Grumpy Old Blogger 0 Posted May 6, 2014 Tin hat out....Friends and acquaintances whose knowledge of football extends to occasionally watching Match of the Day, but who believe that entitles them to have an opinion, are amazed when I say I’m looking forward to next season more than if we’d stayed in The Premiership. I have been at Carrow Road through thick and very thin (this season) so I think I have the right of reply…“Surely you love seeing all those top teams and players?” – Not when they are dicking my team I don’t.“Surely all that Premiership money is good?” – Good for who? I don’t see any of it. The club has cleared its debts and can afford a better wine in the boardroom – Woopedy-woo. Also, the price of that Premiership money is never knowing when you are playing. Football is for a cold Saturday afternoon at 3:00pm. Not 12:30 on a Sunday, or a Monday night. “Surely you enjoy being on Match of the Day?” – What, and be patronised when we occasionally win and condemned as irrelevant the rest of the time. We are simply there, like 2/3rds of the league as “goal difference” for the “big boys” and to make them look good.“Surely you love the glamour of The Premiership?” – If we had a dubious Middle Eastern or Russian owner prepared to pamper their ego by throwing billions at a plaything – but we are not, and even if we were, would we really sleep easy thinking that we had someone connected to the club who had bought our way into the top ten but who could walk away at any minute.“Surely you love seeing all them foreign stars?” – See the first answer. Also, why would I want to watch foreign players kissing badges and representing cities that they couldn’t point to on a map before the cheque book came out. Ok, The Championship can be a bit that way, but only a bit.“Surely you love competing at the top level” – I’d love us to be competing at the top level, but we aren’t and never will be. Paul Lambert had it right when he said that most Premiership teams want to be drawn against a respectable team in the first round of any cup competition and go out to concentrate on getting just enough points to be 17th. There end all ambition. And for what, so the club can gather in even more money to buy more foreign "stars" (van Wolfswinkel!) to start the next season with the same goal. What was it David McNally said of Chris Hughton’s target – “Keep us out of the bottom three”So, I for one, am looking forward to next season. We will be as competitive as any other side. What we achieve at the end of the season will largely be about our own efforts and performances against those around us, not how deep our owners pockets are or how quickly we can get dumped out of the cup. Call it “Little Ol’ Norwich” syndrome. Shame we can’t win The Championship and then say, “Tell you what, let someone else go up and we’ll just have the money and stay here”. That way the board are happy and so are old f4arts like me! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tetteys Jig 851 Posted May 6, 2014 I can see why you would want to avoid repeats of the last two seasons, but surely you enjoyed the first season and you''d happily swap current places for Swansea, Southampton, Hull and Palace, clubs not much bigger or smaller than us but all having a whale of a time? Sooner be in their shoes than the likes of Bolton, Birmingham or Sheffield Wednesday. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Buh 0 Posted May 6, 2014 I want Norwich to be playin at the highest level naturally but there will be no despair from me we have eradicated debts that nearly folded the club permanently and we have an excellent crop of young home grown talent. The premier league for the team of our ilk does become just plain tiring so much BS involved in this league it is unreal.It was a joy to watch the likes of bale play against us yes but my focus is Norwich city not being able to say "I saw Gareth bale"Whatever happens I am confident about the future of the club which is the main thing. Long term I believe we can carve out a regular spot at the top table. We are atill learning. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lake district canary 4,830 Posted May 6, 2014 Like the op GOB. Its all relative though isn''t it. We would prefer to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond - but would still want to try and jump out of it back into the shark infested waters. Its a conundrum. If we are in a division we want to do as well as we can - whatever the division. Southampton have done well this season and that is what we need to emulate. I can''t agree that I would rather be in the championship though - only seeing it as a stepping stone back to the premiership so we can have another go - maybe with a bit more resources behind us and a forward thinking manager. I''m as disappointed as anyone that Hughton ultimately didn''t achieve the things he should have done here, for whatever reason, but I still only see a return to the championship as a temporary measure until we can get back. We are still pretty much a yo yo club and until we get the extra resources that a Southampton can muster we won''t be able to compete on a level with them. The aim has to be sustained premiership status - and if we can achieve