Whether it’s youth development, a distinct playing style, or a clear approach, the more people learn about the highly-regarded 35-year-old, the more the fans’ optimism grows.
The real test will come when the Championship season starts in August, but the signals coming from Carrow Road indicate a new direction led by Thorup and sporting director Ben Knapper, who chose him.
The flames of positivity will only be further fueled by the man who first discovered Thorup as a young coach in Denmark. He offered Thorup the chance to move to Nordsjaelland from AB at 26 years old, impressed by his mannerisms and methodology as an opposing coach.
“I was the one who identified him nine years ago,” Riget told Sky Sports. “You could see that he was a talented coach. He communicated very clearly on the sideline and was adept at adapting during the various games we played against them.”
“Taking the step from AB to Nordsjaelland was uncertain because it would have been a very rapid progression for him. He was unsure what to do. But joining an environment here and having mentors to learn from was a crucial step.
“He has always been a communicator. There is never any doubt when he is running a session; even with the staff, he provides a very clear direction in terms of what he wants. He is well-prepared and has a clear idea of his leadership and style of play.”
Much has been said and written about Thorup’s playing style, something City analyzed in painstaking detail before intensifying their pursuit of him this summer.
Riget has witnessed firsthand how Thorup has built and developed this style over several years, establishing relationships with players that are crucial to its success.
As Thorup seeks to replicate this process at Norwich in the early stages of his tenure, Riget believes his foundation at Nordsjaelland will be invaluable.
“I think we have also done something that will prepare him well for Norwich, working with other cultures. That will also be important for him there,” Riget said.
“Like myself when I started, he was privileged to have some of the best football brains in Denmark around him. Flemming Pedersen, Kasper Hjulmand (the current national team coach), and others. This has undoubtedly helped him become a much better coach.
“It’s about giving young players the opportunity to fulfill their potential. Johannes has been an excellent representative of that strategy. If Norwich wants a coach for the younger players, they have found the right one because he has demonstrated that he can do it.”
“We are the team in Denmark with the most possession, and Johannes, as head coach, has been instrumental in ensuring that we not only keep the ball but also score goals.
“An offensive style of play, that is what he stands for. It’s about attractive football and entertaining the spectators.
“Tempo, too. Playing a fast-paced game. When you look at how quickly we can transition from building up through pressure to creating a chance, playing courageous, exciting football. In Europe, we kept playing that way, trusting in our game. That is Johannes.
“It sounds like he is the perfect everything! He has left, but I still trust him. He will be a success at Norwich, for sure.”
At Thorup’s official unveiling alongside Knapper, the pair spoke enthusiastically about the importance of pathways.
The Dane graduated from an organization that has adopted this as a key pillar of its approach while balancing it with utilizing players of different profiles.
“Another thing that highlights something important about Johannes is that some players who were sold have returned to Nordsjaelland on loan deals,” Riget said.
“This is a small club in Denmark, but you are working with world-class talent. One of the reasons they returned is because Johannes was the coach. He excels at building relationships with players, not only about football but also about preparing them for life.”
“When we played against Fenerbahce, we had nine academy graduates in the starting XI. Many organizations aim to bring in young players, but it’s another thing to do it when times are tough.”
“In his first season as a coach, we were having some difficulties with results. Not because of him but because we were playing very young players. But we kept to our strategy. For many years now, we have played with the youngest players.
“When you are working with younger players, they can be inconsistent. But I also think it makes a lot of sense as a strategy. That is the reason why we can attract quality players and people to this organisation. We are unique in the way we are doing things.”
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