Norwich sack boss Wagner after play-off defeat

Norwich City have sacked boss David Wagner less than 24 hours after their crushing Championship play-off defeat by Leeds.

The Canaries have acted following Thursday's 4-0 semi-final second-leg loss which condemned them to a third successive season in the second tier.

Arsenal coach Carlos Cuesta is of interest as a replacement having worked with sporting director Ben Knapper when he was loans manager at the Gunners.

"David has operated with class and dignity throughout his period as Norwich City head coach, but we now feel that the time is right for us to move in a different direction," said Knapper.

“We remain committed to progressing our football club, in both the short and long-term, working through a diligent and thorough strategy.

“The appointment of a new head coach is an important one. We will now work and continue our due diligence with the view of making an appointment in the near future.”

Wagner's assistant Christoph Buhler has also left Carrow Road.

The German was on borrowed time after Knapper replaced Stuart Webber in November and they dropped to 17th in November after a 3-1 home defeat by Blackburn at the end of a run of seven defeats in nine games, and only one win.

But a fine second half to the season saw them win eight straight home games to finish sixth and earn a play-off spot.

They drew 0-0 with Leeds at Carrow Road in the first leg on Sunday but a dire performance saw the Whites cruise to the play-off final, where they will play Southampton or West Brom.

Wagner, who led Huddersfield to promotion to the Premier League in 2017, told BBC Radio Norfolk after the loss at Elland Road: "This is super disappointing, we were very poor and it really hurts."

He was appointed in January 2023, replacing Dean Smith, and eventually finished 13th in the Championship last season.

Wagner failed to reference Knapper during a post-game press conference following the final day 1-0 defeat at Birmingham, despite praising his predecessor Webber for his support.

"We've seen the three teams who went up last season come straight back down, and Norwich City are miles off those teams," former Canaries, Chelsea and Celtic striker Chris Sutton told BBC Radio Norfolk.

"You have to see a really bigger picture and I think Norwich City under David Wagner have gone away from their identity.

"At Championship level, it has been frustrating for me, as a Norwich City fan, to watch the team and the way they play, I don't think Norwich should be playing counter-attacking football, I think they should be playing possession-based football as the club have always done."

He added: "Over the two play-off games, I thought Norwich's chance was at home and the approach was slightly negative - Leeds weren't much better but essentially got the job done."

Norwich face a potentially difficult summer with United States international Josh Sargent, their top scorer with 16 goals, and fellow forward Jonathan Rowe - whose season was disrupted by injury following a flying start - likely to attract attention in the transfer market.

Defender Dimitris Giannoulis, Ben Gibson and Sam McCallum are among those out of contract and they will also need to consider potential replacements for striker Ashley Barnes, who will be 35 in October.

Talks are also likely about the future of Adam Idah, who was allowed to join Celtic on loan and contributed eight goals in their title-winning Scottish Premiership campaign.

It is a time of change at Carrow Road as Delia Smith and Michael Wynn Jones are no longer majority shareholders, with Norfolk FB Holdings, led by American businessman Mark Attanasio, now matching their 40% stake.

Former Norwich winger Darren Eadie, who played more than 200 games for the club in the 1990s, said Wagner's departure had probably come at the "right time for everybody involved".

He continued: "The squad isn't strong enough in terms of a promotion push to the Premier League, that was proved (at Leeds) in terms of what we had on the bench.

"I feel we've got a bit of a soft underbelly in terms of our desire - when things are going well, we've got some technically very good players....but when things don't go our way, we haven't got enough about us in terms of personality and a horribleness, we're too nice."

Asked who should replace Wagner, Eadie suggested Liam Rosenior, who was sacked by Hull City after they failed to make the play-offs, as a possible candidate.

"I think he's a forward-thinking young manager who would probably fit the mould of Norwich City the way he plays, but would it be right for him and for Norwich City," he added.