DerbyCanary
New member
- Dec 31, 2014
- 16
Apologies for starting a new thread, I did read the one when he was appointed, but can't seem to locate it now after I had to wait a day or two for mods to accept my account.
Firstly, I was disappointed to see all the negative comments about NCFC in that thread. Not sure why so many of your fans seem to have taken issue with us, as we generally get on well with other team's fanbases, and I have particularly fond memories of Brighton away about 10 years ago, my first away game with my mates and how well we were treated by Brighton fans, who were nothing but absolute gentlemen towards us, and helped us out with getting the bus to the ground etc.
Anyway, the main point of my post was to give my insight as to Hughton. I think he is a good appointment for you, with the position you are in at the moment.
He didn't work for Norwich, but I do think he is a very good Championship manager, as opposed to a capable Premier League one.
No doubt he was working against circumstance with the position we were in at the lower end of Prem, but he spent 12 million on strikers and then played a system which played to neither Hooper nor Van Wolfswinkel's strengths, resulting in a haul of just 6 goals between them, which was the primary reason we went down to be honest. He presided over a record transfer spend, then employed awful, negative tactics and never had a plan B. This is epitomised at 2-0 down after 30 mins against Man City, and he took a striker off and brought a Defensive Mid on to limit the damage. You might say that's sensible, but when you're in the moment, it's the most embarassing, disappointing display of lack of faith in his players. Basically he looked out of his comfort zone, and out of his depth.
My main problems with him was the negative, horrible football, lack of Plan B, (at Easter in his first season, we went 4 of 6 games without registering a shot on or off target) and absolute ineptitude with subs. He made 64 subs last year before any of them came on and scored, or even got an assist. No other manager in any division managed to have such little impact when making subs last season.
I do think, with another manager, we would have comfortably stayed up last season, and I said in November that if he was still in at Christmas, we were going down. The football we played was diabolical, I've never been less impassioned about Norwich than I was under CH. You may say that's circumstance, bottom end of the Prem etc. But Swansea, So'ton prove that is not necessarily the case if you have the right man in charge.
Overall CH just didn't fit with us, and what we wanted to achieve, and he never looked like a comfortable fit for the club. He did do some good things in the first season, we went on a 10 game unbeaten run, and put several of the big boys to the sword.
Having said all of that though, I do think he is a top manager at this level, and I think you will do well with him at the helm. Personally, I would not want him at Norwich for round 2, but that is purely based on the baggage that would be attached to that reality, rather than lacking faith in his ability. He had Bham and Newcastle playing lovely stuff. What he did at Newcastle is slightly marred by the fact they were a Premier League squad playing in the Champs, but he worked miracles at Birmingham and you only have to look at their struggles since he left to realise what an excellent job he did there.
I wish Chris nothing but good fortune, although it did not work out with us, he is a really nice bloke and deserves to be successful. I would be concerned if I were you with his ability to change a game if you go behind, but he will certainly make you more solid at the back so hopefully that won't happen too often.
It is absolutely nailed on you will sign Bassong off us by the way - he refers to Hughton as a "father". I suspect you may take Elliot Benno too, seems Adams doesn't like him for whatever reason - I think he's a decent player, but he doesn't seem to get a look in with us at the moment so I think best for all parties if he gets the move that I presume he wants, to BHA.
Good luck to Hughton, and good luck to yourselves for the rest of the season, genuinely hope he can help you put the struggles behind you and pushing on up the table.
Firstly, I was disappointed to see all the negative comments about NCFC in that thread. Not sure why so many of your fans seem to have taken issue with us, as we generally get on well with other team's fanbases, and I have particularly fond memories of Brighton away about 10 years ago, my first away game with my mates and how well we were treated by Brighton fans, who were nothing but absolute gentlemen towards us, and helped us out with getting the bus to the ground etc.
Anyway, the main point of my post was to give my insight as to Hughton. I think he is a good appointment for you, with the position you are in at the moment.
He didn't work for Norwich, but I do think he is a very good Championship manager, as opposed to a capable Premier League one.
No doubt he was working against circumstance with the position we were in at the lower end of Prem, but he spent 12 million on strikers and then played a system which played to neither Hooper nor Van Wolfswinkel's strengths, resulting in a haul of just 6 goals between them, which was the primary reason we went down to be honest. He presided over a record transfer spend, then employed awful, negative tactics and never had a plan B. This is epitomised at 2-0 down after 30 mins against Man City, and he took a striker off and brought a Defensive Mid on to limit the damage. You might say that's sensible, but when you're in the moment, it's the most embarassing, disappointing display of lack of faith in his players. Basically he looked out of his comfort zone, and out of his depth.
My main problems with him was the negative, horrible football, lack of Plan B, (at Easter in his first season, we went 4 of 6 games without registering a shot on or off target) and absolute ineptitude with subs. He made 64 subs last year before any of them came on and scored, or even got an assist. No other manager in any division managed to have such little impact when making subs last season.
I do think, with another manager, we would have comfortably stayed up last season, and I said in November that if he was still in at Christmas, we were going down. The football we played was diabolical, I've never been less impassioned about Norwich than I was under CH. You may say that's circumstance, bottom end of the Prem etc. But Swansea, So'ton prove that is not necessarily the case if you have the right man in charge.
Overall CH just didn't fit with us, and what we wanted to achieve, and he never looked like a comfortable fit for the club. He did do some good things in the first season, we went on a 10 game unbeaten run, and put several of the big boys to the sword.
Having said all of that though, I do think he is a top manager at this level, and I think you will do well with him at the helm. Personally, I would not want him at Norwich for round 2, but that is purely based on the baggage that would be attached to that reality, rather than lacking faith in his ability. He had Bham and Newcastle playing lovely stuff. What he did at Newcastle is slightly marred by the fact they were a Premier League squad playing in the Champs, but he worked miracles at Birmingham and you only have to look at their struggles since he left to realise what an excellent job he did there.
I wish Chris nothing but good fortune, although it did not work out with us, he is a really nice bloke and deserves to be successful. I would be concerned if I were you with his ability to change a game if you go behind, but he will certainly make you more solid at the back so hopefully that won't happen too often.
It is absolutely nailed on you will sign Bassong off us by the way - he refers to Hughton as a "father". I suspect you may take Elliot Benno too, seems Adams doesn't like him for whatever reason - I think he's a decent player, but he doesn't seem to get a look in with us at the moment so I think best for all parties if he gets the move that I presume he wants, to BHA.
Good luck to Hughton, and good luck to yourselves for the rest of the season, genuinely hope he can help you put the struggles behind you and pushing on up the table.
