Norwich City‘s managerial hunt will continue after it was revealed that there was no contact between the club and Russell Martin.
The Canaries are hunting for a new boss after Johannes Hoff Thorup was sacked in the final weeks of the season, with coach Jack Wilshere taking charge for the remainder of the campaign. The former Arsenal midfielder left the club last week after he was not considered as a candidate to take the permanent role at Carrow Road.
Martin Links Denied
In a report from local outlet The Pink’Un, It has been revealed that there have been no discussions between Norwich and rumoured frontrunner Russell Martin. The former Swansea City boss has been without a job since December after his Southampton side were on a collision course with breaking the fewest points record in Premier League history.
Martin is a well-known figure in Norfolk, as he played over 300 times for the club during a nine-year playing career. Sporting Director Ben Knapper has previously gone on record saying that he wants a new head coach in by the start of pre-season training next month.
Speaking about his decision to rule out Wilshere due to his lack of managerial experience and what he is looking for in a potential candidate, Knapper said:
“I have to own that and be accountable for that, and I am. Look, there’s never any guarantees, right? It’s the same whether you sign a player or you sign a coach.
“There’s a process that you can go through to try to manage risk, but you never know with certainty whether something is going to work or it’s not. And sometimes, on paper, something can look a fantastic fit, and it just doesn’t play out that way. You have to accept that and focus on where can we learn, where can we reflect, and where can we make sure that that doesn’t happen again.
“There’s no one more disappointed than me with how it played out with Johannes. But in terms of magnitude of decision, a head coach in any football club is arguably the most important hire that you’ll make. We will make sure that our process leaves no stone unturned.”
Writers’ View
A return to Norwich City for Russell Martin was too good to be true. On paper, it made sense with his decade-long connection with the club and recent success with Southampton in this division. But it seems that The Canaries did not feel like he would be a good fit after his disastrous reign at St. Mary’s in the top flight.
