Christian Fassnacht Acknowledges Strained Relationship with Wagner Played a Part in His Norwich City Demise.

Christian Fassnacht has admitted that a breakdown in his relationship with David Wagner played a significant role in his departure from Norwich City.

The German coach was instrumental in bringing Fassnacht to Carrow Road in the summer of 2023, having previously worked with him during his tenure at Swiss club Young Boys. However, the winger eventually found himself on the fringes of the squad and returned to Bern just 18 months after his arrival in England.

Reflecting on his time under Wagner, Fassnacht revealed that a shift in their professional relationship contributed to his struggles, even though he still holds his former coach in high regard on a personal level.

“I really appreciated my time with Dave and him as a person anyway,” Fassnacht said. “But at some point, the moment came when something broke in the coach/player relationship and I was glad that something new was coming.

“I showed that I was there, that the little Swiss can do something after all. It started very well in general. I scored a goal in the very first test match. Looking back, that’s the confusing thing for me: the start was perfect, and then suddenly there was a negative cut.”

The 31-year-old also pointed to his reserved nature as a factor in his difficulties adapting to English football. While he values the lessons learned during his time with Norwich City, he acknowledged the challenges he faced due to his personality.

“It’s like that: Nobody was waiting for the little Swiss boy, and as a Swiss, you might have a little more difficulty,” he said, speaking to blue Sport. “You’re the nice Swiss, you come from a small country. That makes business abroad tough as nails.

“I’m probably a bit of a picture-book Swiss in that respect; you perform first before you open your mouth. Sometimes it would be better to be a bit more brash, but that’s my personality. Even in private, I’m not the one who says: ‘Hey, here I am now, listen to me, I’m the boss.'”

Despite the challenges, Fassnacht remains positive about his overall experience in England, emphasizing his growth as both a player and a person.

“But I learned a lot and was able to develop further. When you look back on everything you realise: I played 50 competitive games, scored goals, we only just missed out on promotion in the play-offs, I was a regular for a long time. I think failure is different.”

Now back with Young Boys, Fassnacht looks to apply those lessons as he resumes his career in familiar surroundings.

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