Norwich City caretaker-manager Jim Duffy has urged the board to end the uncertainty currently surrounding the Championship strugglers by appointing a new boss.
The Canaries slumped to the foot of the table following Saturday's 2-0 defeat at West Brom in Duffy's fourth match at the helm since replacing former boss Peter Grant.
But with confidence low at Carrow Road, the interim boss is hoping an appointment is just around the corner.
He told the club's official website: "I think it's important the directors make some positive statements now and get the situation resolved for the players. They need to know direction and need to be given direction. And the supporters as well, they need something positive to see that the club is going to stride forward and look to strengthen the team, but to do that appointing a manager is paramount."
29 October 2007
Plymouth manager Ian Holloway has re-affirmed his commitment to the Coca-Cola Championship club.
Holloway's name was linked with the managerial vacancy at Championship rivals Norwich at the weekend.
But the Pilgrims boss told Plymouth's The Herald: "I haven't heard a word from Norwich and all of this kind of speculation is both news to me and entirely unwanted.
"It's not a surprise because whenever your team is doing well - as mine is - and there is a vacancy elsewhere your name seems to be inevitably linked."
Holloway added: "I'm fully focused on the job I have here at Plymouth Argyle."
21 October 2007
West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green is confident he can take the next step in his career if he is given another chance at international level with England.
The 27-year-old has made a success of moving up to the Premier League and his recent displays have has seen him suggested as a contender to take over from Paul Robinson if the form of England's first-choice continues to dip.
Robinson was blamed in some quarters for Russia's winner in Moscow which virtually ended England's hopes of reaching Euro 2008, not that Green saw the match as he does not watch football when he is not training or playing.
Green has backed Robinson to return to form but is also confident of his own ability.
Asked whether he thought he was the best in the country, Green said: "You have your beliefs and you believe that you are. You have to believe it because if you don't there are enough people to knock you around and tell you are not. A lot of it is down to chances in life and the opportunities you get to establish that. At the moment I've had chances to establish myself at Norwich and here. I don't think I've had an opportunity beyond that."
It is this belief that Nigel Worthington had faith in when Andy Marshall left Norwich in 2001. Green walked into the manager's office and told him he was ready to be the number one at Carrow Road, and the goalkeeper played a key role in the club playing in the top flight.
The move to Upton Park happened at the start of last season but he found himself out of the team after the 6-0 defeat at Reading, only to force his way back and help the club complete their amazing escape from relegation.
"You always want to be going forward," he said. "If you're not going forwards you are going backwards because everyone else is going forwards. I'm always looking to improve and hopefully I can do that this season. I've felt I've stepped on from last season."
Although Carlos Tevez took the plaudits, Green's performance against Arsenal was just as crucial to survival, and his form has continued this season.
Statistics point to him being the top English goalkeeper around, although his experiences last season have taught Green not to take anything for granted. He expects Robinson to bounce back from his recent run of poor form.
"He's not had the best of times of late but he is a quality goalkeeper," said Green.
"How do you get a goalkeeper through a bad time? Through giving him the confidence of picking him and playing him again. It may be one thing that will turn it around - maybe one second of a game. There have been arguments about undroppable players in the England team but there is only a game every month or so. You end up judging it on 90 minutes six weeks ago so it's a difficult one."
Green played eight minutes of a B international in 2006 but tore groin muscles taking a kick, meaning he was out of the World Cup squad and could not add to his only full cap.
He has been back in the squad but does not watch England when he is not involved, meaning he is yet to see the goals from the defeat in Russia.
Green said: "I've not seen it. I don't watch football. I live it and breathe it and spend my life thinking about it so to watch it in my spare time as well would be too much."
Green, however, is prepared for the scrutiny that comes with being an England goalkeeper if he does get a call-up.
"At Norwich it was equally scrutinised, people have a pop when you have a bad game," he said.
"It comes with the territory and I'll not pick up the newspaper to read or watch the television."
19 October 2007
John Hartson has handed Bristol City the perfect incentive to win at Norwich and confirm their Championship credentials.
West Brom's outspoken striker, who joined the Canaries on loan in midweek, has caused something of a storm with his comments ahead of tomorrow's clash at Carrow Road.
