Switch Hit: Dub smash

After two topsy-turvy series against South Africa, England round off their season with a trip to Ireland. Alan Gardner, Andrew Miller and Matt Roller discuss white-ball form and Ashes selection latest

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Sep-2025After a watery end to South Africa’s limited-overs tour, England have already hopped over to Ireland – where they’ll probably be battling the weather again during this week’s T20I series. On the podcast, Alan Gardner was joined by Andrew Miller and Matt Roller to talk about England’s record-breaking exploits, what they can learn in Ireland, and how far the 50-over team still has to go to get back to former glories.

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Southampton manager timeline confirmed as Gary O'Neil emerges as "strong contender"

Gary O’Neil is a “strong contender” for the current managerial vacancy at Southampton with a recent update sharing the latest timeline on getting a new boss through the door.

After becoming the first team in Premier League history to be relegated with as many as seven games remaining last season, Southampton hoped for a swift return to the top flight. In the summer, Will Still, who carved out a reputation for himself with Reims and Lens in Ligue 1, moved to St Mary’s.

Despite an influx of summer signings, Still struggled to make things click with the Saints, winning just two out of 13 Championship games. Following three successive defeats, Still was dismissed from his position, with under-21s coach Tonda Eckert taking interim charge of the club.

Eckert, who guided Southampton to a 2-1 win away at Queens Park Rangers, will remain in charge of the team until Southampton make a permanent appointment. Now, it would appear that the Saints could be closing in on Still’s replacement.

O'Neil to take over at Southampton?

According to Telegraph reporter Mike McGrath, O’Neil is very much in contention for the Southampton job, with “admirers at St Mary’s after his work at Bournemouth and Wolves”.

O’Neil received his first experience of senior management with Bournemouth, succeeding Scott Parker and keeping the Cherries in the top flight before being replaced by Andoni Iraola.

O’Neil’s next job was with Wolves, after the 42-year-old replaced Julen Lopetegui as the 2023/24 season began. Though he guided the club to a comfortable mid-table finish, the Englishman struggled for form in the opening chunk of the following campaign, which led to his sacking.

Wolves, who themselves are seeking a new manager following Vitor Pereira’s dismissal, were linked with bringing O’Neil back to the club, only for the manager to pull himself out of the running.

O’Neil, who shares the same agent as Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, tends to favour a 3-4-2-1 formation, which he found success with during his early days at Wolves. Such a set-up, in theory, would work well with Southampton and their current crop of players.

McGrath also reported that it is “still early in the process for Southampton” and their search for a new manager. Given his status as a free agent, O’Neil would be available immediately, which may further bolster his chances of getting the job.

Whoever takes over at Southampton will be expected to take the club towards the play-offs. Whether that person ends up being O’Neil, ultimately, remains to be seen.

Southampton keen on veteran manager to replace Still

Arteta must relocate Arsenal's £120k-p/w "wild horse" to fill Gabriel void

The Premier League is finally back tomorrow, and Arsenal continue their campaign with the North London Derby on Sunday afternoon.

However, it could be a more challenging game than last year, as even with Martin Odegaard back in training, Mikel Arteta’s side could be without several key players.

The manager wouldn’t say whether the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz or Gabriel Martinelli were back in contention, for example, but one player who is sure to be out is Gabriel Magalhaes.

The Brazilian centre-back is set to be out for at least a few weeks, and while that’s a massive blow, the solution could be to move another defender into a different position.

Arsenal's record against Spurs

Arsenal’s game against Spurs on Sunday afternoon will be the 212th competitive meeting between the rivals.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Their first encounter came all the way back in November 1896, when the Gunners were still south of the River, and ended in a 2-1 Arsenal victory.

Since then, while the Lilywhites have had periods of dominance, it’s the red side of North London that have had the better of the rivalry, winning 89 games, drawing 55 and losing 67.

Unsurprisingly, Arteta’s side have been even more dominant than that in recent years, losing just two of the last ten meetings, drawing one and winning the other seven.

Moreover, the title chasers are undefeated in their last six games against their old enemy and, despite being in a spot of bother form-wise at the time, won the most recent meeting 2-1.

22/23

Away

2-0 (W)

23/24

Home

2-2 (D)

23/24

Away

3-2 (W)

24/25

Away

1-0 (W)

24/25

Home

2-1 (W)

What makes that win all the more impressive is that Son Heung-min actually opened the scoring for the visitors in the 25th minute.

