Football League World
·14 October 2025
Norwich City figure could have major regrets amid Jack Wilshere, Luton Town developments

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·14 October 2025
Jack Wilshere has been appointed as the next boss of Luton Town after leaving Norwich City in the summer
The EFL 'managerial merry-go-round' is now well and truly in full swing just two months into the season, with clubs looking to salvage their campaigns at an early point after extremely underwhelming starts.
Following the first dismissal across the Championship, League One and League Two on September 14th, as Ruben Selles was handed his P45 after six disastrous games in charge of Sheffield United, we have seen another five dismissals - two of which came in the third tier ahead of the current October international break.
Luton Town were one of the two sides pressed into critical action alongside Blackpool, with Matt Bloomfield's tenure at Kenilworth Road coming to an end just nine months after he replaced current Middlesbrough boss, Rob Edwards, in an attempt to halt a drastic slide in Bedfordshire which ultimately led to back-to-back relegations from the Premier League and into League One.
It's no surprise that, given their recent pedigree and the investment ploughed into a new-look squad following relegation, the Hatters are still expected to mount an immediate promotion charge back into the Championship.
And, with the club currently in 11th on 16 points, there is still plenty of time for the Hatters to bridge the minor gap between themselves and at least the play-offs under the newly-appointed Jack Wilshere, who was certainly handed extra motivation in the summer.
Football League World exclusively revealed that Wilshere was part of a three-man managerial shortlist devised at Kenilworth Road ahead of his appointment, which was officially confirmed on Monday morning.
Since retiring, Wilshere has remained on a largely upward trajectory on the other side of the touchline, which included a run to the FA Youth Cup final in charge of Arsenal's Under-18 side in 2022/23, before becoming a part of Johannes Hoff Thorup's backroom team at Norwich City last season.
The Dane was handed a long-term contract at Carrow Road after succeeding David Wagner. Yet, just six months after being named as a first-team coach with the Canaries, Wilshere was handed the interim reins for the final two games of the Championship season last term.
To his credit, the 33-year-old accumulated four points from six against Middlesbrough and Cardiff City, leaving sporting director, Ben Knapper, with a critical decision to make amid clamour from sections of supporters, and players, for the hierarchy to hand the former England international the job on a full-time basis.
However, such a move wasn't to come to fruition, although that didn't take anything away from Knapper's admiration of Wilshere once it was confirmed he was out of the running, prior to current boss, Liam Manning, being handed the vacancy just weeks later.
“He's a great coach, and he's going to be a fantastic head coach, but that's not going to be here at this particular moment in time. So our search is focused externally," he stated.
"Naturally he was disappointed. He's super-ambitious, and rightly so he should be. But for where we are right now, and the context, we're focusing externally."
Of course, the respective predicaments at Luton and Norwich right now are incomparable, albeit things still look way more upbeat at Kenilworth Road than Carrow Road right now.
That's because Norwich currently find themselves in 19th in the Championship, with the aforementioned Manning still yet to endear himself to supporters after a winless run on home turf and a 3-1 defeat to bitter rivals, Ipswich Town, before the international break. Pressure is now intensifying on the ex-Bristol City boss, and it would be no surprise to see him relieved of his duties in the coming weeks if an upturn in fortunes is not forthcoming.
Wilshere, meanwhile, has remained a highly-regarded figure despite not being handed the reins in Norfolk in the summer, with the former Luon academy man describing it as a "full-circle" moment to be appointed by the Hatters hierarchy and fend off competition such as Richie Wellens and Luke Williams.
His forward-thinking way of playing is also what attracted CEO Gary Sweet into making the move, with Luton having a nice blend of flair and experience capable of causing several teams damage at League One level at a bare minimum.
Due to being a friend of Wilshere's - by his own admission - Knapper will certainly be wishing the former Canaries figure well in his latest venture, with the aim of promotion still very clear with 35 games remaining.
However, should he get off to a flyer amid a potentially continued poor run of form at Carrow Road, the 38-year-old could be left to rue a critical managerial decision that has set the Canaries back in their aims of a Premier League return.