Norwich City - BBC Sport

Opinion: ‘These are funny old times to be a Norwich supporter’

Gary Gowers, My Football Writer - Norwich City, external

These are funny old times to be a Norwich supporter. Funny as in bizarre. Not funny as in amusing because despite having snuck into the top six after Tuesday’s win over Watford, virtually no one at Carrow Road is smiling.

After last night’s game, David Wagner launched a broadside in the direction of some supporters and urged them to stay away from future games. Those in the firing line – let’s call them ‘The Unwelcome’ – were, according to Wagner, a “small group” who booed when he made a double substitution in the 56th minute.

As it transpired, the swapping of Josh Sargent and Onel Hernandez for Marcelino Nunez and Christian Fassnacht was not tactical but instead based on fitness issues, yet, to me at least, the unrest was less around the personnel changes and more about the tactical shift it appeared to signal. A similar change against QPR at the weekend saw City surrender the initiative and drop two points and that “small group” feared that history was repeating itself. No one was booing Fassnacht or Nunez.

But Wagner felt wronged and deserving, in his words, of “more respect”.

In this instance, he may have a point as City went on to win the game – and in the cold light of day it does seem a little odd to be booing when your team is winning – but it appears a lack of trust (and respect) between some supporters and Wagner has led to this bizarre stand-off.

In my opinion, Wagner is not alone in being part of the club's officialdom who resents parts of the Norwich City fanbase. In the recent past, ex-head coach Dean Smith, ex-sporting director Stuart Webber, and joint-owner Delia Smith have all taken very public potshots at various groups of supporters.

But in there here and now, the unease between club and supporter is palpable. Wins are not celebrated with the gusto and fervour of a club that is in with a realistic shout of a play-off spot. The place, by common footballing convention, should be bouncing but it isn’t. Where there should be excitement there is angst.

To try and describe the situation at Norwich to supporters of other clubs is nigh on impossible. It’s a feeling that’s unprecedented.

So, to summarise, we’re in the top six, on a decent run of form, and the play-offs are a possibility, yet Carrow Road feels largely joyless. And we have a joint-owner and head coach who have both been openly and vehemently critical of some City supporters, and the head coach has told the ones who are booing to stay away.

Such a weird situation.

I have no idea how this ends, but one thing’s for sure - the next couple of months are not going to be dull, even if the football is.

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