However, Arsenal were back in front just 19 minutes later, thanks to a Dominic Solanke own goal and a brilliant effort from Leandro Trossard.

With all that said, even though Arteta has consistently gotten the better of Spurs, the game on Sunday will be a tough one, but he might already have a solution to Gabriel’s injury.

Arteta's solution to Gabriel's injury

The good news for Arsenal is that there are a few ways Arteta can go about replacing Gabriel.

For example, he could bring Cristhian Mosquera back into the side, play Ben White there or even hand a start to Piero Hincapie.

However, the former is right-footed, White hasn’t played at centre-back in a long time, and the Ecuadorian is still unproven in this team, so throwing him into a derby might be unwise.

Therefore, while it might not be the most popular decision, Arteta should move Riccardo Calafiori from left-back into the Brazilian’s position.

Now, there are a few reasons for this, and the first is that, like the injured star, the Italian international is left-footed, and while that might not seem all that important at first, it really is.

It gives the defence some real balance and makes it easier for him to play out from the back when going up the left-hand side of the pitch.

The second reason the dynamic defender should be moved into the back two is that he’s already got plenty of experience playing there.

For example, during his time with Bologna, he made 29 appearances at centre-back and only six as a full-back. Moreover, during pre-season, he once again played there when Gabriel was out with the injury he picked up against Fulham last season.

Finally, the 23-year-old “wild horse,” as dubbed by the Telegraph’s Sam Dean, has already played plenty of football this season, so he should be far more familiar with the tactics than one of the other options. And while he did return early from international duty, there is a good chance he is ready to play.

Ultimately, while Arteta has several options to replace Gabriel on Sunday, he should go with the £120k-per-week Calafiori.

Arsenal handed another injury doubt for Tottenham clash after twist and Gabriel blow

It could see the recall of an exciting talent.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 21, 2025

Liverpool now ready £70m move to sign another Newcastle star after Isak

Liverpool are now reportedly readying a stunning £70m move to sign another key Newcastle United star not long after swooping in to sign Alexander Isak in the summer.

Those at Anfield were in a ruthless mood in the summer, but that ruthlessness is yet to show itself on the pitch. Liverpool have been inconsistent champions after transforming their squad and only just turned their fortunes around after six losses in seven games. Arne Slot will be hoping that midweek victory over Real Madrid is enough to get his side going again, however.

Better than Guehi: Liverpool now chasing for 'one of the 'world's best CBs'

Liverpool need to sign a new centre-back in 2026.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 7, 2025

With Manchester City up next, the Reds have the chance to end a much-needed week of wins in style, whilst also sending quite the statement. Slot knows a trip to the Etihad is rarely without its complications though, and has been full of praise for Pep Guardiola’s side in the build-up.

Liverpool are also aiming for three-straight clean sheets in what would represent their recent turnaround from initial defensive vulnerability. Achieving that up against one of, if not the best striker in the world in Erling Haaland would give that back four all the confidence they need.

That said, even after recent clean sheets, there are still problems for the Reds to address within their backline and one of those problems is finding a long-term replacement for Virgil van Dijk.

Liverpool now readying Botman move

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool and FSG are now readying a move for Sven Botman worth as much as €80m (£70m) in 2026. Just one summer after breaking their transfer record to sign Isak, those at Anfield have set their sights on the Dutch centre-back in an attempt to solve their defensive problems.

Whilst the immediate thought may be that Botman would replace Ibrahima Konate, who is on course to leave as a free agent next summer, he may actually replace Van Dijk in the long-term. WhoScored went as far as to say that the 25-year-old is the next Van Dijk during his time at Lille and his time in the Premier League has only added further credit to that statement.

PL stats P90 25/26

Van Dijk

Botman

Minutes

900

552

Progressive Passes

6.30

3.11

Tackles Won

0.40

0.49

Successful Aerial Duels

4.70

2.79

As impressive as Botman is, however, the stats highlight the task that Liverpool have on their hands. Replacing Van Dijk is their very own mission impossible. Botman would bring Premier League experience and his ability in possession is still of a high standard, but that still may not be enough to fill the void left behind by the Liverpool captain.

