Canaries boss Neil is ousted
NORWICH boss Alex Neil paid the price for failing to reach the play-offs when he was axed last night.
Delia Smith and her fellow directors finally bowed to pressure from supporters after a season of underachievement.
The Canaries were joint favourites with Newcastle to bounce straight back up to the Premier League following relegation.
But with a top-six place now virtually out of reach and more than 70 per cent of fans demanding a change, Neil’s exit became inevitable.
It is believed he could bank a pay-off of £2million.
But, cruelly, the club allowed him to complete all of his media duties for today’s home game against Blackburn before swinging the axe.
Neil admitted there would be big changes at the club this summer, with several of his ageing flops facing the chop and young, hungry players brought in to replace them.
He insisted he was best qualified to steer Norwich through the rebuilding and back to the Premier League, only for a statement to say the Canaries hierarchy believed it was “in the best interests of the club for a new manager to be in place through a crucial summer transfer window and into next season”.
Former Hamilton playermanager Neil was in charge at Carrow Road for just over two years, winning 45 of his 108 games and losing 40.
At 35 one of the youngest managers in the business, he led Norwich to promotion to the Premier League in 2015, but they were relegated after one season and he has been unable to halt their recent slump amid rumours of player unrest. First-team coach Alan Irvine takes charge for today’s game.