Norwich sack David Wagner less than 24 hours after play-off defeat at Leeds

Norwich sacked boss David Wagner less than 24 hours after the Canaries were beaten 4-0 by Leeds in the second leg of their Championship play-off semi-final.

Wagner has been in charge at Carrow Road since January 2023, overseeing a 13th-place finish in 2022-23 and a sixth-place finish in 2023-24.

But goals from Ilia Gruev, Joel Piroe, Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville ended Norwich’s slim hopes of promotion through the play-offs this season, prompting the Canaries to decide to roll the managerial dice again this summer.

The German’s job has been under threat for some time dating back to Norwich’s relegation to November 17, and he is said to have a broken relationship with sporting director Ben Knapper.

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After last day’s defeat at Birmingham, Wagner praised Knapper’s predecessor, Stuart Webber, for his support, but did not mention the current manager.

An official statement from the club is expected later today after Thursday night’s hammering at Elland Road ensured the Canaries will spend their third consecutive season in the Championship.

Norwich have been linked with Arsenal manager Carlos Cuesta as a potential replacement, while Steve Cooper and Liam Rosenior have also been mooted.

Delia Smith and Michael Wynn Jones are no longer majority shareholders, with American Mark Attanasio also holding a 40% stake in Norfolk, making it a troubled time at Carrow Road.

Wagner, who was Jurgen Klopp’s best man, struggled to build on his success with Huddersfield Town, guiding them to the Premier League in 2016-17 and securing their survival next season.

A dreadful spell at FC Schalke 04 lasted just four months as the then Bundesliga side would be relegated later that season, before failing to win the Swiss Super League with reigning champions Young Boys.

After the Leeds defeat, Wagner said: “It’s super disappointing, we were very poor and it hurts a lot.

“Obviously a poor performance from us, Leeds were very good. We’ve done everything you shouldn’t. We conceded a very easily avoidable goal very early on.

“You never know what occasions like this do to people. Tonight we were poor. It was a huge, great occasion that we didn’t live up to unfortunately. That’s one reason, another is that we have to tell the truth, Leeds were very good.

“If you think about where we came from last season, we finished 13th, we took a step up, we finished in the play-offs, competitive in the first leg, absolutely not competitive in the second, against a very good Leeds team.

“Everyone has seen what he’s capable of, with a lot of problems we’ve seen this season. Everyone saw the difference tonight between Leeds and us.”