Norwich City Eye Move for Long-Serving Ipswich Coach Bryan Klug
Norwich City are reportedly considering an ambitious move to recruit veteran Ipswich Town coach Bryan Klug, who began his long association with the club at Portman Road 48 years ago.
Following a frustrating 13th-place finish in the Championship, the Canaries are undergoing a major rebuild. Manager Johannes Hoff Thorup was dismissed in April, with former Oxford United boss Liam Manning widely expected to take over.
Meanwhile, arch-rivals Ipswich Town are regrouping after a tough Premier League campaign that ended in 18th place, just one season after their unexpected promotion in 2024.
According to The Pink ‘Un, Norwich’s academy boss Dean Rastrick — who previously worked alongside Klug at Tottenham between 2011 and 2012 — is leading efforts to bring Klug to Carrow Road in a developmental role.
Klug boasts a wealth of coaching experience. A former youth player at Ipswich, he went on to play for clubs including Wimbledon, Chesterfield, and Peterborough before returning to Ipswich in 1987 as a youth coach. He rose through the ranks to become academy director in 1998 and has since had spells as assistant manager and caretaker boss, famously guiding their youth side to FA Youth Cup success in 2005.
Though he was dismissed by Roy Keane in 2010, Klug spent two years at Spurs before returning to Ipswich in 2012 as academy director once again, and he has twice stepped in as caretaker manager since.
While the move for Klug is said to be independent of the expected appointment of Manning, the two share a history. Manning began his own career in Norwich’s academy before moving to Ipswich, where Klug played a key role in his development. In a 2022 interview with Coaches’ Voice, Manning praised Klug as a major influence: “Bryan Klug played a massive part. The way he sees the game, and the players he’s developed — it was impossible not to find him an inspiration.”
In the context of EFL financial regulations — which cap club losses at £41.5 million over a rolling three-year period — and the uneven playing field created by parachute payments, developing academy talent is more vital than ever. Bringing in a respected figure like Klug could prove an important step in Norwich’s long-term strategy, and it’s likely Manning would welcome a mentor of Klug’s stature to support the club’s future.
