Blog 31 - A New Season - A return to Hopes and Dreams

 

 

 

A New Season - A return to Hopes and Dreams

 

 

 

I haven't blogged for a long while, and I specifically haven't blogged about Norwich City. When I looked back it's been three years since I felt the urge to put finger to keyboard on the subject, an eternity for someone who used to write several articles a month for his fanzine. The main reason for this is that, to be quite frank, it's been too depressing. However with the long-overdue removal of Chris Hughton, and the encouraging pre-season work of Neil Adams there is finally a ray or two of sunshine emerging from the doom-laden dark clouds of the past. Plus, as I've just done the FourFourTwo season preview on Norwich City people may take a few seconds to read what I have to say and I get to ram my opinions through their synapses for a brief while.

 

To say the last two years were not enjoyable for me as a Norwich City fan is akin to saying Katie Hopkins is a little bit of an attention-seeking contrarian. Following Paul Lambert was always going to be a nigh on impossible task, and whilst Chris Hughton wasn't my choice, I understood the board's reasoning in appointing a guy with Premier League experience, who had managed on a tight budget, and a reputation within the game as an outstanding coach. But from the first game where we were battered 5-0 by Fulham and Hughton was at pains afterwards to point out that we couldn't compete with Fulham's technically superior players, I was struggling to identify with him. Particularly coming from a man who after four transfer windows to correct these technical deficiencies was proudly fielding the combined creative talents of Johnson and Tettey in midfield along with four shackled defenders and a goalkeeper every week.

 

The contrast between Lambert, the consummate winner, the confidence-builder, the bullish psychologist who wound up Colchester so successfully on his overhyped return, and Hughton's polite, tepid manner as he picked over the minor plus points of another half-hearted away defeat, was night and day. Hughton did have his good points. He is genuinely respected by everyone in the game and I don't think he ever "lost the dressing room" which considering the way we were playing is testament to the respect he obviously engenders. And few people have a major problem with the quality of the players he signed. Bassong, Redmond, Olsson, Turner, Fer. The ability was there for all to see. But the fact that he took what was by common consensus probably our best collection of players in the past twenty years and managed to get them relegated is equally testament to his inability to take a group of talented individuals and form them into an effective team. Lambert took average players and made them a good team. Hughton took good players and made them a bad team. "We lost our identity" was the line from Russell Martin, on relegation.

 

The style of football, whilst clearly defined by the organised deep-lying defence, and the patient, laboured build-up through the lines was not in keeping with the "Norwich City DNA" that the board has spoken so often about and it left most of the fans cold. A game plan that involves stopping the opposition scoring first and foremost and hoping to sneak a goal here and there is why we only mustered 28 in the entire season. Carrow Road was also the ground that saw least goals scored last season of all 92 clubs (35 compared to 80 at Coventry and 76 at Manchester City). It wasn't entertaining, and when it became clear it wasn't effective either, what was the point?

 

And so to Neil Adams. His audition at the end of last season was a mixed bag. A good performance with some ballsy tactical changes that almost salvaged something against an in-form Liverpool was undermined by a Hughtonesque no-show against Manchester United and the hype of Giggs' debut as caretaker manager (which by all rights should have been hushed up by a pre-game super-injunction). Adams baffled Jose Mourinho when, at 0-0 with ten minutes left of a must-win game for both sides, the rookie caretaker kept his troops back defending the barracks and settled for a point that ultimately meant the team had no chance of staying up. My theory at the time was that, given we were likely to go down anyway, a 0-0 draw at Chelsea looked better on Adams' managerial CV than a kitchen-sink throwing effort we may well have been caught out in attempting. Perhaps that's a little cynical but his reticence to go for it left me as confused as Jose in the circumstances. And ultimately, he got the job anyway so what do I know? Off-field his handling of some disciplinary issues drew praise from those in the know and cannot have hurt his application for the full-time position either.

 

When he was given the job permanently, following a drawn-out and ultimately confusing selection process that I won't even begin to pick over here, I was underwhelmed to say the least. He was and is, a massive throw of the dice. He has as much chance of failing as he has succeeding and for a club with a squad full of talented players that should be too good for this division, we should have been stacking those dice a little more in our favour with someone more proven.

 

However, he has impressed me with some of his decision-making since then. In terms of playing-style he has looked to be more adventurous, in pre-season at least, and play with a tempo that would have left Chris Hughton reaching for oxygen. His signing of Kyle Lafferty addressed the biggest gaping hole in the squad since Holt left, and Grabban and O'Neil are astute captures. For the most part though he looks happy to progress with the players he inherited, and this is perhaps no bad thing. The individual quality remains good and it is difficult to see how Adams could get less from them collectively than Hughton. The players, however removed they may be from the fan in the stands these days, will have felt the effects of last season. They will have felt the same weary depression as we did, watching the opposition monopolise the ball while they remained anchored rigidly to not chasing and losing their defensive shape or face the wrath of Calderwood. They were the ones making the fruitless runs that the deep-lying midfield had neither the range of passing, or the technical ability to find. To have an opportunity to show the skills they possess unencumbered by Hughtonball will free them as players once more. If Adams can handle them correctly, he can finally uncage some tigers against the Wolves on Sunday.

 

I'm still not all-in on Adams yet though. Russell Martin, whilst a lovely guy and a great pro, is not a clenched-fist, drag-em-by-the-scruff-of-the-neck type that I would have preferred as captain, and I long for the days of a Megson, Mackay or even a Holt to provide that Alpha Male influence, particularly with a new manager who needs his dressing room to be as self-servicing as possible while he grows into the role. Also Martin, for me, has not been so good that he should be guaranteed a starting spot which the captaincy would suggest. This is equally true, if not more so, for vice-captain Bradley Johnson. Whilst the captaincy itself is not a huge issue, the idea that Martin and Johnson are definite starters is a little worrying as both should have more to prove than the manager seems to think. Having said that, Adams was hardly spoilt for choice, with only Ruddy, Olsson, Turner and Howson seemingly firmly anchored as guaranteed names on the team sheet, and none of them are natural, vocal leaders either, despite smatterings of captaincy experience.

 

Overall, I think the ceiling for next season is that everything works to plan and we are free-scoring, dominant, Champions. There is a chance this could happen. The floor, the absolute worst I can see him doing with this group of players if we are bedevilled by injuries and inconsistency, is mid-table 10th-12th. The reality is probably somewhere in the play-off mix. For me to come to that conclusion, however, represents a hope that I haven't had for a couple of years. A belief that what I see from the team will be better than what has come before, or at least different, unpredictable, and fresh. It may be based on little more than the undeniably cynical premise that it can't be any worse, but Adams has shown just enough to get my supporting juices flowing again.

 

I'm, tentatively, getting my Norwich back. And yes, I'm aware that it's the hope that kills you...



Andy Head

Blog 30 - 2014 NFL Mock Draft

2014 NFL Mock Draft

 

 

by Andy Head

 

 

 

1    -      Houston Texans  -   Blake Bortles

 

All the hubbub has Clowney, undisputedly the best player in the draft, going to the Texans, but I don't buy it. Houston had a horrible season last year. Horrendous. And they haven't added a QB in free agency other than Ryan Fitzpatrick, a perennial back up who they are paying back up money to. There is a massive hole where the most important player to a franchise should be. The media would have you believe that Houston will take Clowney and then move for another QB in Rnd 2. Seriously? See how much better this season is than last while Jimmy Garropolo or A.J. McCarron flail around, enduring all the same problems with protection that Matt Schaub bombed with last year. No, can't see it in a million years. Touting Clowney as the pick makes sense to drum up trade interest amongst the likes of Atlanta but I don't think it's convincing anyone except a few journalists. It will be a QB and that will mean Bortles or Manziel, and I think Bortles will be a better fit for Bill O'Brien's offense.

 

 

2   -       TRADE  -   Cleveland Browns  -  Johnny Manziel

 

With the first QB off the board, the race for Johnny Football begins in earnest. Jacksonville will be tempted, as will Tampa and Minnesota, but along with Oakland, they won't want to give up the picks. Cleveland have openly coveted Manziel and won't risk losing him. The franchise gets fresh life breathed into it. St Louis  gets pick 4 plus Cleveland's 2nd Rnd pick this year and next.

 

 

3   -       TRADE  -   Atlanta Falcons  -   Jadeveon Clowney

 

Atlanta, while sensibly holding back from giving up the farm to trade for number one, opt to pay the price for trading up three places to get the best pass rusher of the past decade at draft stage. Jacksonville extract pick 6, Atlanta's 2nd Rounder and a 3rd next year.

 

 

4  -        TRADE  -   San Francisco 49'ers  -  Sammy Watkins

 

Sammy Watkins, Khalil Mack and the remaining QB's are on the board and while St Louis will be tempted by the former two, they'll also be acutely aware that they can move down again and stockpile picks in a very deep draft. San Francisco, armed with a plethora of picks and needing an elite weapon to compete with the Superbowl champion Seahawks and improving Arizona, will take their shot with Watkins. St Louis gets San Francisco's 1st and 2nd Rnd picks this year and next years first.

