Norwich Make Approach For Birmingham Manager Hughton

sports article on Norwich make approach for Birmingham manager Hughton regarding Birmingham, Speak, Championship, Permission, Manager, League, Premier, Return, Sacked, Mcleish, Norwich, United, Ireland, Defender, International, Blackpool, Missed

Premier League Norwich City have been given permission to talk to Birmingham City manager Chris Hughton about the vacancy at Carrow Road, both clubs said on Wednesday.

Norwich are looking for a new manager after Paul Lambert, who took them to 12th place on their return to the top flight last season, replaced the sacked Alex McLeish as Aston Villa boss on Saturday.

"Hughton expressed a wish to speak to the Canaries and permission was reluctantly granted," Championship (second division) side Birmingham said in a statement.

The club's acting chairman Peter Pannu added: "Chris is a great manager and deserves the opportunity to speak to Norwich which is why we have granted him permission to speak to them."

Birmingham City were relegated to the Championship in 2011 and missed out on an immediate return last month when they lost their playoff semi-final to Blackpool, who were beaten in turn by West Ham United in the final.

Hughton, a former Ireland international defender who spent a majority of his career at Tottenham Hotspur, took over from McLeish at Birmingham after they left the Premier League and the Scot made a controversial switch to Villa.

The 53-year-old Londoner was also Newcastle United manager, leading them to the Championship title before being sacked in December 2010 when they were 11th in the Premier League.