Norwich City have parted company with Liam Manning, and attention now turns to the leading candidates who could halt the slide and re-energise Carrow Road.
The Canaries are 23rd with 9 points from 16 games after an 11-game winless run. First-team coach Ryan Garry, supported by Tony Roberts and Nick Stanley, will take the team on an interim basis while the board works through the shortlist.
Norwich City can confirm that the club have parted company with head coach Liam Manning.
Assistant head coach Chris Hogg and first-team coach analyst James Krause have also left the club.
— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) November 8, 2025
Leading candidates after Rodgers is ruled out
Gary O’Neil heads early conversations. The former Portsmouth and Middlesbrough midfielder guided AFC Bournemouth to Premier League safety in 2023, then showed composure and organisation at Wolverhampton Wanderers. His reputation for clear structures and quick improvements makes him a credible choice for a squad that needs immediate stability and sharper work without the ball.
Michael Carrick offers a measured, possession-leaning approach. After an elite playing career at Manchester United, he stepped into coaching and lifted Middlesbrough with an emphasis on control, pressing triggers, and midfield balance. Norwich require clean patterns and confidence on the ball, and Carrick’s calm touchline manner, plus experience working with developing players, ticks several boxes for a sporting structure that values clarity.
🚨 EXCLUSIVE! Norwich City are set to sound out Russell Martin regarding the vacant managerial position at Carrow Road, sources have told Football Insider.
🚨 Liam Manning was sacked by the Canaries on Saturday (8 November) evening after a dismal start to the season.
🚨 Sources… pic.twitter.com/Q138wMYqGi
— Football Insider (@footyinsider247) November 9, 2025
Russell Martin brings identity and an obvious Norfolk connection. The former Norwich City defender is known for a build-from-the-back philosophy shaped across roles with MK Dons and Swansea City. His principles align with what Norwich supporters often embrace, namely patient possession and technical profiles. The question is timing, since the team must turn performances into points quickly while any stylistic shift beds in.
Steven Gerrard is also in the conversation. The former Liverpool captain delivered a Scottish Premiership title with Rangers and has top-level managerial and player-management experience. Gerrard’s appeal includes stature in the dressing room, high standards, and familiarity with pressure. Fit would hinge on alignment with the recruitment model and how rapidly he could extract more end-product from a group short on confidence.
| Candidate | Odds |
|---|---|
| Gary O’Neil | 6/4 |
| Michael Carrick | 4/1 |
| Russell Martin | 5/1 |
| Steven Gerrard | 14/1 |
| Carlos Corberan | 16/1 |
| Ralph Hassenhuttl | 20/1 |
What the board will weigh
Norwich have called time to protect the season, so the hire must bring immediate defensive resilience, better chance creation, and a lift in belief. O’Neil represents proven firefighting, Carrick offers composure and control, Martin aligns culture with a possession identity, and Gerrard supplies presence plus big-match standards.
The club’s statement underlined a need to reconnect with supporters and deliver a team worth getting behind.
“We have tried absolutely everything possible to work through this incredibly challenging period but, unfortunately, given the recent run of results and performances, we have been left with no choice other than to make a change at this stage.
“Liam and his staff worked tirelessly to move our football club forward. They are all fundamentally good people and we wish them the very best in whatever comes next. We very much understand the frustration and criticism from our supporters at this stage. So far, results and performances on the pitch haven’t been good enough.
“We accept that responsibility, but it’s now imperative that we start to repair the relationship with our supporters and do everything we can to give them something to get behind.”
