Why Norwich City's head coach search should offer hope

Thorup, Will Still and Pascal Jansen have all been of interest to City, with the latter two being handed tours of Colney and travelling to Norfolk for talks last week.

The hope is that Norwich will officially confirm Thorup as their next boss this week once compensation has been thrashed out with Norsjaelland in the coming days. . 

The perception that Norwich were going to unveil a shiny successor to Wagner immediately after parting company with the German was always far-fetched and would have been disrespectful to the outgoing head coach. 

Knapper has been speaking to candidates for a prolonged period with a view to hitting the ground running when the season ended. The conversations with Arsenal coach Carlos Cuesta were widely reported, and Will Still's representatives were also sounded out. 

This wasn't about lining up one candidate for a coronation into the City hot seat but about ensuring the process could commence immediately with a host of coaches already briefed and ready to hold more in-depth conversations when the vacancy opened. 

He didn't just line up one coach - Knapper was readying a host of them. Even though his preference was always to hire Thorup, having held conversations with his camp back dating months. 

Speaking to multiple candidates is normal and healthy, even if you start the process with a preference. It allows for contingency planning and diversity of thought - it can either reinforce that view on one person or alter it completely. 

Even when City hired Wagner, especially given his pre-existing relationship with Stuart Webber, multiple coaches were sounded out. That is normal practice. 

Those close to the process have been impressed by its pace, thoroughness, and mechanics, from the beginning of initial conversations to the more formal talks that have taken place over the last week at Colney and beyond. 

Even down to fine details, such as Norwich ensuring they are well down the road with a work permit application for Thorup whilst speaking to other candidates, allowing that process to be resolved rapidly once cleared. 

It has been professional and, bearing in mind some Championship clubs have been searching for new bosses for months, it has been quick if Norwich do unveil their new head coach within two weeks of pulling the trigger on Wagner's premiership. 

Sunderland are about to hit day 100 of their search for Michael Beale's successor. Plymouth ended a 55-day search by naming Wayne Rooney as Ian Foster's replacement over the weekend. 

It's not just the manner of the process, but the candidates spoken to are interesting. Thorup, Still and Jansen were the three that featured on Knapper's final shortlist - all seen as progressive coaches who play attacking football and are known for youth development. 

Thorup tops the list on Transfer Room, a tool used by professional clubs for transfers and coach identification, for 'Trust in Youth rating' across Europe, which combines the average age of his starting XI, the percentage of minutes given to players under 24, and the number of senior debuts a coach has given.

Pascal Jansen has held talks with Norwich City over the head coach vacancy. (Image: PA Images)

During Jansen's four seasons in charge of AZ Alkmaar, not one of his squads have possessed an average age over 24. He has utilised his background in youth development and progressing young talent to enjoy success in the senior game, including reaching the semi final of the Conference League before being beaten by eventual winners West Ham. 

Even Still at Reims had one squad that was under 24, on average, but that did increase slightly during his final year in charge. His development of young talent helped Reims secure a €10.5m net transfer profit. 

The fact Norwich have been able to attract interest from the calibre of these coaches shows the strength of project Knapper is trying to assemble and the pulling power of the Championship, which is increasingly attractive to coaches abroad.

Thorup, Jansen, and Still are also coaches who employ an attacking, possession-based brand of football—albeit with slightly different variations and nuances. They have also done well with limited resources against rivals with deeper pockets. 

All of those points illustrate that Norwich wanted to recruit a head coach based on a few core objectives - a certain brand of football, a commitment to developing young players, and the ability to outperform a modest set of resources. Thorup, as the preferred candidate, ticks these boxes. 

That consistency of thought is something that has ran through City's recruitment drive for a new head coach. Considering the lurch in style, identity and youth policy of their last three coaches, it makes for a refreshing change. 

Daniel Farke's style was possession-based and focused heavily on the integration of youth. Dean Smith was more of a pragmatist but did believe in young talent. Wagner wanted Norwich to become a more transitional team and opted for more experience. Three different coaches with three very different outlooks. 

There is no right or wrong approach, but Norwich have lurched. That lack of consistency has led to an evaporation of identity and trust from the fanbase as to what is attempting to be delivered. 

Clubs need to pick a style of play, hire a coach to implement it and sign players to execute it - the joined up thinking behind picking a playing method and the imminent arrival of Thorup matches up.

The hire of Thorup suggests selecting a coach based on that desired philosophy, rather than bending it to whoever is in the dugout at that particular time, as has been the case in the last two seasons. 

David Wagner was dismissed hours after a play-off semi final defeat to Leeds United. (Image: David Greaves/Focus Images Ltd)

Knapper's search seemed to contain absolute clarity. It will have been centred heavily on data, and Thorup looks to have been selected to become City's head coach after a rigorous process. 

That explains why coaches like Liam Rosenior, who was sacked by Hull earlier this month, won't be in consideration. Norwich has been working on this appointment for an extensive period, and reacting to someone suddenly becoming available abandons all sense of the process. 

Knapper may still be a figure that many City fans are still awaiting to hear more from - but his actions present a person who is methodical in his work and not kneejerk. He is expected to unveil his vision over the course of the summer. 

Another connection between the three publicly known candidates is that none of them, Thorup, Jansen nor Still, have ever played a single minute as a professional footballer. They are all career coaches. 

All have graduated through youth football. If Norwich would have appointed Still, he would have been the youngest person ever to take charge of a Championship game. 

Enzo Maresca hadn't managed in the Championship before winning the title with Leicester City. (Image: PA Images)

But it's more about the trend—'experience' as a characteristic isn't as highly regarded as it once was by the game's decision-makers.

Those inside the game would point out that Enzo Maresca and Kieran McKenna hadn't managed in the Championship before this season, and they didn't do too badly. Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte haven't been put in the frame for Chelsea or Manchester United jobs, but young, progressive, and process-based coaches have. 

Norwich look set for a head coach and sporting director pairing where neither have been a professional player. That would be quite something. 

A new dawn is upon them with Thorup leading the revolution.