Grant calls for less haste in sack race

CHRIS LAKEY

Canaries boss Peter Grant has accused clubs of acting in haste when replacing sacked managers.

Grant has seen tomorrow's opponents Leicester City name ex-Norwich boss Nigel Worthington as their caretaker manager within hours of axing Rob Kelly.

The previous day it was Premiership strugglers Fulham axing Chris Coleman and replacing him with Lawrie Sanchez - all of which was done a bit too quickly for Grant's liking.

"I have never been a director, I don't know the reasons why some of them do it," he said. "It's like the Chris Coleman scenario. You look at Chris' situation and obviously there's talks been going on behind his back while he's been in the job.

"That's what disappoints me. I think if you are being honest with people you tell them right away and then you search, because you know the people you would like. Obviously things happen and people getting replaced as quickly is always a concern for me because I think that's unfair."

Worthington, like Sanchez, takes over until the end of the season, but Grant said his predecessor was always under immense pressure from the day Milan Mandaric took over as chairman.

"One thing I am disappointed about is Rob Kelly's demise, really," said Grant, who was appointed 12 days after Worthington's dismissal on October 1.

"I think since Mandaric has taken over he has been under incredible pressure. He has had some fantastic results - I think he had four or five victories on the bounce - but every manager in the stand was sitting there talking about taking over his job.

"I feel sorry for him, but it's just the way football is at this moment in time.

"It's not because you're doing a bad job at times, it's just because your face doesn't suit. I'm disapp-ointed for him because he is a very good football man."

Coincidence pits Worthington against Grant this weekend, but the Norwich boss says the game is more than just a meeting of individuals.

"The most important thing for me is to win games of football," he said. "I have said that every game, that we represent Norwich City. We have to win and we have to play well. That's all I want to do, no matter who we are playing.

"Managers come and managers go and they have just got to go out and prove their worth to the man that comes in, that's the way football is. I am sure the boys here will respect Nigel for the job he did here, and quite rightly so.

"But it is not about Nigel Worthington, it is not about Peter Grant. It is about Norwich City playing Leicester City, with a massive three points at stake."