admin“I might be wrong”- Sky Pundit’s Brutal Take on Gary O’Neil and Norwich City Rumours”
Lee Hendrie doubts Gary O’Neil would be interested in Norwich City job
EFL pundit Lee Hendrie believes Gary O’Neil is unlikely to be tempted by the Norwich City job if it becomes available.
Liam Manning remains in charge at Carrow Road for now, but his position looks increasingly uncertain following a disastrous start to the season.
The Canaries sit in the Championship’s bottom three with only eight points from 11 matches, having lost all five home games and suffered their first derby defeat to Ipswich Town in 16 years.
Before Norwich’s latest loss to Derby County, journalist Graeme Bailey reported that the club were preparing to dismiss Manning. His report listed three realistic candidates to replace him — Gary O’Neil, Mark Robins, and Danny Röhl.
However, Röhl has since joined Rangers, while Robins is thriving at Stoke City, leaving O’Neil, who has been out of work since being sacked by Wolves last December, as a possible frontrunner.
Despite this, former Aston Villa midfielder Hendrie told Football League World that he doubts O’Neil would be interested in taking over a team struggling near the bottom of the Championship.
“Gary O’Neil’s name being linked to Norwich doesn’t surprise me — he spent a bit of time there as a player and would be welcomed back,” Hendrie said.
“But I think he’s aiming higher. He could be waiting for an opportunity at a stronger Championship club or even in the Premier League, based on what he achieved at Wolves.
“I just don’t think this job suits him. Norwich’s squad doesn’t look strong enough for him to succeed right now, and he’ll likely look elsewhere. He’s a very good manager, but this would feel like a step down given where he’s been.”
Would Norwich be the right move for O’Neil?
O’Neil has yet to manage outside the Premier League in his brief managerial career. He rescued Bournemouth from relegation before leading Wolves to a solid campaign last season, though a poor start to 2024/25 saw him dismissed in December.
Across 88 Premier League games, O’Neil has averaged 1.03 points per match — respectable for a young coach, but perhaps not enough to attract immediate top-flight offers. A move to the Championship could therefore make sense, provided it’s to a club with serious promotion ambitions.
While Norwich still talk about returning to the Premier League, their current form tells a different story. For that reason, it’s hard to see what would entice O’Neil to take the job if it becomes available.
Given how quickly Liam Manning’s reputation has faded after high preseason expectations, Hendrie’s advice may be sound — Gary O’Neil might be wise to steer clear of Carrow Road.
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