Inside story of Ante Crnac's rise from Poland to City

Eyebrows were raised when the Canaries splashed big money, relative to their spending powers, to bring the 20-year-old to Norfolk after just 12 months with Polish top-flight side Rakow Czestochowa. 

Johannes Hoff Thorup has pleaded for patience as Crnac continues to settle, and his career trajectory suggests that call to arms is for good reason. 

Crnac's move to England is his second outside of Croatia before his 21st birthday. His first in Poland followed a similar theme to how his Norwich spell has began after his big-money move. 

Rakow beat a host of clubs to Crnac's signature in 2023 by presenting a clear development plan that included regular playing time to further refine his all round game. 

Sporting director Robert Graf played a key role in persuading the young Croat to take the risk of moving to Poland, with Rakow committing a fee of £1m to prize him away from Slaven Belupo. 

Similarly to his early weeks at Norwich, Crnac took time to adapt - but there was recognition of his potential throughout that slow start. 

"When someone spends that kind of money in Poland, they expect an immediate impact on the team, and that's not how it works. We knew he was a prospect," Graf told Polish outlet Wezslo.

"In the first week, you couldn't see the quality, but there was a desire. We were getting to know each other. You couldn't see that he cost a million euros and would sweep the league. He was ambitious and calm. Such a normal guy, modest and a bit shy. Not spoiled by the internet. 

"Then he felt confident, and he had a good reception in the locker room, with many players from the Balkans, who brought him up in their own way. From the beginning, they made fun of him; they kept him so he wouldn't fly away with the hype. He approached it very well; he could laugh at himself and someone else, and was very positive."

Rakow assistant boss Dawid Szwarga played a key role in helping Crnac refine his game during his 12-month spell in Poland. 

He explains the obvious strengths in his game and how they sought to improve key elements, which eventually helped him perform consistently in the Ekstraklasa, prompting heavy interest during the recent summer window.

"Controlling the ball with his left foot, dribbling skills, balance, understanding the opponent's positioning. He can dribble to the line and the centre, two directions, but that rarely happens," Szwarga said.

"Very good left foot and very good speed in individual actions. His defensive play was underpar. The header and his presence in the penalty area – were very poor aspects of his game.

"He was humble, but his self-confidence was high on the pitch. He understood that he could build himself with work. Everyone in the team felt that he had great potential. 

"At the staff meeting, we told ourselves that if he scored ten goals, he would leave for ten million euros. Of course, half-jokingly, half-seriously. You could feel that it would be a big transfer. 

Crnac spent 12 months in Poland before joining Norwich City. (Image: Getty)

"He had a very good ability to establish combination play, to play a through ball. He wasn't just good in the penalty area, he had vision of the game and was dangerous between the lines. This is a very important, underrated thing.

"The second thing that you don't notice just by watching the league was what he did in pressing. He was an incredible animal, he ran constantly, he was aggressive, he made contact.

"It was terribly difficult to play against him; this was his very big asset. Being involved in every phase of the game and being comprehensive are ultra-important things to get right abroad."

Bartosz Nowak, who played alongside Crnac at Polish club Rakow last season, has revealed the moment he knew the 20-year-old would depart the club for a significant fee. 

"When he finally got going, comparing him to his peers from the academy, they weren't even close to his awareness, physicality, maturity on the pitch.

"He was ready, and they were young players. You could see who was already a footballer and who was just joining the team. I spoke to Kuba Zubrowski (Polish midfielder) then and told him that Ante would leave for record money. You could feel that he would do it," Nowak said. 

"A left-footed striker, strong, fast, physically good, ready to polish up for his age. Especially since in the case of the Croatians, there are a few more million at stake. 

"I thought he would stay, score a dozen or so goals and then he would be worth tens of millions. It was obvious from the beginning of the season that he already feels like the leader of the team, that he knows how much depends on him." 

Despite a slow start to life in England as he adapts to the challenges of a new country, league and culture, Crnac has shown flashes of his capabilities in the opening portion of his City career. 

Szwarga feels that English football is suited to his aforementioned pressing capabilities and has backed the attacker to come good. 

"Intensity is connected with transitional phases, of which there are a lot in England. If there are 140 transitional phases in a match, it is worth having a player who is dangerous in such phases. Ante is," he said. 

"When he is given some space, he can strike, he is good in the context of movement over the ball, he attacks space, he is fast, good in contact, he will attack space in a shoulder-to-shoulder situation. Such players will be valued all the time."

Ante Crnac is yet to score for Norwich City since his move from Poland. (Image: Andy Sumner/Focus Images Ltd) Crnac's driven nature and determination to improve are both characteristics that fellow Croat and former Rakow colleague Zoran Arsenic believes will help deal with the pressure of a significant price tag. 

"Ante is a really great guy! A lot of young footballers have slightly different life values. He was very aware; he wanted to learn and listen," Arsenic said. 

"He knew that everything he was told was for his own good. When I was young, I didn't understand what people were saying to me. I always thought I was right.

"Ante listened and did everything to be the best he could. He copes with everything very well. He is young and very talented. He made a big transfer and hasn't changed. That's what sets him apart from others."

Norwich will be hoping that history repeats itself and Crnac can discover his swagger in the Championship in coming weeks to convert flashes of promise into real attacking output.