New Leicester City manager Steve Cooper is reportedly keen on recruiting Norwich City set-piece coach Andrew Hughes, as per journalist Tom Collomosse.
Cooper, who took over the Foxes this week after being dismissed by Nottingham Forest in December 2023, succeeds Enzo Maresca, who recently transferred to Chelsea.
The former Swansea City manager has quickly begun assembling his backroom staff, with the ex-Huddersfield Town coach Hughes said to be a priority.
Brentford, a Premier League side, is also reportedly monitoring Hughes’ progress. Hughes has significantly enhanced Norwich City’s success from set-pieces since joining Carrow Road.
Steve Cooper targets Norwich City set-piece coach Andrew Hughes following his appointment at Leicester City
Since joining Norwich City under David Wagner, Hughes has been instrumental in making the Canaries one of the most effective teams from set-piece situations. According to Opta, only two teams, Ipswich Town (19) and Cardiff City (21), scored more than Norwich City’s 18 goals from dead-ball situations in the previous Championship season.
The Canaries frequently celebrated goals from free-kicks or corners, a testament to Hughes’ effective strategies.
Given Hughes’ success, it’s no surprise that the Foxes are interested in the 46-year-old coach. Norwich player Sam McCallum praised Hughes last season for his set-piece coaching. After scoring twice from corners to secure a 2-1 win over Plymouth Argyle, McCallum remarked, “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 practicing. 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.”
Despite finishing as the second-highest scorers in the Championship last year and winning the title, Leicester City’s set-piece performance was subpar in the previous season. Only eleven of their 89 league goals came from set-pieces, placing them in the bottom third of teams in the second tier for the 2023/24 season. This leaves ample room for improvement as they prepare for the Premier League.
Cooper is already focused on enhancing Leicester’s set-piece efficiency as they enter the top flight. His tenure at Nottingham Forest underscored the importance of set-pieces, with ten of their 38 goals in the 2022/23 Premier League season coming from such situations. These set-piece goals were crucial in helping his team stay in the league.
Hughes could be the key to boosting Leicester’s set-piece success in the upcoming campaign. His expertise may provide the edge needed to secure valuable points and maintain their Premier League status.
