Norwich City captain Kenny McLean has taken full responsibility for the club’s alarming slump, insisting the players are to blame for their position in the Championship relegation zone.
The 33-year-old midfielder fronted up after Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat at Derby County, the Canaries’ fourth consecutive loss, which intensified scrutiny on head coach Liam Manning.
What Happened and Why It Matters
Norwich produced a spirited first-half display at Pride Park, registering 17 goal attempts, but they failed to find a breakthrough after David Ozoh’s goal put Derby County ahead. The result dropped the Canaries into the bottom 3 and extended their winless streak to 7 matches.
Kenny McLean is set to make his 𝟏𝟓𝟎𝐭𝐡 appearance for the club today!
Congrats to the Norwich Mayor 💛💚#NCFC pic.twitter.com/lZIxI5R7gG
— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) September 17, 2022
McLean, who has been at the club since 2018, told BBC Radio Norfolk that the squad, not the manager, must shoulder the blame for the current crisis.
“The position we are in is completely on us. I feel the fans’ frustration and their anger,” he said. “It’s their club, and we’ve got the privilege of representing them. Right now, we’re not doing enough and that’s why we get the reaction we’re getting. There’s nobody to blame but us.”
The Scotland international went further, suggesting the squad deserves stronger criticism than they’ve received.
“Honestly, I think the players should get more stick — that’s my opinion,” he added. “We keep saying about responsibility and accountability, but we’re not seeing enough of it. What’s a good 45 minutes if you’re not getting anything off the back of it?”
Reaction, Impact, and What Comes Next
The loss has intensified questions about Liam Manning’s future, but McLean’s comments appear aimed at deflecting the pressure from the head coach. Manning, appointed in the summer, has overseen a single home win all season, with defensive errors and lapses in concentration costing Norwich repeatedly.
Despite another disappointing result, the Canaries’ captain dismissed claims that the team lacks effort, arguing instead that the issue lies in consistency and mentality.
“The quality maybe should be doubted because it’s not coming out enough,” McLean admitted. “We do something brilliant, then the next action you’re scratching your head. You can’t play in this league in moments — you need to be involved at all times, and it’s not happening enough right now.”
Liam reflects on tonight’s defeat. pic.twitter.com/uXZdSIyL7l
— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) October 21, 2025
The defeat also highlighted Norwich’s growing reliance on Josh Sargent, who has now gone 7 matches without scoring. McLean said others must take responsibility in front of goal to ease the burden on their top scorer.
“Someone needs to step up and take a bit of pressure off his shoulders,” he said. “We’re given so much information to be as good as we can when we step on that pitch, but right now, it’s not being delivered.”
Norwich travel to Swansea City on Saturday, needing a response to avoid further unrest among supporters.
A defeat in South Wales could leave the board facing difficult decisions about Manning’s tenure, but for now, McLean’s words underline a rare dose of honesty from within the dressing room, and a growing recognition that time to turn things around is running out.
