If Norwich City avoid Jack Wilshere appointment – These 4 managers could be perfect for Ben Knapper at Carrow Road | OneFootball

A look at four managers that would appear to be the ideal fit at Norwich City should the Canaries opt not to appoint Jack Wilshere.

Norwich City have finished the 2024/25 season without a permanent manager in place at Carrow Road following the sacking of Johannes Hoff Thorup with a couple of games of the season to go.

Former Arsenal and England international midfielder Jack Wilshere has been in charge on an interim basis and he collected four points from those two games with a goalless draw against Middlesbrough at the Riverside being followed up by a 4-2 defeat of relegated Cardiff City on the final day of the season at home.

However, the appointment of Wilshere on a permanent basis is not happening, with Norwich set to look in a different direction heading into 2025/26. Wilshere will also leave Norwich altogether.

Given that, Football League World has taken a look at four candidates that Sporting Director Ben Knapper should deem as an excellent fit for the vacancy in the dugout in Norfolk.

Ralph Hasenhuttl

Surprisingly, Hasenhuttl has been heavily backed in by the bookies and appears to be the frontrunner for the job at Carrow Road – and his potential appointment would have to be viewed as a coup.

The former Southampton manager has been in charge of Wolfsburg this season but their form has fallen away in the last few months as they drift from the top six and the European spots in the Bundesliga but signs were there earlier in the campaign that his coaching remained strong.

Known for his Red Bull-infused high energy pressing style of football, the Austrian would appear the perfect fit for a young and energetic Norwich side seeking to emulate the success of the past with Daniel Farke.

Russell Martin

Russell Martin is known for an extreme style of possession-based football that really does push the limits for what is generally deemed acceptable and it has given him some success, leading Southampton to promotion to the Premier League in the 2023/24 season.

His reputation will need rebuilding somewhat with people now reflecting upon his time at Milton Keynes Dons and Swansea City as easy on the eye but perhaps flattering to deceive in terms of actual success and progress.

A return to Norwich, where he made 308 appearances for the club between 2009 and 2018, Martin’s philosophy may well suit the technical talents of the current Norwich squad.

Steve Cooper

Steve Cooper took charge of what appeared to be a disjointed Swansea City side and led them to the play-off places beyond expectation before taking charge of a disjointed and struggling Nottingham Forest side that were rock-bottom in the Championship and led them to promotion.

He then kept Forest up and also took charge of yet another poor, disjointed side in Leicester City and, whilst an underwhelming stint, upon reflection the job he did in comparison to what has gone since under Ruud van Nistelrooy paints Cooper in a very good light.

Norwich have some exciting players but there is an argument to be made that it is unbalanced and, of course, disjointed so the pragmatism and effectiveness of Cooper would be a sensible appointment.

Marti Cifuentes

Marti Cifuentes is being heavily linked with the job at West Bromwich Albion but he would also appear to be a good fit for the vacancy at Norwich, too, following his departure from Queens Park Rangers.

The Spaniard, formerly of Hammarby, was placed on gardening leave by QPR last week following a tumultuous relationship with the R’s 27-year-old CEO Christian Nourry amid suggestions he had already held talks with West Brom.

His pragmatic coaching philosophy that can be likened to that of Carlos Corberan would appear a good fit for a side looking to scout from abroad to fit into a specific style of football, rather than something a bit more ad hoc.