Norwich City

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Liam Manning has praised the "incredible spirit" of Norwich fans in his first public comments since being sacked by the club.

The 40-year-old departed Carrow Road after just 17 games in charge on Saturday following a seventh successive home defeat, which left City floundering in the Championship relegation zone.

In a statement released by the League Managers Association,, external Manning spoke of his pride at managing his hometown club, praised Canaries fans for their "outstanding support" and thanked the staff and players, but made no direct reference to the club's hierarchy.

He said: "I look back on being appointed head coach of my hometown club with great pride. Unfortunately, we were unable to achieve the results or fulfil the plans we set out when we took over in June.​

"Although my time with the fans was brief, I want to acknowledge their outstanding support during a challenging period. They continued to show up in great numbers – unsurprising given their passion and loyalty – and displayed incredible spirit despite understandable frustrations."

Manning thanked backroom team Chris Hogg, James Krause and the staff, saying they "worked tirelessly every day to turn things around."

He added: "I would like to thank the players for their efforts throughout my time at the club and wish them all the best, both personally and professionally.

"The club welcomed me warmly, and the dedication of everyone across all departments never went unnoticed.

"I am truly grateful for that and I wish everyone associated with Norwich City the very best for the future."

As for what might be next for the former Bristol City, Oxford United and MK Dons boss, Manning said he now plans to "reflect on the last few months and enjoy some time with my family."

"I don't think any of the options that we can confirm Norwich City have spoken to are bad.

"All he's got to do now is keep us up. That's all we are looking for."

BBC Radio Norfolk's Rob Butler and Chris Goreham ask their colleagues around the country to help give them a low-down on the current contenders for the managerial vacancy at Norwich City - Gary O'Neil, Will Still, Russell Martin and Jon Dahl Tomasson.

Listen to the full analysis and more Norwich City content on BBC Sounds.

"If you look at it on paper, a former player for the club, had a really good couple of stints in charge - from that perspective a really good potential option."

With Rob Edwards going to Wolverhampton Wanderers, should Middlesbrough turn to someone who spent time at the Molineux to continue their promotion hunt?

The 72+ team are joined by Chelmsford City striker Lyle Taylor and Peterborough Sports boss Phil Brown to discuss whether former Wolves head coach Gary O'Neil is the right man for the now vacant managerial seat at Middlesbrough.

They also get stuck into who should replace Will Still at Southampton, assess the departures of Alan Sheehan and Liam Manning from Swansea and Norwich City, as well as taking a look at Derek Adams' new role at a struggling Plymouth Argyle.

What a week, eh?

Listen to the full episode of the 72+ podcast and more on BBC Sounds.

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We were inundated with responses from Norwich City supporters following the sacking of head coach Liam Manning on Saturday.

What happens next? Who should stay and who should go?

Here are some more views from Canaries fans.

Raymond - I think it is time for the manager to say who he wants, not for (sporting director) Ben Knapper to tell him 'this is what I've got you'. Have a clearout off the pitch and get a manager with good motivation, but not Russell Martin or Brendan Rodgers.

Michael - The overall strategy is a shambles. Manning was on a hiding to nothing as the club kept buying players not suited to his preferred style and formation. Just bizarre.

Patrick - I remember when Daniel Farke was 'the problem', then Dean Smith, then David Wagner, then Johannes Hoff Thorup and now Liam Manning. Can we finally admit that when a team performs badly you can't always blame the manager? Yes, maybe a new one would give us a little bit of hope, and turn around the mindset, but is that enough to set us right?

Frank - Gary O'Neil has fire and is a straight-talker. I think he'd be a good appointment.

Rory - Wrong decision to sack Manning. Ben Knapper should have been sacked, everyone knows it, what are our the Board doing? No one would agree with this but I would bring Steve Bruce in until the end of season.

James - I am going to offer a neutral's perspective to this. When you have fans protesting against the board it creates an air of toxicity which can and has manifested itself on the pitch, it now has to be about getting results and getting those fans back onside. As for a new manager. from the outside looking in I would say Gary O'Neill or could Ange Postecoglou be tempted?

Ben - Several good candidates have already left the market (Danny Rohl, Marti Cifuentes, Rob Edwards). Michael Carrick or Gary O'Neil are dependable and young options. Both would need support from experienced assistants - time to get a better blend of youth and experience in our entire coaching set up.