 

 

5  -       TRADE  - Minnesota Vikings  -  Derek Carr

 

Minnesota HAS to get a QB and swaps their 3rd Rounder and next year's 4th, plus pick 8 for Oakland's pick.

 

 

6  -      Jacksonville Jaguars   -   Khalil Mack

 

While the Jaguars will hope to follow in St Louis's footsteps and trade down again, I think this is where normality makes a reappearance. Jacksonville will be tempted by Bridgewater because they are so short at QB but they'll stick with BPA on their board which will most likely be Mack.

 

 

7  -   Tampa Bay Buccaneers   -  Mike Evans

 

BPA that fits a need, Tampa will be delighted if Evans makes it to seven.

 

 

8   -   Oakland Raiders   -   Taylor Lewan

First shock of the night. With Robinson and Matthews still on the board, Oakland take Lewan, a workout warrior who they feel is the best overall fit for their offensive line.


9   -   TRADE   -    Dallas Cowboys   -  Aaron Donald

Dallas sneak up for the player they most covet and give up pick 16 and their second rounder to the grateful Bills.


10  -   Detroit Lions   -   Greg Robinson

Detroit go with the best player on their board and will be pleasantly surprised to have a choice between Robinson and Matthews. Robinson is a better fit for them and has a higher ceiling.


11   -   Tennessee Titans   -   Anthony Barr

There's a reason so many mocks have Barr going to the Titans. It just makes too much sense. Perfect fit for a team that sorely needs a pass rusher.


12   -   TRADE   -   Miami Dolphins   -   Jake Matthews

Miami, desperately in need of an offensive line with stability and character can't resist trading up for a guy that has both in spades. Has to sacrifice pick 19 and their second rounder to get him though.


13   -   St Louis Rams   -   Ha Ha Clinton-Dix

Rams fans finely see their team go up to the podium. Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix would improve their secondary considerably and is an easy value pick at 13.


14   -   Chicago Bears   -   RaShede Hageman

You either love Hageman or you don't, he's extremely polarising. One team will fall in love with him, and I can see the Bears having a great deal of interest in a player that can add to the refurbishment of their defensive core.


15   -   Pittsburgh Steelers   -   Darqueze Dennard

BPA at position of need. Strong, physical beast of a corner who fits the Steelers like a glove.


16  -  Buffalo Bills   -   Eric Ebron

The Bills drop down and pick up the player they may well have drafted at nine anyway. Ebron gives EJ Manuel an extra safety blanket to go along with his young wide receiver corps.


17   -  Baltimore Ravens   -   Odell Beckham Jr

Baltimore does what it always does. Sits tight, drafts BPA, and somehow comes out with exactly what they need.


18  -  New York Jets   -   Justin Gilbert

The Jets need a CB in the worst way and Gilbert is, by consensus, one of the top prospects in this years class. They'd be delighted to get him at 18.


19   -   New York Giants  -   Louis Nix III

New York could go in a number of directions with this pick, and they're not averse to springing a surprise with their selections. Nix is an outstanding defensive lineman who is great value at 19.


20   -   Arizona Cardinals   -   Calvin Pryor

Arizona struggled mightily against Tight Ends last season and the versatile all-round Safety, Calvin Pryor would be an immediate upgrade.


21   -   Green Bay Packers   -  Jordan Matthews

Green Bay have had some turnover in their receivers and Aaron Rodgers needs someone to catch the ball. Matthews, an interesting prospect with great measurable would be a reach with great upside.


22   -   Philadelphia Eagles   -   Kyle Fuller

Philadelphia traditionally draft well, and Fuller would be a solid addition to their backfield.


23   -   TRADE   -   Jacksonville Jaguars   -   Teddy Bridgewater

With both Kansas and Cincinnati rumoured to have interest in Bridgewater, Jacksonville throws the dice and throws in their own second rounder and their third rounder to secure their franchise quarterback.


24  -   Cincinnati Bengals   -   Zack Martin

The Bengals have holes after free agency saw some influential players leave, and the versatile offensive lineman, Zack Martin would cure many ills.


25   -   San Diego Chargers   -   Bradley Roby

San Diego could go in a number of directions. I think Roby fills a need and will be amongst the BPA's by this stage.


26   -   Cleveland Browns   -   Marqise Lee

Having kept their second first-round pick in the trade to get Manziel, Cleveland then uses the pick to secure a new toy for him. Lee paired with Josh Gordon will revolutionise Cleveland's offensive threat from Day 1.


27   -   New Orleans Saints   -   Morgan Moses

The giant Moses will help keep the heat off Drew Brees and complete a fearsome offensive line for the Saints.


28   -   Carolina Panthers   -   Brandin Cooks

Carolina were one of the bigger losers in free agency, so the draft is vital for them in securing extra resource. Cooks will provide a speedy, reliable target for Cam Newton and expand their options.


29   -   New England Patriots   -   Austin Seferian-Jenkins

New England never quite go in the direction you expect. This year they appear enamoured with Seferian-Jenkins and have looked him over three times in workouts and visits. With Gronkowski unreliable and Hernandez gone, they need a tight end and ASJ has huge upside.


30   -   St Louis Rams   -   Joel Bitonio

St Louis makes an unspectacular but solid selection to beef up their offensive line options with the pick they acquired from San Francisco.


31   -   Denver Broncos   -   C.J. Moseley

What do you get for the team that has everything? The leader of the Alabama defence of course. Moseley fills a need in the middle of the Bronco's transitional linebacking corps.


32   -   Seattle Seahawks   -   Cyrus Kouandjio

An addition to Russell Wilson's protection detail who struggled with injuries at times last season. Kouandjio will add depth, size and a big potential upside.



The draft should be awesome this year with an awful lot of depth across the board. Trades could well be flying around, especially at the top of the round, and I can't wait to see how it plays out.


Andy
 

Blog 29 - 2014 NFL Draft - Big Board

2014 NFL Draft Big Board

by Andy Head

It's that time of the year when I go into Sports Geek overdrive for my favourite three days of the year, the NFL draft. Those of you who know me are probably aware that I love the NFL, but my favourite event of the season by far is the draft, even over the Superbowl (possibly because my team, the Arizona Cardinals are at least involved in the draft every year, unlike the Superbowl, or even, the playoffs).

A Big Board is where you rank all the available players in order of ability. Mine is also broken down by position as well and colour coded by round grade.

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The difference between my rankings and the ones you will see in the media and from most draftniks is that mine are done "partially sighted". Being in the UK we don't see college games, and most of us don't have any college allegiances, so the first time I look at tape of the years draft crop is not until after the combine in February. I try not to read too many of the early season mock drafts so that when I look at the draftees I'm going in with as open a mind as possible. Obviously I'm not entirely unaware of the bigger names, with Clowney, Manziel, Bridgewater and Sam making headlines from thousands of miles away and guys like Matthews and Lewan who almost came out for the draft last year still fresh in the memory but I'd not seen anything of the likes of Robinson, Ebron, Watkins and Mack until the draft process began. I think that this gives me a unique perspective as I'm going solely on what I see on tape. I use the combine invitees as the basis for my Big Board and grab what tape I can online on each and every player.

As you'll see from my Big Board I have some wildly differing opinions from the norm. However, I'm not shying away from this and backing my own judgement. Last year I was a big fan of some unheralded players who then went on to be unexpected successes, guys such as Joe Fauria from UCLA who went on to be a spectacular early season success for the Detroit Lions. Terrance Williams was my second overall Wide Receiver but only heard his name called by Dallas in Rnd 3 before having a highly impressive debut season.Tyrann Mathieu, the troubled defensive back was also a big favourite of mine and he ended up among the Rookie of the Year candidate discussions. Likewise the year before I was a proponent of gambling on the undrafted Vontaze Burfict who has since gone on to be the highest tackling defender in the league. Equally I've had my failures (Matt Barkley's 1st Rnd Grade was a particular lowpoint!) but that's the fun of it.