Slot just found the new Gini Wijnaldum in "special" Liverpool star

Erling Haaland's Norway team-mate emulates NBA legend Dennis Rodman with outrageous look for World Cup qualifier with Italy

Julian Ryerson turned heads as Norway prepared for a crucial World Cup qualifier against Italy, arriving with a bold leopard-print haircut inspired by NBA icon Dennis Rodman. The Borussia Dortmund defender, who plays alongside Erling Haaland for the national team, rocked blond hair covered with black cheetah-style spots, sparking a wave of reaction online.

Ryerson stuns in new Rodman-inspired hairstyle

Ahead of Norway’s showdown with Italy, Ryerson debuted a leopard-print hairstyle that closely mirrors one of Rodman’s most iconic looks from the Chicago Bulls era. The right-back bleached his hair blond before applying dark spots across his scalp to complete the wild transformation. The eye-catching design has made him one of the standout visual storylines heading into the match.

AdvertisementRodman's iconic Cheetah-print hairstyle

Rodman’s original cheetah print became a symbol of rebellion and self-expression during his championship-winning days in the NBA. The look reinforced his fierce and unpredictable persona, much like Ryerson’s relentless on-pitch style for Norway and Dortmund. Just as Rodman thrived under the pressure of the big stage, Ryerson will hope his bold look brings the same fearless energy into Norway’s most decisive qualifier as they stand almost certain to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Getty ImagesNorway brilliant World Cup qualifying campaign

Norway’s qualification campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was underpinned by a powerful sense of dominance in potential and talent, fuelled by a generation of globally recognized stars. With the tournament expanding, expectations were at an all-time high for coach Stale Solbakken to translate individual brilliance into collective success.

The campaign's narrative has been defined by the relentless offensive firepower of Erling Haaland and the creative mastery of captain Martin Odegaard. Haaland, the world's most feared striker, has consistently led the line with a clinical edge, often dominating rival defences single-handedly. Odegaard, orchestrating play from midfield, ensured Norway maintained an overwhelming control of possession and created a high volume of quality scoring chances in nearly every fixture.

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Norway certain of World Cup 2026 qualification

Norway head into the clash against Italy only needing not to lose by more than nine goals to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, an almost guaranteed result. Ryerson's form and engine will again be vital in both phases of play when the Lions play the tournament in North America. Whether the leopard look proves a lucky charm remains to be seen — but Ryerson is ready to battle on the biggest stage.

Paris' five, Esterhuysen's three-wicket debut help WA beat SA

Fanning, Bancroft and Cartwright all made half-centuries in WA’s 298 for 9 before the quicks cleaned up SA for 232, with Harvey making 76 in the losing chase

AAP24-Sep-2025Western Australia opener Sam Fanning has top-scored before teammate Joel Paris claimed five wickets in a 66-run one-day win against South Australia in Adelaide.Fanning’s 75 from 91 balls and half-centuries from Cameron Bancroft (63) and Hilton Cartwright (55) steered WA to 298 for 9 from 50 overs on Wednesday.SA were bowled out for 232 from 44.3 overs in reply at Karen Rolton Oval with the left-arm seamer Paris taking a career best 5 for 42 to claim player of the match honours.SA’s defence of the Dean Jones Trophy is in early strife with consecutive losses, while WA banked their first win from two outings. WA, led by Paris and 19-year-old quick Albert Esterhuysen (3-42), who was on debut, prevailed after weathering an early onslaught from SA’s Mackenzie Harvey (76 from 65 balls).The aggressive opener struck 11 fours and one six after the early loss of his partner Jake Fraser-McGurk, who smacked three fours but was dismissed for 14 from 10 balls.SA’s top order failed to fire with second-gamer Harry Manenti (39 from 49 balls), Jake Lehmann (33 from 42) and acting captain Jason Sangha (18 from 24) unable to cash in on promising starts.Cameron Bancroft and Sam Fanning posted half-centuries•Getty ImagesEarlier, WA openers Fanning and Joel Curtis made a brisk start with an 86-run partnership in less than 13 overs. The stand was broken when Curtis (44 from 33 balls) edged to wicketkeeper Harry Nielsen from the bowling of Manenti (1-51).Fanning and Bancroft combined for a 92-run partnership, taking the visitors to a position of power at 174 for 1 in the 29th over.But the dismissal of Fanning, who struck three sixes and four fours from 91 balls, allowed SA to stifle momentum as WA lost 4 for 49 in the next 10 overs. Sam Whiteman, Ashton Turner and Ashton Agar all fell cheaply.And when Bancroft was out lbw to legspinner Lloyd Pope, WA were 223 for 5 in the 38th over and could only muster 75 more runs from the next dozen overs.Pope finished with 2 for 51 from 10 overs, Hanno Jacobs took 2 for 61 from nine on debut for SA while pacer Jordan Buckingham was the pick of the bowlers with a miserly 2 for 33 from 10 overs.

