Norwich City: Johannes Hoff Thorup pro-activity a positive

Whether at Norwich City or elsewhere, it almost always goes something like this: the interviewee is asked about fitness, key topics, transfers if in season (and sometimes out of it) and a couple of individual players, before being given the opportunity to extend a series of well-worn platitudes to their upcoming opponents.

If those opponents are genuinely better than the team of the boss in question, there are familiar clichés such as 'everyone can see how good they are' and 'we'll have our work cut out'. 'You have to respect what [opposition coach] has achieved' might come out.

If the interviewee's side are expected to win, you'll likely hear 'every game is tough', 'we won't take anything for granted' or some other version of 'we'll guard against complacency'. It's a formula that fills pages of copy for writers, manages fans' expectations, and largely provides a polite offering of sportsmanship to counterparts (some accidental mishaps and intentional rivalries excepted).

But Johannes Hoff Thorup is not a fan of convention for its own sake, of pretending to have an agenda he doesn't behind the scenes. The Dane is purposefully respectful and courteous, but at this week's press conference he made little secret of his top priority.

Asked directly about the Swans as things edged toward a conclusion, he launched into a detailed explanation of his issues with the Canaries' pressing so far, referencing their weaknesses in the 1-0 win over Coventry two weeks ago. Given a bit more prodding he explained what he liked about Luke Williams' side, but his initial answer provided valuable insight as to how he conducts his business.

The early signs of such a self-focused strategy were there from the very beginning of Thorup's tenure, when he promised to look at attack first, establishing the best way for Norwich to dominate.

His tactics weren't conditional on opposition or decided by context out of his control, they were crafted with the same objectives each week, home or away, rain or shine. Only "the trained eye" would see the differences from match to match, he said, and supporters would be able to recognise what they saw.

In truth, many coaches claim the same, and one of David Wagner's regular iterations was a similar focus on what his players could do rather than anyone else's.

But this latest update on the yellow and green tradition provides the evidence of its creator's claims on the pitch, and regular viewers are already highlighting the consistent themes.

Thorup has stuck to his trademark tactics since being appointed in May (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

Quick passing moves are one of them, and the source of almost all of City's goals so far this term. Contrasting full-backs, one very advanced and one inverted, have been another. An attempt at high pressing has been another persistent feature, even if, as Thorup's original answer suggested, it hasn't quite been mastered yet.

That established identity is one of several benefits aided by the 35-year-old's focus on collective self-improvement, on pro-activity before the strengths of others.

There is, of course, another way to be successful, and many coaches pride themselves on guarding against insularity, on adapting quickly to the circumstances they face. Paul Lambert's chameleonic double promotion side, for example, were good at changing depending on the opponent.

But after more than two years of what many fans labelled reactive setups, one like Thorup's is exactly what they're after. Abolishing the 'Little Norwich' label is about results, but it's also about focusing on internal assets rather than shortcomings and external quality.

That's a significant aim of the new era, and one that goes hand-in-hand with taking control of games. From sporting director Ben Knapper down, the focal point is now on making every fixture about Norwich City.

Breaking briefly from the press conference script was the smallest of steps in that approach, but it was another timely reminder of it.