crucial that the staff find a way to settle the players nerves on Sunday to prevent them from tightening up again like last week. Although I don''t think all things considered that the performance was that bad. We had more than a few decent counter-attacking opportunities ourselves. It was not lack of commitment or desire - more nerves and fear (of making a critical mistake), Ithink.

Whatever will work Delia, give it to them. Ambition before prudence please at this juncture!

On the question of a straight money bonus, I would have thought that the severe reduction in wages resulting from a relegation would be a big financial incentive.

Above anything else though Worthy has find the strategy to kindle individual pride and collective self-belief - one more time.

Be brave City and we will be OK.

OTBC.

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I don''t think they weren''t fired up on saturday I think they were (a) very nervous (b) terrified of committing suicide like at Palace and Soton.

On Sat we have to win. We might as well lose 6-0 as 1-0. The other results will not go our way- one of WBA, Palace or Soton will win.

So we need all out aggression and the positive approach that we had at St Mary''s and trust that the defence have a better day too.

Twosheds is right- these chaps live and breathe football and the Prem must be where they want to be. A car or holiday is a trinket which is jolly nice but will Francis burst a lung thinking "Ooh, I can get a new BMW for the wife/girlfriend now" or will he think "I want to ply my trade in the best league in the world against some of the best players in the world".

If it is the former, he has no place here.

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[quote]No, Two Sheds, I''m afraid it isn''t as simple as that. If it were, we would have been fired up for the Birmingham game but we were not. We spent too much time in our own half as we have on too many occ...[/quote]

Yankee, first of all your post did make me laugh, especially No, Two Sheds, I''m afraid it isn''t as simple as that.”  It’s so definitive and parental, I am right and you are wrong!

 

Any how, I am going to argue that Two Sheds and Tumbleweed are both correct.  Nerves were the major factor in Saturday’s performance not any lack of desire on the players part.  If players do need to have “Shiny” objects offered to them to be motivated, then there is something quite rotten at the club.  I understand that our players are not on a weekly wage of Beckham proportions but they still earn a lot.  Have you seen the cars some of the City players drive around in?  Again if the motivation of playing Premier League football is not motivation enough, then you do have question the commitment and it is that simple. 

 

In my opinion the problem for this game and this season has not been a question of how do we motivate the players?  More a case of how do we give the players the self belief to go out there and believe they are capable of competing in the game / Premier League?  Offering a new car is not going to give the players more confidence.

 

Tongue firmly in cheek, soccer?  That’s a girls game isn’t it, we’re talking about football!

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Luckily i do not take anything to heart what anyone on these boards say,especially anyone who is ignorant! If our players cannot get fired up for sundays showdown where there premiership status depends on it,where they can keep there high wages,play in the best league in the world then there is something wrong. I have played in many pool & snooker tournaments across the county & country & i have never had any freinds or parents offer me a prize if i win. Knowing i have played to my best ability & given it my all on the day is all that matters,win or lose! Dangling carrots should not be needed. Although they could also consider sending the players parents on a SAGA holiday aswell if they win sunday.

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Of course, this thread is history now but I was looking for input from another poster and re-read some of this thread. I wrote it coming off the Birmingham game and before we played Fulham. It''s not too much of a stretch to say we just were not good enough but...I can''t help but think there was something else besides. I only brought it back because I could not help note the scoreline comment from Tumbleweed prior to the Fulham match. I hope you were not inside the dressing room prior to the game Tumbleweed?

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Tumbleweed wrote:

"A car or holiday is a trinket which is jolly nice but will Francis burst a lung thinking "Ooh, I can get a new BMW for the wife/girlfriend now"

Errr... No.

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Ivor, turn your engine on before you attempt to write full sentences. My reference to Tumbleweed was his comment on the scoreline prediction.

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[quote]Ivor, turn your engine on before you attempt to write full sentences. My reference to Tumbleweed was his comment on the scoreline prediction.[/quote]

Wow spooky that YC.

Looks as though Tumbleweed had a subliminal glimpse of the future there and didn''t realise it.

Must have some of Wiz''s "magic" in him somewhere ! 

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[quote]No, Two Sheds, I''m afraid it isn''t as simple as that. If it were, we would have been fired up for the Birmingham game but we were not. We spent too much time in our own half as we have on too many occ...[/quote]

Since you asked  Yankee ,  what SHOULD have happened  at the Fulham match was to plonk francis   on a bench out of sight !  just like one bad apple will spoil a barrelful , francis  has  , with his attitude and idleness , been causing  a ripple of  negativity to permiate throughout the team !!   I don`t` know if any poster caught the moment  when Hucks swiped away  francis`s arm   during a match  ,  I guess he , along with other players , was just p*ssed off with having to play alongside  this  deadweight ....   

Hucks  has said, during an interview , that there were players who didn`t "turn up" for  the Fulham game  ,   obviously  he couldn`t mention names  ,  but  francis and bentley   were included in the report , so you can bet your bottom dollar that  Hucks  DID  do some name dropping !!

I`m truly sorry that francis  couldn`t be sold [ up to now anyway ]   but  , like I said in previous posts ,   what club , in its right mind , would bid for him ?    ergo ... we`re stuck with him .. mores the pity 

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[quote]Since you asked Yankee , what SHOULD have happened at the Fulham match was to plonk francis on a bench out of sight ! just like one bad apple will spoil a barrelful , francis has , with his at...[/quote]

Yeah ok francis had a shocking game against Fulham, when we really needed everyone 2 be on their heels and fired up for it 100 and 10%

But that was it, hes only really memorable bad game! He is stil a quality midfielder, and let me remind u he was top scoring midfileder out of the bottom 4 last season!

What would of happened with out francis against southampton!... Would we of ever of got that first win!?

So give the guy a break, if anything now, he will come bak on the 6th of august and be brilliant, to prove all you unfaithful supporters wrong!

So if you are still so stupidly blind that u could say 2 yourselves who in their rite minds would even buy francis!...well just think bak 2 over the whole course of the season!...and i dont think he got 3rd player of the season 4 no reason at all!!!!

 

 

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[quote]Yeah ok francis had a shocking game against Fulham, when we really needed everyone 2 be on their heels and fired up for it 100 and 10% But that was it, hes only really memorable bad game! He is stil ...[/quote]

In your OWN words !   you admit francis  " had a shocking game " against Fulham !   that was THE vital game  ...  if we had won that .. we would still be a prem side  !   and francis  played like Fulhams 12th player !!   why was he so happy at the end of that match ?  

Francis  fully expected  to leave Norwich at the seasons end , and  it was obvious , during the last months ,  that   he  had no interest  at all  in playing for Norwich    ..  but he stuck his foot on a banana skin  there !  whereas HE thought he was the business , all the other clubs  thought  ... attitude problem !  forget it !!!   

You REALLY believe  he will be an asset  next season ?   

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To be fair nearly every City could see that Francis had lost interest from about February, which is why most people thought he had already agreed to join another club (Charlton was most people''s guess). I''ll support who ever is in on the pitch in a City shirt come the Coventry match... but you can bet your bottom dollar that Francis won''t be though. You can also be sure that about half the ground WILL get on his back. FAO Yankee Canary - what are you so touchy about? I just read through Tumbleweed''s post and also picked out what I though was an interesting remark to comment on. No harm done was there?

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Hmmm.

Francis consistently disappeared for 40-50% of every game last season apart from Newcastle away.

Ok - it''s the mark of a great goalscorer to do nothing all match then pop up with the winner, but NOT the mark of a great central midfielder. Maybe Damo missed his calling as a striker?

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