Things that will jump out at those with a reasonable knowledge of this years draft class:

• Johnny Manziel 2nd best player in the draft? - Yes, you read it correctly. Other than Clowney there is nobody in this draft I rate as highly as Manziel. He has thrown and run for thousands of yards in college, and the only knock anyone seems to have is that "he likes to party". Show me the college guy who doesn't. He can make every throw, take off as a running threat greater than any QB currently in the NFL, and he still hasn't had NFL coaching to make him even better. The guy is going to transfer a failing franchise.
• Isaiah Crowell best running back? - On pure talent, he's well ahead of the opposition. Nobody else consistently runs between and through tackles for big gains like this kid. By all accounts he has a plethora of off-field issues, but with this much talent someone will have to take a chance. See Burfict and Matthieu.
• Kony Ealy and Demarcus Lawrence only 4th and 5th Rnd picks? - I can only go on the tape I see and neither displayed anything like the skills that have seen most draftniks grade them as Rnd 1-2 prospects. Ealy's burst is overrated and he still looks a year and a few pounds away from fulfilling his potential to me. Lawrence was wildly inconsistent and tends to fly around at speed but, again, he's slight and often sloppy with his technique.
• Khalil Mack only rated 18? - Mack is rated in most people's Top 5 players in the draft. Whilst I liked him, I didn't see anything that wowed me. I prefer both Van Noy and Barr as edge rushers, although I think Mack is more versatile. I'm sure he'll go on to have a great career, but I just don't think he's the elite prospect that the consensus does.
• ILB - Preston Brown at 8, and CJ Mosley only 3rd Rnd? - Preston Brown impressed me more than any other linebacker except Van Noy. One of those occasions where a player unexpectedly jumps off the tape. As I'd never heard of him before I watched the tape, I did due diligence and watched extra games to see if I'd fluked a couple of exceptional games from an inconsistent player, but he was awesome every time. Big, imposing, and with a habit of always being close to the action, either making tackles himself or backing up the guy who was, I struggled to fault him. Until last week he had been broadly ignored by the draft community, although he has now moved into NFL Network guru Mike Mayock's top 5 ILB rankings and since then a few others have sneaked him onto their board, although still no higher than Rnd 4. Brown is my guy in this draft, and I'm certain he will catch on with whatever team is smart enough to select him. Mosley was  the leader of the Alabama defence so you would expect great things, but I could see nothing from his tape that made me think he would be anything than Just Another Guy in the NFL. He's a little slow, his anticipation is not always all it could be and there was nothing that he did well enough to make me see a first or second rounder.
• Safeties - Jimmie Ward 3rd Rnd, Deone Bucannon 4th, and Dixon and Berhe 2nd Rnd? - Again, I go with the tape. Bucannon is another that flies around, but often misses tackles in his enthusiasm to make a hit for his own highlight reel. Ward just didn't pop. Dixon and Berhe however did, and whilst I don't see either as definite blue chip 1st Rounders, they both have great individual qualities and high consistency levels. Two teams could pick up some excellent value in the mid-late rounds with these guys.
• Aaron Colvin Rnd 1, but Verrett and Gilbert Rnd 3? - Colvin would easily have been in Rnd 1 contention and would probably been the first CB off the board if he hadn't been injured. He hits like a linebacker, has great instincts and the speed and size to play anywhere across the backfield. Verrett suffers because of size. Whilst he has great technique, he gets outmuscled by average college wide receivers. He can't be seen as anything other than a risk at NFL level and this in turn effects his stock. Gilbert is many people's top CB and is still being mocked in the Top Ten picks. I think of him as a cake that has all the right ingredients but still doesn't taste quite right. He's another that seems to be amassing flashy film, but when you watch a whole game there's sloppiness there that will get exploited at the next level.
• Sefarian-Jenkins at 5 overall? - Just can't see him being anything other than a star in the NFL. Huge size, great hands, awesome blocker. I know there are questions marks regarding attitude and durability but I haven't heard anything too disquieting and the tape is exceptional.

Hope you enjoy the Big Board. I will attempt a mock before Thursday to accompany this and then I'll crawl back into my bloghole for another year in all probability! Couldn't let Draft season come and go without throwing my neck on the line though!

Andy



Blog 28 - Follow the Leader

The passing of the great Nelson Mandela has been met with various tributes this week, from the humbling and affectionate words of his friends and family, to the expected soundbites of the various world leaders. Watching these, and remembering the huge impression his book "The Long Walk to Freedom" made to me as an idealistic teenager, the thing which struck me most was that this was a man who had achieved so much, locally, nationally and globally, and yet he was not a man with a thirst for power. Power had found it's way to him. His first forays into politics with the ANC were not because he wanted to get into politics for politics sake. He found the subject of politics boring as a young man and he was happier being Jack-The-Lad and chasing women. Apartheid however, was something that needed to be fought, and Mandela, a strong, intelligent, educated man, knew that he was needed. Quickly, he became the figurehead of the party and the struggle. In prison, on Robben Island, this continued, and any peaceful protests against the guard's treatment of prisoners were led by Mandela, his behaviour mirrored by the others. The guards quickly came to the conclusion that to achieve an end with the prisoners you had to talk to Mandela. Upon gaining his freedom, already an old man, he took upon the mantle of leading the ANC in South Africa's first free elections, not because he was keen to be involved in affairs of state, but because he felt it was the right thing to do for the country and to bring a peaceful end to apartheid. He left the position after only one term, with his task achieved, to concentrate on his family and charity work, using his iconic status to highlight global issues such as poverty and aids. At each step he had power placed in his hands rather than him feeling the need to reach for it.

If we contrast the leadership of Mandela with modern politicians, the differences could not be more acute. The recent entertaining shennanigans of Russell Brand on Newsnight highlighted, in his charming loquacious urchin manner, the reality of political opinion for a generation of voters. We have no genuine leaders. We have a succession of people who are essentially from the same stock, who wear the same suit, reading similar words by similarly educated speechwriters, and who will tell us anything, truth or fiction, to gain a vote on election day, and then happily ignore every promise they've made once elected. These are people for whom gaining power is the objective. The destination and not the journey. Find a bloke who looks good on tv, looks potentially charismatic but will happily say what he's told by the spin doctors instead of, god forbid, his own thoughts, slap him in the right colour tie and he can lead the nation. Doesn't matter if he's clever, or intelligent, or has any social or morale compass. As long as he says what he's told, does very little so he can't make a visible mistake and lose votes, he's golden.

In this country, Gordon Brown was a very successful Chancellor and by all accounts a hugely intelligent and capable public servant, but his Gollumesque desire for the "Precious" ring of Prime Minister has made him a by word for political incompetency. At a time when we experienced the first televised pre-election political debates, Brown could not have performed any less favourably. Whilst Cameron robotically punched out his message, and Clegg twinkled his underdogs smile, Brown clumsily lurched through his scripted answers with all the charm and wit of a flatulent corpse. He committed gaffe upon gaffe in the run up to the election and unsurprisingly was well beaten. The depth of his fall from grace really hit home to me recently when he was asked to give a speech on the economy at a Labour Event in Scotland and it had to be cancelled because not one single ticket had been requested by the public. A recent Chancellor and Prime Minister and nobody wanted to hear him speak. 

In any intelligent organisation, this man would still be playing a key role. Not public facing obviously, but behind the scenes, using his knowledge and experience to help the economy. Whatever your views on the Labour government, or his role as Chancellor or PM, it can't be argued that there are few people if any, in this country, who are more qualified to help plan a way out of the recession. Similarly, there are previous Tory Chancellors who could equally prove useful in this regard. But due to the political system, we are obliged to play a 5 yearly game of musical chairs and if you're wearing the wrong colour tie at the wrong time, you're not allowed to help the country, you have to sit on the other side of the room and criticise those that are trying to fix the problem whilst they're doing it, until it's your turn to have a go again. Good people whose abilities are lost to the country because of an outmoded political system. Brown's consuming need for the top job, cost him a reputation for considered and competent decision making as Chancellor which he actually deserved. 

The United States is no better. George W Bush was staggeringly ill-fitting as the leader of the free world, ticking virtually no boxes as a leader. A unifier of the nation? Charismatic? Intelligent? He had a name that Republicans knew, but he had no ideas of his own and no concept of conducting himself as a competent international statesman. Yet he was elected twice. Sort of. Whilst his opponent Al Gore, a politician who has really grasped and embraced key global challenges such as the environment and the economy, was shuffled off the political landscape for the sake of a handful of questionable votes. How much more could have been achieved if he'd have been given a key position in the government aimed at tackling global warming?

To succeed as a political leader over the past 25 years or so you needed to be seen as a "Safe pair of hands" for the party to elect you. After a series of bland men, promising much and delivering little, the public are tired of the game and crying out for someone to lead. The most obvious figure in this regard in Britain is Boris Johnson. Styling himself almost as a British Bush, his cartoonesque buffonery has created a media personality that the British people recognise immediately, which is unusual for a nation that increasingly hits the mute button when politicians mumble things they don't mean at us. He also chooses deliberately not to appeal to everyone. His right wing opinions, his unadulterated adulation of all things Margaret Thatcher, his unabashed love of greed, would usually be the kind of ideology that a politician would avoid at all costs. But it works for him. People love that he stands for something, no matter whether they agree or not. You know what you'll get with Boris. Obviously by voting for him you'd be handing a Clouseau-esque pantomime villain the keys to the nuclear button and effectively the survival of all mankind, but hey, politics would no longer be boring. The power of warts and all honesty is seductive in election times. Of course, cynic that I am, I don't believe for a second that Johnson's entire image hasn't been carefully planned by a Tory think tank and sold to the nation piece by piece since the day he came to prominence on "Have I Got News For You" bumbling about "falling into a massive elephant trap" as Ian Hislop publically disembowelled him. Whilst he may not have made a particularly good impression that night, the fact was he made an impression. And if the viewers noticed you can bet the spin doctors noticed as well. But as much as I can see the seductive voter appeal of Johnson, equally, whilst he may represent boldness and a committed stance as a leader of the country, he's just another actor playing the part of a real leader. If he were elected, who genuinely believes he would make any decisions himself? He's not going to be the brains of the organisation, just the face and the mouthpiece. He's the Tony the Tiger on the Tories Frosties box. And the people making the real decisions behind the scenes will be the same Eton clique running Cameron and Osbourne now. The people we don't see and don't know we're electing to the real positions of power. 

