Football Season Guide

2023/24 was a strange season for Norwich and one that’s difficult to explain to those not directly involved with the club. David Wagner managed to turn around a barren winter and get the Canaries all the way up into the play-offs, but he was never able to fully win over the fanbase. City would ultimately fall short of promotion but most supporters of other teams would give anything to just be in the running. The point of contention with Wagner was that he was too conservative tactically with the talent he had at his disposal. The German’s substitutions were questioned and even roundly booed. The 4-0 capitulation at Leeds in the second leg of the play-off semi-finals proved to be the final straw and he was sacked immediately after. The club have taken a punt on young Danish coach Johannes Hoff Thorup, who has already promised a more offensive mindset. He certainly has the attacking weaponry to deliver on that vow. Josh Sargent scored sixteen goals despite missing a large portion of last season through injury and is one of the best Number 9’s in the Championship on his day. Young winger Borja Sainz showed flashes of brilliance in an impressive debut season but will need to work on his temperament after seeing red a couple of times. Gabriel Sara scored thirteen goals and bagged fourteen assists in an outstanding campaign. The defence is where the Canaries might need work, after conceding more goals than anyone in the top nine of the league last season. Both their main left backs Dimitris Giannoulis and Sam McCallum have departed along with centre-backs Ben Gibson and Danny Batth. Panamanian centre-half José Córdoba will need time to adapt, but young left-back Ben Chrisene arrives after a decent loan spell at Blackburn last season.