David Freezer
BBC Norfolk

Thanks so much for joining us tonight and remember you can watch the full hour back on the BBC News and BBC Sport apps or websites, as well as listen via BBC Sounds.

We'll also make sure to put this out as a podcast on the usual Scrimmage channel.

Lots of ground covered by the NCFC majority shareholder, what happens if the nosedive in form continues though?

We'll find out on Saturday lunchtime when Hull come to Carrow Road and you can follow it all with BBC Radio Norfolk.

Night all

David Freezer
BBC Norfolk

Mark Attanasio admits he's finding it hard to see the same mistakes being made "again and again and again" on the pitch at the moment.

He jokes that he hopes the next time he is in the Radio Norfolk studio his "approval rating will be above 10 percent".

A relatively unflustered interview from Attanasio, in the face of some brutal comments and questions at times, but the big news is he is standing by Liam Manning and Ben Knapper.

Off the pitch, the revamp of Carrow Road, has been placed on pause due to the hugely negative reaction from many fans.

David Freezer
BBC Norfolk

Attanasio is asked what it will take to follow the likes of Sunderland to the Premier League.

MA points to players coming back from injury and that they can make transfer moves in January to ensure they avoid relegation, in the short term.

The next questioner, calling from Miami, says MA has to realise fans are the most important people at the club.

MA says he's well aware of that and pledges he will "make the hard decisions" to steer the club in the right direction.

David Freezer
BBC Norfolk

The next caller asks why Attanasio isn't staying to watch the game against Hull City on Saturday. He says that he watches every game on TV, whatever the time in the US.

He says he has a funeral to attend so needs to be back home and can't stay.

David Freezer
BBC Norfolk

MA says the club has 14 data analysts assessing all areas of performance, City and the Brewers working together to build a data model. Admits some of the players recruited from outside England have provided some surprises. A quite long and vague answer about recruitment.

Next question claims Ben Knapper is "pulling the wool over" the eyes of Attanasio as he doesn't know football. Another says he is worried that he has brought up veteran defender Shane Duffy as being a possible answer to their problems on the pitch.

MA laughs that off but says he "needs the first year to get my arms around all of these executives and assess their capabilities" and points to his high-level business achievements.

MA: "Every person that has called in knows more about football, I'm sure I know more about assessing management than anyone that called in. I'm not going to let anyone pull the wool over my eyes."

Adds he doesn't think Duffy is the answer to the defence, was just giving it as an example of the questions he has asked Manning, but it was probably "question 29".

Image source, PA Media

David Freezer
BBC Norfolk

Attanasio admits it isn't relevant to talk about Premier League aspirations right now. A long answer but essentially saying they didn't need to sell players and that City tried to get Nunez to sign a new deal.

The only issue for finances are the profit and sustainability rules. Seems keen to stress club is financially strong.

Asked about transfer failings from Ben Knapper and recruitment team, Attanasio says the "jury will be out on these players for three-plus years" and that he is willing to be patient to see the talent pay off.

Back to injuries, MA says club has had advice from Liverpool in how they combat them, as well as an NBA basketball team - they are trying to improve that situation.

David Freezer
BBC Norfolk

Image source, BBC Radio Norfolk

MA admits he has had to be more involved with Norwich than he expected but it has got him more engaged and it has also been similar to his journey with the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team.

He adds: "You learn more from adversity than you do success."

Admits a risk of an "echo chamber" in Ben Knapper reporting on his own work to him. More US sports comparisons but thinks Knapper and Liam Manning need each other and that they are "really hard working". Says he wants people who really want to be where they are.

A slight dig at Nunez and "all the chest pounding" after the East Anglia derby proving why they were right to let him go.

David Freezer
BBC Norfolk

The next caller is very critical of head coach Liam Manning and can't understand how he has been kept in place. Also suggests that a person with more experience of English football, such as a chairman or chief executive, to report directly to MA is needed.

Attanasio says the structure they have is one he is "comfortable" with and mirrors his baseball team. Says that a CEO would have to be "really talented" for that to work for him and he has been studying the club thoroughly since taking the reins.

"We've supported over £100m so far, we've had not a dissimilar amount in sales, so before I hand that over to someone (like a CEO) I want to know what that entails."

Image source, Shutterstock

Attanasio talking about how surprised he has been with the power that players have in football, compared to his long experience in baseball.

We're on to the decision to sell Marcelino Nunez to Ipswich for £10m...

MA points to Nunez being "significantly undermotivated" if he wasn't sold, which would have affected his value, but also says it wasn't his decision.

He adds that it was maybe a deal that he should have "vetoed" but he didn't think he should be doing that in his first year.

