Official: Dean Smith becomes the new Norwich manager

Smith out of work for exactly a week

This time last week, news broke that Dean Smith had been sacked from his role as Aston Villa boss, having presided over a fifth straight defeat at the hands of Southampton to leave his side precariously placed in 16th in the Premier League, and just two points clear of the relegation zone.

Aston Villa Football Club can confirm that the Club have parted company with Head Coach Dean Smith.

— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) November 7, 2021

For a club that had ambitions of a European finish, it was simply not good enough, and despite his new signings having hardly been on the pitch together, the bell tolled on Smith’s three years at the midlands club.

However, he has been thrust straight back into Premier League action, as he was earlier today announced as the new Norwich City boss.

Norwich City Football Club is delighted to announce Dean Smith as our new head coach.#NCFC

— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) November 15, 2021

The East Anglian outfit currently sit rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table, with five points and a goal difference nine worse than the next club Newcastle United.

Goals for the season?

As mentioned above, relegation seems likely, and indeed it would represent a miracle if the Canaries did not find themselves condemned to the Championship come the end of the season. However, Smith clearly views the job as a project, in the same way that with Villa his job was to get them to the top flight, and then keep them there.

With this in mind, it will be fascinating to see if he can stop the East Anglian club’s seemingly perpetual yo-yo-ing between the Premier League and second tier of English football, or whether he will be swept along with it.

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