I recently read a biography of Abraham Lincoln, and one of the key reasons for his success as a President, and the remarkable amount of change he was able to achieve whilst also fighting a civil war, was that when he took office as President, he appointed those who were his fiercest rivals within the party, to the key jobs in government. Those whom he fought for the parties nomination became his closest advisors. There were even some Democrats appointed to key positions at the expense of Republicans because they were better qualified. He wanted the best, not just those that agreed with him on every point. But he led himself. He would, on occasion, veto entire amendment suggestions raised within cabinet by himself if he felt them wrong. Equally he was capable of great concessions on points that mattered personally to him if he felt that others reasoning was stronger than his own. The success of the nation was the only consideration in his mind. I need not labour the comparisons to Mandela in this regard. 

Lincoln and Mandela understood the need to work with people and not against them. They are true leaders, worthy of following. I doubt I will see any leaders of such integrity and gravitas again in my lifetime. But these are the men we must seek to fix our ailing civilisation. Not just someone who looks good in a suit and spins promises they can't and won't keep. Attracting men of such character to a dishevelled political system hellbent on power for power's sake will be the problem we must solve.

Blog 27 - Judging

I was watching something on TV the other day, I forget what it was, but it had real people in so was either a documentary or reality tv.

One person said to the other "You're judging me!", and this grabbed the attention of the assembled bystanders. There was an almost visible intake of breath.

"I'm not judging you because I'd never do that. Ever", was the reply from the alleged judge. Correct answer apparantly. The bystanders relaxed. She was back in the game.

This seems to be a big thing from what I see these days, both myself, and increasingly in the teeny programmes my girls are starting to get into. Judging is a big no-no. Judge not lest thouself be judged.

This is of course, contrary to human nature. We judge EVERYTHING. From the unconscious like "How far do I have to hop so I don't splash in that puddle?", or "Can I make it before that light turns red?" to the more considered "Can we afford to buy a new car?", or "Can I drink one more pint and still make the last bus home?".

Why then is it considered bad form to judge people? I judge everyone. If you're reading this and you know me, I've made a judgement about you. I've probably made lots of judgements about you. And I'd be shocked to shit if you hadn't done the same about me. If you've made the effort to read this then you probably don't mind me as a person. Either that or you're planning to sue me and looking for ammunition amongst my paranoid ramblings. If so fill your boots, there's probably plenty to go on. But if you are one of those that don't mind me, you probably like some things about me, but could happily forego other aspects of what passes for my personality. You might find me devilishly attractive but at the same time think I have a grating sense of self-righteousness. You may think I'm kind but overbearing. We all have pro's and con's.

I think the idea about judging someone being a bad thing come from the notion that if you are judging someone you are setting yourself above them. "Who are you to judge me?" is the cry. But if you judge everyone based on the same criteria, regardless of who they are, then why should you not have an opinion? Regardless of whether it's a friend, or a politician, or a footballer or a boss at work, if a man, say, cheats on his wife I'll have the same opinion of him and his actions in that context. Equally, he may have other characteristics that I do approve of. After their wives kick them out, the friend may put her through a messy divorce and upset the kids, whereas the politician may come clean and spend all his time trying to win back his wife's trust (unlikely I know but work with me). Either way I'm still judging them on their actions. If my friend's actions really disappoint me, I may stop being his friend. I may judge that he is not the type of person that I want to be friends with. And yes, in this context, that would be because I think I'm better than him in some ways. Important ways. At least important to me.

When people say "Who are you to judge me?" what people are really saying is "Who are you to have an opinion of me that I don't like?". Nobody complains about being judged if someone says "In my opinion you are a lovely person". What they're almost certainly saying is "Please don't voice a judgement because it will paint me in a negative light as even I'm aware that I'm behaving badly". They infer that judgement is a bad thing because judgement will place the judge above them morally. But if that feeling of superiority is justified, that judgement is valid.

I judge people. I always have and always will. If you do something I don't like or don't agree with I may tell you.

"Who are you to judge me?" you may say.

I'm just me and it's just my opinion. You may not care about my opinion. If so, bravo.

But beware the person that squawks "Who are you to judge me?". They're probably behaving like an arse at the time.

Blog 26 - Let people who say nothing be in charge

I am going to talk about politics.

I'm sorry.

I'll try to be brief and not scare you too much.

I've just found out that Andrew Mitchell has resigned as Chief Whip or whatever the hell he is in the Tory government or Coalition or United Nations or patrons of Twitter or whoever the hell runs this damn country now.

Now I'm not a fan of the Tories, never have been, never will be, never voted that way and probably never will. But what the hell are we doing forcing a man to lose his job for letting his guard down for one minute and getting arsey with someone who annoyed him? If we did that to everyone nobody would have a bloody job.

The tabloids say he called a policeman who stopped him riding his bike through a gate a pleb. He said he asked "Arn't you guys supposed to be fucking helping us?". He may be lying to make it sound better (and given the amount of play the pleb line has got that sounds likely) or he may be telling the truth. Either way, he got annoyed. He later apologised and the policeman accepted.

Now, following newspapers banging on about the non-event, and the Twitchforks coming out on social media, weeks later, he's given into pressure and resigned.

What in the name of God are we doing as a society? Are we saying that only people who are on their guard 24/7 should be employed? Only people who have exactly mainstream ideas can be allowed to speak to anyone? Maybe we should put a pre-programmed computer in charge of the country. It can make no decisions of any consequence but parrot them out in monotone inoffensive soundbites that nobody could object to. Or is that what Cameronbot 2000 is already doing?

Every day we make our world more bland, lest we share an opinion that may not be to everyones cup of tea and therefore offensive. Every company now has a Facebook or Twitter policy to prevent their employees mentioning their work or colleagues. No good things, no bad things. Just say nothing. We are a society of saying nothing out of fear of the consequences.

Mitchell, whoever he is, or whatever he does, is just a bloke. He may be rubbish at his job, or really good. He may be a total arse or the salt of the earth. I have no idea. But he's just lost his job because he got a bit snippy with one person for 30 seconds. And not because anyone was really "offended", but because they just banged on about it until the point where everyone got so fed up that it wasn't worth the bloody hassle any more.

Well done Britain.

You twat.

My friend Jon

This week I lost one of my oldest and closest friends.

When I first received the call to say that he had passed away I was hit initially by shock, followed swiftly by tremendous guilt that I hadn't done more and spent more time with him in recent months. I think it's an uneasy feeling that a lot of people who knew Jon will share as well at this time.

However, even as I type this, I can hear his voice in my head saying "That's bollocks Heady", and as with Y'Army articles, condensing an entire paragraph of my rambling waffle into one succinct soundbite.

I share some of Jon's demons and I had the late night chats with him when things were bad and we both agreed that this illness doesn't get better or go away. You just go through different stages of tolerance. Jon loved his friends and his family and I know for a fact that he wouldn't want any of us feeling guilty or responsible for things we had no more control over than he did. For all the darkness he encountered he remains one of the most positive people I have ever known and I know that this is how he would want us to feel when he is in our thoughts.

By now, with his editorial hat on he'd be telling me to get on with something funny. As he told me once when he had me constructing a leaving poem for a colleague at N.U. "Try and get some laughs and applause Heady. You deserve the clap."

I first met Jon 13 years ago. He was my first proper boss in my first proper job and when I arrived there I had led a relatively sheltered life and was a shy and nervous kid. As those of you who know me will testify I'm now the most horrendous gobshite, and a startling amount of that change was down to Jon's partly sage and partly dubious influence. As well as my boss, he became a friend and a mentor.

Inside of work he taught me not only how to do my job, but how to be better than the job I was in. I learned so much about how to behave as an adult and an individual from Jon. Outside of work, the lessons were more based upon how I could disgrace myself but get away with it. He shanghaied me into pubs I would have never dared to have gone into before. Curry houses that no human being should have gone into, ever. And he showed me what happened in those buildings that have signs with three "X"'s outside. In short he helped me grow up. Those years in the EPT, are some of the happiest times of my life and Jon was a huge part of that. He looked after me and metaphorically deflowered me all at once, and I include that mangled metaphor because I know how much Jon would chuckle at it. It was a few years of ridiculous nonsense and mischief.

