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‘I actually got the assistant’s job at Norwich City. For about five minutes’ - Dion Dublin on Canaries’ job offer
Dion Dublin revealed he accepted the role of assistant manager at Norwich City Picture: Steve Adams /Archant - Credit: Archant Norfolk
Former Norwich City favourite Dion Dublin revealed he could have swapped the television studio for the Carrow Road dugout when he hung up his boots.
Dublin is now a respected media pundit and presenter following a distinguished playing career that started and ended with the Canaries.
But the former Coventry City frontman could have become Bryan Gunn's assistant back in 2009, after initially agreeing to be part of Paul Ince's backroom team had the ex-Manchester United midfielder been offered the chance to replace Glenn Roeder.
"A lot of people don't know this, I actually got the assistant manager's job at Norwich City for about five minutes," he said, speaking on BBC Radio Five Live ahead of Saturday's FA Cup final. "I went for talks for the assistant job with Paul Ince, who went for the job. He said would I mind coming along with him as his assistant and I said I would go along for the talks. I knew Delia, Michael and the owners. I went and had a chat with Delia. They said they wanted to speak to Gunny first, so Incey went out, Gunny went in and I went out.
"Then they said they would make the decision in about five minutes and I found out they were going to give Bryan Gunn the job. They got Paul back in, told him the news, said they were sorry and said would it be okay if we asked Dion to be Bryan's assistant? Gunny has said that was okay with him. Paul had no problem and I said I would definitely take it with Gunny.
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"But I went back and spoke to my employers at the time and they said, 'Sorry, no, we can't release you from your three year contract, because you are signed up to us.' That was it. That was my five minutes of management and I had a 100pc record."
Dublin admitted he does have some regrets he opted not to go into coaching.
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"Part of me does regret it because I would like to know if I could have done it," he said. "Whether I did have the skills to go onto the training pitch and be a coach not a player. It would have been very nice to know if I could make this leap.
"So thanks to my employer at the time. But the game has changed now."