that AND play attractive competitive football too - then we will all be happy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Two penneth 0 Posted May 6, 2014 I agree with most of the what the OP says although there is a degree of rose tinted specs about life in the Championship. I can recall many seasons of mid table mediocrity there that felt every bit as disappointing as this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blahblahblah 2 Posted May 6, 2014 Good OP that.Winning or getting promoted from the championship is more fun than being 16th in the Premier League.Being 7th / 8th in the championship, with 6 games to go is more fun than being 17 / 18th in the premier league with 6 games to go.Given that Norwich haven''t tried to win a cup for about 20 years, being in the Premier league means that Norwich aren''t going to win anything while they are in it.As long as the team is full of players that care and try to win, and as long as the club isn''t under any financial threat, I don''t think many fans care which team their league is in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JF 694 Posted May 6, 2014 Whilst all of that is true and I am looking forward to next season in the championship but anything less than promotion will be seen as failure. As a club and fans we strive to be at the highest level we can, like it or not, that is the PL. I think what has dulled the experience really is the quality of football we have had to endure more than the league itself. Had we gone down playing the Wigan or Blackpool way we probably wouldn''t feel this way. I loved the 1st season under Lambert but the majority of Hughton''s reign was soul destroying to watch. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herman 11,136 Posted May 6, 2014 [quote user="nulli secundus"]I agree with most of the what the OP says although there is a degree of rose tinted specs about life in the Championship. I can recall many seasons of mid table mediocrity there that felt every bit as disappointing as this.[/quote] People do need to remember this. Our last stay was quick and fun. But we had some terrible years lurking about doing nothing. 0-0 against the mighty Crewe anyone? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nutty nigel 7,902 Posted May 6, 2014 The chances are it will be more whinging and whining. Nothing seasons are the norm I''m afraid. Lambert''s three seasons were the exception not the rule. I can identify with many of the old blogger''s points but conversely the best thing about the Championship is striving for the Premier League. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dubai Mark 0 Posted May 6, 2014 A great OP......I just feel that a relegation from the EPL had to happen at some time as part of the bigger picture and that we will bounce back up again, having enjoyed a maximum two seasons in the Championship and being slightly better set up for the EPL the next time. We support a great club and I never forget that.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nexus_Canary 1,206 Posted May 6, 2014 Had a plastic Chelsea fan saying how we did we to get a point against a "big club" today. Cant wait for the Championship, generally Prem fans are <unts !! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
STAN 30 Posted May 6, 2014 I hate posts like this.. surely if you don''t like being in the PL then there is no excitement in winning The Championship? People have short memories, of course the 3 seasons under Lambert were great, it was a complete roller coaster ride.. BUT.. see how exciting The Championship is if we spend the next 12 years slowly rotting away like Ipswich!!! I''ll be gutted if we get relegated that''s for sure! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blahblahblah 2 Posted May 6, 2014 Here is a link to a google image search for "Leicester celebrate promotion". It''s rather long, and chrome doesn''t want to let me do links.But. Look at the pictures, and tell me when you''ve ever seen a team celebrate like this in the bottom 10 of the premier league.https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=leicester+celebrate+promotion&rlz=1C1AVNC_enGB562GB562&es_sm=93&tbm=isch&imgil=vSutJLBHIF-BFM%253A%253Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fencrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com%252Fimages%253Fq%253Dtbn%253AANd9GcRU8xSID9ahxTX98oeu4wjWX144ns-eiOJXdwv9dLgVJxOQlcD4jA%253B620%253B412%253Bt1GA6WiBh6LZmM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Ftalksport.com%25252Ffootball%25252Fvideo-leicester-city-celebrate-promotion-premier-league-style-14040686326&source=iu&usg=__fHd9UPBUhXBPUxCbH828Az0XoUQ%3D&sa=X&ei=MkFpU625Juyg7AbTx4DAAw&ved=0CEoQ9QEwBg#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=vSutJLBHIF-BFM%253A%3Bt1GA6WiBh6LZmM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Ftalksport.com%252Fsites%252Fdefault%252Ffiles%252Fstyles%252Flarge%252Fpublic%252Ffield%252Fimage%252F201404%252Fleicester-city_0.jpg%253Fitok%253DhocAGhdu%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Ftalksport.com%252Ffootball%252Fvideo-leicester-city-celebrate-promotion-premier-league-style-14040686326%3B620%3B412 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
