<p>Norwich City has announced that they have fired head coach David Wagner. The decision comes just a day after the club was knocked out of the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/championship-tv-schedule/">Championship</a> playoffs. The Canaries finished on level terms with <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/leeds-united-tv-schedule/">Leeds United</a> at home in the first leg of the matchup. Nevertheless, Wagner’s side was eventually thumped 4-0 by the Whites on Thursday. The defeat means that <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/norwich-city-tv-schedule/">Norwich</a> will spend a third consecutive campaign in the second-tiered English division.</p>



<p>“David has operated with class and dignity throughout his period as Norwich City head coach, but we now feel that the time is right for us to move in a different direction,” <a href="https://www.canaries.co.uk/content/david-wagner-departs-norwich-city" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stated</a> Norwich sporting director Ben Knapper.</p>



<p>“We remain committed to progressing our football club, in both the short and long term, working through a diligent and thorough strategy. The appointment of a new head coach is an important one. We will now work and continue our due diligence with the view of making an appointment in the near future.”</p>



<h2>German coach failed to bring Norwich back to Premier League</h2>



<p>Wagner departs the Canaries after just 16 months at the helm. The German manager was initially brought in to help right the ship in January of 2023. With the club sitting 11th in the Championship table, Wagner attempted to bring the team into a potential playoff spot. </p>



<p>Although he did do so two months into the job, Norwich eventually faded and finished 13th in the final table. Wagner was winless in his last six matches of the 2022/23 season. Despite the disappointing end to the season, the German held on to his job for the current campaign.</p>



<p>Under Wagner, the Canaries scored plenty of goals but had defensive issues. <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/usmnt-tv-schedule/">United States men’s national tea</a>m striker Josh Sargent led the club with 16 scores on the season. The forward’s stellar campaign was even more impressive considering he missed significant time due to an ankle injury.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240517_WST_507303_Wagner-EFL-Championship-1200x670_85da2e7d.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-507379" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/Wagner-EFL-Championship-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/Wagner-EFL-Championship-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/Wagner-EFL-Championship-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/Wagner-EFL-Championship.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<p>In fact, the American’s goals per 90 minutes were second best in the entire league only to <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/leicester-city-tv-schedule/">Leicester City</a>‘s Jamie Vardy. Sargent is expected to be targeted by <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/premier-league-tv-schedule/">Premier League</a> clubs during the upcoming summer transfer window.</p>



<h2>Arsenal assistant linked with open Norwich coaching position</h2>



<p>With Wagner now out, Norwich will be in the market for a new manager. One coach who is being <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cpvg3kz91ngo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">linked</a> with a switch to the Canaries is Carlos Cuesta. The Spaniard is currently working as an assistant under Mikel Arteta at <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/arsenal-tv-schedule/">Arsenal</a>. </p>



<p>While Cuesta did not have a lengthy career as a top player, he did opt to become a coach at the young age of 18. Now 28, Cuesta has a fairly impressive résumé during his career. He previously worked as assistant manager with Atletico Madrid and Juventus youth teams. Cuesta has been at Arteta’s side since joining the Gunners in 2020.</p>



<p>The Spaniard also has specific ties to Norwich’s aforementioned sporting director. Knapper previously worked with Arsenal as their loans manager in recent years. Cuesta has droves of supporters within the north London club. The Canaries will likely not be the only club targeting the young coach.</p>



<p><em>PHOTOS: IMAGO</em></p>

Norwich linked with Arsenal coach after firing David Wagner

Norwich City has officially announced that they have fired head coach David Wagner. An Arsenal assistant is now being linked with the job.


