Norwich City’s new boss Johannes Hoff Thorup has a date with Brentford’s fellow Dane Thomas Frank to get the inside track on English football.
Frank guided the Bees to the Premier League and has kept them there since 2021, which is now his compatriot’s Carrow Road brief.
The 35-year-old was officially unveiled on Friday morning, and revealed Frank will be a sounding board as he prepares for his first season in charge.
Thorup also spoke to former Norwich player Steen Nedergaard, now back working in Denmark.
“It was very natural for me just to reach out to him (Frank) and he's a fantastic, fantastic person,” he said. “He actually phoned me more or less before I contacted him. So that was also natural. And I will have a meeting maybe next week, just discussing everything about culture, country, a family club, the league.
"But he gave me a good impression and Steen of course the same because I think, to be honest, Steen maybe had his best years of his career here in Norwich so he was the right person to reach out to.
“And then other coaches from Denmark with experience from abroad as well - but not specifically the Premier League. Also, not that many Danish managers so far in history have worked in the Premier League and Championship.”
Thorup admitted it was a big call to leave FC Nordsjaelland.
“To be honest, it was tough, it was not easy,” he said. “And of course, my family plays a big part in this as well. It's not only me taking all the decisions, but sometimes I get crazy ideas and they just have to follow. That's also a part of it.
"But of course, it took some discussions and conversations from some people that I know, one of them, you also know Steen Nedergaard, who played here for many seasons, to hear just about the city and the club and everything.
"He has only praise about everything here. So at the end, it was, for me at least, quite an easy decision.
“I'm here because I'm driven by environments, facilities, ambition and finding a place where everything needs to be put together; a clear strategy, a clear plan, a clear structure. Of course it's so important with the results at the weekend, but it's also so much more than only that.
"I had the feeling from day one that the academy plays a huge part of everything being done here. So, overall, that feeling with some fantastic people, great facilities, big ambitions was the key in terms of driving me away from Denmark, and Nordsjaelland.”
Thorup was enticed by the similarities between his new club and his previous one.
“I tried always to find some clubs where they were maybe on the same level as where I came from, because it's so easy to be carried away with some of these clubs with a lot of money,” he said. “I try to find some of these managers where they could actually do something with a little bit less.
"(Maurizio) Sarri when he was in Napoli, was fantastic. (Luciano) Spalletti did fantastic as well. (Erik) Ten Haag at Ajax was doing a fantastic job.
“I like to be inspired. And I try to watch as much as possible to find inspiration, but I tried to find it in these places where they have to do a little bit extra, and they have to do it a little bit different to compete.”
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