John - Hope we sign a young vigorous manager who will give the players something to believe in. Come on You Yellows (Gary O'Neil would be a good shout).

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Former Norwich City striker Iwan Roberts said fans must be realistic about who the Championship club may be able to appoint as their new head coach.

The Canaries have begun the search for a replacement for Liam Manning, who was sacked in the wake of Saturday's 2-1 home defeat by Leicester City.

"There's been a lot of names mentioned - Brendan Rodgers, Gary O'Neil, Michael Carrick [among them] - I can't see any of those three entertaining it," Roberts told BBC Radio Norfolk's Canary Call.

"Gary O'Neil turned down the Wolves job, they're bottom of the Premier League, but it's a far more attractive job than Norwich. Managers like Gary O'Neil and Michael Carrick especially, their next job, they have to get it right.

"They've got to go into a club where the infrastructure and the squad is there to help them be successful and get them back towards where they want to be. I don't think Norwich is that place at the minute - you look at the squad, I don't think it's anywhere near enough."

Former Rangers, Southampton and Swansea City boss Russell Martin, a former Norwich player, has also been mentioned as a potential candidate.

On Martin's time at Swansea, Wales international Roberts said: "When they were good, they were great, but on too many occasions, they conceded sloppy goals - Harry Darling was part of that back four - which had the fourth or fifth worst defensive record in the Championship.

"I think Russ will definitely get another job, whether it will be the Norwich one, I don't know."

The search for a new boss is being led by Norwich sporting director Ben Knapper, who has also come in for criticism from fans, having brought in Manning and his predecessor Johannes Hoff Thorup after parting company with David Wagner in 2024.

"In his time at the football club, he's got far more wrong than he has right," said Roberts. "He's had two big decisions go wrong, and his recruitment has been extremely poor."

Norwich are next to bottom of the Championship and have yet to manage a single point in home league games this season.

Roberts added: "They are in a proper scrap and to get out of that, you need battlers, you need competitors, you need players who are willing to roll their sleeves up and give everything for the cause.

"Hopefully, there's enough in the dressing room at Carrow Road to do that. I'm not sure in all honesty."

Gary Gowers
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Broken football clubs are not fixed by a new head coach.

Even Norwich City fans of a certain age are struggling to recall a time when the club was in such disarray.

The mire in which the club finds itself is cavernously deep, yet those in power appear to think by sacking Liam Manning, the ire of the supporters will be sated.

They are wrong, again.

I say again because wrong decisions, misguided assumptions, and bad communications are currently what they do best.

Manning had to go, of course he did, as would any head coach who had overseen such a record-breaking run of defeats, but even then those in power at the club prevaricated in the forlorn and nonsensical hope things would miraculously turn.

Only when it became clear this could never happen, and with City fans going full 'pitchfork', did they decide to call time on his tenure.

Minus the fan pressure, I suspect he would still be in post.

The failure of Manning, though, was merely a symptom of a much bigger malaise at the club, one that runs deep and which has been created, on an industrial scale, by a band of high-ranking, highly-paid, under-performing executives.

A once-respected club has been transformed into a national laughing stock.

Heard the one about Norwich City?

First, they appoint a rookie sporting director who is so far out of his depth it is rumoured he is suffering from the bends.

Then, after he has sacked three head coaches, two having been his own appointments and all having underperformed, they give him the job of appointing the next one.

Yep, you heard it right. Not only has Ben Knapper been tasked with appointing Manning's replacement, but the club are being positively bullish about it.

Doubling down on terrible decisions is one of the few other things they are good at.

Norwich fans will throw their full support behind the new head coach, whoever it is, but, blimey, that person has an unenviable task on their hands.

It is a broken football club, one that needs infinitely more than a shiny new head coach to fix it.

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Michael - It's a shame, but because of transfer windows the only way to affect a change on the pitch in November is by changing the manager, rightly or wrongly. The new manager decision and January window are so important now they can't be left in Ben Knapper's hands. He must go today!!

Bill - Gary O'Neil has intensity, gets the players fit, working, and aware of what is required. He also knows the club and always seemed to give 100%.

Mike - Here's a far reaching reply how about (Delia's friend) Roy Hodgson as general manager and a young coach of his choice under him? That could do it for our hard- done-by fans.