Interesting dynamic there, doesn't seem happy that Nunez was allowed to go to Ipswich but that Knapper and Manning felt it was a good deal.

MA repeats his previous line that he promised former owner Delia Smith that Carrow Road's name would not be changed.

He adds: "We want to do it [changes to the ground] in a way that is faithful to the building and important to the fans that are inside."

MA is referring to an event he attended at the club last night where concerns about the away fans being moved to the lower River End were raised with him.

It's clear he's heard the loud criticism.

David Freezer
BBC Norfolk

MA says the ground improvements plan is postponed until everyone is on board with it.

"If it makes the supporters happy, we're happy."

The decision is likely to be welcomed as a very wise by many fans.

The next caller says she is "really pleased to hear the pause button is being pressed" so that the club can engage with fans properly.

Clearly that was a pre-planned announcement from Attanasio and seemingly a big reason for him flying in for this interview.

David Freezer
BBC Norfolk

Big announcement, the Carrow Road revamp is being put ON HOLD.

MA: "We're going to take a step back, the management committee have been looking at this for five years."

He says there are plenty of options but admits fans have not been talked to properly about the changes.

David Freezer
BBC Norfolk

The first live caller says the club is in "deep trouble" and that Knapper has delivered a squad that "isn't fit for purpose".

Asks why such a position is being tolerated and brings up the unpopular plans to redesign Carrow Road. She says she has "no faith" that anyone at the club understands or "recognises" the reality of the situation.

What are you going to do to turn things around?

MA: "I take the responsibility very seriously. I've actually calculated we've invested £72m but not all under Ben's leadership. I'm committed to the community, the club, maybe even investing more given the circumstances."

Talks about Johannes Hoff Thorup being the "wrong coaching choice" last season, perhaps due to Knapper's lack of English Football League experience.

David Freezer
BBC Norfolk

MA says Ben Knapper has done all that the ownership group asked, to make the squad younger but to make a "competitive squad sustainably".

He admits there were possibly too many transfers this summer but the long contracts will prove worth it over time.

Ben "will get evaluated on this wave of players" but also on winning. "We will do everything possible" to ensure that relegation doesn't happen, he says, and again points to injuries derailing plans

MA again repeats, everyone is accountable, when asked if Knapper's position is under threat. He says two years is not a long time to be a sporting director, based on his knowledge of US sport.

Image source, Shutterstock

Attanasio says one of his reasons for flying in was to see for himself "what was going on" as he didn't want a filtered view from any senior staff at the club being delivered to him.

He watched training today and felt it was "very spirited". He had meetings with US international forward Josh Sargent and captain Kenny McLean but realises they won't want to get Liam Manning the sack.

He says one of them felt Attanasio's public support tonight will make the players "accountable".

Now attention turns to Ben Knapper as sporting director...

David Freezer
BBC Norfolk

MA acknowledges "there are real problems" at Carrow Road and that's why he wanted to answer the questions.

He points to there being similar pressure on David Wagner earlier in the season when NCFC last reached the play-offs in 2024.

He says everyone at the club is "accountable" but he wants to "measure in the appropriate time".

MA points to injury problems and says Manning "hasn't been dealt an easy start", also pointing to the amount of transfers during the summer window.

He admits there was maybe a problem with "execution" in those terms and some more leaders are needed on the pitch.

David Freezer
BBC Norfolk

Image source, PA Media

MA starts with: "I have a lot of the same feelings as our supporters do, I get angry and scream at the television too."

First Q, will he sack Liam Manning?

MA: "The answer is no, there's no plan to sack Liam. We hired Liam due to his record as an English football coach."

He points to the Norwich boss having coached over 250 games, with success, but "no doubt failing right now".

He had dinner with Manning and the coaches last night and a 45-minute chat today. "We are going to give him time to succeed," he says.

David Freezer
BBC Norfolk

Right then, here we go, Mark Attanasio is in the studio with Rob, Phil and Chris.

City's majority shareholder has flown in from the US with Liam Manning's team 23rd in the Championship following five successive defeats - and having lost all six of their league and cup games at Carrow Road.

Time to find out what he thinks of it all...

David Freezer
BBC Norfolk

Evening folks and thanks for joining us for this very special Canary Call.

I'll be bringing you the key quotes and main news lines as Norwich City's majority shareholder Mark Attanasio takes the questions from Canaries fans.

We've been inundated with questions for the exclusive interview and will be doing our best to cover the main topics as thoroughly as possible.

With Liam Manning's team languishing in the Championship relegation zone, there is understandably a huge desire for answers from the Carrow Road boardroom.

We'll do our best to bring you as many as we can, between 18:00 and 19:00.