CSK face a tricky situation with Dhoni the batter

Coach Fleming says he can’t bat for long periods of time and that leaves them with some problems to solve

Sidharth Monga30-Mar-2025Don’t expect MS Dhoni to bat in IPL 2025 if there are more than six-seven overs remaining but the result is a foregone conclusion.Post their loss to Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Guwahati, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) coach Stephen Fleming explained the decision-making process behind arguably the most debated issue this season: Dhoni’s entry points.”Yeah, it’s a time thing,” Fleming said. “MS judges it. His body is… his knees aren’t what they used to be. And he’s moving okay, but there’s still an attrition aspect to it. He can’t bat ten overs running full stick. So he will gauge on the day what he can give us. If the game’s in the balance like today, he will go a little bit earlier, and he backs other players when other opportunities are up. So he’s balancing that.”Related

  • CSK and the Dhoni retirement question: how late is too late?

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  • Rana 81 in Royals win as CSK batting muddle continues

It doesn’t quite mean the franchise is finding ways to accommodate the 43-year-old. On the contrary, Fleming said Dhoni remained of big value to the team. “I said it last year [as well], he’s too valuable to us – leadership and wicket-keeping – to throw him in nine-ten overs. He has actually never done that. So, look, from around 13-14 overs, he’s looking to go depending on who’s in.”On Sunday, arguably the first opportunity for Dhoni to bat arrived when Vijay Shankar was the fourth wicket to fall in the 12th over, but Ravindra Jadeja joined Ruturaj Gaikwad. Dhoni went in with 54 needed off 25. In their last match, against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), CSK lost their fifth and sixth wickets in the 13th over, but Jadeja and R Ashwin were sent to bat ahead of Dhoni, who went out at No. 9.Add to this situation the drama around the crowds at Chepauk – and indeed in Guwahati – who start to cheer CSK wickets because they want to watch Dhoni bat. So, after the return of Jofra Archer to his best pushed CSK behind the game and once Riyan Parag pulled off a stunner to dismiss Shivam Dube in the tenth over, the Dhoni soap opera began to overshadow the game.Ravindra Jadeja finished unbeaten on 32 off 22 balls•BCCIEver since the Impact Player rule gave Dhoni’s IPL career a new lease of life, he has not hit a single boundary in a successful chase. It tells you CSK don’t bother batting him when the result is known. And when he has batted in live chases, Dhoni has not been able to secure the win. It would appear that Dhoni did the right thing by promoting himself – it was a promotion and Dhoni himself decides it – but if ever there was a case for Dhoni to be held back, it was this game.As a rule, if the opposition has good spinners, Jadeja and Dhoni should be paired only if all options have been exhausted. On a night that RR outsmarted CSK by promoting Nitish Rana, who enjoys great match-ups against the CSK kind of bowling, perhaps this was a bigger tactical error made by CSK.RR still had an over of Maheesh Theekshana left, and letting Jadeja and Dhoni bat together against him was an invitation for a quiet death over. Since 2022, Jadeja and Dhoni strike at under 110 against spin in the IPL. Their averages of 41.75 and 57 against spin also tell you they don’t even try to hit them. Doing that for a whole over with 45 required off three overs was taking pragmatism to an absurd extreme. Theekshana bowled that 18th over for six runs with hardly a shot played in anger.2:02

Pujara: Jadeja and Dhoni could have gone harder

As it turned out, RR defended 39 in the last two overs even without going to Archer, who had conceded just 13 in his three overs.CSK find themselves in quite the situation. They admit they still need Dhoni’s leadership on the field. Even if they decide to use Dhoni’s leadership from the sidelines, the only other Indian wicketkeeper they have has only ever played one match for his state team in any format. Even when Dhoni gets the opportune entry point in terms of number of balls left in the innings, he can’t be paired with Jadeja.So now they need the top order to almost bat as if they don’t have the services of an Impact Player or be clever in whom they pair Dhoni with. It is not a CSK thing to go left-field, but they could perhaps look to use Dhoni as a pinch-hitter when they can pair him with a spin-hitter, say, Dube.

