No it isn't.

And to argue it is, in my opinion, is defeatist nonsense. Controversial view, this: but I actually think the bulk of Grant's signings were ok. Marshall, Chadwick, Lappin, Cureton, Otsemobor and Brellier are all, I believe, good enough players for the club to be lower mid-table at least. But there's a far, far deeper malaise here. Steve in Holland wrote the other week that there's been something very wrong at the club ever since that opening game of 05/6 against Coventry; and he was dead right.

The common factor in the slide of the last three and a half years has been the board: they prioritise the future over the present, bricks and mortar over what we're supposed to be about: FOOTBALL. Which means that there'll still be a Norwich City in ten years time; unfortunately, on current evidence, it'll be battling with Kings Lynn for promotion from the Blue Square Premier. And I think we, plus Grant himself, underestimated just how tough a job this has become: he wasn't given the tools he really needed, and it was asking an awful lot for someone with no experience to scrape through against a backdrop of no real togetherness in the dressing room, and a Chief Executive frighteningly out of his depth when it comes to signings and contracts.

We need a complete clearout and real change. It's no good blaming the players, or any particular manager: I'm sure the players DO care, but they have no confidence, and have basically forgotten how to win - especially on their travels. Roeder's now probably realised how tough it is too - but sorry: there HAS to be far deeper reasons than just poor managers for we're now enduring our worst season since the 1950s.

Posted By: thebigfeller, Nov 10, 18:31:58