Why Garry Monk Would Be A Good Signing For Norwich City
Having endured a miserable middle part of the season, at one stage winning just 2 games from 12, Norwich City find themselves with no chance of making the playoffs and will remain in the Championship next season.
As a result, the Canaries sacked boss Alex Neil in March and replaced him with interim manager Alan Irvine. Since then, results have improved – a fine 2-0 win over title hopefuls Brighton came not long after a 7-1 thrashing of playoff bound Reading at Carrow Road.
Norwich, albeit far too late, seem to have found their feet again at this level and will be among the favourites to go up next season. New Sporting Director Stuart Webber will begin his search for a new permanent manager in earnest after the season ends, and speculation is rife that he wants current Leeds boss Garry Monk.
Monk has won many plaudits for his handling of Leeds this season, though he is yet to be offered a contract extension at the club. This is a worry for fans of the boss, as new owner Andrea Radrizzani has recently recruited former Real Madrid director Ivan Bravo to the club in what looks like a change in direction.
Assuming that Monk does not sign a new deal beyond this season, a very talented manager will become available in the market. This seems like a natural fit for Norwich; no compensation to pay and a proven manager who has guided a side at this level to the upper reaches of the league.
Garry Monk is generally regarded in the game as a head coach with a big future, so looking ahead, this could be an excellent move for Norwich in the longer term.
The Canaries will once again have the ability to attract a decent level of player to the club over the summer, and their preferred style of play is a slick passing game. This also suits Monk’s coaching style, given his history is not just with Leeds but also with Swansea City.
Many candidates will come forward for the vacant job at Norwich, but few would tick as many boxes as Monk. A manager who has already proved that he can handle the pressure of winning games near the top of the Championship, but whose talent has not been fully exposed yet, is a great combo. That he is popular and plays a good brand of football is a bonus and he will be Webber’s no.1 target this summer.