Liam Manning reveals Norwich City’s missing piece the Canaries need to discover

Liam Manning Outlines Next Steps in Norwich City Rebuild

Liam Manning is just four games into his tenure as Norwich City manager, and it’s been a mixed start to the season, with two wins and two losses. As he begins shaping his vision at Carrow Road, the newly appointed boss has already brought in several new signings to align with his tactical philosophy.

One of the early positives for Manning has been the club’s ability to retain key forward Josh Sargent before the international break. However, the departure of midfielder Marcelino Núñez to fierce rivals Ipswich Town was a setback, despite Núñez’s heartfelt farewell message.

Now, Manning is turning his focus inward — emphasizing the need to develop the team’s mentality as he continues building a new identity for the Canaries.

Manning: “We Need to Be More Streetwise”

While Manning had previously suggested that Norwich were unlikely to make further additions before the transfer deadline, he hasn’t ruled out more changes. Regardless, his primary focus now lies in improving the squad’s mentality and resilience.

Speaking to Pink Un, Manning said:

“We need to be a bit more streetwise.

We’re only five games in, and with so much change in the squad, we need to learn fast if we want to win. Sometimes you have to endure frustrating results to develop that edge — that toughness and resilience that comes with experience.

The Blackburn game was important for us — it validated the progress we’ve made. It gave the players more belief, helped build trust, and strengthened the unity within the group.”

Reflecting on Norwich’s Start to the Season

Norwich City’s campaign so far has seen flashes of promise alongside moments of frustration. While the results have been split evenly, Manning is choosing to focus on performance levels rather than points alone.

“Of course, I’d prefer to have won all four games,” he said. “But I’m not discouraged. If we were being completely outclassed, I’d be concerned. But we’ve been dominant in large spells — that’s a positive, because it means the solutions lie within us.

It’s about cutting out the soft goals, being more ruthless in the final third, and improving how we handle key transitions.

Playing an attractive style is great, but it has to lead to winning games. So we’re asking ourselves: how do we become harder to break down? How do we stop giving the ball away so easily? How do we handle pressure together, as a team?”

Manning emphasized that building a strong mentality is a shared responsibility between staff and players:

“When we talk about pressure, it’s not about ‘us vs. them’ — we’re all in it together. The players are desperate to succeed, and it’s our job to guide and support them.

From what I’ve seen so far, there’s plenty to be excited about.”