Norwich City Parts Ways with Head Coach Liam Manning
Norwich City has dismissed head coach Liam Manning following a disappointing seventh consecutive home defeat, leaving the team positioned second from the bottom in the Championship.
The 40-year-old coach, who was appointed in June after successfully guiding Bristol City to the playoffs last season, managed just 17 games with Norwich.
Manning's final match was a 2-1 loss to Leicester City on Saturday. The team has not secured a win in their last 11 outings and has suffered eight consecutive losses at home across both league and cup competitions.
Sporting director Ben Knapper stated, "We have tried absolutely everything possible to navigate this incredibly challenging period. Unfortunately, given the recent run of results and performances, we have been left with no choice but to make a change at this stage." He added, "Liam and his staff worked tirelessly to advance our football club. They are fundamentally good people, and we wish them all the best in their future endeavors."
First-team coach Ryan Garry has been appointed as interim head coach, with assistance from goalkeeper coach Tony Roberts and set-piece coach Nick Stanley.
Following Saturday's match, protests erupted outside Carrow Road, with fans also expressing their desire for Knapper to leave the club.
Knapper acknowledged the fans' frustrations, saying, "We very much understand the 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 begin to repair our relationship with our supporters and do everything we can to give them something to rally behind."
Manning leaves Norwich with the team sitting 23rd in the table, having lost 10 of the 15 Championship games under his stewardship, including a 3-1 defeat to Ipswich, marking their first loss in an East Anglia derby in 16 years.
The club is now in search of its fifth permanent manager since Daniel Farke, who is currently managing Leeds United, departed in November 2021 after leading Norwich to two promotions to the Premier League.
Manning was brought on board after Norwich opted not to appoint former England midfielder Jack Wilshere, who had taken charge on an interim basis for the final two games of the previous season and is now managing Luton Town.
A Norwich native, Manning began his football career in the club's academy before making a brief switch to Ipswich and subsequently playing in non-league football. He began his coaching career with Belgian club Lommel and held managerial positions at MK Dons and Oxford United before joining Bristol City in November 2023.
The Norwich squad underwent significant changes with 12 new signings during the summer transfer window, yet the club sold key player Borja Sainz, who contributed 18 goals last season, to Porto for £14.25 million, and Marcelino Nunez to rivals Ipswich for £10 million.
U.S. international Josh Sargent started the campaign strong with six goals in five league and cup matches but has not scored in the last 11 games, with no one else surpassing three goals, tied between Mathias Kvistgaarden and Jovon Makama.
In his final post-match interview with BBC Radio Norfolk, Manning, who recently received public backing from majority shareholder Mark Attanasio, reflected, "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 to understand why."
His assistant Chris Hogg and analyst James Karuse have also departed the club.