Norwich City’s new management structure may not work, says Ipswich Town chief Ian Milne

Sporting director Stuart Webber and managing director Steve Stone are looking to bring the good times back to Carrow Road. Picture: Jasonpix JASON DAWSON ©Jason Dawson

Ipswich Town managing director Ian Milne doesn’t believe in the new management structure at Norwich City.

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Ipswich Town managing director Ian Milne doubts Norwich's City's management structure will work. Picture: Archant Ipswich Town managing director Ian Milne doubts Norwich's City's management structure will work. Picture: Archant

In the wake of Jez Moxey’s departure as chief executive, the Canaries restructured their business, appointing Steve Stone as managing director to work alongside Stuart Webber, who arrived from Huddersfield.

New head coach Daniel Farke will report directly into Webber but Milne isn’t about to adopt the Canaries template at the other side of the A140.

Milne believes there should only be one leader taking decisions on the football operations and still thinks he has the right man in Mick McCarthy to bring success back to Portman Road.

“It’s interesting what’s going on at Norwich,” said Milne, whose main responsibilities surround off-field matters. “They’ve gone for a sporting director and a head coach, but I think there can only be one captain of the ship – the manager.

“They are trying that route and it’s clearly worked at some clubs, but not at the majority.

“We’re going to see more younger, foreign managers, like the (David) Wagners, but we believe in what we are doing here. We think it works well and it’s proven to have worked well in the not too distant past.

“Good managers do not grow on trees. We see that with so many of the managerial appointments that haven’t worked for clubs.”

McCarthy oversees everything at Portman Road with ‘director of football, Dave Bowman overseeing the scouting operation.

Many Blues fans were calling for McCarthy to go this summer after the club’s 16th-placed finish. The former Republic of Ireland boss said back in January that he would consider his popularity levels among supporters before committing to the final year of his contract.

“I don’t think that was a good time for him,” said Milne. “He was getting a lot of criticism, but we’ve moved on and he’ll come back refreshed.”

Asked if the club had considered potential McCarthy replacements during that period of uncertainty, Milne replied: “I don’t think it came to that. Mick and (owner) Marcus (Evans) were talking the whole time. I think Mick made a lot of those comments after matches when emotions were incredibly high.”