To my lasting regret I wasn't in Manchester the night that he and some accomplices on a departmental training trip who shall remain nameless, were evicted from the hotel that backed onto the Old Trafford cricket pitch. They'd climbed down from their balcony which led into the stands and were caught by the security guard pretending to bowl and bat on the wicket in the pitch black whilst slightly hammered and stark bollock naked. A typical night out with Jon in many ways. Only a 2 a.m. chorus of "Jerusalem" in a residential street away from being textbook.

This was what was great about Jon though. He was a human catalyst. He had an unbelievable randomness and spark and when you were with him he'd end up talking you into doing things and going places that you'd never normally consider. And they'd end up being great memories. A typical phone call from Jon would be: "Heady, you're not doing anything today are you? We're going to Boston/Dagenham/Cambridge/Some random football ground we've never been to before" and we'd be in the car and on our way. Or we'd go down to London on the train and find ourselves in Hamleys lobbing cuddly toys at each other. As you do.

Y'Army gave me some of my favourite memories and again, Jon was the catalyst. Jon and Dave came up with the initial concept and I got on board to add in some additional content and it was one of the best things I've ever done in my life. I look back on the fanzine with great pride as I know Jon also did. Dave was fantastic at putting the publication together and I hammered up sufficient articles to give us enough for people to read, but without Jon the project would never have got off the ground. Endlessly positive, he drove the fanzine from being a pipedream into a reality. Whatever challenge came up, Jon would rise up to meet it.

I've played football at Colney because Jon set it up. I've seen a song I made up sung to Darren Huckerby on tv to convince him to stay at Norwich City because Jon organised it (Look East didn't think it could be done. Jon thought differently and made it happen). I've been part of so many wonderful things that are the result of Jon's hard work, and his gift of the gab, and just Jon being Jon. I don't know if I ever properly articulated to him how much this meant to me. I hope he knew.

The most telling thing of all in this however, is that I am by no means one of the people closest to Jon. As we both got older and since I've had kids we naturally grew apart. We always stayed in touch and checked in regularly to see how we were both doing, but we lost a bit of that closeness that we once had. However, I know that there are hundreds of people who feel just like I do about Jon. People that in recent times he spent far more time with than me. He made friends wherever he went. I'm tempted to say that he had a close friend on every continent except Antarctica, but there's probably a penguin that's had a beer with Jon who loved the guy. He mixed with so many different people from so many walks of life. I can't imagine how many lives he touched. How many people his energy and enthusiasm have lifted.

Jon was only 37 when he was taken from us, but in that time he lived a life and a half. If a man is made up of the friends he makes or the joyful memories he creates, then he has have lived a fuller life than many of those who make it to 100.

Jon, I will miss you greatly. I know I'll see you again one day, and at that point you'll take the piss out of me for blubbering like a little girl on more than one occasion over the past couple of days, and I'll respond by saying that if all angels look like you I might consider an alternative destination. But I know you'll be waiting my friend.

And for the love of God, find a more palatable class of curry house for us to go to by the time I get up there...

Blog 24 - Norwich v Leicester, a few words on the game and a quick stocktake.

I haven't blogged about Norwich for ages, simply because I haven't needed to. It's all been going swimmingly and there's been nothing to add that hasn't been said already.

With the defeat against Leicester in the cup today it seemed like a good time to take stock as effectively it ends our season. Only the biggest cynic or the most ridiculous optimist can see anything remaining for us but a mid-table finish, which in itself is an enormous triumph for us, and the rest of the season is going to be a preview for next season and a challenge to see how high up the table we can reach.

Today we lost to a team we really should have beaten. Leicester were well organised but they didn't play out of their skins, and as much as the knee-jerk reactionists try to scream that all our players were rubbish and they were trying to lose so they can concentrate on the league, that wasn't true either. The reality is that Paul Lambert lost the game by picking the wrong team and the wrong tactics.

There. I've said it. St Paul was fallible. And it's ok. We can say it. The spell will not be broken and he won't turn into a bad manager because of it, or run to another club outraged at the audacity of one fan thinking this. Christ knows he's allowed one bad day at the office. I love Paul Lambert as our manager. He is without doubt the most tactically adept boss we've had in my thirty years of following the team. But today he got it wrong.

Today, we set out to play a system that was simply too heavily weighted in terms of attacking players and we convincingly lost the battle for midfield. The shape was that of a wide diamond, with David Fox playing the quarterbacking role just ahead of the back four, Pilkington wide on the left, Bennett wide right and Wes sitting close behind Morison and Jackson up front. The intent behind this was admirable. Jackson has been brilliant in recent weeks and on current form alone is probably our best striker. If he is to play though he needs someone to play off, whether that be Holt, Morison or Wilbraham. That's fine. So we have a back four and a front two. The make up of the midfield was the problem however. There was simply no presence in the middle of the park. Fox was so deep and Hoolahan so advanced that combined with the wide men operating with chalk on the boots Leicester had the centre of the field to themselves. As the game wore on, Pilks, Wes and Benno all tried at various times to move inside and help out, but even then there was still an enormous gulf between them and anyone they could pass to, and our passing game never really showed signs of getting going as a result.

So why did Lambert pick such a team and formation? I think partially it was an experiment to see if it would work. The competition being an obvious secondary consideration to Premiership priorities and the opposition being a league below us it was an ideal opportunity to tinker tactically, and Holt, Ruddy and Surman were all given a break despite good current form. Bennett played superbly in the second half against Swansea last week, Pilkington has become an increasingly important influence in recent weeks and Wes and Foxy are our two most technically competent players so Lambert gave in to temptation and played them all. Had it been Premiership opposition I don't think for a second he would have tried it. This selection is the reason we lost the game.

The selection though does highlight one obvious problem with our squad now. The attacking players picked today are the ones you get the impression that Lambert is always trying to find a place for. They are flair players, who when in form can terrify defences and create chances and excitement. And today he picked them all regardless of the fact that it left us light in midfield and he knew that when he picked the team. The real issue though is that there were not players of similar calibre in the middle of midfield he would have equally wanted to shoehorn in. Jonny Howson, when fit, may change that situation, but aside from Fox there is only Johnson, Crofts, Lappin and Surman to pick from and Surman is the only one with any current form. This may well be an area that Lambert will look to improve in this summer.

So to the stocktake. PL will undoubtedly look to take us to the next level next season and set our sights higher than simply avoiding relegation. He's shown before that he's not averse to upgrading players that have performed well for him previously, and one of his key skills has been to keep those players involved and keep competition for places high.

Ruddy has had a good season. He still lacks a little confidence, particularly in coming for crosses but his shot-stopping has been excellent and Lambert's faith in him has been well founded. Rudd and Steer have not let themselves down at all when they've had chances and I can't see us investing in a stopper again any time soon.

Kyle Naughton has been exceptional and I think Lambert will do everything he can to persuade the board to pay Spurs their asking price come May. Quick, good on the ball, defensively sound and adaptable he's done everything asked of him and more. Russell Martin has at times looked every inch a Premiership player, and despite the odd poor game or costly mistake, when you consider the journey he's been on from Peterborough reserve in League One to playing a full Premiership season in just two years, we have to be delighted with him. Martin will continue to be a part of our plans going forward. Marc Tierney had been in good form prior to injury, and although Lambert may look at the position in May, Tierney has certainly done nothing to warrant replacing. The fact is that with every successful stage of our upward journey, Lambert upgrades and my gut says that this could be an area, regardless of whether that's hard on Tierney. Adam Drury has performed stoically in recent weeks, but he'll know as well as anyone that he's winding down his career now and that he's lost a little of the sharpness he once had. He may stick around in some capacity as a positive influence but the days of Drury being a regular on the teamsheet are gone. George Francomb is a good young player but he may prove a casualty of success and still be a little way off what Lambert considers is needed as we progress.

Centre-Half has been a carousel position this season with everyone stepping up to have a go. Ryan Bennett is obviously expected to be a big part of our future at the position if the reports of a £3m fee are accurate. Either way it's certainly the biggest fee we've ever paid for a defender, and as an England U21 regular he's a crucial component of Lambert's next generation. Whitbread, when fit, has been a collosus, and if he can just stay healthy, he's one of the best centre halves I've seen in the Premiership all season. Ayala, is young, calm and composed and if he and Bennett get together, you can see a partnership in the heart of the defence that could keep us solid for years to come. Elliott Ward has returned from injury as if he'd never missed a game and his presence is greatly reassuring at the back. With these four in place I can't imagine we'll be looking for further replacements at centre back, especially with Russell Martin as a further option. Unfortunately I can't see a future for Leon Barnett whose days appear numbered. At one point he and Russell Martin were getting a good partnership going having been thrown together by injury, but a number of lapses in concentration saw the big man lose his place and drop down the pecking order. His confidence is obviously low right now, and he had a bad game today, responsible for Leicester's second goal and looking uncomfortable against opposition that he would usually have no problem with. He's a lovely lad and a top player on his day, but he may be another victim of the Lambert upgrade.

