Back to square one

In the summer of 2017, following a failure to obtain promotion to the Premier League, Norwich appointed Daniel Farke as maanager. Farke was headhunted by Sporting Director, Stuart Webber, while Farke was manager of Dortmund 2, the same role from which Webber had headhunted David Wagner a few years before to be manager of Huddersfield.

Wagner had got Huddersfield promoted in a remarkable turnround, but Webber claimed it was Farke's footbally philosophy that swung the deal.

Webber himself had been headhunted by Norwich earlier that year to the same rold as Sporting Director.

Over the next three transfer windows, all bar one of the first team players were sold or had their contracts to be run down and so leave. In their place a selection of players from the Bundesliga and other national minor leagues, mixed with players from City's acadamy.

The first season Norwich finished 11th, having collapsed in the final run in.

However, the club, Webber and Farke agreed things were on track. Next season, after losing three of the first six games, City went on a crazy run in which they lost just three more times all season and were promted as Champions.

THe Premier League is a different country, and as Champions, City and fans were hopeful, and after beating both Newcastle and Citeh at home, all seemed set. But that second game coincided with an injury crisis from which the clubs small squad never recovered, and come May City were relegated.

Next season, after another slow start, City rose to the top, not as free flowing, but conceding fewer goals, and were champions once again.

Lessons had been learned, we were told. Farke would be provided with the weapons needed to compete at the higher level we were told.

Whatever the case, it seems the wrong lessons were learned, and the £50million spent failed to work, and from a tough start in the opening four games, the club never really recovered. Farke was sacked half an hour after the team's first victory in October and Brentford.

Dean Smith was brought in, and although it could be argued that performances improved, it was only in a relative sense. One win against fellow relegation rivals, Watford, raised hope of an end of season improvement. But it was just a flash in the pan. Both teams went down.

Relegation means receiving "parachute payments", giving relegated teams a considerableedge over other teams in the Championship, but Norwich did not take advantage, and in January 2023, Smith was sacked and replaced with David Wagner.

His first act was to tell Todd Cantwell he had no future at the club and was sold to Rangers.

Promotion was not forthcoming, but another jarring act came over the summer when Bali Mumba returned from his loan at PLymouth where he had been voted player of the year, and was made to feel less than welcome. Mumba returned to Plymouth a couple of weeks later on a permanent transfer, so another bright hope left the club.

Norwich started slowly, and by October were 17th. There was talk of Wagner being sacked, but he stayed, and from December the club were unbeaten at home until the final game of the season, and secured 6th place and so were in the play offs.

After a 0-0 draw at home, City were thrashed on Thursday 4-0, and less than 12 hours later, was sacked by the club.

Some have said this was harsh and shows the sort-termism in modern football.

For right or wrong, Norwich's run to the play offs was seen by many supporters as despite of Wagner not because. His counter-attacking style of play imposed on the team meant a change of style and conceeding possesion. Wagner was also robbed of Rowe and Sargent for most of the winter due to injury, but again that was just the time City went on their unbeaten home run.

In the meantime, Sports Director, Webber, became increasingly unliked. Hampered as he seemed to be by bad communication, with each interview meant to smoth things over just making things worse. His final interview given to the Pink 'Un a cople of months ago was borderline raceist and caused many comments from several black players over the tone.

In Novemeber, Webber was replaced by Ben Knapper from Arsenal, and as the season went on Delia Smith and her husband steered investment in the club, and purchase of 40% of the clubs shares by American businessman, Mark Attanasio, so now joing majority shareholder with Delia and Michael. We don't know what his long term plans are, but clearly Webber and Wagner were the previous administran's men, so a change at some point was always going to happen.

And with Norwich's way to the Premier League now closed and the remainder of parachute payment cash run out, there is a need to cut the cloth, so speak. So, eight years after that failed promotion push and Farke's appoinment and the replacement of the squad, Norwich find themselves in the same position with much of the same task ahead of them.

Has Wagner been treated harshly? Perhaps. But his tactics, selection and substitutions, but I think it was is lack of adventure when playing teams above us which meant we only won two games against any of the top 5. Worse than that, which might have alarmed the club, is the end to two decades of house full signs outside the ground for games, and even for the play off semi final, tickets in most areas were available three days before the game.

Lack of success won't kill a club, but apathy will.

The future is unwritten, and unknown.