<p>It has been nine months since an American coach served as a manager of a <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/premier-league-tv-schedule/">Premier League</a> club. In the grand scheme of things, that is not an overly long time. There have only been three American managers in Premier League history. The most recent was Jesse Marsch, who succeeded Bob Bradley and David Wagner. Each of those three struggled in the English top flight. They added to the stigma that an American coach cannot make it work in the Premier League.</p>



<p>That generalization will fall eventually. American coaches are growing in frequency in Europe. Also, the continued development of American coaches in <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/mls-tv-schedule/">Major League Soccer</a> will extend into Europe. There are already a handful of managers plying their trade in Europe with American backgrounds. </p>



<p>Wagner remains in England with Championship side Norwich City. New Jersey native Pellegrino Matarazzo is overseeing Hoffenheim with relative success after a strong stint with Stuttgart. Then, Bob Bradley remains in Europe with Norwegian club Stabæk. Stabæk is currently battling relegation in the Eliteserien. The Premier League hires managers from varying backgrounds. However, none of the current American bosses in Europe seem to be on the cusp of a Premier League move. </p>



<p>The most likely option remains Jesse Marsch, who has been out of a job since Leeds let the American go last season before relegation. Marsch had <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/jesse-marsch-on-the-shortlist-for-european-job-20230421-WST-429426.html">links to several European clubs</a> including <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/southampton-target-jesse-marsch-while-us-soccer-dawdles-20230213-WST-419654.html">Southampton</a> and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/jesse-marsch-in-talks-with-leicester-says-report-20230407-WST-427224.html">Leicester City</a> last season in the Premier League. Neither of those panned out. Consequently, the status of an American coach in the Premier League stalled.</p>



<h2>What must change for an American coach in the Premier League?</h2>



<p>The first major step would be improving the quality of coaches. Having so few coaches in Europe would be a testament to the quality of American coaches. Gregg Berhalter, despite widespread disagreement on his ability as a coach, presented one of the best chances for an American coach to make the move over to Europe. Berhalter had links to the vacant Swansea job when he was not under contract with US Soccer. Still, the Championship is far different from the Premier League.</p>



<p>Jesse Marsch could provide an example of how more coaches could get to the Premier League. As the head coach of the New York Red Bulls, Marsch entered the Red Bull coaching tree. That allowed him to move to RB Salzburg, where he was successful. Champions League and domestic success in Austria allowed him to rise the ranks in Red Bull again with a move to RB Leipzig. Regardless of his record in the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/bundesliga-tv-schedule/">Bundesliga</a>, he at least did enough to woo the interest of Premier League sides.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><div><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20231023_WST_464117_Pellegrino-Matarazzo-Hoffenheim-1200x675.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="" class="wp-image-464125" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/10/Pellegrino-Matarazzo-Hoffenheim-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/10/Pellegrino-Matarazzo-Hoffenheim-300x169.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/10/Pellegrino-Matarazzo-Hoffenheim-768x432.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/10/Pellegrino-Matarazzo-Hoffenheim.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></div><figcaption>Pellegrino Matarazzo of Hoffenheim is putting together a strong 2023/24 season in the Bundesliga.</figcaption></figure>



<p>Matarazzo at Hoffenheim presents a chance for an American coach in the Premier League should a club come calling. Still, with more frequency from coaches, Matarazzo and Marsch will not be rare occurrences. </p>



<h2>MLS can be a major tool for coaches</h2>



<p>If Marsch proves anything, it is that MLS coaches have what it takes to be strong coaches in Europe. Currently, Major League Soccer has several coaches who have had strong careers at their respective clubs. For example, Jim Curtin was in the running for the USMNT job. He has built himself into one of the high-profile coaches in Major League Soccer. However, he has spent his entire soccer career in the United States. European clubs and the Premier League may worry about an American coach who has only been in the American game.</p>



<p>However, if Curtin, or a coach like Josh Wolff of Austin FC or Steve Cherundolo of LAFC, can make a move to Europe, they may open the door for more MLS coaches to have a future down the road that may reach the Premier League.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / PA Images</em>.</p>


When will an American coach crack the Premier League?

Jesse Marsch, David Wagner and Bob Bradley did not thrive in the Premier League, but Will we ever see an American coach thrive there?

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When will an American coach crack the Premier League?