Durham calls for emergency board meeting as Clement’s VAR rant backfires

Jose Cordoba was dismissed in the second half as Norwich City, the Canaries, suffered a 3-0 defeat at Millwall’s Den on Saturday, extending their nightmare start and prompting Adrian Durham of the EFL to demand an emergency board meeting and the sacking of manager Philippe Clement.

Durham calls for emergency board meeting

Adrian Durham urged Norwich to sack Philippe Clement after the Belgian’s “pathetic” rant about VAR, saying the manager should no longer be in charge. Clement had delivered a seven‑minute monologue listing all 71 countries that use VAR, even reading the list aloud. Getty reported that the rant came a day before the clash with Millwall, and Durham labelled it “absolutely pathetic”.

Canaries endure 3-0 defeat at the Den

Millwall put the Canaries to the sword with a Tairyk Arconte double, while Luke Cundle’s late goal made it two defeats from two for Norwich in the Championship. The side were reduced to ten men after Jose Cordoba was sent off in the second half, and the loss left them with no points on the board.

The defeat leaves Norwich 23rd in the Championship, with only Southampton below them thanks to a four‑point deduction.

Norwich’s drubbing followed a week‑old opening‑day loss to Blackburn, which was marred by a handball goal that led to a two‑game ban for Aune Heggebo after the EFL deemed it “successful deception of a match official”. The incident sparked calls for VAR to be introduced.

Reacting on air, Durham said: “Absolutely pathetic rant about VAR – should have led to an emergency board meeting at Norwich and he should no longer the manager, but that’s just my opinion.”

Clement took over at Norwich in November 2025, nine months after his sacking by Rangers, and guided the side to a ninth‑place finish last term. The Canaries were tipped for a play‑off push before the season began, but the manager’s main focus now is to earn points and escape the relegation zone.