24 hours after that fractious evening at Carrow Road, and yet the wounds are still gaping open.
Infuriation, disappointment and apathy are all still rife amongst supporters recollecting a difficult night for Norwich City. Amongst a fragmented and shambolic on pitch showing, questions are beginning to be placed at the door of the majority shareholders.
Norwich City is a team only in name.
On the pitch, the consistent shoehorning of players into unnatural positions, a dressing room reportedly torn apart due to the intensity of a training schedule and one solace win in an execrable eleven game run.
Off it, the majority shareholders seem more content to settle their finances and ongoing debt to which the club owe them, as oppose to pumping money to aid the loss of parachute payments. As the benefactors of this football club, it is their duty to support the club through thick and thin. For all his downfalls, even Marcus Evans pumps £7m into Ipswich Town season upon season.
Of course, their personal finance is a mystery, but if you can’t afford it, why do it?
Invariably, we all understand the parameters of the debate, but this club is stagnating and threatens to rot in this division. ‘Throwing money’ at the issue does not resolve it, but having a budget in place to strengthen the academy and fund future undertakings is crucial but non-existent. Money isn’t the answer, but direction and financial support is. Case studies are irrelevant. If Norwich elect to sell, Delia and Michael must be involved.
What’s more, season ticket rebates are going to be increased to support the developmental plans of Colney, whilst charging supporters the highest price of season ticket in the division, is indisputably unjust. £500 plus to support your football club is criminal.
The majority shareholders have been pivotal to the modern development of Norwich City; every success has been matched with mistake and failure.
It’s a multifaceted debate, and one without clear denouncement.
All talk of philosophy is completely meaningless. This is a side enduring a serious malaise whilst sleepwalking into a relegation battle.
This is not what supporters signed up for.
Supporters were packaged a project, something that would require those who are naturally pessimistic to be patient. Something to buy into, to watch blossom. In reality, they have been sold a side struggling from rhythm, lacking cohesiveness and a head coach who is gasping for air.
Farke must take the brunt of responsibility. His statement regarding his players being nervous smacked of desperation. His stubbornness to reinstall his midfield guile in Alex Tettey screams of naivety.
Farke programs his side to retain the ball in all environments; this tepid build up play is substandard and lacklustre. Norwich severely lack intensity, energy and intelligence when on the ball. No longer can this be described as a ‘work in progress’. This is now a serious problem and Norwich’s figureheads need to resolve it. And fast.
Comments about nerves are concerning in light of reports of a rift and prior to season defining Christmas fixtures, further questions have been probed and Farke’s squad must answer them at Birmingham and Burton accordingly or they could find their situation become desperate and obvious questions around the mental strength of the players will emerge
This side looks closer to the third tier of English football than the summit of the Championship.
The days of Premier League football seems a lifetime away, with a lack of direction on the pitch, and the club stagnating in the second tier, this is something that has been coming. Yes, they’ve ripped the club apart and yes, they have attempted to rectify previous mistakes, but this is utter dross of the highest order.
In amongst the anger, the disconnection and the venting there is apathy. At present, supporters continuously depart with monthly instalments of their bank balance due to habit. Going to watch Norwich City should be a source of escapism, an affordable and enjoyable experience, yet supporters are yet to consume consistently pleasing performances.
Winning is entertainment, but another showing similar to that first period against Brentford will cause supporters to vote with their feet. ‘We want Delia Out’ was the message from the Barclay. They have witnessed their side fail to establish themselves as Premier League stalwarts and the decline has been painful.
Sure, Norwich fans have witnessed worse than this. The dark ages of Roeder, Grant and Gunn linger in the back of people’s consciousness, and rightly so. Those managers were managing average squads constructed on a shoestring. Farke has the talents of Pritchard, Maddison and Oliveira on his books and is failing to utilise them efficiently.
This era is sweeping up from the gross mismanagement overseen by alternative omnipotent figures, and it has to continue sweeping. Webber has reduced the wage bill by half, that’s a great achievement. Yet this board is continuously renowned for its apologetic monologues regarding how its learnt from its mistakes.
It seems we are always so close to our next apology.
Things must improve radically and rapidly. Forget the naughty list, Farke is safe at present, but a lack of conviction over his work during Christmas, and he could find himself upon the unemployment list. The reality is, the problem is deeper than Daniel Farke, though he must accept his portion of the blame.
From Jack, Chris and Connor, along with our wonderful sponsors, we would all like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Enjoy the festivities and forget about football for a while, remember, in this period where season tickets are pricey and the football uninspiring, you make this football club.
