Football
Exclusive: Norwich City Target Michael Carrick as Long-Term Manager
Norwich City wants Michael Carrick as their permanent manager after the sacking of Liam Manning. Struggling in the relegation zone, they see Carrick's successful turnaround of Middlesbrough as a model for their own revival. Steve Bruce may be interim manager until the end of the season.
Millwall FC v Middlesbrough FC - Sky Bet Championship by Paul Harding | Getty Images
Norwich City bosses want Michael Carrick to be their long-term manager, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.
The Canaries sacked Liam Manning following their 2-1 defeat at home to Leicester City on Saturday, which stretched their worrying unbeaten run to 11 games.
It has been a campaign to forget so far for the Carrow Road club who are yet to win a game at home this season.
They are languishing in the relegation zone with their only point since the start of October coming away at fellow strugglers Sheffield Wednesday.
It has been reported that Steve Bruce is in advanced talks to take the reins on an interim basis until the end of the season.
Gary O’Neil has also been linked with the Norwich vacancy, although SportsBoom sources revealed last week that Southampton have held talks with the former Wolves boss.
Carrick is highly thought of by the Canaries’ hierarchy and is their number one choice after the job he did turning Middlesbrough around from relegation candidates to contenders.
The Manchester United legend has been out of work since being relieved of his duties at the Riverside at the end of last season.
And our sources have been told the former England international is ready for his next challenge.
Upward Trajectory
Carrick stayed on at Old Trafford when he retired as a player and was on Jose Mourinho’s coaching staff and was caretaker boss after Mourinho’s sacking and when successor Ole Gunner Solskjær was axed.
He was appointed Boro boss in October 2022 with the club precariously placed one point above the dreaded drop line with 17 points from their first 16 games of the campaign.
He won the Manager of the Month award during his first month in charge and steered the club to a fourth-placed finish before losing in the play-off semi-finals to Coventry City.
In his second season at the club, Carrick guided Boro to the semi-finals of the EFL Cup for the first time since 2004 and beat Chelsea 1-0 in the first leg before being hammered 6-1 at Stamford Bridge.
Shane is an experienced sports journalist with over a decade on the front line, covering everything from football to horse racing. A familiar face in the snooker pressroom, his work regularly appears in the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, and Daily Star, alongside SportsBoom.
While snooker is where many readers know him best, cricket is his true sporting passion, though he tends to keep that side of him separate from his professional beat.
A staunch traditionalist, he’s unlikely to share your enthusiasm if you believe The Hundred is the future of Test cricket.