Norwich City have confirmed that first-team coach Andy Hughes will be joining Leicester City ahead of the forthcoming season, according to the club’s official website.
Hughes will be linking up with new Foxes boss Steve Cooper, with Leicester looking to make a successful return to England’s top flight. It’s already been a tricky off-season for last season’s Championship winners following the departure of manager Enzo Maresca as well as playmaker Kieran Dewsbury-Hall to Chelsea.
However, in Cooper they have a manager with previous experience managing in the Premier League, having been Nottingham Forest’s boss for their return to the top flight in the 2022/23 season and he’d lead them again the following season, albeit being relieved of his duties in mid-December.
Cooper is now being allowed to bring in his own coaching team and has headhunted the Canaries’ first-team coach Andy Hughes for a role at the newly-promoted club.
Hughes has been with Norwich for a number of years and would also spend a couple of seasons with the club as a player back in his playing days, making 72 senior appearances over a two-year spell. Most recently acting as the club’s first-team coach, the now-46-year-old would support David Wagner last season as the East-Anglian side made the play-offs.
They’d however be beaten by Leeds United 4-0 in the second leg of the semi-final which would see the aforementioned Wagner lose his job as they missed out on a trip to Wembley.
New manager Johannes Hoff Thorup will now have to recruit a new coach to replace Hughes, who has been described as ‘a key member of the team’.
Following the departure, the following statement on club media came from sporting director Ben Knapper:
“Despite all being disappointed that we’re losing such a key member of the team in Andrew (Hughes), he leaves with our very best wishes.
“The impact of his work has been clear for everyone to see, and his energy and enthusiasm is something we’ll all miss day-to-day at the training ground.
“We wish him nothing but the best in his new challenge, and we’ve no doubt he’ll be a great success.”
Writer’s View
There’s already been plenty of change at Carrow Road this summer and that theme has continued with the departure of Hughes. A man who knew the club extremely well, it is a bit of a loss for Hoff Thorup, however he can now bring a coach in himself rather than inheriting staff.
Under the new manager, the Canaries will still have the same ambition of promotion back to the top flight and they do hold a chance in a wide-open Championship. Additions are needed this window, especially with there expected to be a couple more player departures on the horizon.