In midfield, Lambert has revolved his tactics around the opposition with generally an excellent success rate. David Fox has enjoyed the extra time afforded to him at this level and remains a positive influence on the passing game when selected. Bradley Johnson has been a huge plus in terms of being much better than we anticipated he would be. He remains inconsistent but he's a presence in midfield with his ability to pick up the second ball a definite plus. Andrew Crofts unfortuantely has not made the transition to Premiership player. Whilst he'll always give 100%, he doesn't have the skill set for a top level midfielder and as I've already stated, I think Lambert will look for better players in midfield. Korey Smith and Tom Adeyemi will return from their loan spells better players and may be given chances to show this, but their futures are obviously in the balance along with Simon Lappin. Lapps is one of those silent heroes that Lambert loves who trains well and never complains and is always there if we need him and if he continues to be content he may just have a squad place again next season. Andrew Surman was anonymous for the first half of the season but since getting a run of games he's been much improved and his tactical flexibility has been key to him slotting into the varying systems that Lambert applies according to the opposition. Anthony Pilkington began the season as a flashy sod, desperate to shoot from anywhere and get his name in lights. However, as he's matured throughout the season and become more of a team player he's shown exactly why PL paid handsomely to bring him from Huddersfield. His work rate has increased, he looks to help getting the passing game going, and his runs are no longer just to get himself in position to score, but are often to help out colleagues and provide options for keeping posession as a team. He's another that will grow with the side. Elliot Bennett has probably not made as big an impact as he would have hoped but he has been involved in nearly every game and he always offers something positive when he's on the pitch. I expect him to get more starts before the season is over and be looking to cement a place next term.

Grant Holt continues to be Grant Holt, and that doesn't change regardless of the opposition. If there's a ball to be won, it doesn't matter to Holty if it's John Terry or Troy Archibald Henville, he'll plough through them anyway and this is why we love him. Holty will be here next season, just being Holty. Steve Morison's development is less clear. He has certainly scored some good goals for us and contributed as much as we could hope in that sense. However, there appear to be two versions of Steve Morison that do or don't show up in matches. There have been games where he has scared the bejeesus out of defenders and bullied them with his presence (Newcastle at home and his goal against Arsenal being prime examples), and other times, such as today where he had a shocker, where he looks disinterested and lazy. I'm sure he's neither of these reasons really, but either way, he remains an unpredictable element and if PL looks to aquire a striker, Morison would be one player who would need to watch his back. Simeon Jackson has worked his socks off whenever he has been given an opportunity and although you got the feeling at the start of the season that PL wasn't fully confident that Jackson could step up, he's currently playing so well that he can hardly leave him out. As much as I think Lambert will look to add firepower next season, I think Simeon will remain in the plans and deservedly so. James Vaughan remains an unknown quantity and hopefully we'll see him more before the end of the season. Aaron Wilbraham is starting to win round the doubters finally. To be fair his performances this season when called upon have been good. Last year, many people, myself included to be fair, doubted he had the ability to play at Championship level, let alone Premiership, but he's aquitted himself well in his brief cameos. With his contract up in May I'd be very surprised if we saw him again next year though.

All in all it's been a fantastic season. Really enjoyable and a positive experience for all of those who were worried that we'd gone too far too soon. With Ryan Bennett, Ayala, Pilkington, Elliot Bennett, Jackson, Howson, Vaughan, Rudd and Steer all coming through and developing apace the future looks solid, and if we can add Naughton permanently along with a few more quality additions to the existing experienced lads, there is no reason why next year we can't go even further than we have this. The sky is still the limit for this club.

Blog 23 - Gary Speed, depression and how people can help.

I'm writing this having just heard the terrible news about Wales manager Gary Speed committing suicide in the early hours of this morning aged just 42.

If there is one word that dominates the news reports and discussions it is shock. Every friend, colleague, pundit and fan seems dumbfounded by the news.

Gary Speed is a man everyone liked. With his good looks attracting a lot of female attention, as a young Leeds star he could easily have become a "Spice Boy" like so many others and allowed the lifestyle and money of a Premiership Footballer become more important to him than actually playing the game. But he didn't. He gave 100% week in-week out and served every club he played for with honour and commitment, and he was a man that every neutral fan had respect for as a result.

He seemed to have it all, a lovely family, financially untroubled, a successful playing career, and now a promising spell as manager of his country, the highest honour one can be given in football. He had it all. So why would he want to end it?

I don't know, because I'm not Gary Speed, but as someone who has suffered with depression and been to some very low places, I can certainly see how the seemingly perfect life could have become more of a prison than a paradise for someone with depression.

With everything Gary Speed had going for him it's clear that in life he has made some very good decisions. As a manager that's his job, and as a player it was one of his strengths. So when you spend all day every day making good decisions in your professional life and in your personal life, what happens when you find that the right move still leaves you feeling hollow and empty every time?

This is what depression does. It strips the joy away from everyday life. It makes the positive seem bland and uninspiring (at best). So if the right moves make you feel like shit, what's the alternative? Deliberately make the wrong moves? Run away? Quit and start again from scratch so you can do it all again? When you are a father, a husband and someone shouldering the burden of a nations footballing hopes it isn't that simple. If you make the wrong decisions those around you suffer. You can't and won't run away from those you love, no matter how much you may want to be alone. And you can't quit as manager of a national football team because all you want is some peace and you'll be hounded by the press forever and a day. You're trapped. You're on a treadmill that you can't get off of. Logically the best thing you can do is just to carry on as normal but when every fibre of your body is screaming for rest and change, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. Speed's very success could have been his biggest downfall.

Gary Speed, due to his fame and position, has today become a symbol of all that's hidden about depression, but his situation is replicated by normal, everyday people every single day of the year. The challenges are different, but the reasoning will usually be the same. People who feel desperately unhappy, but who feel powerless to change their situation. I feel like this regularly to varying degrees, but have never, even at my lowest point, acted on it. However given how prevelant depression is, it's amazing that statistically more people don't.

So how can we stop this happening to the next Gary Speed? The next person who is backed into a corner with only one way out? The answer, however unhelpful, is that you can't. Depression is an illness and whilst it varies greatly in seriousness and symptom, there is no cure. You may feel better for a while, you may consider yourself "cured" even, but once a person suffers from depression it will always be part of them. Something you always have to remain aware of. And people will always be pain and a lot will kill themselves. There's no magic formula.

The one area that can be addressed is that of changing attitudes towards people with depression. When I was first diagnosed with depression my first reaction was to keep it to myself. I was ashamed by what seemed like a terrible weakness for a bloke in his early twenties to be suffering from. I thought it was only something for people who had been through a massive trauma in their life, and that my feelings were fraudulent. Surely I was just being a wimp? My sunconscious was sulking about something and wanted to hide away from the real world for a while like a child. It took me a long time and a lot of lost sleep and mental strain to acknowledge the validity of my condition.

Imagine how much more difficult it is to accept for someone who has never experienced depression. If your only contact with depression is that someone at work buggers off on full pay for months at a time with it whilst you have to come in every day and pick up their slack, then your opinion of it is not going to be good. The invisible disease that anybody can claim to have.

I think as a society, we do accept that some people suffer from mental illness, but that we have all experienced one or two people who claim to have depression but seem to be fine. Depression is regarded with the same skepticism as ADHD. Some kids may genuinely need meds, but every naughty kid at school these days gets told he has some vague disease because it's easier for parents to blame illness rather than a lack of parenting. Hence, for every 10 people who claim to have depression, we assume 7 or 8 are just making excuses. As someone with depression, you feel this skepticism acutely, often because you still feel this way yourself to a large extent.

If I found coming to terms with depression hard, imagine what Gary Speed had to deal with. Football is an old-school male community, with embedded attitudes when it comes to health. The team is everything. The individual must put the team before himself. He must play through the pain barrier, fight to his last breath, leave everything personal in the dressing room and live for the moment with his teammates. A national football manager who quits because of depression? Unthinkable. A large proportion of the country, and more importantly the footballing community would see it as tantamount to treason. You don't quit a job like that. You're honoured to have been asked in the first place you ungrateful sod. And depression? Well just cheer up a bit, there's nothing wrong with you. I doubt very much that Gary Speed told many people in the game about his illness, which would have added to the pressure he was already feeling.

I can only hope that Gary Speed's tragedy can change this attitude. That people see a model professional and a successful man and now understand that one man's perfect life can be another man's prison cell, and that depression is a potentially lethal illness and not a weak persons laziness. And I hope that the next Gary Speed feels like they can ask for help, or a way out, and that more people will now understand rather than turn on them in ignorance.

I feel for his family and friends, but most of all I feel for him, and the incredible pain he must have been feeling.