Speaking at a press conference convened to announce his arrival in East Anglia, Hartson paid Championship newcomers City scant regard.
He said: "This is a good game for myself. Bristol City are a newly-promoted side and, with the greatest of respect to them, it's not as if we have to go to Sheffield United or Watford."
City's players are determined to make the former Welsh international eat his words and midfielder Lee Johnson spoke for his team-mates when he warned Hartson and Norwich not to risk underestimating the visitors.
He said: "You'd expect that from John Hartson because of what he's done in the game. But if that's his attitude, then it's excellent for us. If he underestimates us by just one per cent, we'll capitalise on it and take advantage. He's had an outstanding career at the very highest level and he's entitled to his opinion. But I wonder if he's looked at the league table recently."
Currently fourth after 10 games, City will seek to heap further misery on opponents who find themselves in the relegation zone and short of confidence.
Without a win in six games, the Canaries have not scored a goal in 555 minutes of football.
"We've got to be confident," said Johnson. "Results have gone well for us and, after 10 games, the table doesn't lie. We want to go into Saturday's game and show Norwich that we are here and that we deserve to be in this league."
He added: "We believe in ourselves as individuals and as a team. We know what we are capable of. We beat Sheffield United in our last game and played some great soccer. Norwich will have seen that."
Placed in temporary charge following Peter Grant's resignation last week, former assistant Jim Duffy has been given two games in which to prove himself and will select the side to face City. And the caretaker boss is well known to Johnson, who played under him at Hearts.
"He's a strong character with strong opinions," revealed Johnson. "I'd say he will be quite aggressive in getting his opinions across to the Norwich players this week. I got to know him quite well, quite quickly at Hearts and I know what he's like. He'll have them fired up. Those players who were not getting in the team will see it as a fresh start. A change of manager also relieves pressure and can be the start of a run of form. But we'll go there confident in our own ability and looking to prove ourselves."
18 October 2007
John Hartson has revealed he may consider retirement if his loan move does not work out.
The veteran striker has joined Norwich on an initial one-month deal from West Brom which could be extended until the end of the year.
Hartson has not played a competitive game this season and is hoping a move to Carrow Road will reignite his career.
"I am here to help myself and see what happens," he said in the Daily Star.
"Then I will know where I am and where to go from here."
12 October 2007
Norwich have moved to solve their problems in front of goal by signing John Hartson on loan from West Brom.
The Canaries have failed to score in the last six games and caretaker boss Jim Duffy believes the Welshman will be the answer to the club's problems as they look to pull clear of the drop zone.
"I am delighted to sign a player with John's experience," Duffy told the club's official website.
"The situation we are in demands players who know how to operate in the positions they play. John fits the bill, is a strong character and has a proven track record at the very highest level."
12 October 2007
Managerless Norwich are hoping to sign out-of-favour West Brom striker John Hartson on loan in a bid to solve their goal-scoring crisis.
The former Arsenal and Celtic frontman has fallen well down the pecking order at The Hawthorns following the summer arrivals of strikers Ishmael Miller, Roman Bednar, Craig Beattie and Bartosz Slusarski.
Hartson was already behind Kevin Phillips and Sherjill MacDonald before the quartet of new forwards were signed, so is even struggling for reserve-team football under Tony Mowbray, who is happy to let the 32-year-old move on.
The Canaries are desperate for goals after scoring just five in 10 league games, leaving them in the relegation zone with just eight points.
Their poor start to the season led to the departure of boss Peter Grant earlier this week, with coach Jim Duffy in temporary charge until a successor is appointed.
Former Wigan chief Paul Jewell is the hot favourite to take charge at Carrow Road - but the club are trying to arrange a loan deal for Hartson, according to the Daily Mail, in time for their next game, a home clash with Bristol City on October 20.
11 October 2007
Norwich chief executive Neil Doncaster maintains there has already been interest from several "high calibre individuals" to become the club's new manager.
Peter Grant left the Canaries by mutual consent on Tuesday evening, just under a year into the job, after their horrendous start to the new season.
The Norfolk side are currently third from bottom of the Coca-Cola Championship following the 1-0 defeat to fellow strugglers QPR which stretched their recent goal drought to six matches.
