Our identity

[YellowNets1901 0]

Hello,

Well, after a long season of Hughton in or out, will we stay up or won''t we etc etc, it looks as if our relegation fate will be sealed tomorrow evening, and deservedly so too.

I believe going down is the best option for us. When clubs like Norwich are in the Premier League, everything becomes about staying in the league, survival. When you''re relegated, you''re forced to look at what you''ve actually got to build on. Going down will allow us to re-group and gain an identity. Lay out a platform for the next 5 years away from the pressures of the Premier League.

We currently play with no identity. Certain clubs buy players to fit into their style of play. We don''t do this. We don''t have a style of play. We don''t have an identity. Chris Hughton didn''t have a plan, he didn''t have a style. We currently offer the Premier League nothing and deserve to be packed off to the Championship, but let''s use the opportunity to lay a few foundations for the future of the club.

We have a flock of great youngsters coming through and hopefully more to follow. Let''s have them playing a certain way, a blue print for the future of the club and buy players to fit into this philosophy.

Whether Neil Adams is the man to take us forward, I have my doubts, but I also can''t give you the name of somebody I would prefer in charge. Perhaps Neil would be the best option. Someone to get Norwich playing the right way, with a style and an identity, so when we get promoted to the Premier League again in 2-5 years, we will have a way of playing, a plan, a style, a foundation to build on without just getting swallowed up in the Premier League and losing our way.

I''m looking forward to next season in the Championship. We will have players who want to play for us, we will see some youngsters fulfil their potential, we will have more games for our money. Yes, we won''t see the famous teams, players, managers, but we will see Norwich City and that''s all we go for really, isn''t it?!

[morty 0]

Good post, and I was just discussing the exact same thing with someone. I have no desire to become a West Brom or a Stoke, playing soulless, dour football in the hope of not getting relegated every season.Like you, I am actually pretty optimistic about things. New manager, a fresh start in a different league, and a chance to regroup.

[Hoolahans Left Foot 0]

Yes we have been playing dour football for nearly two years so it will be nice to see a change

[Molly Windley 76]

Its been bugging me all season as to what style of play CH wanted to develop and play? Pre season he signed 5 attacking players in RvW, Hooper, Fer, Redmond and Olsson.Personally I was genuinely excited about the prospects of seeing some attacking football instead of the play for a nil nil and try and nick one strategy of the previous season.Did he have a plan and then ditch it for a defensive strategy early season or was there never a plan on how we would meld these players into a side that utilized these players to the best of their abilities?We have lost our way and our identity, if we need to drop down a division to regain it then I would prefer that to another season similar to the one we have just endured that never ever got going for us.

[Tetteys Jig 851]

I think he was one or two signings short of what he wanted to do. If Toivonen or someone and potentially another winger had signed, I think it could have been a lot different. Pretty gutted we didn''t get Shelvey now.

[Phillip J Fry 0]

Long term strategy seems to have become a focus of football teams in recent years. Swansea are probably the best example as they now appoint managers based on how they will fit in at the club and into their way of running things rather than previous achievements.

[YellowNets1901 0]

I''m excited for the future too. We could talk a lot about missing out on certain players, but this season will always be remembered for holding onto a manager for far too long.

Our trust in David McNally was misplaced, to a certain extent and that''s a big shame. Still, onwards and upwards next season. Not convinced we''ll bounce straight back but I''m confident it won''t be too long.

[Two penneth 0]

PJF, given that criteria, how they fit into the club rather than past experience, Neil Adams could do it. He knows the traditional Norwich way of playing football inside out he''s been here long enough.

[YellowNets1901 0]

I agree. After giving it some thought, it seems that right now, Neil is the best man for the job. He knows the club, the youth and really can set a foundation for the years to come. Great opportunity for him, we must just make sure not to pile the pressure on if we don''t get back at the first try i.e. Blackburn Rovers. Mind you, they have awful owners.

[FCC 94]

Good post, and correct in that we need to have our footballing philosophy consistent at all levels in the club. This would help young players progress as they would be familiar with how the first team played.

Thinking this way, I can see the logic of giving Adams a go, but would be less convinced by Malky or Lennon. From a purely footballing perspective I could see Hoddle fitting the bill - but it is not all about football in isolation.

[Jacks Back 0]

Great post. Good to see I''m not the only one who is more excited by the championship than just another season of struggle in the premiership

[MancCanary 0]

This is a great post, so much so that I''ll almost forgive you for that previous one about McNally! ;)

I totally agree, we need to build upon an actual style of play and appoint our managers to suit - as Fry just suggested Swansea do - which I do think is the best plan for the long term. Otherwise you''re ripping up the whole thing each time you change manager, and it can take longer for the new manager to overhaul the squad to his liking - giving him less time to prove himself and be more likely to feel the wrath of the fans and eventually be sacked.

When we lost Lambert, I was really hoping we''d follow Swansea''s lead and appoint someone else in the Lambert mould, but we went for reputation over all else, and consequently Hughton had a very big task on his hands to change the football philosophy of a group of players accustomed to 3 years of positive, fearless football. And it didn''t work.