“I would want” - Ex-Norwich City duo touted to replace Johannes Thorup as Jack Wilshere ruled out | OneFootball

FLW's Norwich City fan pundit has outlined his ideal candidates for the vacant manager role

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Jack Wilshere has been heavily linked with the permanent Norwich City job after the sacking of Johannes Hoff Thorup in April, but it appears the Canaries are looking elsewhere.

The former Arsenal and England international midfielder was handed the role until the end of the season and took four points from the two games he managed, including a 4-2 victory over already relegated Cardiff City.

Since then, Wilshere has been outlined as one of the clear favourites to take the role full-time, but it has now been reported that he will not be getting the job on a full-time basis and he will be leaving the club altogether meaning Norwich will look externally for their Thorup replacement.

Russell Martin & Gary O'Neil name-dropped in Norwich City manager dilemma

Football League World spoke with Norwich City fan pundit, Zeke Downes, as to who he would want appointed if Wilshere does miss out, and whilst he believed at the time that the ex-Gunners man would get the vacancy, two former players of the club are his preferred options.

“At this stage, if Wilshere isn't getting the job it would be a shock,” Zeke told FLW prior to news breaking that he was out of contention.

“Because all the PR, all the media discourse has been clear from the start, and everything that we've heard - we've had zero rumours about anyone else other than false news.

“I would want Russell Martin personally, or Gary O'Neil, but I'm 99% sure that it's going to be Wilshere now.

“Which is fine, but we've got no idea what he's going to be like. It's a risk, but he also knows the players, so it could work out well.”

Martin of course is a former Norwich player, plying his trade for the Canaries between 2009 and 2018, featuring 308 times for the Norfolk outfit, and he'd appear to be a popular choice if he returned to Carrow Road.

O'Neil is also a former Canary, joining them whilst they were in the Championship in 2014 from Queens Park Rangers - he didn't last as long as Martin did though, departing two years later at the end of his contract.

After a season of regression in 2024/25, the upcoming transfer window is crucially important for Norwich, who not only need to recruit the right players – but also appoint the perfect manager.

Hoff Thorup showed sparks of promise, but ultimately inexperience in the division cost him dearly, and Norwich's hierarchy must now think the same when it comes to Wilshere.

On one hand, he comes highly rated after learning his trade for years at Arsenal, and will no doubt go on to have an extremely fruitful career in management.

However, it would have been Wilshere’s first full-time job in professional management. Some would argue that if he is good enough, he will prove it instantly, but that isn’t always the way football works.

Some coaches have shown they need years to bed themselves in within another manager’s backroom staff to learn the ins and outs of what it takes to head a team’s coaching staff.

It now opens the door however to potentially a Martin or an O'Neil, but whatever happens, there is at least some excitement for Norwich fans to follow following the end of their season.