Norwich City's Community Sports Foundation - formerly Football in the Community - celebrates 20 years: From left Iwan Roberts, junior ambassador Jamie Abbott and and David McNally at Carrow Road. Photo: Denise Bradley
David McNally: We won’t gamble with Norwich City’s future
Michael Bailey
Thursday, February 16, 2012
6:00 AM
Chief executive David McNally has promised the club will not gamble with its newly found financial stability.
"I saw somewhere there wasn’t much more than £50m spent in January in total – and we made getting on for 10pc of that…so Norwich City spent 10pc of the total January transfer funds; now we’ve not said that before, I don’t think"
With the perilous financial position and subsequent administration at Rangers confirmed this week, plus Portsmouth’s seemingly inevitable venture down the same administration route they took in 2010, McNally vowed that however City’s impressive season finishes the club will continue to live within its means.
“It’s our job to try and back Paul Lambert and Ian Culverhouse as much as we possibly can, within the parameters of what we have. We won’t gamble on the club’s future – we don’t have the right to do that. The football club is owned by the supporters in effect, so we won’t gamble with money we don’t have.
“Equally with the current economic outlook that we are all having to recognise – we will look back at these as some dark days and austere times – you have to ensure that you live within your means, and that’s it.
“But we will give Paul every spare penny, as we have done. Let’s not forget that through some difficult seasons we have not been a selling club and if there has been interest in any of our senior players, we have knocked those offers back. So we are focused on developing the squad and we will do everything we can to give Paul the opportunity to do well next season.”
That involved keeping the canaries’ assets, with City reportedly rebuking approaches from Rangers for skipper Grant Holt. “We had one or two enquiries – there is one which is in the public domain,” said McNally. “We had two enquiries from one club for a player and they were knocked back immediately.”
Away from keeping players at Carrow Road, the Canaries also made a successful stab at their first January transfer window as a Premier League club, with Leeds captain Johnny Howson and Peterborough centre-back Ryan Bennett arriving for reported fees of £2m and £3m respectively.
And that is an outlay not to be underestimated, says McNally.
“I saw somewhere there wasn’t much more than £50m spent in January in the total transfer window market – and we made getting on for 10pc of that,” he said. “So Norwich City spent 10pc of the total January transfer funds – now we’ve not said that before, I don’t think.
“Paul decides on who he wants and Paul and Ian are very good at identifying who they want in their squad and their success rate is phenomenal. It’s our job behind the scenes to try and ensure we get those players.
“Occasionally you’re not successful with it, especially if a club doesn’t want to sell somebody and January can be really difficult, more so than the summer. But in the end we did OK – it was last minute on the last date though. Ours was the last deal to be completed.”
Indeed, of the two transfer forms completing Bennett’s deal that needed to reach authorities by the 11pm deadline, one had a time stamp of 10.59pm. The other – 11.00pm.
McNally believes the plight of Rangers and Portsmouth may face other clubs before May: “I think there will be some other tragic stories for supporters of clubs.
“I feel desperately sorry for any club in those difficulties, but I feel ever more sorry for the supporters. At Portsmouth it’s been problem after problem for years now and you feel desperately for them, who are very passionate for their club. But I feel there will be other financial problems along the way for other clubs.”
City get a break from the Premier League with the FA Cup fifth round visit from Leicester City on Saturday.
Speaking at Wednesday’s 20th anniversary of the club’s Community Sports Foundation – which started life as Football in the Community – McNally added: “I was informed earlier this week we have only been to the FA Cup quarter-finals six times in our history, which is incredible when you consider how famous and how glorious our history has been in the last 110 years.
“Anything in the FA Cup is a bonus. Whatever happens on Saturday is great and we are just very grateful that we’re doing so well in the Premier League.”
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24 comments
No indeed, Timbo it was a cheap (but affectionately intended) jibe at Superholt. It`s only the envious opposition that subscribe to Holty-hatred. He`s half the man he was when signed by that other sylphlike character!
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Mad Brewer
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Will McLaughlin, yes, I had brain slip, i was of course Geoffrey Watling not Sir Arthur that recruited Ron Saunders In fact Saunders' days were numbered as soon as Sir Arthur took over..
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Grasshopper
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Brewer- judging by the new look Horse @ Swansea Holy hasn't been near a pie in quite some time. PS: What's with Iwan's new geek look? Ginger bloke with glasses? Good job he's a big lad. If he was 5'6" + lived in Manchester + looked like that, his life woud be hell !
