Former Championship player Jobi McAnuff has argued that firing Liam Manning won’t fix Norwich City’s problems, stressing that the entire club must align to address the current crisis.
The Canaries have endured a poor run of form, and while they managed to halt the slide with a draw against Sheffield Wednesday earlier this week, the 1-1 result—despite an xG advantage for the home side, who are in administration and facing a 12-point deduction—did little to signal a turnaround.
Pressure on Manning is mounting, with questions also surrounding sporting director Ben Knapper. Former Championship striker Sam Parkin has urged the club not to part ways with the manager, a view McAnuff shares.
The 43-year-old emphasized that responsibility does not lie solely with Manning. Senior figures, including Knapper and the club owner, must also be held accountable. McAnuff believes the focus should now be on collaboration, and when the January transfer window opens, the club should fully support the manager with the players he requests.
“The easiest thing to do is sack the manager. People think that’s always the answer, but it isn’t,” McAnuff told the BBC.
“There’s much more to Norwich than the man on the touchline. Questions should be asked of those above him—Ben Knapper and the owner. Everyone needs to get on the same page and fix the situation. In January, if Liam Manning wants one, two, three players to help the team, you back him.”
McAnuff added that if the club isn’t willing to provide the reinforcements Manning wants, then the only option is to let him go immediately.
Currently, Norwich sit in the Championship relegation zone after 14 games. If their form doesn’t improve, any hopes of challenging for the playoffs could quickly fade.