Inglis out of T20 tour of New Zealand with a calf strain, Carey called up

Inglis pulled up sore after training session in Perth on Tuesday and a subsequent scan ruled him out of the three-match series

Alex Malcolm19-Sep-2025Josh Inglis has been ruled out of Australia’s three-match T20I tour of New Zealand due to a calf strain with Alex Carey called up to replace him.It is understood that Inglis pulled up sore in his right calf after a running session in Perth on Tuesday and had a scan on Wednesday, after which he was ruled out of the series to be played on October 1, 3 and 4 at Mount Maunganui.Inglis is the fourth first-choice Australian player to be ruled out of the series after Pat Cummins was withdrawn due to lumbar bone stress, Cameron Green was left at home to play Sheffield Shield cricket as part of his Ashes build-up, and Nathan Ellis was unavailable due to impending birth of his first child.Related

  • Zampa, Inglis to miss Perth ODI against India, Kuhnemann, Philippe called up

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  • The Carey question: Will Australia need wicketkeeping back-up for the T20 World Cup?

  • Santner ruled out of NZ's T20I series against Australia; Jamieson, Sears return

  • Stoinis gets his chance to make T20 World Cup bid

It is the second calf injury Inglis has suffered in the last nine months after he suffered a low-grade strain while fielding for Australia during the Boxing Day Test against India as substitute last December, which saw him miss the remainder of the BBL season ahead of his Test debut against Sri Lanka in late January.Inglis is expected to be fit for the ODI series against India which begins in Perth on October 19.The injury has caused a slight headache for Australia’s selectors who were already gambling on Inglis staying fit during the short tour having not named a spare wicketkeeper in the initial 14-man squad. Carey was set to play the opening Sheffield Shield round for South Australia starting on October 4 as part of his Ashes preparation before the ODI series against India. He now may be limited to only one or two Shield games in between the ODI series and the first Test in Perth depending on his workload.Alex Carey completed an unusual stumping on his T20I return•AFP/Getty Images

Carey’s re-emergence as a T20I keeper has been intriguing given his modest T20 record both domestically and internationally. He played the last T20I Inglis missed in Cairns against South Africa in August. It was Carey’s first T20I appearance since August 2021 and his first as the wicketkeeper since September 2020. He was not formally part of the initial squad and Inglis was forced to play through illness in game one of the series in Darwin. Carey replaced him in Cairns after joining the squad early ahead of the ODI series.The selectors also did not pick a spare wicketkeeper for the five-match T20I series against West Indies in the Caribbean in July but with Inglis carrying an ongoing back issue out of the Test series, Jake Fraser-McGurk was added as the reserve wicketkeeping option after an injury to fast bowler Spencer Johnson, despite Fraser-McGurk having never kept in any game in his professional career to-date.Fraser-McGurk played the opening match of the series as a batter but did not feature again with Glenn Maxwell promoted to open instead. He is expected to keep for the first time during Australia A’s tour of India when he joins the squad for the three 50-over matches in Kanpur.Finding a like-for-like replacement for Inglis is challenging given he has become one of Australia’s most important T20 batters. He has scored two centuries at No. 3 and become a pivotal bridge between the new opening combination of Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head and the powerful middle-order given his 360-degree skill against both pace and spin.Australia’s new ultra-aggressive style of batting means the replacement keeper for Inglis is likely to bat at No. 7 behind the power of Tim David, Mitchell Owen and Maxwell. Matt Short will also return from injury in New Zealand and could slot in at No. 3 while Marcus Stoinis has been recalled after being left out of the West Indies and South Africa series to play franchise cricket and will also bat somewhere in the middle-order if needed as an allrounder.Carey’s return to form at No. 6 in Australia’s ODI team was part of the reason for his recall in Cairns, having performed brilliantly as a finisher in the longer white-ball format over the past 12 months.The likes of Ben McDermott and Josh Philippe remain in consideration and have been tried in Australia’s T20I side previously but both are seen as top order players predominantly and neither can match Inglis’ explosiveness.McDermott has played 25 T20Is for Australia and has batted in every position in the top seven. He made 54 off 36 in his last T20I innings against India at No.3 but strikes at just 99.70 overall. He is a full-time T20 freelancer at present having given up his state contract with Queensland to move back to Tasmania, although he could play for Tasmania in red and white-ball cricket this summer. However, he has very little experience as a finisher and opened in all nine innings he played for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the recently completed CPL, making just one half-century at a strike-rate of 141.04Philippe, who scored a first-class century off 80 balls for Australia A against India A in Lucknow on Wednesday, has played 12 T20Is on the back of his success at the top of the order in BBL cricket but none since 2023. He has only two scores above 13 striking at just 109.48, having opened in half his innings and never batted lower than No.4. He has only batted lower than No. 4 10 times in his domestic T20 career but has not done so since 2020.Josh Inglis has two T20I hundreds at No. 3•PA Images via Getty Images