Andy - Stop buying lower tier players from Europe. In January we must buy players with Championship experience, to at least steady the ship. Get the scouts out there on a cold wet windy Wednesday and watch them play. Data analysis clearly doesn't work.

Tim - Hope Daniel Farke gets sacked by Leeds and Norwich appoint him again.

Jonathan - I think it's vital that our next head coach is a big character, with a big personality. Someone who won't just get the players going but also the crowd. Someone in the Nathan Jones mould.

Simon - We need someone to get us out of this mess we're in currently, my preference is Gary Rowett.

Roberth - Norwich as a club and the Norwich fans must accept a manager that puts results first, and style of play second. Mark Robins would be the one for me, but fat chance he would give up his Stoke job as he's heading for promotion there.

Ben - Several good candidates have already left the market (Danny Rohl, Marti Cifuentes, Rob Edwards). Michael Carrick or Gary O'Neil are dependable and young options. Both would need support from experienced assistants - time to get a better blend of youth and experience in our entire coaching set up.

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Norwich City are looking for a new head coach after sacking Liam Manning on Saturday.

So, what should the Canaries do next and who would supporters like to see take over?

We asked Norwich fans that exact question and were inundated with replies.

Thanks to everyone who got in contact and here is just a selection of the responses.

Tim - In my eyes (executive director) Zoe Webber and (sporting director) Ben Knapper still both have to go if we're serious about having a decent finish this season (which I think is still very possible with a good manager and decent January). Ideally for me someone like Michael Carrick would be appointed.

Simon - Had to happen, and I think the next appointment will also be someone with Championship experience but hopefully with the knack of getting the best out of a team seriously lacking in confidence. But some of the names being mentioned, seriously? Brendan Rodgers? Don't think so!

Matt - I think Liam Manning probably did the best he could with the players he was given to work with. The majority of Norwich's recruitment over the past few seasons has been players from foreign lower leagues, that no other Championship-level club would even look at. Surely it's time to ditch the whole director of football/head coach idea, and go back to a straightforward manager in the traditional sense, who chooses the players to buy as well as directing proceedings during the game.

Frank - Gary O'Neil has fire and is a straight talker. I think he'd be a good appointment.

Jerry - It doesn't seem to matter who is the manager. What needs to be done is a major clear out of any involved in the direct recruitment of players and management. Start again with people who know what they are doing. Players need to show some passion about playing for Norwich, which is totally lacking at the moment.

Karen - Ben Knapper has to go. He can't be trusted to choose yet another head coach because he's proven incapable of adequately supporting any of the three he has appointed. The club is suffering financially because of Knapper's poor choices, so his strongest supporters on the board also need to go. The club will have to spend even more money to get a coach in to save the season.

M - Johannes Hoff Thorup now Liam Manning - scapegoats for the incompetence, lack of experience and poor decision making from the likes of Ben Knapper and the board. Yes, the head coach capability has been questionable, but they need something to work with. If recruitment of said players continues in this way, simply not offering the quality required at this level, then the new head coach will also fail.

Damian - A shame but the right decision to let Manning go, the process by which he was appointed needs looking at. From what I could see most Bristol City fans were glad to see the back of his style of play. Personally out of the candidates mentioned I like Michael Carrick but will be happy with any of the names linked as long as the club can say there is a plan going forward and there was a rigorous interview process.

Andy - Gary O'Neil would be my preferred option. He had a good couple of years at the club and I've heard him credit ex-Canaries' manager Alex Neil with helping him develop as a player and manager. My concern is he has turned down Wolves already, so why would he come to what seems a sinking ship?

Marc Webber
BBC Final Score

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There is a saying 'one swallow doesn't make a summer', and the owners of Norwich City should be very clear that sacking Liam Manning is not the cure-all for the deep rooted malaise that runs through their club right now.

In my near two decades of reporting on Norwich City games, I have never seen security guards have to escort their players out of Carrow Road through a side exit because of fan anger, until Saturday.

I have never seen club directors advised to hold back inside the stadium as hundreds of angry fans gather outside the directors' box to shout "sack the board" and call for the dismissal of the club's sporting director, until Saturday.

As Chris Sutton said on Final Score, "we're not angry people from Norwich".

It is true. You know things are really bad when Norwich supporters feel it is time to gather in such numbers afterwards, or just stay away from the game.

Again, until Saturday I had not seen as many empty seats at a league game in all the years I have been to Carrow Road.

