Farke debate: Should he stay or should he go?

Cut adrift at the foot of the Premier League table, fans are losing faith that the German build on his promotion success and establish the Canaries as a top-flight outfit.

We asked our Pink Un columnists a simple question: Should Farke stay or go?

David Hannant

Verdict: Go

Daniel Farke is the one manager who I never thought would outstay his Carrow Road welcome.

Even during the last relegation, I never lost the faith as there was a host of mitigating factors - not least the pandemic.

However, it has reached a stage where you just can't see where the next win is coming from.

I think the sad fact is that he just isn't really cut out for relegation dog fights.

It isn't that he doesn't have fight or the ability to motivate, but the playing style and philosophy he has just isn't suited to being an underdog.

Farkeball is built around dominating possession and having the ball - but when you are a Premier League minnow you have to be able to play without the ball too.

His record at this level proves he's not suited to this situation, so reluctantly, I think we need a change.

Ian Clarke

Verdict: Go

All good things must come to an end.

And, I’m terribly sad to say, I believe that has to be the case with Norwich City and Daniel Farke.

Over these past four seasons our head coach has given us some of the best Canary memories for years.

Beating Manchester City, that incredible comeback against Notts Forest, seeing off Spurs in the FA Cup and the unbelievable victory over Millwall. I could add more.

However, the stark reality is that his Premier League record reads: Played 48, Won Five, Drawn 8, Lost 35, Scored 35, Conceded 100, Points 23.

Our identity has gone, confidence and belief are rock bottom and City are set to become the worst top flight side ever.

I’d held off joining the #farkeout band. But Sunday reluctantly persuaded me that we now must have a change at the top.

The longer the board waits, the worse things seem likely to get. And that could have a seriously damaging impact on the club’s future.

Iwan Roberts

Verdict: Stay

Over the past week I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve been asked the question: “Have you lost faith in Daniel Farke?”

My answer is: “No, I haven’t.”

The man plucked Norwich City from the Championship in 2018-19 when many of us thought the club was going to be playing at that level for a very long time. Two promotions in three years shouldn’t be forgotten and I do think he deserves to be cut a bit of slack.

Daniel hasn’t become a bad coach overnight. Yes, he’s changed formation, the same formation that won the club 21 points last time round in the Premier League.

He lost his most creative player in the summer who hasn’t been replaced. The club spent a record £50m plus in the summer but the players that were brought in aren’t anywhere near the level needed to survive in the top flight.

I’m not being disrespectful, but you don’t get much for £10m these days.

Last time round in the Premier League, Daniel went into battle with an unloaded gun, and I don’t think the gun he’s been given this time round is much better in all honesty.

Yes, he’s made mistakes and there’s no way Norwich should have just two points after 10 league games, but that shouldn’t be solely left at his door.

Robin Sainty

Verdict: Unsure

I’m not by nature someone who wants to see managers sacked. In many cases it’s done too quickly as the easy option when things go wrong.

What Daniel Farke has done for this club is immense, and he is a person for whom I have huge admiration, and I would love to see him turn things around.

However, his Premier League record, the poor performances from a significantly stronger squad than two seasons ago and the apparent abandonment of his footballing principles are huge concerns. His post-match interview on Sunday spoke of a man trying to convince himself that things weren’t as bad as they actually are.

I’d hate to see him go, but I fear that his legacy is in danger of becoming tainted and another defeat on Saturday will only accelerate that process because fans are frustrated and have every right to expect more than they’ve received.

Terri Westgate

Verdict: Stay

I am, by nature, a loyal person who does not turn on people when things get tough.

I know that our start to the season has been poor, and there were some mitigating circumstances that can be attributed to earlier results.

However, by this point the new squad members should have settled, and the only player missing from injury is Christoph Zimmermann. I can think of no reasonable excuse for the defeat against Leeds.

The question is does Farke have enough credit to be given time to turn things around? I don’t think he should have a job for life, but for me that credit hasn’t run out yet.

The upheaval his departure would cause is a risk.

We don’t have the money for big wages, players come here because of the people and the community. If you expect loyalty from others, you must give it in return.

Farke has earned my loyalty, and I still have hope.

Matt Howman

Verdict: Go

It feels unfair, dismissive and wrong on many levels to lose faith in Daniel Farke when you look at the bigger picture of what he, and the club as a whole, has achieved under his tenure.

However, if you look solely at our time in the Premier League with Farke as our head coach, I’m struggling to find any angle to back up an argument that we should keep faith in him.

Is that fair? Probably not, but if Norwich’s aim is to be an established Premier League club then we need to start acting like one. Creating the infrastructure behind the scenes is one thing but that has to translate into results on the pitch.

This season has been a disaster. We’ve lost our identity, our creativity and worst of all, we’ve lost our pride. I’m sad to write this but it’s time for change.

Lee Payne

Verdict: Go

I’m not a militant member of the ‘Farke Out’ brigade but I just can’t see the club having a Premier League future under him. It’s sad. I don’t think I’ve wanted a Norwich manager to succeed more.

I was desperate for him to learn from two years ago and have a better crack at the top flight this time. The stats make for grim reading, though – we are in a league of our own in terms of terrible.

I’m increasingly hearing pundits saying things like ‘so-and-so have the worst shots-per-game ratio in the league, apart from Norwich’. I don’t think any of us were under any illusions about how tough it would be, but the club are the laughing stock of English football at the moment and that hurts.

It might be the best thing for the club and for Farke himself if we were to go our separate ways.