Softfootball can confirm that Neil Adams will step down from his role as technical director of Norwich City at the end of the 2025/26 season, bringing an end to another long chapter of service to the club.
Norwich City confirmed the decision in a statement shared via their official X handle, expressing gratitude for Adams’ long-standing contribution both on and off the pitch. The club stated that everyone at Carrow Road would like to place on record their thanks and appreciation for his “incredible service” throughout his association with the Canaries.
They revealed:
Neil Adams will step down from his position as the club’s technical director following the conclusion of the 2025/26 season. All at Norwich City would like to place on record their thanks and gratitude to Neil for his incredible service to the club.
Adams, now 60, is understood to be retiring from the position after several years working within Norwich’s football operations. His departure will trigger an internal restructuring within the club’s sporting department as Norwich prepare for the next phase of their long-term planning.
Current head of recruitment Lee Dunn is set to step into the role, becoming the new number two to sporting director Ben Knapper at Carrow Road. Dunn has worked closely with Knapper in recent years and is viewed internally as a natural successor to Adams’ responsibilities within the club’s football structure.
With Dunn moving into the technical leadership role, Norwich will now begin the process of identifying a replacement head of recruitment. The club is expected to evaluate whether to promote from within its existing scouting structure or explore external candidates in order to strengthen the recruitment department ahead of future transfer windows.
Adams’ connection with Norwich City stretches back decades. As a player, he made more than 200 appearances for the club and became a respected figure among supporters before later returning in a coaching capacity. His second spell began in 2008 when he joined the academy setup while also working as a match summariser for BBC Radio Norfolk and contributing a regular newspaper column.
In 2011, Adams stepped away from those media commitments to take on a full-time coaching position within the Norwich academy structure. He later became manager of the club’s under-18 side, guiding a talented group of youngsters to a historic FA Youth Cup triumph in 2013. Norwich defeated Chelsea in the two-legged final, winning 1–0 at Carrow Road before sealing the trophy with a 3–2 victory at Stamford Bridge.
His work with young players quickly elevated his standing inside the club. Following the dismissal of Chris Hughton in 2014, Adams was asked to take temporary charge of the senior team. He was later appointed permanent manager in May of that year but resigned after 32 matches, paving the way for Alex Neil, who would eventually guide the club to promotion through the Championship play-offs.
Adams returned to Norwich in July 2015 as the club’s loans manager after a short spell working with England’s Under-17 national team setup. Over time, he continued to rise through the club’s structure, eventually being promoted to assistant sporting director under then sporting director Stuart Webber in September 2021. His most recent role as technical director placed him at the centre of Norwich’s long-term football strategy and player development structure.
Lee Dunn’s promotion also reflects a long-term commitment to continuity within the club’s leadership team. Dunn first joined Norwich City in 2013 as a match analyst and gradually worked his way through the recruitment department. By 2021, he had been promoted to head of recruitment, where he oversaw scouting operations and player identification.
Elsewhere in European football, Robert Lewandowski has revealed that he plans to take around three months to decide his long-term future at Barcelona. The Polish striker explained that family comfort and personal happiness will play a major role in determining whether he extends his stay with the Spanish giants or explores a new challenge.
Meanwhile in the Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur are facing an unexpected battle near the bottom of the table following a difficult run of results.
Their latest setback came in the form of a damaging 3–1 home defeat to Crystal Palace, a result that left many supporters inside the stadium stunned. The outcome has intensified concerns among fans who are struggling to understand how a club with Tottenham’s resources has found itself fighting to avoid relegation this season.