While many angry fans were chanting "Manning out" at the end of the game, the cries for the dismissals of sporting director Ben Knapper and executive director Zoe Webber were louder.

Knapper headed straight out of the directors' box at the full-time whistle to kickstart the transatlantic conversations which led to Manning's dismissal just two hours later.

The question is, what did Norwich's American owners ask Knapper about his strategy to turn this situation around?

The international break has come at a perfect time for Norwich City.

They need this time to reset. The decisions made in the next two weeks could be the biggest decisions made in the club's 123-year history.

Image source, Shuttershock

Norwich City sacked head coach Liam Manning on Saturday after a Championship-record seventh successive home league defeat which leaves them second from bottom.

Manning was the first Norwich-born boss of the Canaries but won only three of his games in charge in all competitions.

So, what do Norwich need to do to pull themselves out of trouble and who should they appoint as their new head coach?

You can have your say here and check back later to see some of the responses.

Image source, Rex Features

Former Norwich City defender Darren Kenton believes poor recruitment over the summer is one of the chief reasons for the team's struggles this season.

Head coach Liam Manning was sacked on Saturday following a 2-1 home defeat by Leicester City - and the Canaries have failed to pick up a single point at Carrow Road this season so far.

"You can only do as well as the players you've got at your disposal," Kenton told BBC Radio Norfolk.

"If you look at the Leicester bench, they were able to bring on Bobby De Cordova-Reid and he pretty much saved the game for them.

"There was no one really on the Norwich bench that can make a difference in the game the way that he did.

"If you look back at (former sporting director) Stuart Webber's time at the club and the players they brought in for fairly low fees and sold on for a decent amount - [then] if you look at the players they've bought in the last two seasons, spending £5m, £10m, £15m, they just haven't been good enough.

"It's been poor. You go back to the previous manager [Johannes Hoff Thorup] and he couldn't do much with the players that he had. So is it the manager or the people that are bringing the players in that are doing a bad job? It's probably a touch of both and you can't put the blame solely on the manager.

"You kind of feel sorry for Liam Manning because he seems like an honest guy. He has the club in his heart... but that's the nature of the beast, that's football, if the manager doesn't get the results he's the one that gets the sack. But it's probably the higher-ups that should be worried about their jobs, rather than the manager."

Many supporters called for current sporting director Ben Knapper to leave following the game and Kenton believes the problems at the club are "deep rooted".

He added: "I don't know who has got a magic wand and is going to come in and turn the performances around."

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Norwich City boss Liam Manning spoke to BBC Radio Norfolk following Saturday's 2-1 defeat by Leicester City.

"We were okay without, for me, testing their keeper enough, which has been a consistent thing around quality in attacking areas," he said.

"When you look at the plan, the way we pressed, the way we got after them, the way we played forward and the way we were a bit more direct in what we did was good.

"But in the last 15-20 minutes we can't sustain the level of intensity that you need to and, unfortunately the challenge is to be able to have real impact off the bench to sustain the levels when we have the volume of injuries we have got.

(On fans' protests) "My whole thing is not to put on a sales pitch, my whole thing is to thank the fans today. I thought they were outstanding to the final whistle.

"In a tough moment and where we are at, I thought they showed what they are about today and really stuck with the group, which is the most important thing.

"And going forward that's exactly what the lads will need.

"I don't live my life with regrets, it's part of my journey. I'm learning, I'm hurting, I'm frustrated and I'm hugely disappointed because this is a club I care deeply about. I didn't come here to be where we are. But we are, so I will do a lot of learning as to why."

Phil Daley
Sports Editor, BBC Norfolk

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Norwich City will seek to get back to winning ways when they welcome Leicester City to Carrow Road on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Canaries drew 1-1 with Sheffield Wednesday on Wednesday, which saw them end a run of six defeats on the spin.

Head coach Liam Manning was asked about his own future, among other topics, as he spoke to the media before the game against Leicester.

Here are some of the key points:

• Is it all or nothing this weekend regarding Manning's future? "Whether it is or it isn't, it's not going to change what I do tomorrow. What I've been through in my life I don't stress on things too far beyond... because it could end tomorrow, so I try not to live too far ahead in my own head."

• On Josh Sargent's goal drought: "Sarge will score goals, there's no doubt about that. His involvement has still been big, he set up the goal on Wednesday night," said Manning.

