Thinking outside the box (where we spend most of our time anyway)

[The Great Mass Debater 1,202]

Relegation looks a distinct possibilty. Relegation hurts and we''re all very upset. BUT... all we''ve heard from a lot of posters last few seasons is how boring the Premiership is, how the football is cautious from the entire bottom half and we have very little to play for except Premier League survival. It goes against the grain to think that relegation would be anything other than awful. We want Norwich to grow and attract talented players, but we''ve done that these last two seasons and look how unhappy we''ve been. Would relegation really be that awful? I know it sounds like sacrilege, but it wouldnt destroy the club financially like other clubs, and a lot of fans might even enjoy their football a bit more. I would love us to stay up, but if we go down, perhaps our coping mechanism should be ''You can stick your premier league football up your *rse!'' think of the positives - more matches, less predictable football, cheaper for the fans, no more having to wacth Suarez tormenting us, and no more smug tw*t Shearer telling us what we have a right to expect. Are we better off without it all?

[Sussexyellow 55]

Reacting solely to the thread title - I like the irony. LOL.

Thanks I need that tonight after the long journey home!!!

[Sussexyellow 55]

OK TMGD, now read the post.

Would we survive the disappointment of relegation? Yes of course we would - we are Norwich supporters. We will be back next season whatever the division - we have already shown that in the way that counts, record number of season ticket renewals.

Yes I would much, much, much prefer to be in the premiership, but the reward for survival is to go through it all again next year. Yes it is where we need to be, but we also need to break away from the poisonous atmosphere at Carrow Road today. Would survival bring a better season next year. Maybe, but it is more likely to be more of the same than a comfortable season - whoever is our manager!

Just a couple of years ago we were described as having a great togetherness at the club - from board to management to players to supporters. That to me is Norwich City. The priority should be rediscovering that, whatever division we find ourselves in.

OTBC

[SwindonCanary 457]

I can see what you''re  suggesting  "The Great Mass Debate" in fact I''d much rather have the journey we''ve had over the last ten years than that of say, Everton. I feel that it could continue with celebrations if we stay up ! 

[Iwans Big Toe 382]

[quote user="The Great Mass Debater"]Relegation looks a distinct possibilty. Relegation hurts and we''re all very upset. BUT... all we''ve heard from a lot of posters last few seasons is how boring the Premiership is, how the football is cautious from the entire bottom half and we have very little to play for except Premier League survival. It goes against the grain to think that relegation would be anything other than awful. We want Norwich to grow and attract talented players, but we''ve done that these last two seasons and look how unhappy we''ve been. Would relegation really be that awful? I know it sounds like sacrilege, but it wouldnt destroy the club financially like other clubs, and a lot of fans might even enjoy their football a bit more. I would love us to stay up, but if we go down, perhaps our coping mechanism should be ''You can stick your premier league football up your *rse!'' think of the positives - more matches, less predictable football, cheaper for the fans, no more having to wacth Suarez tormenting us, and no more smug tw*t Shearer telling us what we have a right to expect. Are we better off without it all?[/quote]I did post something similar to this not so long ago. Look at the 70''s and 80''s we spent 20 or so years of yo-yoing back and forth between the First and Second divisions before we were finally relegated for more than a season from the top flight. Is this so bad? Having a season of success in the form of promotion, or even winning the league, every three or four of years? Having a few season of winning more than we loose or draw until the inevitable relegation and fall from grace? Who knows, there might even be a league cup on offer!!!

[yellowjack 0]

I fear the lack of trust many of the supporters have with the management and players, (and vice versa?) has created an almost untenable situation regarding the manager. I firmly believe if we had had this squad following a promotion from the championship the ongoing feel good factor would have brought great things out of it. However the current pessimistic viewpoint is so difficult to break out of following some of the limpest performances in recent years. It is a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy. I think many are engaging in destructive self-mutilation of our club by turning on team and manager - waiting with baited breath to call whoever it might be useless. Obviously feelings we all have but it has, in my opinion, been harmful to player confidence and even decisions by the manager. I think they all work in fear. The fans are waiting for something to criticise. When was the last time we won some points through final minutes crowd fervour? It happened regularly in the promotion seasons. I however think that the players should have the bravery and leaders to counteract the crowd to perform well and get them onside. If they can''t do that then the team just isn''t that good.

