Jack Wilshere has admitted that Norwich City have ‘brought in a really good coach’ in Liam Manning.
The 33-year-old joined the Canaries last October as first team coach, working under head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup. He arrived with a big reputation having been forced to end his playing days early, returning to Arsenal as part of their academy set up.
An underwhelming season saw Thorup depart in April, with the former England midfielder handed the reins for the remaining two games. He impressed during his short time in charge, earning a 0-0 draw with Middlesbrough before ending the campaign with a 4-2 victory over Cardiff City.
Wilshere Ready To Move On
It was thought that Wilshere may have been in the running to land the job on a permanent basis, but he was informed by sporting director Ben Knapper that he was not under consideration. He then decided to leave the club, with Liam Manning arriving from Bristol City.
Speaking to talkSPORT, he seemingly admitted that his former club have made the right decision:
“I left Norwich. I had a great time in Norwich and really enjoyed it.
“I really enjoyed the last two games where I got the opportunity to be the head coach. They have brought in a really good coach, and I thought it was just time for me to move on.”
Continuing, the young coach admitted that he is now ready to look for his first permanent managerial role:
“I’d obviously done it with the U18s, but you never know. I don’t know if any players listen, but there’s always that feeling when you’re an ex-player of could you do it or could you not do it? Those two games really helped me. They really helped convince me that, yeah, I can do it.
“I’ve stood there, I’ve felt what it feels like to be in front of the fans, trying to get the players to do something for me. I don’t know if people saw the game, but the players were excellent. They delivered for me and just gave me a really nice feeling, and I’m ready to go.”
Writer’s View
Despite Wilshere’s young age and inexperience, it won’t be long before someone takes a punt on him. He was in the running for the Plymouth Argyle job but appears to have lost out to another up-and-coming coach in Tom Cleverley. Still, he will be better for that process, learning what the interview stages are like. Expect his name to be banded about throughout the summer and the early stages of next season once positions start to become available.
