Newly appointed Leicester City boss Steve Cooper has wasted no time in naming his targets to join him behind the scenes at the King Power Stadium next season, with Norwich City set-piece coach Andrew Hughes said to be a target this summer.
The former Leeds United player has made a name for himself as a promising dead-ball maestro during his time at Carrow Road, and his departure could have significant consequences for the Canaries in the future.
The Norfolk outfit have become one of the most proficient sides from free-kick and corner scenarios with Hughes’ guidance, and Cooper is reportedly keen to add his expertise to the Foxes squad ahead of their return to the Premier League.
With City boss Johannes Hoff Thorup only being instated less than a month ago, the potential departure of Hughes could prove to be a major disrupting factor during the off-season for the East Anglian outfit, as preparations for the 24/25 campaign continue.
Andrew Hughes, Leicester City link could have significant impact on Johannes Hoff Thorup, Norwich City plans
Only two teams in the Championship registered more goals from set-piece situations than Norwich City’s 18 in the previous campaign, with Cardiff City topping the charts on 21, followed by the Canaries’ local rivals Ipswich Town with 19.
That prowess from dangerous dead-ball situations contributed massively to David Wagner’s side climbing up the second tier table in the second-half of the season, with a number of pivotal goals a consequence of Hughes’ meticulous planning.
| Championship set-piece goals 23/24 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Set-piece goals | % of total | |
| Cardiff City | 21 | 39.6% | |
| Ipswich Town | 19 | 20.7% | |
| Norwich City | 18 | 22.8% | |
| Millwall | 15 | 33.3% | |
| West Bromwich Albion | 15 | 21.2% | |
| Southampton | 15 | 16.5% | |
| Source: Opta | |||
It is no surprise that a top flight side has come in for the well-thought of Hughes this summer, with fellow Premier League outfit Brentford also said to be eying up the tactician, after seeing the results of his hard work.
The City coach also earned the plaudits of the players he coached in the previous campaign, with defender Sam McCallum heaping on the praise after two set-piece goals saw them come from behind to beat Plymouth Argyle 2-1 on Good Friday.
McCallum contributed to the winner that day, before his effort was credited as an Ash Phillips own goal, and the 23-year-old said after the game: “We spend quite a lot of time on it.
“Hughesy (Andrew Hughes) is the main guy, so he gets all the credit for it, but we still have to put it in action on the pitch.
“We have to keep practising. With the games coming thick and fast, we have to work on them on and off the pitch. We have to change it up because teams watch us and know that we need to change it up. I think Hughesy could be running out of ideas towards the end of the season.
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