Bristol City fans review Liam Manning's exit and share their choices for Reds' next head coach | Bristol Live

Bristol Live spoke to 10 Bristol City fans to get their thoughts on Liam Manning's move to Norwich City and the Robins' search for a new head coach

Just when you thought the chaos of the season was over, Bristol City have ensured that their fans have remained just as glued to their screens in the first weeks of the summer as they were during the Reds' play-off campaign.

It has been just over three weeks since City's season came to an end in record-breaking fashion at Bramall Lane. Having ended their 17-year wait for a top six finish, the Reds were comprehensively beaten by Chris Wilder and Sheffield Wednesday over the course of their two-legged play-off semi-final to lose 6-0 on aggregate.

What, for the most part at least, had been such a positive campaign ended on a sour note, but that didn't stop most heading home from the Steel City with a sense of positivity.

However, that mood has once again shifted following the departure of Liam Manning, with the head coach completing his move to Norwich City. Now, the Reds face the prospect of appointing a new manager and getting to work in the summer transfer window in quick succession in order to build upon the foundations set by Manning, his staff and players.

It is safe to say there is plenty to be done at Ashton Gate before the new season gets underway. Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, however, Bristol Live asked 10 City fans for their thoughts on Manning's departure, the standout moments from his tenure and who they'd like to see next in the Robins' hot seat.

What are your overall thoughts on the departure of Liam Manning?

Martin Cryer, 40, Kingswood: "Surprised, but I think this is a family decision as much as a footballing one. I can’t say I was ever enamoured by his style of football but he managed to get a mid-table side into the play-offs so he must have something about him.

"It has however raised questions from fans about the ambition and ability of the board, technical director and scouting which had simmered down with us having a decent season."

Dave Featherstone, 55, Downend: "It feels a bit strange to be so ambivalent about a head coach leaving when he’s just taken City to the play-offs for the first time in 17 seasons. But it’s been a very mixed 18-month tenure, and I’m not convinced that the foundations for improvement are necessarily there. A sixth-placed finish has masked some very mixed recruitment and there are concerns that the academy pathway has stalled.

"I’m slightly disappointed that I won’t get to see how he improves in these two areas, as I think that would’ve given me a clearer view of Liam’s true ability. Liam has cut a frustrated character in recent interviews regarding budget challenges and plans, but it feels like he’s jumped ship rather than take on the challenge, seeing as he’d been well-backed last season.

"I totally understand why he has jumped; Norwich City are a bigger club (in recent and longer times) and on the face of it they can match his expectations of career progression better than us. But with that will come greater pressure to succeed quickly, Johannes Hoff Thorup came and went within 11 months.

"I don’t think it’s right to bring the personal side of things into it, it was incredibly tragic and impossible to put myself in his shoes, so my view is based purely on the football side."

Matt Burke, 39, Yate: "I was gutted at first but it's gone on so long that I just want to move on from it now. You can't begrudge him moving closer to home."

Del Bussey, 55, Horfield: "I'm not surprised Liam has left Bristol City as the vibes he gave post-match after the semi-final second leg as well as the club's season review interview suggested he wasn't happy with what was going on at the club. The fact Steve Lansdown came out and said the budget wouldn't be changed after the most successful season for 17 years probably helped make up Liam's mind.

"Once Liam came out and said about going sideways or standing still meaning you go backwards partnered with the awful family tragedy will have made it an easy decision. I'm disappointed he's going but not as much as when Terry Cooper, Joe Jordan or Steve Cotterill left. The away form was awful. I went to 13 away games last season and it was the first time in 40 years I didn't see City win away during a season."

Teresa Parker, 45, Kingswood: "I was blindsided at first - because we had such an exciting end to the season, I didn't see it coming, especially not him leaving for a team that finished beneath us. But on a human level, I can understand wanting to leave Bristol which must hold painful memories for himself and his family after losing Theo and move back to where he grew up. On top of that, he's moving to a big club which could offer him more opportunity in the long term."

Danny Veale, 34, Yate: "I must admit it did catch me off guard, but he did it to Oxford so it was always possible he'd do it to us if we didn’t match his ambition. I think the lack of future guaranteed investment and the opportunity to go to a bigger club so close to home will have been the deciding factors."

Charlie Shepherd, 16, Bristol : "I feel mixed. There’s a sense that he took as far as he could and that actually we got very lucky with some of the games as well as the teams around us slipping up. Overall his football wasn’t particularly great but at times we did string together some good sequences."

