Sutton on why change at City must go beyond the head coach

Norwich needs a new direction, and it's positive to see those decisions taken quickly. David Wagner had to go. Players have to depart. New ones need to come in. Above all else, a new direction needs to be found. 

We are stuck on what exactly Norwich's model is anymore. They've gone down a different road with recruitment and the playing style has been a major part of why supporters were disgruntled. 

As I said on Sky Sports after Thursday's game, my mind goes to how this side would have fared in the Premier League - it would have ended up as another Derby County season. People say, 'You're being negative', but that's me being realistic. 

Norwich had far better players on the last two times they were in the Premier League and weren't able to compete. It would have been worse this time. I understand the financial benefits but it wouldn't have been an enjoyable fan experience. 

The brand of football that any new manager will play is really, really important. I hope Knapper has learned a lesson about what a Norwich City team should look like — because it isn't what David Wagner or Dean Smith produced. 

I would have got rid of Wagner when they lost to Blackburn, but that isn't an attack on Knapper. I understand why he wanted to take his time and get his feet under the table.

Now is the time for decisiveness and the fact they were so quick out of the blocks to sack Wagner and announce those players being released is undoubtedly a positive first move. I'm sure he's been planning and waiting for this moment for months. 

He will have had a list for a long time, and now it's about going through the process. The longer you wait, the tougher it becomes for the next manager to make an impact while amplifying the pressure from supporters. 

Norwich City's squad is set for a major overhaul. (Image: Focus Images)

The first few games of the season are going to be big for Knapper and the trust of the fanbase in his ideas. Everything I have heard has been positive. He is bright and innovative. He will be willing to try things, but he will be judged on his decisions and actions.

Alongside getting the appointment of the new manager right, there is serious work to do to ensure that everyone is pulling in the same direction and believing. 

It's not going to be easy. Knapper will need to communicate his vision and strategy to the supporters in an open channel. We don't want Norwich City's hierarchy to become a secret society. 

We don't hear from Delia and Michael, but we know their hearts are in the club. Mark Attanasio hasn't spoken much, so it has to be down to Knapper. I would really urge them to talk. Fans spend their hard-earned money on season tickets and just want to be part of the club and the experience. They want to get behind the team. There has to be a connection.

Of course, they won't provide a running commentary of the process to find Wagner's successor, but once that is done we need to hear more about the plan from here. 

A lot of the Norwich fans that I know don't want the earth; they're not stupid or fantasists. They don't expect the club to be winning the Premier League or competing for Europe, they just want to see the team playing an attractive brand of football in the Championship. 

We all want Norwich to get back to the top flight, but you need a foundation and a starting point. At this moment in time, we don't quite know where that is going to come from. 

Knapper has to bring all the strands together to build a foundation and base that allows them to build with a new head coach while reconnecting supporters with the grand plan in the process. 

Norwich City fans want to feel connected with their club again. (Image: Matt Wilkinson/Focus Images Ltd)

That policy from the hierarchy to remain quiet hasn't helped either Smith or Wagner during their respective tenures at Norwich and is what helped Daniel Farke even in difficult moments. 

My experience of Smith is that he's one of the nicest people in football. We all know what happened and that he didn't help himself at the end, but for it to come to that shows the state the club were in at that time. 

That communication pathway has been blocked for a while, and that is why people get hacked off, largely because they don't understand what the club is doing or why they have been making certain decisions. It cannot be left solely to the head coach to create that connection. 

If they explain that and hire a coach who brings back a progressive identity that people want to go and watch on a Saturday, then that feeling will come back rapidly. Not only that, it allows you to ride out the tough periods without the perception that club is constantly in crisis. 

Wagner was a thoroughly decent bloke. Everyone could see that. Nobody likes to see anyone lose their job, but there were certain principles of the game that weren't evident in their game on a consistent basis. They were predictable. 

To get into a play-off place from where they were wasn't a disaster, but it was time for a change in approach and shift in outlook. 

Whoever comes next will need time. It looks to be a busy summer with a churn of players, but there has to be an appointment sooner rather than later. Otherwise, they won't give themselves a chance. 

I couldn't care less about age, whether it's a 22-year-old or a 68-year-old coach. I just want to see somebody come in and play a certain brand of football. 

David Wagner struggled to win supporters over during his time in charge. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

There is a certain pride that Norwich fans have over that - look at some of the players of the past, the likes of Ian Crook, Ruel Fox, Dale Gordon, Martin Peters, Darren Huckerby, Wes Hoolahan, Emi Buendia - you have to play a certain brand to incorporate those players.

Fans want to be entertained and see their team take the game to the opposition. That is a big deal. 

I want to see a manager come in, progress the team and get fans on the edge of their seats. Winning is always important because every year that Norwich are in the Championship, it becomes harder to remain there. 

It's going to be a busy and fascinating summer. Let's hope Knapper can make the big calls and get them right.