• Manning says sporting director Ben Knapper is, "desperate to change things, do well, works extremely hard and is all-in, like I am."

• Jeffrey Schlupp is having a scan on his hamstring after pulling up in the game at Hillsborough. Manning said it doesn't look good, especially as it's the same side he's previously had surgery on.

• Ben Chrisene and Lucian Mahovo, who can play left-back, are both still unavailable for selection.

• On the point at Hillsborough, Manning said: "We showed more purpose in the second half, that sort of thing can build resilience - we have to take that into the weekend."

You can listen to full live commentary on Norwich City v Leicester City with BBC Radio Norfolk on FM and DAB from 14:00 on Saturday.

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Norwich resume their quest for a first point at Carrow Road this season as Leicester visit on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Canaries have lost all seven matches in all competitions infront of their own fans under Liam Manning, failing to score in the past three of them, but did stop the rot after six straight Championship defeats with a 1-1 draw at Sheffield Wednesday on Wednesday night.

Norwich are winless in their past 10, earning just three points, and lie third-bottom, four points from safety, and nine points and nine places adrift of the 13th-placed Foxes.

Marti Cifuentes' side are in the doldrums too, winless in their past five, a run extended by Middlesbrough's last-gasp equaliser at the King Power on Tuesday night, which did at least end Leicester's three match losing streak.

• Norwich City have lost each of their past four league games against Leicester City, since a 1-0 win at Carrow Road in February 2020.

• Leicester City failed to win any of their first five away league meetings with Norwich City this century (D2 L3), but have won on three of four trips to face the Canaries since (L1).

• Norwich City are winless in their past 10 games in the Championship (D3 L7); their longest losing streak in the second tier of English football since November 2007 (11 games without a win).

• Leicester City have won just one of their past 10 league games (D6 L3), their fewest over a 10-game spell outside of the top-flight since April 2013 under Nigel Pearson (also 1).

• Josh Sargent has either scored (5) or assisted (2) 54% of Norwich City's goals in the Championship this season (7/13); the highest percentage by any striker for a team in the current campaign.

Norwich City's Danish forward Mathias Kvistgaarden brought his post-match thoughts to his English near-namesake - BBC Radio Norfolk's Chris Goreham - after Wednesday's 1-1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday.

"The way you pronounce your name is actually the most correct name over here to pronounce my name if you had to say it in Danish," Kvistgaarden told Goreham.

After a spell on the sidelines through injury, it was Kvistgaarden's goal that earned Norwich a point in a crucial portion of the season with the Canaries 22nd in the Championship.

"For the team I think we needed that. For me, happy about it but even happier for the team," Kvistgaarden said.

After a run of six straight defeats, Norwich will look to build a run of form that can take them out of the relegation zone. They are currently four points behind Oxford United in 21st.

"We are in a place now where we need to go out and improve ourselves every day. We are working hard on the training pitch and there's no time to point fingers at each other, we need to stand together," said Kvistgaarden.

"There's a lot of games left in the league. Personally I prefer looking away from the table and to look forward for the next game that's coming."

Norwich host Leicester City on Saturday (15:00 BST) in their final Championship game before the international break.

Listen to the full interview between Mathias Kvistgaarden and Chris Goreham on Sounds.

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Norwich head coach Liam Manning welcomed an end to a run of six successive defeats as they drew 1-1 with Championship bottom club Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.

The Canaries again looked short of creativity in the first half after Josh Sargent missed a chance but he later redeemed himself with the pass for Mathias Kvistgaardens's equaliser.

"We've stopped the run of losses which is important and we deserved a point I think," Manning told BBC Radio Norfolk.

"We should have gone ahead really early on and then we concede a fantastic finish but we just didn't respond again and that's the issue. We get anxious, we get nervous, we get passive, we lose intent, but showed a response second half that we need to show from the start to the end - that fight, intent and purpose.

"We had numerous good opportunities but where we're at at the moment it's about having real intent and purpose with your actions."

There was an apparent angry exchange of words between Manning, skipper Kenny Mclean and defender Shane Duffy during a first-half injury delay.

"It was heat of the moment - Kenny was fine, me and Kenny were chatting. I think it was frustration more than anything, we spoke about it, dealt with it and that's it," the Norwich boss added.

They are next in action with a home game against Leicester City on Saturday.