Norwich City

Rob Butler
BBC Radio Norfolk Canary Call presenter

Norwich City play their final Championship match of the season on Saturday (12:30 BST) with already-relegated Cardiff the visitors to Carrow Road.

The Canaries have nothing to play for so the main attraction for City fans is a chance to say goodbye to departing players Angus Gunn, Onel Hernandez and Jacob Sorensen.

Ahead of the game, caretaker head coach Jack Wilshere has been speaking to the media and here are some of the key points:

• Wilshere said he's ok following his London Marathon effort, but does have a sore ankle.

• He said doing the marathon is the hardest thing he has had to do mentally, but he added he may even do it again.

• Emi Marcondes will miss Saturday's game because of a sore back.

• Striker Ante Crnac could be back, but a decision will be made closer to the game.

• Winger Matej Jurasek is still unavailable but Wilshere said fans need to be patient as he will be a top player, in his opinion.

• "Morale was up after the game and we showed we can be difficult to beat". Wilshere said he was happy with the performance in the 0-0 draw at Middlesbrough last Saturday.

• Wilshere said it's likely the departing players will get minutes on the pitch on Saturday so they can say goodbye to fans.

• USA international Josh Sargent won City's player of the season award, Wilshere says he's a leader in the dressing room and the honour is richly deserved.

You can listen to full live commentary of Norwich City versus Cardiff City with BBC Radio Norfolk. Coverage begins at 12:00 BST on FM and DAB.

Relegated Cardiff City will look to end their dismal season on a high when they visit Norwich City on Saturday (12:30 BST).

A victory over the Canaries could mean the Bluebirds don't complete their time in the Championship this year bottom of the pack, a place they currently reside.

Cardiff will then go again next year in League One with a new manager at the helm, something that is also the case for Norwich in next season's Championship campaign.

The Canaries are winless in six and have seen their promotion hopes dashed by a much poorer second half of the season, now finding themselves firmly in the midtable and without a permanent boss.

• Norwich City have won three of their last four league games against Cardiff City (L1), scoring 2+ goals in each of those victories.

• Cardiff City will be looking to complete just a second league double over Norwich City in the EFL after winning the reverse fixture 2-1 in November last year (also in 2017-18).

• Norwich have failed to win any of their last five final league games of a season (D1 L4), conceding exactly five goals in two of those defeats.

• After winning each of their four final games of a league campaign that came away from home between 2015 and 2022, Cardiff have since lost their last two via a three-goal margin.

• Norwich's Jack Wilshere and Cardiff's Aaron Ramsey will face as managers for the first time, six years and 251 days after the last Premier League game in which both featured, with Wilshere playing for West Ham against Ramsey's Arsenal in August 2018. The pair both played in the same match for Arsenal in the Premier League 71 times, most recently in May 2018 against Burnley.

Image source, Rex Features

Full-back Jack Stacey says Norwich City players want Jack Wilshere to be appointed as full-time boss at Carrow Road.

The 29-year-old played alongside Wilshere for former club Bournemouth in 2020-21 and was handed a more attacking role on the flank at Middlesbrough on Saturday in Wilshere's first game in interim charge, having replaced Johannes Hoff Thorup four days earlier.

Speaking to BBC Radio Norfolk at a special Norwich City Fans' Social Club evening at the Lion and Castle pub at Carrow Road, Stacey said: "We have complete trust in the board to pursue whoever they think is the best man for the job.

"Personally, and I think I can speak for all of the changing room, I think we'd be delighted for Jack to get it.

"You always want a manager that shows belief in you. The way he's come in and instilled confidence into individual players, it makes you want to do well for him and feel you can perform to your best."

The club have begun to play music to loosen up during their training sessions under Wilshere and Stacey admitted: "It can sound silly but for me it's about getting that enjoyment back into the football.

"Throughout my career I've played my best football because you feel free and can go onto the pitch and try things.

"It is about trying to get that freedom back and the positivity – I think the fans want to see it and maybe they saw a little more of it in the last game."

Stacey has been involved in all 48 of City's games this season, appearing in 43 of them and remaining on the bench in five Championship games, and admitted he was surprised the club had parted ways with Dane Thorup.

"Unfortunately football is a results business and that's the decision the club have made," added Stacey.

"It's never nice because it's always the human element of a nice man who worked extremely hard is now out of a job."

Image source, PA Media

Norwich City interim boss Jack Wilshere had a very busy - and tiring - weekend.

He took charge of the team for the first time in Saturday's goalless draw at Middlesbrough, which ended a run of three successive defeats for the Canaries.

Only hours later, however, the former Arsenal and England midfielder was on the start line for the London Marathon - more than 250 miles south of Teesside.

Despite that, he managed to complete the course in a time of 5 hours 4 mins and 33 secs on behalf of the British Heart Foundation.

