Norwich City are considering sacking head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup at the end of the season and replacing him with first team coach Jack Wilshere, according to Football Insider.
The 36-year-old arrived at Carrow Road last summer, penning a three-year deal. However, it’s been an underwhelming debut campaign which has seen a number of false dawns.
The Canaries have spent much of the last 10 years yo-yoing between the Premier League and the Championship. They were last relegated from the top tier in 2022 and missed out on promotion last season after losing to Leeds United in the play-off semi final.
They were hoping to build on that this season, especially as they boast two of the division’s strongest attackers in Josh Sargent and Borja Sainz. However, they have only briefly flirted with a play-off finish and have now settled in mid-table.
Thorup On Borrowed Time?
With their season all-but-over, it is claimed that Norwich are willing to cut ties with their Danish boss at the end of the campaign. Furthermore, they are said to have already lined up a replacement in Wilshere.
The 33-year-old enjoyed a stellar playing career and was once considered one of the most exciting footballers in England. He made almost 200 appearances for boyhood club Arsenal and was capped 34 times by England, but a series of injuries hampered his career and he was forced to retire at just 30.
The former midfielder returned to Arsenal in 2022 as head coach of the Gunners’ under-18 side before moving to Norwich in October last year. It is said that the hierarchy at Carrow Road have been impressed with his work and are considering giving him the top job.
Writer’s View
There’s no getting away from the fact that Norwich have had a disappointing season but it would still arguably be harsh to dismiss Thorup. He may not have pulled up any trees but there was a feeling that he would need a season to transition after the David Wagner era. However, they do have two of the Championship’s top three scorers in their ranks and they could both be the subject of interest in the summer. Therefore, it would be tough to rebuild and the Dane would probably not be forgiven for a second season of mediocrity. Wilshere is almost as highly rated as a young coach as he was as a young player and it must be a matter of time before someone attempts to prise him away from Carrow Road. This is something that Norwich will be all too aware of.
