Norwich City have confirmed the departure of head coach David Wagner.
The experienced German was dismissed following Thursday’s abject 4-0 Championship play-off semi-final, second leg exit to Leeds.
Wagner’s long time assistant head coach, Christoph Bühler, also leaves the club.
The likes of Arsenal assistant Carlos Cuesta, former Reims boss Will Still and ex-Nottingham Forest chief Steve Cooper have been touted as early frontrunners to replace Wagner.
Sporting director Ben Knapper told the club’s official channels late on Friday morning: “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.
“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.”
The club statement added: ‘All at Norwich City would like to place on record our thanks to both David and Christoph for their hard work and contributions to the club. We wish them well in their future careers.
‘The club will now progress with its plans of appointing a new head coach.’
Wagner had 75 matches in charge after replacing Dean Smith as head coach in January 2023. The ex-Huddersfield and Schalke boss mustered 31 wins, 17 draws and 27 defeats and departed Carrow Road with a win percentage of 41pc.
Wagner was asked about his own future following Thursday’s final whistle in Yorkshire.
“I think it’s clear that there has to be some conversations, from my side as well, about the plans of next season,” he said.
“It was an exhausting season. This is the truth. A very strange season, even for me as an experienced manager. It was not a normal season. You always reflect at the end of every season. Everything that happened was more or less for me clear to see the reasons. Unfortunately the fairytale could not happen at the end.
“Is it a low? Absolutely it is. But it’s life and it’s football; you have some downs, and you have some ups well, not only in the game, not only in the season, but over a longer period as well.”
