Thorup Outlines Strategy for Norwich’s Premier League Ambitions

Johannes Hoff Thorup expressed a desire for an additional 100 training sessions to aid his efforts in guiding Norwich out of the Championship, a league he views as less tactical than his previous role in Denmark. The 35-year-old assumed the managerial position at Carrow Road, succeeding David Wagner, after advancing through the coaching ranks at Nordsjaelland. The Canaries, currently affected by injuries, had not secured a victory in six league matches leading up to the international break. Thorup informed BBC’s Football Focus that he would appreciate more time to work with his players on implementing his distinct style. He believes this would enhance their prospects of remaining in the Premier League should they achieve promotion. “I 100% appreciate and respect if it’s a little difficult for people to see (at present), hopefully it will be a lot clearer in six, eight or 10 months’ time,” he stated. He further elaborated on his vision, saying, “We try to create a foundation where the players are young, so we can build them up in the way we want to play, so when we go up, hopefully in a couple of years, we can compete in another way than only buying players. If you go that direction you will always lose the fight. There will always be clubs with better finances than us. We have to create something a bit different.” Thorup additionally characterized the Championship as “crazy.” “If you gave me 100 training sessions without any games in between I would take them on the spot, because that’s what we need,” he remarked. He acknowledged the challenge, stating, “We have to build something while we also have to perform on a weekly basis, which is difficult. We have to find the right balance. It will take time.” Prior to his relocation to the UK, Thorup consulted with fellow Dane Thomas Frank, who manages Brentford. “We tried to get all the information possible but also the culture,” he explained. He concluded by noting, “It’s not that different from Denmark, there are many similarities but of course there are differences, the league is completely different.”