Alex Neil should be sacked but issues at Norwich City run far higher than the manager

Much of the talk surrounding Norwich City in the past week has revolved around the future of under-fire boss Alex Neil. The 3-2 home defeat to Leeds United last weekend, and more so the nature in which the game was lost, has caused many City supporters to lose faith in the Scot who was one so highly-regarded at Carrow Road.

Whilst outsiders looking in may feel that such a judgement is harsh (after all, City are still pretty well placed in 5th), those who have followed Norwich closely this season will have seen an under-performing side that are getting progressively worse. A side that are repeating the same old mistakes week upon week, with a manager who is seemingly doing very little to rectify the situation. With this in mind, Neil’s criticism is fair. The past month has seen City slip from the top of the Championship to being 10 points adrift and, without change, this downwards spiral does not look like it is going to be halting any time soon. Yes, we may currently be 5th, but the longer we stick with Neil the lower we will continue to fall.

This then raises the question, who will replace him? This is the perhaps only thing that is making me hesitate slightly in calling for his head: there aren’t many options. Many City fans were keen on a Paul Lambert return but he has since become Wolves boss, whilst other viable options, such as Steve Bruce, have also been taken in recent weeks. Tim Sherwood? Ryan Giggs? Roberto di Matteo? Inspired yet? No, me neither.

For me, regardless of the manager, there are issues at the club far higher than Alex Neil. In the build-up to the Leeds game, majority shareholder Delia Smith confirmed what all City fans feared: they are never going to sell the club. They have absolutely no interest in selling - they, in her words, “don’t even listen to enquiries.” For years, we have been told that if the right man for the football club took an interest then a takeover would be possible - obviously we have been fed a lie. Norwich City is Delia’s little toy and even if a sale would benefit and further the progress of the football club, she wouldn’t be open to it. Her nephew, Tom, recently appointed board direction, will receive their majority shares.

For all of her good - which, to be honest, doesn’t stretch much further than being a loyal supporter - as long as the club stays under the Smith ‘dynasty’ we will not progress. The very best we can hope for is where we have been in recent seasons - a team that is not quite good enough for the Premier League, but will compete at the top of the Championship. Whether it be with Alex Neil at the helm or someone else, it is immensely difficult to foresee a manager breaking this ‘glass ceiling’ with the current resources at the club.

It is is not just about her lack of money. The whole culture that she has instilled at the club is one that I object to. The appointment of Ed Balls as Club Chairman - her dancing Labour Party friend who has as much, if not less, footballing knowledge as the average supporter and absolutely zero experience. As previously mentioned, the appointment of nephew Tom as Board Director and the appointment of Jez Moxey as Chief Executive. Moxey, who was extremely unpopular at Wolves, is already showing signs that he is the sort of ‘yes man’ that Delia loves - the two public interviews he has so far conducted being distinctly uninspiring. When you add into the mix Delia’s husband, Michael Wynn-Jones - who, in an interview this week, said he didn’t think Norwich fans would like to see us promoted with a team “full of foreigners” - it is a very close, cosy and comfortable, family clique at the top of the club. Can the club really progress under such an establishment?

Coincidentally, the one man who didn’t fit into this inner circle, David McNally, is no longer at the club. He had a ruthless streak of ambition that, of course, didn’t sit right with Delia and co.

Alex Neil’s time is up, I have no doubt about that. But, regardless of our manager, there is only so far we can go under the current establishment. Until changes are made at the very top, Norwich will continue to stagnate. Unfortunately, as Delia has herself confirmed, these changes are not going to be coming any time soon.