I’ll leave Cameron Jerome to start this article – “Lack respect for team-mates. Not fighting for each other. Lack respect for the coaching staff. Don’t follow the right instructions & orders. Playing for themselves”.
Summarises our season nicely, really.
Never mind a manager, a big Summer clearance-sale is inbound and at this rate of performances, how does buy ‘one get one free’ sound?
Despite the last few results, it’s remarkable to think that the City starting 11 for these fixtures are still (on paper) the third best in the league.
So Alex Neil has gone. A new era for our great football club is on the horizon. What frustrated me about Neil’s departure is the national media didn’t understand he had lacked the ability to get the most out of a very well equipped team this season. There was no inspiration and anyone that thinks he hadn’t lost the dressing room is even more of a blind optimist than myself. I take some beating in that department!
Not finishing in the top six is grossly underperforming and must result in big changes throughout the football club before next season begins. But the manager isn’t the only segment that needs changing. There’s a hell of a lot more to it (including the slow ball boys – has anyone else noticed that over the past few seasons or am I officially going mad?).
Stale players that have been at this club for too long. It is astonishing that there are a handful of players that have survived two relegations and yet still a part of our squad.
The time is now for our youth stars to take the centre stage. The supposed starting team that’s ‘better’ simply haven’t bought home the goods. There’s no reason not too, our League Cup campaign was off to a flying start thanks to their confidence and great attitude. We scored lots of goals, defended relatively well and then what happened? We got knocked out by Leeds, because we fielded our experienced players. The likes of Godfrey and bringing back Morris would be a good start and Maddison has the potential to be something seriously special.
Pritchard. I’ve got to mention this guy. Jack Reeve criticises me because I do babble on about this player an awful lot. But for good reason – How on earth is he not starting in this flat City side? After selling Redmond, we lacked that fear factor. He was surely direct replacement? Pritchard will make defenders immediately take a few steps back before he’s even got on to the ball, because they know the pace that’s coming their way. In some ways, kudos to Jacob Murphy who’s certainly provided this to a degree this season. City have got this in their armoury and again, Alex Neil failed to utilise him effectively. I don’t blame Irvine for taking him off, by the way. I think everyone at Carrow Road just used that substitute to vent our sheer anger and disappointment. I’ll admit, even I booed for the first time ever.
The atmosphere could be rather poisonous yet again on Saturday. I dread to think what will happen if we go a goal down…
So the hot topic is who will be the new Norwich City manager. I actually have a suspicion it will actually be a Head Coach accompanied by a Director of Football, and I’m down for that. We’ve got to change our ways to break away from he vicious circle we’re in. I’d personally love to see Hodgson in that Director of football role. The wealth of experience he’d bring would be first class and is also a very effective way of attracting top professionals to our club.
If you want to know more of my opinion on the new Manager and the club restructure, check out the latest TNC podcast!
‘Give us something positive Chris’ I hear you cry. Alright then – I guess the frustration and hurt of this season will bring us fans closer together and even more hungry for success. I just hope next season we channel our passion for this club into creating a much noisier atmosphere, rather than consistent negativity. Make Carrow Road an intimidating place to come and play, because we’ve been nice little Norwich for far too long now.