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Timbo
Friday, February 17, 2012
Timbo, McN was not really smiling. Just a touch of wind after one of Delia`s pies. Apparantly Grant left one!
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Mad Brewer
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Ha-ha, but I think it was The Binners coming in Wilbrahamavic
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Swiss Canary
Thursday, February 16, 2012
McNasty smiling? Quick take a picture..Oh you did ...
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Timbo
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Chelsea after Morison offer Torres in a swap deal.Chelsea retreat after McInally insists on £10m cash on top as he is not keen on this form of transfer as you often get a player you don't really want thrown in.
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Peter Watson
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Nice one!
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Mad Brewer
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Nice one!
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Mad Brewer
Thursday, February 16, 2012
BTW, I am totally in agreement with all those below who comment on the huge and positive impact David McNally has had on the club...and improving my enjoyment of life over the last 3 seasons, OTBC!
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Swiss Canary
Thursday, February 16, 2012
PhDs = Tire PHitters and Document Shredders, Brewer ;-
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Swiss Canary
Thursday, February 16, 2012
That`s a strange story, indeed, JimBob. Surreal. I don`t get the bit about PhDs, I`m afraid. Slow on the uptake again! OTBC.
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Mad Brewer
Thursday, February 16, 2012
PS. I worked as a steward when doncaster was there...two of my friends came through the turnstiles and he accused me of letting them in for free. He chased them in to the ground, grabed them by the scruff of the neck to throw them out. He was red faced and didn't apologise when he reliased they were season ticket holders. Honestly, a CEO chasing two 16 year olds through the old south stand terrace...you would think he had better things to do, like employing decent managers and buying good players. It just saddens me the amount of money idiots earn in this country (excluding our PhD riddled first team of course).
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JimBob
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Pilks all the way..two footed, young and scores goals. He has everything required to stay in the prem. Also, I agree with Grasshopper - heaven forbid we lose Lambert just yet, but if he did depart I trust McNally to continue taking us forward. McNasty needs to go in the hallf of fame.
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JimBob
Thursday, February 16, 2012
ethered for a harmless comment. Just to endorse all the McNally plaudits. He`s a tough cookie and doesn`t deal in b******t like Doncaster did. And probably still does in Scotland. To think he came highly recommended by Woy!
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Mad Brewer
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Could have been any one of our players, Lobbo, they've all got their own merits. And I'm glad McNally is on our side, sounds like a pretty formidable character in the business world.
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jharding
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Totally agree that DM deserves a large chunk of the credit for the Canaries transformation over the last 3 years. Had 'Doomcaster' still been in charge, GH would now be playing his football for a team that's in administration. I still have to pinch myself to see the meteoric rise from that dark day when we lost 7-1 to Colchester - but I'm loving every minute of watching the boys in 'Yellow and Green' (apart from the game against Sunderland!!) and long may it continue.
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Mr Ed
Thursday, February 16, 2012
That nice Mr. Doncaster is currently messing up Scottish Football. The consensus seems to be McNally is the power behind the throne. I believe he came highly recommended by none other than Woy Hodgson.
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Mad Brewer
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Who do you think the second player was, I reckon Jackson !!!
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Lobbo
Thursday, February 16, 2012
He seems like a very shrewd businessman McNally from the school of hard knocks !
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Dubai Canary
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Agree wholeheartedly with the comments about David McNally. He just doesn't get enough credit for what he has done for this wonderful club.
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Dobbino
Thursday, February 16, 2012
I always said the Delia's best signing was Mr McNally. Grasshopper is right when he says if the guy at the top is good it filters down through to the team. When you think back to how Mr Chase nearly bankrupted us we should all give thanks to a guy who puts us first.
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Bogaz John
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Grasshopper, it was Geoffery Watling who recruited Ron Saunders while he was chairman. Arthur South had volatile relationship with Saunders when he took over as chairman, ending in November 1973 when Saunders left and John Bond replaced him.
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Will McLaughlin
Thursday, February 16, 2012
For all the (justified) plaudits PL & his staff get, David McNally is arguably ultimately responsible for the incredible change in our fortunes over the last 3 years. Like Sir Arthur South when he recruited Ron Saunders, McNally "would not take no for a answer" from Colchester and having identified PL as the man to restore our club he made sure he got his man. A moments comparison with the turnstile painter down the road or the unlamented Mr Doncaster proves the proposition that if the guy at the top is top class everything will flow downwards from him.
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Grasshopper
Thursday, February 16, 2012