Chris Hughton joins in pre-season training at Colney.
Chris Hughton believes Norwich City can hold their own in Premier League
by David Cuffley
Monday, July 16, 2012
9:31 AM
There will always be the rich and the not so rich in English football’s top division – but new Norwich City boss Chris Hughton believes that with astute management they can continue to hold their own among the elite.
Hughton is realistic enough to know that the likelihood of a club the size of Norwich ever repeating their feat of finishing third in the top flight, as they did in the first Premier League season, two decades ago, is remote.
A top three finish now would guarantee Champions League football, but it has become a pipedream for all but the wealthiest six or seven clubs in the land.
Nevertheless, the Canaries demonstrated under Paul Lambert last season that it is possible to live and thrive among the high and mighty of Manchester, Merseyside and London, progress he hopes to maintain.
“It’s tough and I think it will be tough next season and the season afterwards,” said Hughton. “There are always going to be imbalances. There will always be Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal who are on a completely different level from where we are. But that’s the challenge you have.”
Money invariably buys success, but it doesn’t guarantee you can beat every team every week.
“If that was the case then it would almost not be worth playing,” said Hughton. “Manchester United would win everything, Arsenal and Manchester City would win every game but it doesn’t work out that way because it’s not just about the money you pay for somebody.
“It’s about creating spirit, having a team that wants to work hard, and trying to get tactics right - and those are the challenges you have against every team you play.
“It is an exciting prospect and I’m excited by the prospect of being here but that’s management. It’s still about management. You have to work around what you have, the restrictions, the advantages and disadvantages and try to do the best job you can.
“This is a club that managed to sustain Premier League status and when I took the job there was a feelgood factor.
“If you said would I settle for exactly the same as last season, then of course I would. But it is about trying to improve.”
The Canaries are in Austria this week for pre-season training, preparing for their first warm-up match against Hertha Berlin in Gleisdorf on Saturday, with the first Premier League fixture of 2012-13 at Fulham less than five weeks away.
Like his predecessor, Hughton is anxious to keep fans’ ambitions at a reasonable level as a new campaign beckons.
“Certainly at times it is about dampening expectations because we start the season no different to how we started last season,” he said.
“We’re playing in such a tough division, and I suppose what Wigan and Stoke and West Brom have been able to do over a period of seasons now has been to try to improve and sustain their status year on year.
“But I’m quite sure at the beginning of every season they would have realised how tough it’s going to be so that doesn’t change.
“I do realise expectations change, particularly after the last season. What we can do as much as possible is keep people’s feet on the ground, try not to get too carried away with good results and try not to be too down with difficult and poor results.
“There has to be a way of managing poor results because you can’t do well every single week. If I look at the achievements of even Wigan, the last few seasons, they have really fought right up until the last few games and you’ve got a manager that’s had to manage that week in, week out.
“It’s a massively difficult league to do well in. You have to be on top of your game and that’s why managers and staff work as hard as they do. You have to be on top of everything - the sciences, making sure you’ve got players fit, making sure you’re able to put your best players out. It’s a difficult league, full stop.”
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52 comments
...and be dammed.
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Mad Brewer
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
That`s it Swiss! Norwich becomes the Epicentre of Total Football. Well, Norfolk`s not far from Nederland and we have lots of flat land, marshes and windmills and stuff. Game on! Blay Polder football. ;-)
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Mad Brewer
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Another attacking midfielder? Added to Mr Butterfield and Mr Whittaker, who sometimes plays midfield, let alone the usual suspects and Russ Martin who "likes to get forward" I think that we are going to take the Spanish system to the extreme and play a 10-man midfield or "mediocampo envasado". Eat yer heart out Senor Brendon Rogers.
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Swiss Canary
Monday, July 16, 2012
CovCanary, you greedy little devil!
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blackdog2
Monday, July 16, 2012
I would like to apologise to all if I have taken up valuable commenting space. I thought I had only sent that message once!
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CovCanary
Monday, July 16, 2012
This system seems to have gone crazy and is posting in triplicate! Apparently two bids have been made to our feeder club for another player! Snodgrass
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blackdog2
Monday, July 16, 2012
Wow! What happened there?
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CovCanary
Monday, July 16, 2012
Sky Sports reporting that NCFC have made a bid for Snodgrass...
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CovCanary
Monday, July 16, 2012
Sky Sports reporting that NCFC have made a bid for Snodgrass...
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CovCanary
Monday, July 16, 2012
Goff, Ollie, Mr.
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blackdog2
Monday, July 16, 2012
First name rhymes with Brolly, second name rhymes with cough
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blackdog2
Monday, July 16, 2012
First name rhymes with Brolly, second name rhymes with cough
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blackdog2
Monday, July 16, 2012
Got it through by spelling it but no way will the complete name come through due to censorship. Wh is this bloke, anyone know?
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blackdog2
Monday, July 16, 2012
Surname HOFF, christian name OLLIE
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blackdog2
Monday, July 16, 2012
Letter L, letter L, letter I, letter E, surname letter H, letter O, letter F, letter F
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blackdog2
Monday, July 16, 2012
sent by O
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blackdog2
Monday, July 16, 2012
ollie
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blackdog2
Monday, July 16, 2012
and first Austrian article
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blackdog2
Monday, July 16, 2012
Woolpack Hacks
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blackdog2
Monday, July 16, 2012
tried to post remark about
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blackdog2
Monday, July 16, 2012
This is stupid
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blackdog2
Monday, July 16, 2012
first article from a guy named Ollie Hoff, who is he? Anyonee know? Article quality no better though!