Inglis’ injury has also highlighted a problem Australia’s selectors face ahead of the World Cup next year. ICC rules dictate that only 15 players can be selected in a World Cup squad and replacements can only be used if a player is ruled out of the entire tournament. It has long been a frustration for some countries, including Australia, given the compressed nature of the tournaments and need to manage players through them.Australia had to work around it during the 2023 ODI World Cup when Head was injured prior to the tournament but was expected to be fit halfway through. They risked carrying 14 fit players through the first four games before Head was able to play, but the move paid huge dividends.For Australia’s selectors, carrying a spare wicketkeeper who might not be in their best 15 players on the off-chance Inglis suffered a short-term injury would come at the cost of another conditions-based role player who might be needed during the tournament.Inglis’ back and calf issues are a serious consideration. He suffered a back spasm during the second Test in Sri Lanka in February that kept him off the field for large portions of the game and it requires ongoing management.”It’s an ongoing thing,” Inglis told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s sort of been around for a couple years now. For me, it’s been really frustrating. It’s not been something that’s really kept me out of the game. It’s just something I’ve got to manage. So at the minute, I’m not really able to bat as much as I’d like, so I’m not able to spend the time in the nets to be able to work on new things.”It’s really just been about preparing for the next game and getting enough in to feel good going into the game, but not overdoing it. I’ve been doing a lot of rehab stuff with the physios just on different areas, my hips, that sort of thing, just to try strengthen up there and take some load off my lower back.”I don’t really get it keeping. I think it’s just in that batting position and then light rotation. And once it’s flared up, doing everything is pretty uncomfortable.”

Australia T20I squad vs New Zealand

Mitchell Marsh (capt), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

Norwich City hold talks with detailed manager who could now join rivals

A new claim has emerged regarding who Norwich City’s next manager could be, with Kim Hellberg reportedly the subject of talks with the club recently.

The Canaries are still looking to bring in the right replacement for Liam Manning, who was relieved of his duties earlier this month, with the 40-year-old sending a classy message to the fanbase.

“I look back on being appointed head coach of my hometown club with great pride. Unfortunately, we were unable to achieve the results or fulfil the plans we set out when we took over in June.​ Although my time with the fans was brief, I want to acknowledge their outstanding support during a challenging period. They continued to show up in great numbers – unsurprising given their passion and loyalty – and displayed incredible spirit despite understandable frustrations.”

“I would like to thank the players for their efforts throughout my time at the club and wish them all the best, both personally and professionally. The club welcomed me warmly, and the dedication of everyone across all departments never went unnoticed. I am truly grateful for that and I wish everyone associated with Norwich City the very best for the future.”

A host of individuals have been linked with being Manning’s successor at Norwich, including former Sweden boss Jon Dahl Tomasson, and now a new update has thrown another name into the hat.

The latest on Jon Dahl Tomasson becoming Norwich City's next manager

Is he the right man for the job?

ByHenry Jackson Nov 16, 2025 Norwich have held talks with Kim Hellberg

According to Sky Sports, Norwich briefly spoke to Hammarby manager boss Hellebrg about taking charge at Carrow Road, but that ship appears to have sailed.

That’s because Middlesbrough are believed to have a verbal agreement in place with the 37-year-old, bringing him in to replace Rob Edwards, who has departed for Wolves.

Hellberg would have been a left-field choice by Norwich, given his lack of experience, but it is easy to see why they have looked at him as a potential strong choice.

The Swede has been lauded as the “brightest football mind” by assistant coach David Selini, highlighting his tactical acumen, and by IFK Varnamo sporting director Enes Ahmetovic for the detail he goes into, and he is at an age where he is likely to bring fresh ideas.

It looks as though Norwich will have to look elsewhere, though, whether it be Tomasson, Gary O’Neil or someone else, and the Canaries will hope that Hellberg doesn’t thrive too much at Boro, assuming he does move there.

Norwich City also had talks with manager who has 100% win record vs Manning

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