The Dane had a rising name in European football circles when they came here. Despite the difficulties he has faced both on and off the field during his first tour at Carrow Road, there is no denying his tactical skill and emotional intelligence in shaping a team that is now firmly leaning young.
This month feels like an acceleration of the process that Ben Knapper indicated in one of his first statements upon his hiring as sporting director, excluding the January transfer window exits of Christian Fassnacht, Ashley Barnes, and Grant Hanley. In addition, Matej Jurasek, another young gun, is scheduled to arrive next week.
Lowering the age profile of this squad needed a willing partner, and in Thorup he has an ideological ally. Injuries and unavailability may have acted as an accelerant in recent times, but the underlying shift is remarkable in such short order.
Across the 90 minutes or so of Saturday’s Swansea demolition seven players aged 22 or under got game minutes, with three more unused on the bench. It was eight at Leeds in the previous Championship game, and two unused on the bench.
Lucien Mahovo’s full debut at the weekend was the culmination of that mission statement. Talent alone is never enough. You need a first team head coach committed to providing opportunity.
“It was a big decision, of course, because he is young, and it is his first start in the Championship, and everyone could see that we had to bounce back after two difficult away games, but that’s also who we are, and who we want to be,” said Thorup. “Even if it’s probably not obvious to everyone that we have to play with a young player, we can still, if we feel the timing is right.
“His personality on the pitch is what allows him to take this step. It was also a simple message to him before the game, just go out there and play how you normally do. There will be mistakes, there will be things that you cannot control, but that’s a part of football. We just want to see what you can do with the team.”
But as with the case of big-money signing, Ante Crnac, who arrived off the bench against the Swans to frame the emphatic margin of victory, the skill is when to dip these young players out, as well as in.
“I’m not saying I’m right in all my decisions, but I think for a young player sometimes to step out, not be a part of the starting line up, and then to be able to come is invaluable,” said Thorup. “There’s probably a little bit more space, more chances towards the end than in the start of a football game.
Ante Crnac made his presence felt from the bench in the closing stages of Norwich City’s 5-1 Championship win over Swansea City
“It can create a little bit of a confidence boost for him to get in there and succeed with his actions, score a goal, be close to scoring two goals, providing an assist. That’s also what young players need once in a while, because it is a tough fight more or less all the games that we play, especially the first 60 minutes of a Championship game, before it starts to open up a little bit.
“He’s been on for those first 60 minutes with a lot of starts so far in the season. In an ideal world we could do that a little bit more, so he’s a starter, then he’s in, he’s out, and then he’s a starter again. That is how we want to do it.”
The Norwich model inherited, and now embellished by Knapper, Mark Attanasio and Norfolk Holdings, requires hothousing talent to bolster City’s first team in the shorter term, and to generate potential transfer revenue down the track.
The gap in between is where Thorup has to excel.
Balancing the need for Championship progress – as they chase that stated Premier League aim on the pitch in the seasons ahead – while polishing raw talent sourced either in the academy, or future transfer windows, to generate income.
If you look at teams like Brighton or Brentford, you can see how brilliant they are at managing their roster turnover and continuing to push forward, win games, and accumulate league points—all of which lead to Premier League promotion and sustainability in both situations.
They felt that extensive surgery was necessary to guarantee that City stayed ahead of the curve, as seen by the amount of player turnover since Knapper arrived and later handpicked Thorup. just as they had in 2018–19.
They seem to have a leader in the Dane who is ideal for the significant task.
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