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blackdog2
Monday, July 16, 2012
Keep away from the place, come back with a piece about the hacks, yes it has been ethered
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blackdog2
Monday, July 16, 2012
Doesn't look as though any of the Woolpack hacks have found their way to Austria, first article from a guy named Ollie Hoff, who is he? Anyonee know? Article quality no better though!
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blackdog2
Monday, July 16, 2012
MMMMMMM..???????
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Stew Pydsodd
Monday, July 16, 2012
Telking of Leeds.... They are shewing a kene interest in Crofts. Well din Drury, or it cudd be that billy booky bloke is their chef scout. Who will be nixt i wonder?
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Stew Pydsodd
Monday, July 16, 2012
Brewer. so the turf accountant has no interest in our beloved footy team whatsoever? then one begs to ask, why does he post on a website that is for NCFC news then? he should be more concerned with what old Colin W is doing to his team! OTBC
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magicman
Monday, July 16, 2012
OMG, they cut off "for Holt's goals" at the end of William the Belligerent Turf Accountant's post. Whatever next?
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Swiss Canary
Monday, July 16, 2012
He just won't deny it... it's official. It's Billythedirtyleedssnakesandladdersbookie
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B Inners
Monday, July 16, 2012
Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
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Denzil
Monday, July 16, 2012
Billythebuckaroobookie has no such problem, `twould seem......
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Mad Brewer
Monday, July 16, 2012
I`m with you, Dubai, old boi. Full reply ethered twice.
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Mad Brewer
Monday, July 16, 2012
Thanks for that dubai, dont think we will here that music more then about 20 times
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billytheolympicbookie
Monday, July 16, 2012
I understand that you can't buy a single leeds replica kit in the whole of Yorkshire for love or money. You can only get them by the gross.
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DocOhNo
Monday, July 16, 2012
Fair shout, Dubai. But last week a (newcomer?) poster had a dig at `Naaaridge Billy` in error. The fellow, `Speedy`, was a Proper Gent when his error was pointed out and had no hesitation in apologising graciously to the Proper Billy. That`s as opposed to billythetiddlywinksbookie who is a Proper Charlie. ;-)
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Mad Brewer
Monday, July 16, 2012
MB you are quite right...of course I refer to billythethreeleggedracebookie, not Billy the Norwich City supporter !
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Dubai Canary
Monday, July 16, 2012
MB you are quite right...of course I refer to billythethreeleggedracebookie, not Billy the Norwich City supporter !
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Dubai Canary
Monday, July 16, 2012
If these boards were reliable, I wouldn`t need to post unnecessary repeats..........
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Mad Brewer
Monday, July 16, 2012
OMFG!! Again.
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Mad Brewer
Monday, July 16, 2012
We must not call it "Billy". That is the posting name of a proper NCFC fan! Poor lad got vilified in error last week!! It`s billie t` eggandspoonrace bookie.
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Mad Brewer
Monday, July 16, 2012
Billy, bad news on the Ireland kit I am afraid. I was in the NCFC shop on Saturday in Chapelfield Mall and specifically asked about the new away kit. They said it is not in yet, BUT, it is definitely not Green. Sorry mate, but the "Samba De Janeiro" music is here to stay so get used to hearing it - often !! OTBC
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Dubai Canary
Monday, July 16, 2012
See, as long as Billy and the other trolls keep posting their irony i means City are doing well. Keep it up lads, your sardonicism is welcome as we have you well and truly sussed out !
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Dubai Canary
Monday, July 16, 2012
Come on Billy, coming from a Leeds fan, that's rich! Deny it Billy.... go on!
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B Inners
Monday, July 16, 2012
I`m not playing any more. I`ll go troll the Leeds United boards. Better chance of getting through.
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Mad Brewer
Monday, July 16, 2012
Ethered again. Troll 2, NCFC Fan 0. Badness.
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Mad Brewer
Monday, July 16, 2012
magicman, billieth`eggandspoonracebookie is not a defeatist bore. He is a "Dirty Leeds"- supporting trolling bore. Which is why he finds it so easy to insert his insidious attempts to wind up NCFC fans. Responding is not always so easy........ not always allowed. You did well. ;-)
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Mad Brewer
Monday, July 16, 2012
jog on Mr Bookie!
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magicman
Monday, July 16, 2012
The signs are not very good, still getting cheap lower grad players,still not buying better foreign players, still not building a bigger stand,Still turning money away every home game,Are they still gonna play in the N.Ireland kit ? Are they still gonna play "Goal music "
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billytheolympicbookie
Monday, July 16, 2012
Billy, why are you such a defeatist bore? crawl back under your rock and leave us alone
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magicman
Monday, July 16, 2012
See if he still says that after christmas..
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billytheolympicbookie
Monday, July 16, 2012
Try again. That headline has eased my worries no end. ;-)
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Mad Brewer
Monday, July 16, 2012
Well, I`m mightily relieved to read THAT headline. Was beginning to wonder whether Hoots was a closet defeatist....... ;-)
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Mad Brewer
Monday, July 16, 2012