James Shiplee tries to put a rationale angle on the start made under Hughton’s stewardship, and urges not to panic… yet.
So… 6 games, 3 draws, 1 loss and 2 drubbings. The Hughton revolution hasn`t started in the best way I think it`s safe to say!
A lot was made of his exit at Newcastle and of his great accomplishment getting Birmingham to the playoffs in the Championship on a shoestring budget but after a second game in 6 in which Norwich have conceded 5 and are yet to win a game there are some who are starting to call for the manager`s head already.
Granted it`s not the start Norwich fans wanted after such a great year last year but there are factors which many need to take note of.
1. New manager plus new players take time to gel. Even with DVDs of last year`s games, pre season was about CH getting to know his team that were already here and then getting the new players into the squad and gelled. This takes time and more often than not at clubs goes into the start of the season. 9 new players will take time to get to know each other and with a completely new manager and backroom team too it makes it even harder.
2. Now some will be thinking “yes but under Lambert it was different”. How many managers do you see join a club, and take them from League One to the Premier League in two years? Lambert was one of those anomalies that come around every so often. Where they do everything right with that club and it looks like anything is possible. That is never going to happen with the next manager and that`s not helping Hughton`s job at the minute.
3. Hughton is not an all out attack manager, get used to it. Yes goals win games but have we really made few chances in the games we`ve played? Against Liverpool we had more shots on target, we just didn`t take them.
4. That brings me onto the transfers. Again, we`ve got used to every transfer being brilliant under Lambert but that won`t be the case every time. Some will fail and some may not materialise. Hughton will have thought that the current crop of strikers could do it again. With both Holt and Morison scoring on Saturday it may help to get them going now. If it doesn`t Hughton will know in January what he has to do. As for Turner, it may just be one that doesn`t work out.
It will take time for things to get better and to come together. We may get relegated, but the plan was in place with Lambert for that to happen. Hughton, I believe, is the right man but he needs time. Sadly this is one thing football fans are unable to give. To quote the late, great Sir Bobby Robson, “Football fans want success like they want their coffee, instant”. That isn`t going to happen here, let Hughton build, ride through the rough times and we`ll come out the other side with a strong team and a manager with the ability to take us places.
I`m still confident we`ll finish well.
In Hughton We Trust.