Norwich City will be relieved as Luton Town question marks emerge | OneFootball

Norwich City will be relieved they didn't appoint Jack Wilshere after question marks continue to emerge for him with Luton Town in League One...

Jack Wilshere's Luton Town spell is already raising questions, and Norwich City can perhaps feel vindicated for deciding against handing him the role in the hot seat at Carrow Road.

In the end, Jack Wilshere had only two games as Norwich City caretaker after Johannes Hoff Thorup's sacking in April 2025, winning one and drawing one, but the Canaries ultimately looked elsewhere.

At the time, that decision was hardly universally obvious, with Wilshere having impressed in his brief spell at Carrow Road and earning plenty of praise. More than a year on, though, his struggles at Luton Town offer Norwich a reminder that they may have been right to resist the temptation.

Norwich City may have dodged a bullet with Luton Town boss Jack Wilshere

Action Images

Wilshere was a highly-rated coach at the club before his caretaker stint, but was never given the Norwich job permanently, with sporting director Ben Knapper confirming that the club would conduct an external search after his two-game caretaker spell (BBC Sport).

At one stage, reports suggested Wilshere would be handed the job, after he had overseen a 0-0 draw at Middlesbrough and a 4-2 win over Cardiff City to end the Championship season, having stepped up after Thorup's dismissal. It was understandable that there were question marks at the time, particularly given Wilshere's pedigree and the encouraging impression he made.

His subsequent spell at Luton has made that decision look rather more sensible. The Hatters finished seventh in League One last season, narrowly missing the play-offs despite a late 12-game unbeaten run and an EFL Trophy triumph.

That finish had supporters dreaming of a promotion push in 2026/27, but Luton have made an inconsistent start and currently sit outside of the top six, let alone inside the automatic promotion places. His side are 16th and struggling for rhythm and consistency. Regardless of what happens next for him with Luton, Norwich will be relieved that they have not missed a serious opportunity with Wilshere.

Wilshere's possession-heavy football can look laboured when the penetration isn't there, raising legitimate questions about whether his ideas are yet translating consistently into results. They may have last season to an extent, but that has not been the case whatsoever this term, with just two wins in seven league outings.

Norwich City eventually found their answer in Philippe Clement

Action Images

Norwich's managerial journey since Wilshere's caretaker spell was not exactly straightforward, but the appointment of Philippe Clement eventually gave them a coach with a proven track record at senior level.

Liam Manning, a local to Norwich, came in after Wilshere, but he was sacked in November of last year. Instead, the Belgian arrived to turn things around with the Canaries second bottom of the Championship after Manning's dismissal, having collected just nine points from their opening 15 matches.

What followed was a remarkable turnaround. Norwich finished ninth, collecting 65 points, and Clement's side picked up points at a rate that would have put them firmly in play-off territory over a full season.

Even if the Canaries have not started 2026/27 as strongly as hoped, the transformation Clement oversaw means supporters are unlikely to be wondering what might have been with Wilshere. Only Middlesbrough, Millwall, and Southampton have collected more Championship points than Norwich since Clement's appointment.

Jack Wilshere still has plenty of time to find his way as a manager with Luton

Action Images

None of what has happened so far this season means Wilshere should be completely written off. He is still only 34 and remains incredibly inexperienced as a senior manager, having moved into his first permanent role at Luton after coaching Arsenal's Under-18s and working within Norwich's first-team setup.

There is every chance he is learning more about himself, his players, and his style of football with every difficult spell in League One currently. Perhaps Wilshere simply needs a few jobs before he discovers exactly what sort of coach he wants to be and whether he is capable of stepping up to the Championship and beyond.

The possession-based principles are understandable given his education under coaches such as Arsene Wenger and Mikel Arteta, but senior management is about adapting those ideas to real-world circumstances. He is currently under a bit of pressure but that can take time; that said, Norwich will feel as though they don't have time and made the right call by swerving him.

Norwich simply needed something closer to a sure thing at the time — and Clement's incredibly attack-minded football has so far provided that. That said, defeats to Bolton Wanderers and Stoke City, and the manner of them, will be of some concern to Clement, fans, and players alike.