Harry Baylis: 16, North Somerset: "It is hard to see someone like Liam go who has delivered some truly magical moments for us City fans since he arrived but I respect his decision for whatever reason it may be and I’m sure he goes with all the fans' best wishes.

"Whilst it’s disappointing to see him go to a team that finished beneath us in the league, he obviously views it as a good opportunity. The key thing now for City is getting the next appointment right so the effects of Liam’s departure won’t be significant."

Alistair Watt, 49, Stoke Gifford: "I feel disappointed that he’s leaving to go to another Championship side but I understand if it’s mainly due to family reasons. After reaching the top six, there was consensus among the fans that we needed to keep hold of Manning and build on his progress.

"However, I’m not as upset as I thought I’d be, as I felt that Manning’s in-game management could be questioned and his lack of flexibility to change tactics. With the position we’re in as a club, I think we are still likely to attract plenty of interest from good-quality head coaches looking to take on the challenge."

Tom Hartnell, 28, Bristol: "It's disappointing that he wants to leave, but you can't really blame him. Maybe I wish he could've shown a bit more loyalty but he is an ambitious man, and the move could also be family-related which you have to respect. Norwich are a bigger club than Bristol City, have a more available budget and a new owner."

What do you think was the standout moment of Liam Manning's tenure?

Martin Cryer: "Probably the West Ham FA Cup games, we’ve had a few other really good performances such as Southampton, Middlesbrough, West Brom and even though we got into the play-offs, we limped over the line so it was more stressful than enjoyable."

Dave Featherstone: "Probably the 'biggest bit' was the Middlesbrough home match, coming from 1-0 down to a play-off rival, to win 2-1 in front of a fully-whipped up Ashton Gate crowd. It was a big moment in the season and built the momentum for a very enjoyable period. I also liked the West Ham United FA Cup games, coming out on top in the replay. Ironically, Tommy Conway played a big role in both!

Matt Burke: "The West Brom game for me gave the fans the belief that we could actually make a play-off push."

Del Bussey: "Definitely the overachievement of reaching the play-offs with a squad which didn't really have a goal threat up front all season apart from Nahki Wells who had no support. Manning squeezed every drop he could out of a small squad and shocked a lot of people by keeping City in the top six throughout most of March through May. Also the FA Cup games against West Ham and Forest where we started to see the results of Liam's work on the training pitch."

Teresa Parker: "The standout moment was when we found out we got through to the play-offs after all waiting for the other results to come in. It had been a long time coming and everyone from the team, to the fans and the staff were so happy.

"We had some grief from other fans for celebrating so much, but you know what, after 17 years getting there was an achievement in its own right, and that day with everyone on the pitch, including Liam and his son Issac - with the sun shining and the Wurzels after the game - it was a great day."

Danny Veale: "For me, it was either Southampton at home when we ended their long unbeaten run or West Brom at home when everybody started to believe we could get the play-offs!"

Charlie Shepherd: "For me, four games stand out. Both of the West Ham games where we bettered them home and away, the 2-1 win against West Brom at home and the 2-2 draw at home to Preston to secure play-offs."

Harry Baylis: "There have been many moments but one that really stands out for me was the West Brom game towards the end of last season. That was a truly memorable moment! Other moments include the Southampton game last year and the West Ham FA Cup home game which were also incredible memories."

Alistair Watt: "Overall, Liam Manning brought about a real togetherness between players and fans helping to create an upturn in results and atmosphere at Ashton Gate. An obvious one, but the standout moment for me came with the late win against West Brom and the realisation we had momentum to reach the play-offs. Another notable mention for our performance in beating Southampton 3-1 at home last season where Manning got tactics right to produce a great team performance."

Tom Hartnell: "It has to be the Haydon Roberts last-minute winner and making the play-offs on the final day. We've not had anything like that to celebrate like that for a while."

If you had to pick Bristol City's next head coach, who would be top of your shortlist and why?

Martin Cryer: "I know we won't but personally, I’d see if Lee Carsley was available. Anyone who’s seen his England U21s side will know they play attacking, front-foot football. We want a coach who can work with younger players, and develop them into first-teamers. Looking at who he’s transitioning into the senior squad I think he should be considered."

Dave Featherstone: "I’m finding this very hard. Pretty much all of the candidates either have skeletons in their cupboards or have a risk of lack of experience at this level. I had positioned Rob Edwards as the safe option, but on reflection, I’d probably say he’s more the obvious option. Promotion to the Premier League with Luton Town, promotion with Forest Green Rovers, but also successive relegations with the Hatters too.