Prior to the weekend, he said: "The charity I'm running for is really close to my heart and when you have that in your mind and are determined to do something, you'll do it. I might be in a bad way, but I'll complete it."

Great effort, Jack.

Image source, Getty Images

Norwich City defender Ruairi McConville says he has a lot to thank former boss Johannes Hoff Thorup for.

The Danish coach was sacked by the Canaries last week following a run of just one win from 10 Championship games.

Northern Ireland international cConville made just his second start of the season in Saturday's goalless draw at Middlesbrough having been signed by Thorup from Brighton & Hove Albion in February.

"It's my first experience of something like this happening but I'm forever grateful to Johannes because he brought me here, gave me the opportunities and taught me a lot in the short space of time I was with him," McConville told BBC Radio Norfolk.

"We all have a respect that he had his way - we all know how tough it is in this league and unfortunately it didn't go our way at times but we didn't stop fighting and wanted it as much as anybody.

"Every single player on the pitch (against Middlesbrough) had something to play for - we all want to go on and do good things and it starts with performing on the pitch."

Norwich finish their season at home to relegated Cardiff on Saturday (12:30 BST) and can finish anywhere between 12th and 17th.

Image source, Rex Features

Norwich City interim coach Jack Wilshere has said it's been an "emotional week" following his side's 0-0 draw at Middlesbrough.

Johannes Hoff Thorup was sacked on Tuesday as Canaries boss having won just 14 out of 47 games home and away from Carrow Road with former Arsenal and England midfielder Wilshere taking charge until the end of the season.

"I'm so proud of them," Wilshere told BBC Radio Norfolk after the match. "When you go through a week like we have, emotions all over place.

"The focus was to try and create something like that, to be harder to play against.

"The challenge was can we keep a clean sheet, can we stay in the game. We know we've got quality going forward and another day those goals go in.

"The response from everyone, not just the players, the fans as well but also the staff that have supported me that have come together behind me.

"It's been a really emotional week for me personally but I would say for a lot of people as well."

Image source, BBC Radio Norfolk

Norwich City travel to Middlesbrough on Saturday (15:00 BST) with Jack Wilshere in the dugout as caretaker manager after the club sacked Johannes Hoff Thorup on Tuesday.

He will be in charge this weekend as well as for the Carrow Road match with Cardiff on the final day of the season.

Before the game, Wilshere has been speaking to the media and here are some of the key points:

• Wilshere says the job this week has been to improve the mood around the training ground - and it has gone well.

• He did attend his golf day yesterday and will run the London Marathon on Sunday for causes close to his heart.

• On Thorup's sacking - Wilshere says he really enjoyed his time with Johannes and believed in the process they were working on.

• "I'll let the dust settle and speak to Johannes because I've learnt a lot from him."

• Wilshere says he did not even have to think about taking the caretaker job when it was offered to him.

• Wilshere was called by Ben Knapper on Tuesday and asked to take charge. They spoke about the team and what is expected.

• Does he want the job? "I understand you're going to ask that question. I made the decision to come here and leave Arsenal - I thought that was an important part of my journey in coaching. I feel like I am ready to be a head coach at this level and make an impact, but I know the next two games are important."

• "It's important for me to send a message that this is not about me. My job is to lift the players for the next two games and not make it about me.

You can listen to full live coverage of Norwich City at Middlesbrough with BBC Radio Norfolk on FM and DAB, Saturday from 14:00 BST.

Middlesbrough are three points short of the Championship play-off places after a run of three defeats from their past four games.

Norwich City sacked boss Johannes Hoff Thorup on Tuesday having dropped to 14th in the table.

• Middlesbrough are unbeaten in their past six league games against Norwich City (W4 D2), after losing five in a row against them.

• Norwich City have lost their past two away games against Middlesbrough in the Championship, while they last lost three in a row away to them in league competition in October 1980.

• Middlesbrough have won four of their past five home league matches (L1), with all four of those victories coming by a one-goal margin. Indeed, their last one was a 2-1 victory, with Tommy Conway scoring the winner in the 93rd minute.

• Norwich City have lost their past three league matches, and could lose four in a row in the Championship for the first time since November 2023, under David Wagner.

• Middlesbrough's Finn Azaz has both created the most chances (82) and had the most shots (115) of any player in the Championship this season.

"It just seems so knee jerk. Given the situation they are both in, just at least maybe wait until the end of the season and have a bit of planning and have the conversations."

While Omar Riza's exit from Cardiff City came as no real surprise, what about the other two of the Championship's most recent managerial departures?

West Bromwich Albion sacked Tony Mowbray after a 3-1 defeat to relegation-threatened Derby County saw their chances of the play-offs become increasingly remote, while Norwich City removed Johannes Hoff Thorup from his post following a run of poor form.