RIP Gary Speed.

Blog 22 - What I did on my honeymoon - Houses of Parliament

*As you'll probably know I got married the other day. Part of the reason we got to getting around to getting married after 11 years is that we were going away for our first ever night away from the kids because Kerry was attending a Cybermummy conference in London, and so we combined this event with a wedding. This meant that I had a day in London doing some touristy things before meeting up with Kerry after the conference and then doing some more touristy things the next day with her before coming back to rescue my Mum and Dad from our kids. I've decided to blog about some of the things I/we did in case anyone was thinking of doing them next time they're in London.*

Houses of Parliament Tour

Cost - £15 for a single adult

Time taken - 2hr 15m from arrival at venue to being back on the street afterwards.

I got to Westminster at 9.30 a.m. and as soon as you leave Westminster tube station the HOP are straight in front of you, so it's an easy find. However, when you get to the series of check-in desks which you would assume would be there for you to buy your ticket you are then redirected across the road to the back garden of a house behind Westminster Abbey. You then have the bizarre scenario of an old stone building which has had plexiglass dividers rammed into it's three small windows manned by HOP sales staff. Once you manage to obtain a ticket (they were struggling with complicated computer systems and a lack of English as a first language and managed to take 10 mins to sell me one adult ticket for a tour in English) you then go back to the apparantly redundant check in booths at the HOP. A word of warning, I was able to get through this process relatively quickly because I got there early before the real crowds arrived but later in the day I saw the queues to get tickets stretching for a good 100 yds outside of the normal queueing area. Once inside you are immediately whisked through the most thorough security check I've ever encountered, which is to be expected given the high value of the venue as a terrorist target. You get taken through scanners, have your picture taken, have your baggage x-rayed and your pocket contents examined. However, the security staff are very personable and try and make this experience as painless and swift as possible. Then, you're in. From ticket-buying to security clearance and ready to start the tour took 30 mins only, although as I say, this was helped by my arrival time, so I definitely advise early arrival if possible.

The tour begins in an enormous stone hall which legend says Henry VIII used for tennis, and which, as one of the very few non-specific area to British politics in the building is where foreign speakers such as Nixon and the Pope have addressed Parliament. It was also used in days gone by as a court of law which saw the execution ordered of Anne Boleyn and the place where Churchill was laid in state before his funeral. It is also the only area in the HOP where photos are permitted, again for security reasons. There you meet up with your tour guide. Everyone has to go round with a guide and you are counted at regular intervals to make sure nobody has wandered off with anything ticking to leave as a present around the building.

One thing you are advised immediately is that as you go through the building, you will see a number of things with the "Wow" factor and the tour takes you around everything in time, but because of the number of tour parties going around it's not always possible to stop at the item of interest, but whatever you miss on the first pass, the tour guide will make sure you get to see them on the way back. Unfortunately this doesn't always filter through to the other members of thr group for whom English isn't their first language. Our tour guide, a formidable lady of a certain-age named Elaine, who spoke in beautiful crisp English but with a brusque undertone that made it clear you didn't mess about on her tour, was patient with some of the questions but there were a couple of eye-rolls aimed towards the few Brits in the party when she had to explain yet-again why we weren't stopping at an obvious point of interest because there was already another party there, but that we would stop there eventually. She was fantastic in her knowledge of the building and it's history and protocol and her manner was perfect for a tour of this nature.

Our first stop in the main building was the staircase the Queen uses to enter Parliament and give her annual speech to the House of Lords. You really feel the history all around you, with the busts of Prime Ministers past such as Wellington overlooking the corridor, and the architecture and the splendour are exactly what you would expect from a building with such a past. You then pass through more anti-rooms, each with a history and a tale to tell, from a threadbare throne which has been in the building since it was used by Queen Victoria, to the more modern lounge used by members to entertain visitors.

Then you're into the House of Lords which has the very practical wood and leather seating and modern addition of wall mounted cameras and hanging microphones contrasted to the majesty of the golden throne reserved for the monarch on her rare visits to the House of Lords. It's a place of great solemnity and history, so when an Italian girl of 17 or so passed by the throne with another tour with a skirt so short you could tell what she'd had for breakfast the look of mortification on our tour guide's face was worth the entrance fee alone.

Following this, you then move from the Lords into the House of Commons and you pass by the dented door that Black Rod knocks on every year and then go into one of the corridors that MP's use to vote "Yes" or "No", stopping to see the famous "Gladstone Bag" which was finally retired from budget duty. Then you come to the highlight of the tour, the House of Commons, with the famous benches used by politicians of the day to debate great issues and squabble like children in equal measure. My first thought was that it was much smaller than I expected but you do get drawn into the history when you realise that it's not just todays brand of faceless, tv-friendly Eton clones that use this chamber, but you are looking at the seat that Churchill ran our country from, and the room he made so many of his great wartime speeches in and then you get a real sense of the majesty of the room. The tour then takes you back into the original stone hall where the tour began and allows you to visit the obligatory coffee shop and giftshop before leaving. Ducking those options, I left and was on the street again at 11.45.

Overall, I would highly recommend a visit to the HOP to anyone interested in either politics or history. I definitely felt that I got my moneys worth and it satisfied my curiosity about one of our nations great buildings and what goes on there. I definitely wouldn't recommend it for young children or even elder children who aren't interested in history. Because of the tour nature and the carefully managed security you can't listen to the tourguide and try and entertain a bored child at the same time and simply wandering off or letting them play by themselves for a minute or two is not an option. I wouldn't take my kids in there, and I wouldn't advise any other parents or children under the age of 10 or so to either, because they won't appreciate it and to be honest unless your children are in the 1% of kids that are content to stand quietly and listen on a slow walk around an old building for an hour and a half, they'll spoil the experience for you and everyone else on the tour. For adults though, if you haven't already been, I personally think it's a must see.

Blog 21 - Battle Plans for Norwich next season

I haven't blogged for 4 months. This is mainly due to laziness. However, I've decided to slap down some thoughts regarding the marvellous Norwich City and how I think they should progress with the recruitment process for next seasons tilt at the Premier League.


Norwich City 2011-2012

Goalkeepers: John Ruddy, Declan Rudd, Jed Steer.

Ruddy is one of those players that Lambert has developed in a very short space of time to become greater than the sum of his parts. He now looks like a top level keeper, not just a mediocre shot-stopper with confidence issues. I suspect he could still have the potential to have a wobble given one or two mistakes back-to-back but I'm confident if he starts the season as our number one. I would however look to get a genuine rival for him as competition. The likes of Robert Green have been mooted but I don't think his wages would come anywhere near our budget anymore, and I'm not sure he would fit the "hungry with a point to prove" philosophy that has underpinned so much of our success. Fraser Forster would be ideal for where our club wants to go, and that's not just a sentimental throwback to memories of a year ago but an honest opinion that a young English keeper who has a genuine affection for our club and clearly a great career ahead of him, would be a top signing. With Ruddy and Forster competing for the number one position I'd be extremely happy going into the season. Rudd and Steer are both good prospects but equally they both need more experience before they are ready for the Prem, so a season-long loan for Rudd at least is preferable. Someone like Brighton, Coventry or Barnsley playing Championship football but where he would have a fair bit to do would be the best option.

Right Backs: Russell Martin, George Francomb.

I'm a huge fan of Russell Martin, and like Ruddy, Lambert has built this guy from the ground up, to the extent where a player Peterborough felt was not up to Championship football is clearly going to play games in the Premier League. The only question is whether you add cover here. I like George Francomb and I have high hopes for the future for him, but next season may be a step too soon for him if he has to cover for Martin. Lambert may be comfortable with Korey Smith as the back up and if so, In Lambert We Trust. Personally I'd look to add an experienced body who can fill in elsewhere if needed. Bobby Hassell of Barnsley is someone that always impresses me and can play numerous positions.

Left Backs: Adam Drury, Marc Tierney, Sam Habergham, Stephen Smith.

I wouldn't look to add to this. Tierney and Drury are both quality left backs and I don't have any worries that they are capable of making the step up and providing ample competition between them. With Lappin and Surman also capable of deputising if need be we seem well covered here. Habergham was a highly fancied youth player that hasn't managed to make a breakthrough and it's difficult to see that happening now. I would be surprised if he was retained for next year. Smith is as good as gone and there is no chance he will be here come August.

Centre Backs: Zak Whitbread, Leon Barnett, Elliott Ward, Jens Berthal Askou.