"Ruben Selles only just staved off relegation with Hull City, albeit had to recover from the disaster that was Tim Walter. For all his attacking patterns his Tigers were pretty erratic. But he did a great job at Reading having been thrown to the wolves at Southampton.

"There are some other names too, like Michael Skubala at Lincoln City, Gary O’Neil with Premier League experience, or Dave Challinor at Stockport County, who’s probably the only manager without a blemish. Throw in the very good tactician Marti Cifuentes, suspended at QPR, but I find his football dull, or Danny Rohl at Sheffield Wednesday, but with a big release clause and it becomes a tough call. There are a lot of options out there.

"But if I have to pick who’s at the top of my shortlist then I’m going for Ruben Selles. He’s edged it for me. He’s learned from being an assistant manager at a host of clubs who’ve had different styles, including the diverse Nathan Jones and Ralph Hassenhutl at Southampton. I think it is important to have experienced a role where you’re the buffer between manager and players.

"His football is based on a back-four system, but flexibility with the six in front of that. I think that suits Bristol City’s squad and gives him an advantage over Edwards. But I need to research more before he’s my out-and-out front-runner. We haven’t announced Liam Manning’s departure at the time I penned this!"

Matt Burke: "Rob Edwards and John Mousinho would be my two top choices. They fit the profile of coach that we will look for. Michael Skabulu at Lincoln would be another good target."

Del Bussey: "I would have liked Liam Rosenior but I can't see his current club letting him go especially after recently signing a new three-year contract. Now for me either Rob Edwards, who has a record of going into clubs, playing to the players' strengths while introducing small tweaks to make the team better, or John Mousinho. The Portsmouth boss is a similar coach to Manning and will play with a similar style which will benefit the current squad.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Richie Wellins or Michael Skubala get the job as they're both up-and-coming young coaches from League One."

Teresa Parker: "I think John Mousinho, who has worked well with a low budget at Portsmouth, would be top of my list. He also seems to have a good relationship with the fans, which I think is important for us. The City fans have been outstanding this season, the incredible away support even when we were losing at Sheffield United says so much about our club."

Danny Veale: "I’ve been chopping and changing this over the last few days, but the one that keeps on bringing me back in is Rob Edwards. He has a Championship promotion to his name, has the charisma and passion we want to see, he knows the area and I have heard he still lives not too far away. The football he played at Forest Green (and briefly at Luton albeit with a team not built to play football) was fast and exciting! Failing that, Michael Skubala at Lincoln is another I am intrigued by."

Charlie Shepherd: "Rob Edwards would be my number one. Two promotions, with two different styles of play highlight his adaptability and he made Luton competitive in the Premier League. Michael Skubala is a manager who on a tight budget plays high-intensity football and consistently challenges for play-offs at Lincoln so he’d be the other one."

Harry Baylis: "I would be really interested to see what Ruben Selles would be able to do here. The job he did at Reading was really impressive under financial constraints and with our budget perhaps being limited next season, he would be someone who could adapt to lower spending. I also think his ability to tactically adapt during games is something really important, which I and many others have been critical of Manning during his tenure."

Alistair Watt: "There have been plenty of names mentioned as potential candidates, but top of my shortlist would be Ruben Selles. He had to deal with a challenging situation at Reading and then I feel he was harshly dismissed by Hull, so will have a point to prove. From what I’ve seen he adopts an attractive style of play and is known for developing younger players. I was impressed with how Hull played at Ashton Gate, even when down to 10 men, as they were well set up and looked a threat.

"Other options for me would be Rob Edwards, known for his attacking style at Forest Green Rovers, although he adopted a more direct approach at Luton, and Tom Cleverley, who did an impressive job at Watford despite losing his best players. However, they fell away at the end of the season."

Tom Hartnell: "My pick would be Rob Edwards. He did a fantastic job at Forest Green and also got Luton promoted in his first season, which I think is an unbelievable achievement. Obviously, things didn't go his way with them last season but I think he will have learned a lot from that time."

Is there anyone you want the Robins to stay clear of when appointing their new head coach?

Martin Cryer: "Lee Johnson. It’s absolutely the sort of decision that City would make because he’s a known quantity. I think we’d see a similar reaction to that of Dean Holden’s appointment and the toxicity around the club which took a long time to get rid of."

Dave Featherstone: "Avoid any appointment that creates a divide! There are enough candidates for this to be completely unnecessary.