However, Doncaster revealed there have nevertheless been no shortage of potential suitors to the Carrow Road hotseat, with former Wigan boss Paul Jewell an early front-runner with bookmakers.
"There are a lot of high calibre individuals who have expressed an interest in this position and that is not surprising," said Doncaster.
"However, our position in the league table is just one of the factors that makes this appointment so important. We are not naive enough to think that there is a perfect manager out there. Certain managers are right at certain times for certain clubs."
Doncaster, though, would not be drawn on which names would soon make up Norwich's shortlist, some 12 months after sacking Nigel Worthington, the man who had led them into the Premier League in 2004.
"Speculation about individuals at this stage is not helpful and we won't engage in it," the Norwich chief executive said.
"We are keen to make an appointment as soon as we can - but we are certainly not going to be rushing it purely because we have got an AGM coming up next Thursday."
Doncaster added: "Some people look for blame in these situations and the board has a collective responsibility, but we are now focused on making the right appointment to take Norwich forward. The board will be busy identifying the attributes that it believes the club need to take us forward and looking at all possible candidates out there. Experience is one of the attributes we will be looking for. Peter clearly wasn't experienced as a manager."
Doncaster, meanwhile, rejected suggestions majority shareholder Delia Smith was set to sell her controlling stake in the club.
Reports suggested the television chef and husband Michael Wynn-Jones were close to selling their shares to fellow directors Andrew and Sharon Turner - Canaries fans who own a multi-million pound mortgage-lending company.
But Doncaster believes the couple - who took control in 1996 after the departure of former chairman Robert Chase - are set to stay at Carrow Road and help choose a new manager.
He said: "I've learnt in football to never make any predictions about the future and I'm not going to start that now, but certainly I have no reason to believe whatsoever that there is any truth in that sort of speculation. I have no doubt that Delia and Michael and the rest of the board have the best interests of the football club totally at heart and that will remain the case."
Jim Duffy will take caretaker charge of the club until a new manager can be found, with the Canaries' next fixture at home to Bristol City on October 20 following the international break.
11 October 2007
Highly-regarded Sligo Rovers defender Seamus Coleman has been drafted into the Republic of Ireland under-21 squad for Friday evening's friendly international against Sweden.
Manager Don Givens called up three players after goalkeeper Shane Supple, defender Darren Dennehy, midfielder Keith Keane and forward Keith Treacy were all ruled out.
And Coleman is a welcome addition having turned in some stellar performances for Sligo in the eircom League of Ireland this season.
The other call-ups are for Bristol City goalkeeper Stephen Henderson, who has been a regular at under-19 level in the past, and Everton's Aidan Downes.
The squad arrived in Sweden on Wednesday night to prepare for Friday's friendly in Uppsala, while they will then return to Ireland for Tuesday night's European qualifier against England at Cork City's Turners Cross.
Republic of Ireland under-21 squad (v. Sweden, 12/10/2007):
Goalkeepers: Darren Randolph (Charlton Athletic), Shane Redmond (Nottingham Forest).
Defenders: Stephen O'Halloran (Aston Villa), Eddie Nolan (Blackburn Rovers), Darren O'Dea (Celtic), Alan Sheehan (Leicester City), Michael Spillane (Norwich City), Seamus Coleman (Sligo Rovers).
Midfielders: Darron Gibson (Manchester United), Stephen Quinn (Sheffield United), Owen Garvan (Ipswich Town), Alan Power (Nottingham Forest), Patrick Cregg (Falkirk), Aidan Downes (Everton).
Forwards: Billy Clarke (Ipswich Town), Anthony Stokes (Sunderland), Jim O'Brien (Celtic).
08 October 2007
Norwich will have skipper Jason Shackell back after suspension against QPR in what the defender describes as a "must-win" game.
It is bottom against third bottom at Loftus Road, as a winless QPR side entertain a Norwich team who are still without an away win this season - one draw and three defeats.
Canaries boss Peter Grant will make late decisions over defenders Gary Doherty (groin), Ian Murray (foot) and Adam Drury (back) and striker Jamie Cureton (foot), who are all doubtful.
Shackell feels this is a crunch encounter, even at this early stage of the season, saying: "We need to get a win, it's as simple as that. We are playing teams and not getting the right results, and we need to turn that around very quickly, starting at QPR."
