An Attractive Proposition

[splutcho]

Alex Neil press conference today.


That is a real worry for me. Is it the kit? I bet it's the kit.

 

[splutcho]

So there IS something in it.

 

[Wiz]

And yet Bournemouth and Watford are attractive?

I'm having trouble accepting this reason I am now quite worried.

 

[splutcho]

Bournemouth and Watford have more money than us and Watford have geography on their side.

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

Bournemouth and Watford also have a very different recruiting job to us. They need to replace their squad with Premiership quality to take them up a level, we spent three years doing that and retained it. We're looking to build on top of what we already have - we dont need a new team. Consequently we're looking selectively for the right guy hopefully.

This isnt new information though. The failure to acquire the Quags etc in the past have shown we're not as attractive as a lot of Norwich fans feel. Our country doesnt offer great weather or continental culture etc. If you're not part of a big city then facilities are less. London clubs wont struggle because London is so attractive. We only really offer a good chance of first team football. There's not much else we can offer that other Premier league clubs cant. That, as AN has stated, is reality. Sometimes money isnt enough

 

[Wiz]

Bournemouth and Watford also have a very different recruiting job to us. They need to replace their squad with Premiership quality to take them up a level, we spent three years doing that and retained it. We're looking to build on top of what we already have - we dont need a new team. Consequently we're looking selectively for the right guy hopefully.

This isnt new information though. The failure to acquire the Quags etc in the past have shown we're not as attractive as a lot of Norwich fans feel. Our country doesnt offer great weather or continental culture etc. If you're not part of a big city then facilities are less. London clubs wont struggle because London is so attractive. We only really offer a good chance of first team football. There's not much else we can offer that other Premier league clubs cant. That, as AN has stated, is reality. Sometimes money isnt enough

With 99% of footballers I believe it is!

 

[splutcho]

Well we would be silly to start throwing around 50k, 60k or 70k a week like we would have to to get some players. I'd rather not be in money trouble.

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

Well we would be silly to start throwing around 50k, 60k or 70k a week like we would have to to get some players. I'd rather not be in money trouble.

Maybe it is that simple. Maybe you have to consider paying this kind of money to get people to come. Remember Ravanelli? He was on 42,000 a week if I remember correctly, which considering the time period was a hell of a lot. That's how Middlesbrough got a player like him.

Perhaps that is the sad reality. Unless we are willing to massively overpay players, we're never going to be able to attract the quality we want - that is unless we start being able to offer a bit more - ie European football, good cup run. Going out in the first round of the cup never helps.

What would people rather we did? Gamble to get the players in - knowing relegation risks the financial future of the club? Or walk away and ultimately sign lesser players, increasing the risk of relegation?

Its a connundrum, and as QPR have shown its not just as simple as being willing to spend money

 

[Fenway Frank]

The thing is, foreign players don't know us, whereas at least UK players do which is why it's probably a bit easier to try and shop at home. 

 

[Personal Trainer]

I suspect the subject of location is true across the european leagues as well.

L'Orient, Guincamp etc in France struggle to sign players compared with Marseille, PSG , Monaco and Lyons

Info from France Foot magazine.

 

[Suffolk Canary]

I swear being in London is like being pushed 5 places up the league table in terms of attracting players.  I think thats why Bournemouth have largely stuck with british based players too. It's extremely worrying when even the manager admits people don't want to sign for us. I know AN is a straight talker but you have to be pretty frustrated to admit that in a press conference. 

This is going to be a long season isn't it 

 

[GJP]

Probably doesn't help that AN is fairly new and unknown.

If you look at Swansea under Laudrup they could attract players just because (or partly because) of Laudrup's standing as a player.

 

[Scott]

One of the biggest problems we face being where we are geographically and in terms of finance, so frustrating

 

[Killiecanary]

I think this is just a simple acceptance of reality. We aren't Man City and we have to shop accordingly.  If the club aren't seen as an 'attractive proposition' for some players then I don't think they are the kind of players we would want in the squad.  AN seems to have formed a really tight group of players and I would rather we didn't spend a fortune on a billy big boots who doesn't really fancy playing for us that much but will slum it with us in exchange for silly money.  

The talk about Bournemouth interests me - would we be happy to have paid 8 million for Mings?  I think they've brought in to many players which could upset the balance of the squad there and who are effectively going to be journeymen in the premier league.  I think they're going down anyway.

i still think a fit Mulumbu, Brady, Wisdom and Dorrans would be a good return if we could just get a quality centre half and a single 'marquee' striker to add.  That's clearly the one that is causing AN most grief...and strikers are notoriously difficult to sign anyway (good ones at least!)

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

Probably doesn't help that AN is fairly new and unknown.

If you look at Swansea under Laudrup they could attract players just because (or partly because) of Laudrup's standing as a player.

I said the exact same thing a few weeks ago on another thread. When AN was appointed for us, almost all of us said 'Who?'. We know who he is now, but almost everyone else is still asking 'Who?'. He has little reputation as a player, and only a fledgling reputation as a manager. This isnt going to be a massive pull for players.

'Mattia - Laudrup's on the phone!' - 'Wow!'

'Mattia - Neil's on the phone! - 'Who?' - 'That bloke from Norwich' - 'Where?'

Its not hard to see why its difficult. In a few years Alex Neil could have players desperate to play for him. But he's still building a reputation and its going to be difficult until then

 

[eatonparkboy]

I think we're trying to find reasons why and I believe it is simply down to money. I'm sure foreign players would play in Brecon Beacons for Bruce Forsyth if the price was right.

 

[CanaryNath]

Geography will certainly be a factor for some younger players, no doubt, but i too believe that if we offered a premium wage, players would be more interested in signing. 

Whether we should be doing that however, is another matter.

 

[eatonparkboy]

Geography will certainly be a factor for some younger players, no doubt, but i too believe that if we offered a premium wage, players would be more interested in signing. 

Whether we should be doing that however, is another matter.

Quite agree. Don't really want a meddling billionaire owning us and would hate to see us competing purely on whose debt is the most affordable. Some people, quite understandably have short memories about how many times this club has faced the unthinkable and been pulled back from the brink.

 

[Canaryboy]

That is a real worry for me. Is it the kit? I bet it's the kit.

For some reason I read this in the voice of Jez from Peep Show. 

 

[SussexYellow]

This is a drawback that the club needs to recognise and mitigate.

One way of mitigating it would be to have a head of recruitment with a portfolio of contacts that will open doors and a persuasive charm to entice the targets.

Unfortunately Lee Darnborough comes with a track record at Burnley that can only be said to be very similar to what we are experiencing now. Possibly we should have invested more in this appointment.

I am now getting very concerned at the lack of signings as it looks as though we are putting in a lot of effort without success.