Norwich City can confirm that the club have parted company with head coach Liam Manning. Assistant head coach Chris Hogg and first-team coach analyst James Krause have also left the club. Sporting director Ben Knapper said: “We have tried absolutely everything possible to work through this incredibly challenging period but, unfortunately, given the recent run of results and performances, we have been left with no choice other than to make a change at this stage. “Liam and his staff worked tirelessly to move our football club forward. They are all fundamentally good people and we wish them the very best in whatever comes next. “We very much understand the frustration and criticism from our supporters at this stage. So far, results and performances on the pitch haven’t been good enough. We accept that responsibility, but it’s now imperative that we start to repair the relationship with our supporters and do everything we can to give them something to get behind.” First-team coach Ryan Garry, supported by goalkeeper coach Tony Roberts and set piece coach Nick Stanley, will take charge of the first team on an interim basis, as the club works to appoint a new head coach.
Michael Carrick has to be the stand-out candidate (who might actually come here)...? Russell Martin is going to get mentioned plenty. Gary O'Neill?
Whoever comes in, has to be able to make the most of this squad. We can't rely on this leadership team to make game-changing signings in January. They aren't capable, and by the time they bed in it'll be too late. We've got an abundance of defensive midfielders, and Sargent & Kvistgaarden appear to be a reasonable attacking duo to build around. But how do you introduce creativity to this team with the players available?
As I said on today’s match day post, I’m not so much concerned that creativity is our biggest issue rather who we have on the end of those chances. For me, Sargent and Kvistgaarden are the only players likely to get 10 or more goals this season. Makama is maybe the closest as he already has 3 tap ins, Schwartau seems to lack conviction in front of goal, Jurasek has the quality but not the desire, Crnac is out for the season, Diallo won’t be back until the new year, Marcondes has looked woeful so far, Forson I can’t see doing it, then you’re looking at Forsyth and Myles as our remaining forward options who have barely played minutes in the first team. We can only hope that Myles is the second coming of Rowe. Our CM options McLean, Topic, Mattsson, Wright, Gibbs and Slimane - I doubt they get 10 goals between them - currently they have 0. Then you’re left with defenders getting our goals…Stacey and Darling are the only ones to have contributed so far.
We may have an abundance, but do they actually defend? Neither the eye test nor the stats support an affirmative answer. And Manning wouldn't select the one player who IMO could do a proper job at DM -- Jacob Wright.
You have perfectly summed up the unbalanced and poor squad we have which is completely down to Knapper which is why he should have gone first. Manning is responsible for the dire, rigid performances and the fact that they do not seem fit but again that has been allowed to drag on without any apparent input from Knapper. I dread to think who Knapper will appoint next.
I wonder if Sargent will get back to his best with Manning gone. 12 games without a goal might be the fact that will keep the transfer window quiet this January.
I really hope we see more of Wright now. As much as I have continued to back Manning, for me it was obvious that he needed to at least try a midfield 3 instead of trying different players in the 10. Wright would added some passing ability to the midfield but also some much needed dead all delivery. We score several goals from his corners last season. Wrights omission has been one of the most puzzling to me.
I recall posting earlier in the season about Manning's distrust of younger players -- you rubbished me about it on your Stoke match thread in September, Suffolk ...... ! He did select Wright early on, but only because availability was limited. Once McLean and Mattsson became available along with Topic, I don't believe Wright ever got much of a look in. I really believe that, if and when all three of Mahovo, Chrisene and Schlupp became available, Manning would start Schlupp every time.
If Knapper is still in place when the next manager is sought then MA will surely keep a close eye on proceedings. After all he will be the person paying off Manning and the employment of the next manager.
Too late if it doesn't work out. We'll almost certainly have to offer at least a two-year contract, probably three, for someone half-decent. Another chunk of money down the drain if he's also sacked. Plus if Knapper is still here, that alone means it's less likely to work out because the fans will still be restive. The focus of their anger over the last few weeks has been Knapper much more than Manning judging by their chants.
Knapper is the chief architect of the current mess. I don't for a moment think that MA is leaving the appointment of a new Head Coach to him. Given MA's recent public comment that BK's fate has become inextricably linked to Manning's, I very much doubt if silence means inaction in this case. And Knapper almost certainly knows the game is up.
