All this Hughton in/out stuff (WARNING - LONG POST)

does tend to get a bit emotional and that leads to a clouding of the issues, I think.

I'm a vociferous 'outer', I suppose, but all that means is that I believe that with our current resources on and off the field we genuinely could be doing a lot better than we are.

I agree that players should be considered at least partly culpable but as we all know you can't change a whole team just like that, so what happens in football is that the manager is usually made the 'victim' for on-field failure. Whether or not this is right probably varies in every case but the fact is that if we want to change the philosophy of our playing approach then Hughton and his oft criticised assistants have to go. (I don't really know what Calderwood and Trollope do so it's hard to be fair in assessing their contributions; that said neither seems to be able to alter their superior's at times genuinely unbelievable 'fear' of the opposition.)

And that's my biggest dissatisfaction. Every, and I mean every, (even when you play the bottom club at home) match is approached with a 'game plan' based on respect/fear of the other team. Rigid defensive structure is never sacrificed, players are not allowed to stray from said shape when they feel like it (occasionally it seems Snoddy and Redmond are instructed to swap sides for a few minutes but that's about as imaginative as it gets), the same instructed player will take corners and free kicks even when, as we have regularly seen, they are having an off day and the delivery is consistently woeful. There is absolutely no flair, no imagination, no creativity, nothing is ever done 'off the cuff'.

That approach, I'm fairly certain, comes from the manager, the man who says Palace are 'a good side', that Sunderland is 'a difficult place to come', who believes Hull 'can hurt you in so many ways'.
I wonder when the team last spent the majority of their time preparing for a game by focusing on offensive play rather than on how they will counter their opponents. I am not advocating a total disregard for opposition but suggesting that in certain games (against weaker opponents) the shackles should be removed.

There are other ways, too, that I think a more positive manager might make better use of our resources. Hughton is simply abject when it comes to altering a game from the side. I have always thought this to be probably the greatest quality a coach can have. That ability to see what's happening and by an astute substitution or two, or a team 'shape change' completely alter the complexion of a game. Ferguson (despite his unpleasant character) was a master at this, as is Mourinho, Hiddink, Loew etc) The thing is this takes imagination and that, I believe is in very short supply on the City bench.

Such changes, such flair, such spontaneity are the things which get a crowd off their seats and create the elusive 'atmosphere' so terribly lacking at Carrow Road in recent months. Here, too, is a way that the current regime is failing to exploit the available resources. We are a brilliantly supported club, home and away, but the managerial approach (rigid,measured, calm, passionless, fearful, overly respectful of opponents etc etc) does not inspire the sort of crowd participation which can genuinely help the team. The balance between organisation and passion is immensely difficult but it can be found (Lambert?)

I balk at the question - 'Go on then, who do you think we should replace Hughton with?' as I really do think that's something we pay our Chief Executive ?1m plus a year to sort out.

So yes I do think ,and have for a long time, that we need managerial change. If we are satisfied to be in a dogfight year after year (despite having an increasing transfer/wage budget) , picking up occasional points via stifled, frankly miserable football then we should continue along the current path. I would prefer the club to be bolder. If bolder means taking a slight risk then so be it.

To continue as we are suggests to me that the manager's philosophy has pervaded the boardroom; that we are so utterly focused on simply staying in the league that absolutely nothing else matters. If so then much as I love and am grateful to Delia and her allies, much as I admire Mr.McNally, I am hugely disappointed.

Posted By: BillySteele on December 27th 2013 at 10:06:22

Message Thread

Reply to Message

In order to add a post to the WotB Message Board you must be a registered WotB user.

If you are not yet registered then please visit the registration page. You should ensure that their browser is setup to accept cookies.

Log in