Norwich sack head coach Thorup and place Wilshere in interim charge

Jack Wilshere will take charge of Norwich’s final two games of the season after the Canaries parted company with head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup.

Norwich have slipped to 14th in the Championship after winning only twice in 14 matches, with their 3-1 Easter Monday defeat at Millwall being their fourth loss in five games. Danish coach Thorup was appointed on a three-year deal last May and leaves alongside his assistant Glen Riddersholm.

“Whilst we made this appointment with a long-term focus and in line with our wider club strategy and direction, unfortunately recent results and performances have deemed it necessary for us make a change,” said the Norwich sporting director Ben Knapper.

“I’d like to place on record our sincere thanks to Johannes and Glen. They are both fantastic people who worked tirelessly to help improve and move our football club forward. We all wish the two of them the best in the next stage of their respective careers.”

The former Arsenal and England midfielder Wilshere retired from playing aged 30 in 2022 after spells with West Ham, Bournemouth and Danish club AGF. He was appointed Arsenal under-18 coach and led them to the final of the 2022-23 FA Youth Cup, before joining Thorup’s coaching staff at Norwich in October.

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Norwich visit playoff-chasing Middlesbrough on Saturday before hosting relegation-threatened Cardiff in their final game of the season on 3 May. Wilshere’s former Arsenal teammate Aaron Ramsey will be in the opposite dugout at Carrow Road as the Wales captain has been appointed Cardiff caretaker boss until the end of the season.

West Bromwich Albion sacked Tony Mowbray on Monday after their own playoff hopes were all-but ended.

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