The 72+ podcast team sit down to discuss all three managerial departures and give their thoughts on whether the clubs made the right decision in starting afresh before the season concludes in less than two weeks.

Listen to the full episode and more on the Football Daily podcast.

Image source, Getty Images

Norwich City "failed to hold their nerve" by sacking head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup, according to former Canaries striker Chris Sutton.

The Dane was relieved of his duties on Tuesday following a run of six defeats from their past eight games and just one win.

"I'm really surprised - I didn't see it coming because like most fans I thought Johannes was in for a bit of a long haul and this season was one of bedding-in and it was part of the long-term strategy of going away from signing experienced players and looking at younger ones," Sutton told BBC Radio Norfolk.

"His skill-set was supposed to be developing young players and Norwich spent pretty big in the summer on young players so the decision to sack him right now doesn't add up."

Norwich are in their third season back in the Championship following relegation from the Premier League in 2022 but are 13 points short of the play-off places with only two games remaining.

"I didn't expect Norwich to finish in a play-off position this season and I don't think many fans did - recent results haven't been good but to sack him seems odd," added Sutton.

"What's the plan? Is it about a club developing young players or are we going to see a heavy summer of transfer activity?

"In some ways I'm really disappointed the club have failed to hold their nerve with Johannes and stick to the plan."

Image source, Getty Images

Earlier we asked what you made of Norwich's decision to part company with Johannes Hoff Thorup.

Here are a selection of your responses:

Simon: I'm surprised the decision has been made now, but he has looked increasingly lost for answers over the last few weeks. The players have definitely let him down to a large degree, but it did start to feel like he was going to struggle to turn things around. Who next? Who knows!

Andrew: Nice guy but not a Championship-level manager. His team selection and substitution choices were naïve at best. Questions have to be asked about Knapper too.

Darren: Correct decision. This possession football that leads to nothing other than mistakes we are too often punished for has not gone down well with the supporters. His reluctance to change has led to him losing the faith of the fans and now the board.

Shane: An idiotic decision, we have lost a great young manager who was building the team long-term. Things have gone wrong since Jack Wilshere joined. We need a defensive coach to balance our attack, we have conceded too many easy goals and Jack and the coaches need to be responsible for that, not the manager.

Leigh: Always the manager but never the players. Again if he goes then some of the players need to as well. Maybe Farke will come back when Leeds sack him for not being top in September. Worried we have become a club that sacks managers rather than sorting out the the roots. Fancy Mark Robins?

Tyler: While in the season we looked like we could play attractive football and could be heading in the right direction with JHT, he just lacked a plan b and also none of the players looked like they could win a second ball so change was definitely needed. He was out of his depth

Chris M: JHT had some nice ideas on how football should be played, however he was unable to coach and motivate what is a good squad into achieving those ideas. In the end he had to go.

Ian: I agree that Thorup should get the sack but Ben Knapper is most culpable for this mess and should go too. Thorup not up to the job and equally Knapper's recruitment has been woeful. Russell Martin, Gary O'Neil - hopefully stick with a young manager, one with actual experience.

Pete L: I would have left Thorup in charge at least until September. Having said that, he seemed to have no good answers as to why the Canaries' form has plummeted since January so I can understand why Norwich had to sack him.

Steve M: Correct decision, however, the club must go further to reset for next season - remove players who have influence but seemingly negative, like Duffy. Allow players who want to leave to go, Nunez and Sainz, and battle to keep players who will be hard to replace, Sargent. Its a big summer ahead for Knapper, ultimately it will be him brought into question if next season doesn't improve.

Matt B: Weird one to say the least. Results have definitely been disappointing, particularly in the last couple of months and, without a doubt, a season to forget. With that being said, it was always going to be a difficult season with the amount of transition on and off the pitch (new owners, new sporting director, new manager, huge squad overhaul, etc). I said from the start of the season Norwich would finish mid-table. Personally, I'd have started next season with JHT and re-evaluated at Christmas before making the stick or twist decision.

Olli: Can't help but feel slightly sorry for Thorup. As soon as the playoffs were out of sight, there were a number of key players who have clearly departed early for their summer holidays. He's a nice guy and you could see a world in which he got a couple of months after the summer with a clear out to get the players in he wants. But ultimate the results speak for themselves... With players of the quality of Sargent, Sainz, and Nunez in the side, 14th and one win in 10 isn't good enough. I was at both Pompey and Millwall, and witnessed some of the worst defending I've seen from a Norwich side. Hopefully the club have a plan for who comes next otherwise it's bizarre timing...

David C: Unfortunately he had to go. That was some of the worst football we have played in years and we're just far too easy to score against week in, week out.

Matt: We are currently in a worse place than last season and that cost the previous manager his job. Sad to see him go as at times we played good football. I think a few of the players should take a hard look at their current form, especially the back line.