It is far too late for any changes apart from desperate dice rolling with a panicked new manager appointment. Which I feel would only serve to placate fans rather than actually aid our hopes of staying up. (could a new manager really come in and instantly get to know our squad and find suitable tactics within the short time available?) However if doing so boosted fan and player morale it could make the difference. I don''t see how we could break out of the viscous cycle of fan-team friction without a win at Fulham and a unrelentingly good performance against Liverpool. Because the moment something goes badly which it does in football the crowd is lost. But how can we not be pessimistic following that performance?!? I think Hughton has to go at the end of the season solely based on the atmosphere of dissent. Unless close season can some how sooth things. Which to me is sad as I think he could have been a success here. But I don''t want to watch another season with the ''poisonous atmosphere'' it is un-enjoyable and limits us.

[The Great Mass Debater 1,202]

Going down would at least give us something to play for and something to aspire to. Whats perhaps so gutting about going down is having to visit places like Scunthorpe instead of Old Trafford, and the sight of the team we''d put together being picked apart and replaced with the inferior. Going down 10 years ago hurt like hell, but I think that was mainly because of what we felt we would be missing out on - the chance to rectify the financial position that has held the club back for so long, the perceived awesomeness of being able to establish ourselves as a Premier League club, the inspirational thought that had we stayed up, we might have been able to acquire some quality players like some Dutch internationals for example, and the fact that we''d been to places like Old Trafford that we''d not been to for the best part of a decade and had enjoyed it and didnt want it to end.

BUT, I think going down this season will hurt a lot less, mainly because we''ve had a good taste of the Premiership, and to some extent realised its not quite all its cracked up to be, the novelty has somewhat worn off. We''ve rectified the finances, we''re externally debt free, and we''ve attracted these top players, but how frustrating has it been seeing them not perform? Also, getting on MOTD every Saturday night hasnt necessarily been great either, as we''re usually on last and generally dismissed with little analysis when we have been. Its normal to consider relegation cataclysmic. Im not so sure. And I say this as a plastic who would lose the ability to watch the team every week, but since we came up, this board has become more and more miserable. I think a number of fans might find themselves enjoying football a bit more were the worst to happen, it all depends on how the club reacts to relegation though - I dont think we''d do a Wolves or a Portsmouth - I think we''d likely be in a position of not having to let our assets go unless the price was right, and that could actually reinvigorate the club. Its not all doom and gloom

[......and Smith must score. 1,596]

[quote user="The Great Mass Debater"]Going down would at least give us something to play for and something to aspire to. Whats perhaps so gutting about going down is having to visit places like Scunthorpe instead of Old Trafford, and the sight of the team we''d put together being picked apart and replaced with the inferior. Going down 10 years ago hurt like hell, but I think that was mainly because of what we felt we would be missing out on - the chance to rectify the financial position that has held the club back for so long, the perceived awesomeness of being able to establish ourselves as a Premier League club, the inspirational thought that had we stayed up, we might have been able to acquire some quality players like some Dutch internationals for example, and the fact that we''d been to places like Old Trafford that we''d not been to for the best part of a decade and had enjoyed it and didnt want it to end.

BUT, I think going down this season will hurt a lot less, mainly because we''ve had a good taste of the Premiership, and to some extent realised its not quite all its cracked up to be, the novelty has somewhat worn off. We''ve rectified the finances, we''re externally debt free, and we''ve attracted these top players, but how frustrating has it been seeing them not perform? Also, getting on MOTD every Saturday night hasnt necessarily been great either, as we''re usually on last and generally dismissed with little analysis when we have been. Its normal to consider relegation cataclysmic. Im not so sure. And I say this as a plastic who would lose the ability to watch the team every week, but since we came up, this board has become more and more miserable. I think a number of fans might find themselves enjoying football a bit more were the worst to happen, it all depends on how the club reacts to relegation though - I dont think we''d do a Wolves or a Portsmouth - I think we''d likely be in a position of not having to let our assets go unless the price was right, and that could actually reinvigorate the club. Its not all doom and gloom[/quote]Good post.We''re in a far better position financially than we were in 2005 and there''s no reason to think that whatever players turned out for us next term we wouldn''t make a reasonable fist of it in the Championship.Main downside for me would be all the crowing from down the A140, and, even worse, having to play them again next season