Gone Fishing

[The Fish 10963]

From a Norwich fan.

 

What do you think your chances are next season?

I think our chances of a top 6 position are good and the least we should be aiming for. Villa & Newcastle are a problem, Villa new owner has promised £80m for players and if Newcastle keep Rafa it'll be because they've promised him loads of money (and you splashed out massively last season, so some of those players surely have to come good at some point). Assuming that's how it goes down those two *should* be vying for the top spots and have the chance to break what's usually a pretty competitive league. However Norwich still have a strong squad for the Champ and (fingers crossed) should strengthen this summer. However I'm not expecting it to be easy for another quick return to the prem.

 

 

Will the parachute payments go straight back into the squad?

Club lives within its means, owners don't bankroll us, so the parachute payments (lower for us than Villa & Newcastle) can't be earmarked as "spend this on players." After all they're softening the blow of less TV money. Overall you would expect club to bring in less money than it did last year. However we're financially stable and debt free. While we won't be able to splurge like the other relegated teams the noise from the club is we have money to spend.

 

 

Are you afraid of losing any key players?

We struggled with recruitment last summer, Alex Neil has spoken about the fact that our scouts just weren't good enough when he came to the club. As such most of our team is largely the same as the team relegated two seasons ago. I can't see the vultures circling around too many of our players. Here are a couple who could go though:

 

 

Tim Klose - was a different class once he settled and his injury was a massive blow for us. I would expect him to leave as really he should be playing in the top flight (if not England elsewhere). Plus he's just been left out of the Swiss squad so will want to be at a higher level to try and force himself back into the team (although the injury probably made the mind up for the selectors). Are only hope will be to persuade him that he's settled here and guaranteed to start when he's fit, so give us until January and if we're not looking on course for promotion leave then. If he goes we will definitely need to buy a new CB to replace him

 

 

Nathan Redmond - already had the club issuing "we won't sell him cheap" statements and only has a year left on his contract, will probably go if a prem team offers around £10m. He's definitely got potential but been a bit hot & cold last couple of seasons. With the Murphy's both having successful loan spells and Maddison coming we probably have enough cover if he goes.

 

 

Robbie Brady - jumped ship when Hull went down, might do it again.

 

 

Jonny Howson - Our player of the season so could be interest, although seems to have flown under the media radar a bit. Would be a massive blow if he went but (fingers crossed) we should be able to persuade him to stay.

 

 

It's really going to be our recruitment that'll affect whether or not any of these people going is a travesty.

 

 

Will you stick with Neil?

Yes we'll stick with Neil. This article http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/05/11/norwich-4-watford-2-hosts-go-down-in-style-and-with-a-chorus-of/ articulates quite well that he still has fan support, he seems to have heard what he wants to hear from the board too. Obviously if we have a disastrous start we'll have to look at other options.

 

 

How do you feel about everybody talking about Villa & Newcastle, but not Norwich?

Don't really care about people talking about Villa & Newcastle, we could win the league and the media would still only grudgingly admit that we exist. Also frankly they are more interesting stories. I only tend to read the Norwich specific press anyway, national press doesn't seem to have any expertise, or often knowledge, of what's happening at Norwich.

[Rayvin 5295]

Thanks for that, interesting read. I reckon he's right about the national press on Norwich as well; as maligned by the press as I feel we are, at least some articles come out on us from time to time. I can't recall ever having seen one for Norwich.

[Dr Gloom 22145]

I read this thread title as gone fisting, disappointing.

[Howmanheyman 33829]

Thanks for that, interesting read. I reckon he's right about the national press on Norwich as well; as maligned by the press as I feel we are, at least some articles come out on us from time to time. I can't recall ever having seen one for Norwich.

Aye, good read, didn't ask the kid if he thought Rafa or Alex Neill should use a half Windsor for their ties or whether they should alternate according to the venue they're playing at.

[gpirlo68 0]

'Don't really care about people talking about Villa & Newcastle, we could win the league and the media would still only grudgingly admit that we exist. '

 

Hes bang right on that one, no media seemed to give a shit that they got relegated, I don't mind Norwich or their fans tbh

[Kevin Carr's Gloves 3964]

Ed Balls can fuck right off

[The Fish 10963]

Aye, good read, didn't ask the kid if he thought Rafa or Alex Neill should use a half Windsor for their ties or whether they should alternate according to the venue they're playing at.

 

I assumed he'd know the Jeff Banks craic, like most grown ups.

 

[Elba 0]

Ed Balls can fuck right off

I used to have half an ounce of time for Norwich; and Delia was a canny owld stick for a celeb fan, but fuck me Ed Balls and Steven Fry destroying their credibility.