After years of having "big lump" centre halves that can head and kick everything that moves but can't pass over 5 yards it's been a genuine pleasure to have defenders who are comfortable on the ball and able to pass or move forwards against the opposition where possible. Whitbread, Barnett and Ward are all in contention for Premiership starts and I have no problem with any of them going into the new season. Askou is a decent L1/Championship player who would be punching well above his weight in the big leagues and he is very unlikely to be retained this summer. I would look to add one other centre half to the group to ensure adequate cover as all three centre halves have had injury concerns in the past. My first choice would be Swansea and Wales captain Ashley Williams. He fits perfectly into the Canary ethos of being a young, hungry, professional, who looks after himself and takes his own development seriously. Williams has spent a lot of time in the gym in the last year, bulking up to aid his conversion from full back to centre half and the work has paid dividends with Williams now a skilful, pacy behemoth who proves a dominant force in either box. The fact that he has taken on captaincy for club and country at a young age speaks volumes for his character. Perfect addition in my book, and I would make him our number one target this pre-season. His wages would likely fit into the structure and an investment of £3.5 million would likely secure his services IF Swansea fail to go up via the play-offs.

Midfield Anchor/Quarterback: Mathew Gill, David Fox

David Fox has made the position his own in the second-half of the season and has quietly been one of our best players. Another example of Lambert making the most of a player. Fox has the skills, breeding and mentality to be highly successful at the top level and the space and time available in the Premiership should suit him more than most. Crofts can also fill in at the base of the diamond but more as a defensive shield than as a play-starter such as Fox, so I would expect to see another midfielder added who can also play this position to compete with Fox. Lambert is an expert at finding gems from the lower leagues who are comfortable on the ball and have the potential to play higher so I look forward to seeing who he picks up. Dare I suggest that someone like Sammy Clingan might be a good addition? It would take an awful amount of forgiveness but there aren't many players who can play this role well and Clingan has the skills needed. Mathew Gill is a good pro and a popular player in the dressing room but would have struggled in the Championship, let alone the Premier. With the best will in the world I can't see him being here next year.

Midfielders: Andrew Crofts, Stephen Hughes, Andrew Surman, Korey Smith, Simon Lappin, Matt Ball, Owain Tudor-Jones.

The "sides" of the diamond are currently occupied by Surman and Crofts, with Lappin and Korey Smith the back-ups. To play successfully in the system, you need the stamina and strength to get up and down and support full backs in making tackles, the technical ability to link play and find non conventional angles for passing, and a great deal of comfort on the ball. Surman is excellent on the ball and tracks back well. His only weakness is a slight lack of pace which is the only reason he isn't playing at very highest level. He will however, be fine at the next level and I expect him to flourish with a little more time on the ball. Crofts is an exceptional worker and ok on the ball, but against the Arsenal's and Manchester United's who punish every mistake that may not be enough. He certainly deserves his chance but I would expect Lambert to bring in players to challenge Crofts and either raise his game to the next level or replace him. Lappin is someone a lot of supporters see as being a potential casualty of the promotion recruitment process but I don't agree. Technically he is very good and he works hard and always follows the instructions handed to him. You definitely get the impression that Lambert and Culverhouse have great faith in him and trust him to do whatever job is handed to him. I don't see him going anywhere, and I think he'll be competing for a bench place. Korey Smith has massive potential and is another 100% man. Whether his technical ability matches his work rate at this stage is up for debate but he's still very young and he has some great footballers to learn from. I wouldn't be surprised if Lambert lets him out on loan for at least part of the season. He could play comfortably in the Championship which is probably preferable for his development than simply the odd bench appearance. Stephen Hughes, like Askou is a good L1/Championship player but he has come about as far as is possible and will most likely be off. Likewise Owain Tudor-Jones. Matt Ball is a well-thought-of youngster who will benefit from training in a Premier League set-up and if he develops well he may even see some bench time. In terms of players to come in, I would expect Lambert to make at least three aquisitions to really improve the competition for places. I like the look of Wigan's James McCarthy (if they come down). A young player who has overachieved with struggling sides, he always impresses me whenever I see him. Huge motor and technically able. Likewise, Wolves' Dave Jones may be a relegated player who'd like another crack at the Premier League and wouldn't cost the earth in either transfer fee or wages. He has great ability on the ball with a Fox-esque Man United Youth pedigree, and is a hard-worker. A move for Henri Lansbury either on a loan or permanent would obviously be wonderful if Arsenal were agreeable but speculation in North London suggests that Arsene Wenger plans on bringing Henri through next season. With his love for Arsenal and the underwhelming feeling he seems to have at the hotel-based life of a loanee, I'd be surprised if Henri went anywhere this season unless he was given a guarantee of no future with Arsenal.

Wingers: Anthony McNamee, Josh Dawkin.

I have a huge amount of sympathy for McNamee who has barely been able to get a look in based simply on his fit into our system. I think with Lambert's pursuit of Elliott Bennett, it's clear that he wants a Plan B for when the diamond isn't working so well, and the width that McNamee and Bennett could offer in a 4-4-2 would open up even the largest of Premiership pitches. For this reason alone I can see McNamee still being here and challenging around the bench next season, especially as his attitude regarding his lack of starts appears to have been good. Dawkin is one for the future and may well be loaned out next season with L1 a good practice ground for him. I expect Lambert to add one or two players who either play wide or can do so comfortably. Bennett is an obvious target, and I suspect Lambert may be prepared to pay slightly more than he bid in January to secure such a promising player. I don't see any big names coming in though because the realities of our system mean that a wide player will need the patience of McNamee or a great deal of role flexibility to stay involved. Wright-Phillips or Kightly are two names on the rumour circuit but are never going to happen. Likewise Scott Sinclair unfortunately.

The Hole: Wes Hoolahan.

Everyone who says Wes is a one-off and impossible to have cover for was proved wrong when Henri Lansbury and Dani Pacheco both proved it possible. It is a difficult position to play successfully, but it's a dream position for technically able players and we'll find no problem as a Premiership club finding players who have the skills and would give their right arm to play there. If neither Lansbury or Pacheco return then I would expect Lambert to bring in another option as cover for Wes.

The Target Man: Grant Holt, Aaron Wilbraham.

Holt will cause Premiership defences the exact same problems as he has caused defenders in every other league and I wouldn't be at all surprised if he still manages to notch 15-20 goals. He'll still win headers and throw himself at anything in the box, and his technical skills are constantly underrated by the opposition. Most importantly he's a goalscorer, and has the coolness and instincts when through on goal which some better footballers will never have. Wilbraham may have come as far as he can and whilst I expect him to still be here next year, I would be surprised if Lambert didn't add another big striker to the mix to keep Holty on his toes because the gulf between the two in terms of competition is enormous. Ricky Lambert and Steve Morrison are two potential options that would fit the Lambert criteria well. I'm not convinced that Sam Vokes is quite good enough but he may be another consideration.

Striker: Simeon Jackson, Chris Martin, Oli Johnson, Luke Daley, Cody McDonald

3 months ago I'd have laughed at the thought of Simeon Jackson being a Premeirship striker but now he's one to leave out at your peril. He always had speed and keenness but his all-round game was lacking and it looked like Gillingham had been on the better end of the deal that took Cody Macdonald on loan in part-exchange. But then, with a 30 minute cameo against an already beaten Scunthorpe he scored a hat-trick and it was like he suddenly "got it". An entire seasons worth of frustration and missed opportunities was released and we not only got the striker we hoped we were buying from Gillingham, we got a far better player than we thought we had signed. He ended the season looking the best player in the Championship and a threat every time he had the ball. Another example of the Lambert belief coming to fruition. Chris Martin is one who's future seems up in the balance and it will depend on who comes in as to whether Martin stays or moves to pastures new. I think he's developed into a fine footballer and it would be a shame to see him go but he didn't score the goals we know he's capable of in the Championship and the feeling may be that the Premiership is too big an ask. Oli Johnson is likely to move on following a long loan spell at Yeovil where he proved adequate but didn't pull up any trees. He's a good player with quick feet and the ability to create a chance from nothing but may be better suited to League 1 or the Championship than the Premier League. Luke Daley failed to get off the bench for Stevenage during a loan spell and I can't see him being here in August. I would definitely expect Lambert to make another striker a priority. I think Mackail-Smith is an obvious target but Lambert and McNally won't be held to ransom and neither should they be. A return for Dani Pacheco would be hugely welcome but this is unlikely to be decided before late July at the earliest and Lambert may not have the patience to wait for that. Leon Best is a target and would be good as long as his wages fit in. For that reason alone rumours of Michael Owen or Craig Bellamy are ridiculous. Ironically, Cody McDonald could be a great option if you think of him as a prolific L2 striker coming off a great season who would come into the club as a new signing with a point to prove hoping to fight for a place. I can't see it happening however as Cody's indicated he thinks he's leaving and he wants to play for Gillingham and Paul Lambert has moved to play down the more exhuberent cries to recall McDonald from loan with reminders of the level that Cody was playing at.

Overall, I have great faith in Paul Lambert to continue his excellent record in the transfer market. I have no doubt that come August we will be a lot stronger than we are now. Lambert's skill to date is that his team has evolved in a positive manner for both players coming in and players moving out and if that continues Norwich's ongoing forward progress should continue and a few "big teams" may well be dumped on their backsides by "Little Old Norwich".