Why Gary O’Neil’s talks with Norwich City cooled amid Philippe Clement appointment | OneFootball

Gary O'Neil was linked with the Norwich manager role but will not be replacing Liam Manning

Gary O’Neil’s talks with Norwich City cooled due to the 42-year-old’s desire to wait for the right opportunity to return to management, which has opened the door for Philippe Clement's arrival.

According to the Express & Star, the former Wolves boss held talks with the Canaries but the likelihood of his arrival decreased significantly following the interview.

O’Neil has been out of work for almost a full year, having been dismissed by Wolves last December after a difficult start to the season.

The Norfolk outfit have themselves suffered a bad start to this campaign, which led to the decision to part ways with Liam Manning, despite only appointing him in the summer.

He oversaw just two wins in the Championship during his time with Norwich, with the team now mired in a relegation battle going into the busy winter schedule.

Gary O’Neil’s reason for Norwich City talks cooling

It has been reported that O’Neil has decided he will be patient and wait for the right opportunity before returning to management.

The former midfielder has been linked with a number of clubs in the Championship recently, as well as a possible return to Wolves.

But he remains out of work almost 12 months on from his exit from Molineux, with Middlesbrough another team he was rumoured with.

O’Neil went so far as to hold an interview with Norwich as part of their appointment process, but it’s believed that interest has now cooled.

The Canaries have now confirmed the appointment of former Rangers boss Clement, while Middlesbrough are being linked with the arrival of Kim Hellberg.

It remains to be seen what kind of position O’Neil is waiting for, and the possibility of returning to the Premier League could still be his priority at this stage.

The 42-year-old also previously worked in the top flight with Bournemouth before his stint at Wolves.

It’s no surprise Gary O’Neil would rather be patient than jump in at Norwich

Norwich are embroiled in a relegation battle at the bottom of the Championship table, sitting 23rd, so going to Carrow Road isn’t the most appealing of roles at this stage for O’Neil.

While he does have a connection to the club from his time as a player, that is unlikely to be enough to convince him when his previous managerial experience is based in the Premier League.

So it should come as no surprise that he is willing to wait and bide his time for something with a bit more immediate potential.

Norwich have obviously moved on to Clement as well, who has the potential to be a strong appointment for the club, so the door should still be open for O’Neil to come back to Carrow Road in the future.