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 remaking forward options who have barely played minutes in the first team. 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.