"The main criteria are that they’ve got to fit how City is as a club. The appointment won’t be able to go out and buy their way to the Premier League. They need to develop what’s here, create value in the squad, recruit brilliantly to a sensible budget and they need to bring players through from the Academy. They need to balance all of those dynamics. It’s not what do you prefer - development over results or results over development, it’s not an either/or, but a both!"

Matt Burke: "Not really. I've always been one to get behind players and coaches. I think it's important to give them time and get behind them."

Del Bussey: "Luke Williams has been mentioned as a possible candidate. After talking to my Swansea mates, I know he had a really poor season winning just once in 13 games and he nearly took them down, all while apparently falling out with most of the squad."

Teresa Parker: "Neil Warnock! Just no."

Danny Veale: "Anybody that jeopardises the sort of decent football that we’ve started to become accustomed to."

Charlie Shepherd: "We need to stay clear to stay clear of Tom Cleverley. His football is poor and he is inexperienced. The same goes for Steven Gerrard. Marti Cifuentes would be uninspiring."

Harry Baylis: "I wouldn’t favour appointing Luke Williams. He left Swansea after a miserable run of form and they ended up recovering to a solid 11th place finish after his exit. I think this is a clear contender to avoid."

Alistair Watt: "There are some highly regarded coaches who’ve done well in League One which may represent a gamble. The only one I’m not keen on is Luke Williams. He seems to have an inability to deviate away from his pure possession-based style of play, often lacking end product and he couldn’t turn around poor run of results at Swansea."

Tom Hartnell: "I can't think of anyone to stay clear of but I think John Mousinho, Gary O'Neil, Ruben Selles and Rob Edwards should be the four we are talking to realistically. I don't see why we'd go for any others!"

What should be the new head coach's top priority when they get to work in BS3?

Martin Cryer: "He needs to work out what formation he wants us to play. We recruited for the wrong formation last summer which left us short in key positions. I think we need five or six first-team-ready players to come in next season and we can’t wait around too long or we could miss out on the best options."

Dave Featherstone: "I’m assuming they’ve done research on the squad pre-interview, had their perceptions as an outsider confirmed by those on the inside, or not as the case may be and consensus reached. Maybe a reach out to Louis Carey for an impartial but knowledgeable view, I understand they are pally from their Southampton days? I’m also assuming they’ve had to go with most if not all of the preseason planning.

"So, it really should be straight to work on recruitment and building excitement for the 2025-26 season with the fans!"

Matt Burke: "A new goalkeeper as a backup for Max. I think a defender is important as well and of course, if Nahki doesn't sign on then we need a striker, possibly two, especially if the coach can't get a tune out of Fally."

Del Bussey: "The top priority is a one-to-one meeting with City captain Jason Knight who is absolutely massive to the team. The new coach needs to sit down and share his vision and ambition while telling Knight he wants to build the team around him. As well as matching his ambitions the new coach should ask Knight to give City one more season.

"Another first task would be to sign a new striker who is proven. Get someone through the door who will score goals and be a genuine focal threat up top, not a player who we have to wait two years for to see if he may develop."

Teresa Parker: "Get to know the club, the players and the fanbase - then work out tactics to get us as far as we can with the resources we have. Believe in our potential as a club, and focus on fulfilling it. We need a head coach who wants to see us succeed and be part of that success."

Danny Veale: "Keeping the spirit between the fans and the players, getting a new goalie, and a goalscorer! Also, I would like to see us be a bit more direct without going route one. We were so good when we went down the wings with Sykes or Pring and crossed the ball, with a decent number nine it would be simple wouldn’t it?!"

Charlie Shepherd: "Getting a tune out of Sincs and Fally since they have flattered to deceive so far, particularly without the assurance Wells will be at the club. On that note, is important City sort out new contracts."

Harry Baylis: "To try and build upon the highs of last season and get the fans on board once more, even with the prospect of another hard Championship season on the horizon. This is a key thing to continue the positive feeling around the club that we saw in the play-off charge last season."

Alistair Watt: ""Establish their style of play and preferred formation based on the current squad, and understand the key positions which need addressing during the transfer window. Consideration must be given in pre-season to young players such as Josh Stokes, Adam Murphy, and Elijah Morrison, and whether they’re ready to step up regularly to supplement the first team squad."

Tom Hartnell: "I think the new coach should try to build a good rapport with the fans and take advantage of the general positivity around the club at the moment. I would also like us to see our players played in their correct positions. I think Manning was guilty of doing some shoe-horning at times. I'm not sure he will have much money to spend on transfers but I do think a goalkeeper and striker would be near the top of my priorities!"