David Wagner: Where it all went wrong for the Norwich City boss

As the final whistle blew at a jubilant Elland Road, it also marked the end of David Wagner's rollercoaster reign at Norwich City.

On the face of it, sacking a head coach just a matter of hours after defeat to a strong Leeds United team in the Championship play-off semi-finals may look brutal to neutrals.

But scratch beneath the surface, and it becomes clearer that this was a decision that's been on the cards for some time.

Despite a sixth-placed finish, fans have struggled to connect with Wagner's style of play, with many calling for him to go in the autumn after a run of seven defeats in nine Championship games that saw the club drop to 17th in the table.

There's been highs as well, including a run of eight straight wins at home that helped secure a play-off spot and a memorable win over local rivals Ipswich Town, but those moments weren't enough to save the German's job.

So where did it go wrong for David Wagner?

Home comforts, away day struggles

When Norwich City lost 3-1 at home to Blackburn in early November, any prospect of a play-off push looked pie in the sky.

At that point, the threat of a relegation battle looked far more likely, but that Blackburn defeat would prove to be the last time that Norwich lost at Carrow Road all season.

A run of eight consecutive wins at home saw them leap from mid-table mediocrity to top six contention, with the 49 points amassed on home soil only bettered by Ipswich Town, Leeds United and Leicester City.

However, in contrast, their away form has remained decidedly average. A 2-1 defeat at rock -bottom Rotherham United set the tone in early September, a result which was quickly followed by a 6-2 humiliation at newly-promoted Plymouth Argyle later that month.

Notable victories at fellow play-off contenders Hull City and Preston North End helped to add some slight gloss to an away record that was the sixth worst in the division, and included 11 defeats.

Even when Norwich were winning at home, large sections of the fanbase weren't convinced.

The football was often ponderous, pedestrian and pragmatic - with frustrations really coming to the boil after a 4-2 win over Watford in February, which brings us to...

'Boo boys' and burned bridges, the connection with fans

The relationship between David Wagner and the fans had never been an easy one.

He joined at a time when the connection between club and fans was at a low ebb.

Supporters had already started to voice their lack of appreciation for former sporting director Stuart Webber, questioning his decision-making as well as his commitment to the club.

Webber was keen to rekindle that sense of togetherness which had been a hallmark of previous boss Daniel Farke.

Farke - whose Leeds side hammered home the final nail in Wagner's Carrow Road coffin - won two Championship titles at City and his rapport with the fans was clear to see.

Wagner was meant to be the man to rekindle that affection. But his appointment back in January 2023 wasn't greeted with universal enthusiasm.

His last two jobs at Schalke 04 and Young Boys weren't a success and many viewed it as an easy option for Webber, who had previously worked with Wagner at Huddersfield.

But the 52-year-old came under huge pressure just before the international break last autumn, after after a run of eight defeats in 11 Championship games.

It saw the Canaries drop to 17th in the table, just six points above the relegation zone. It resulted in joint-majority shareholder Delia Smith making a phone call to Wagner assuring him that his job was safe - a move that didn't go down well with many supporters.Speaking with ITV News Anglia reporter Andy Ward at the time, Wagner said: "I've known from conversations with other people that I have the full support of the owners and the board, but I think Delia picked the phone up at the right moment with Michael, together, and it meant a lot to me."

However, relations soured again in February. A 4-2 home win over Watford was overshadowed by fans jeering loudly after Wagner substituted striker Josh Sargent.

It prompted a strong reaction from Wagner who told booing fans that they should "stay at home."

• Watch Wagner's comments post-Watford

In hindsight, despite reaching the play-offs and maintaining their 15-year unbeaten derby record, Wagner never really recovered from that moment.

His close relationship with Webber was also a difficult one to shake off, with sections of the fanbase feeling he only got the job in the first place because of that connection.

Failings disguised by individual brilliance

After a promising start to the season, disaster struck just as star striker Josh Sargent was putting the ball into Huddersfield Town's net during a 4-0 victory.

The ankle injury suffered that baking hot August day saw the American international ruled out until the New Year, and in his absence, Norwich's season unravelled.

The calls for Wagner to leave reached fever pitch in the autumn, but new sporting director Ben Knapper resisted the urge to pull the trigger.

In almost every press conference, Wagner talked up how the return of Sargent would help transform his team's fortunes, and he was proved right - with the former Werder Bremen man scoring 13 goals in the promotion run-in to fire the Canaries into the play-offs.

Sargent was ably supported by the Brazilian brilliance of midfielder Gabriel Sara, who provided 13 goals and 12 assists over the course of the season, while the early impact of winger Jonny Rowe was also key.

Arguably, it was this individualism that allowed Norwich to mask their wider tactical failings, and the season may have turned out very differently had the trio of Sargent, Rowe and Sara not been so influential.

All three are likely to be in high demand during the summer transfer window now that Norwich's fate is sealed.

Fans were also critical of the club's transfer policy last summer which saw them target a host of experienced players, as opposed to their previous policy of signing youngsters with potential.

It's a stance that Knapper himself agreed with, admitting at November's AGM that the squad profile had become too old.

A changing of the guard, US-style

Off the pitch there have been changes too.

American businessman Mark Attanasio increased his stake in the Championship club, and the 65-year-old is now on parity with Delia Smith and husband Michael Wynn-Jones in terms of shares in the club.

There was a new sporting director too, with Ben Knapper leaving his role as loans manager at Arsenal to take over the reins from Stuart Webber.

Mr Attanasio is the owner of the Major League Baseball team the Milwaukee Brewers.

In US sport it is not unusual for a general manager, the executive who runs day-to-day operations of the team, to also want to work with 'their own man' in the coaches dug-out.

The GM is the effective figurehead of the club, second in command to ownership - so perhaps it's no surprise that Knapper has chosen the end of the season to hit the reset button.

Speaking to ITV News after he took on the role, Knapper said that he wouldn't rush to make a decision on the future of Wagner.

He told us: "It's so important that you stay calm and you think logically. I was always going to take time. Of course I was aware of a lot of that noise, but it was something that, for me, I was always crystal clear on."

He now feels the time is right to move on.

In a statement on the club's website he said: “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.”

Knapper recently joined the Canaries from Arsenal where he'd spent 13 years - fuelling speculation that Gunners coach Carlos Cuesta, the bookies' favourite, could be the next man in the hotseat.

In US sport it is not uncommon for a team to start a rebuild. Norwich appear to be at the start of that process.

It now remains to be seen how much change there will in playing personnel and how much, if any, extra investment will come from Mr Attanasio.

It looks like being an interesting summer for Canaries fans.

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