P.J. Davitt's Blog

Cleverley accuses City of ‘dark arts’

Tom Cleverley accused Norwich City players of the ‘dark arts’ in a 1-0 Championship defeat for his 10-player Watford.

Josh Sargent’s first half strike sealed the points at Vicarage Road in a tetchy affair that saw Vakoun Bayo red-carded for lashing out at Emi Marcondes.

The Hornets were adamant they should have had a first half penalty, when Angus Gunn dived at the feet of Giorgi Chakvetadze, but referee Smith awarded a goal kick.

Cleverley pulled no punches in his post-match media, claiming Gunn feigned injury when he stayed down after his collision with the Watford attacker.

The under-pressure Watford boss also insisted they would successfully overturn Bayo’s red card on appeal, and singled out Marcondes play-acting ‘antics’ along with his City team mates.

“Unfortunately, the referee has been played. I thought Norwich were good at the dark arts today,” he said. “Every time someone made contact with one of their players, they threw themselves to the ground, and we just didn’t have an experienced enough referee to understand that.

 

“So I’m disappointed from that perspective. One, in in how some of their players are throwing themselves to the ground. And two, that we just thought we didn’t have a referee who understood the game well enough.

“Listen I can’t justify Bayo’s reaction. He knows that he’s let his team mates down. He’s pushed Marcondes with the palm of his hand in his chest, and it’s a disappointing reaction from Marcondes. I think if you counted the amount of times he threw himself to the floor today, you’d have a decent tally.

“The referee said to me at half time, ‘He’s elbowed him in the throat’, and we’ve looked at the footage back and he’s palmed him in the chest. If you’re going to make a big, significant decision like that you have to be sure. He’s seen something that hasn’t happened, and for a referee, that is disappointing.

“If you see the angle of the incident that I’ve seen it will be overturned.

“Obviously we have to wait for the period of time now to pass (before speaking to the officials). I will speak to him calmly and respectfully and probably give him a bit of advice on how he can get better.

“You have to know your players before you officiate a game. Marcondes is a kind of player who will do those sort of things, and it’s disappointing, but I’m living and learning in my (coaching) career and I’m sure he will do the same.

“They are a team who do that very well, every time there is a contact they throw themselves to the ground. I’m not saying that’s wrong. They’ve had great success doing it today. So that I’m not saying that’s wrong. But the referees have got to start understanding that. And it was really poor that he’s been sold today.

“(What about the Gunn penalty incident?) For me, that one’s a 50:50 and you know, I’m always honest. I am absolutely fuming with the red card, but the penalty is a 50:50 for me. He’s come out in a very high velocity way. It’s really close.

“Who makes the first contact? I think Gunn’s reaction, pretending he’s hurt, tells you all you need to know.”

Matej Jurasek completes Slavia Prague transfer

Norwich City have completed a deal for Slavia Prague’s Matej Jurasek for an undisclosed fee – but the 21-year-old will not be available until after the current transfer window.

Jurasek penned a five-and-a-half year Carrow Road deal in a £5.8m package, and the Canaries’ headline January signing will wear the number 10 shirt.

But under the post-Brexit rules on player movement for English clubs targeting overseas talent City are unable to register the Czechia international until February 3.

Jurasek completed his medical and agreed personal terms on a flying visit to England earlier this week, but has now returned to his homeland.

The attacker is not eligible for a GBE (Governing Body Endorsement) to obtain a UK work permit, and City have filled their four Elite Significant Contribution (ESC) slots – a tweak to the original rules on player movement agreed by the football authorities and the Home Office since 2020 – to recruit Jose Cordoba, Oscar Schwartau, Amankwah Forson and Ante Crnac.

 

However, Crnac has now definitely reached the threshold of minutes in a Norwich shirt to be registered for a GBE immediately after the current January window closes – freeing up an ESC place for Jurasek.

City opted to complete a deal for a long time target rather than potentially risk losing out in the summer.

Jurasek was previously linked with Stuttgart, Union Berlin and Atalanta, while Belgian Champions League outfit Club Brugge were believed to be tracking him.

The left-footed wide player made 91 appearances in all competitions for Czechia league leaders Slavia, who are currently on a mid-winter domestic break.

He also featured for his country at last summer’s Euros and has European club competition experience this season.

Jurasek, who operates on the right flank, becomes City’s second permanent signing of this window, after the Canaries triggered a buy option in the loan for Anis Ben Slimane from Sheffield United.

Lewis Dobbin has also arrived on loan until the end of the season from Aston Villa, with fellow winger Kaide Gordon returning to Liverpool.

“I’m really excited to be here. I think I will improve myself with the help of the coaches and my team mates and I hope to make a real contribution to the club,” said Jurasek, quoted on the club’s official site.

“I like the stadium and the training ground and have heard good things about the area, so I am very happy.”

Sporting director, Ben Knapper, revealed Jurasek had been a long term target.

“We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Matej to Norwich City,” he added. “He’s a player that we have followed for a considerable time, so we’re very pleased to finally get this deal over the line.

“He’s an exciting player and a huge talent that we feel is a great fit for us, with a very high ceiling. For a young player, he already has a lot of experience in both domestic, European, and international football.

“We’re excited to have him join up with us in the coming days and we’re sure that we can go on a great journey together with him.”

Jurasek left Slavia’s mid-winter training camp in Marbella to seal a Norwich switch.

“Something nice ends, something new begins. I am very much looking forward to a new challenge, I need to play, collect minutes. I believe that Norwich will be a good address for me, a great life experience,” he told Slavia’s site in his final interview for the club.

Sainz FA ban confirmed for Sunderland spitting

Borja Sainz has issued an apology after the FA confirmed he will miss six Norwich City games after a spitting incident in the Championship defeat to Sunderland.

An independent regulatory body imposed the sanction, which was confirmed on Friday and will take effect immediately, starting with Saturday’s FA Cup third-round home tie to Brighton. The City winger also received a £12,000 fine.

City have no plans to contest the ruling that sees the 23-year-old also miss the testing league trips to Sheffield United and Leeds this month, along with home games against Swansea and Derby and a trip to Watford.

Sainz would be available to return for Johannes Hoff Thorup’s squad at home to Preston on February 11.

He has issued an apology via the club’s channels, writing: “Following today’s announcement from the FA, I want to take this opportunity to issue a sincere and public apology for my actions during our game against Sunderland.

 

“Spitting at an opponent is completely out of character for me, and my reaction in that moment was unacceptable. I deeply regret my actions and take full responsibility.

“I want to apologise directly to the opposing player, Chris Mepham, for my behaviour. Additionally, I extend my apologies to my team mates, our coaching staff and our fans. I am deeply disappointed in myself and for letting all of you down through my conduct.

“While I am saddened to miss the upcoming games, I will use this time to reflect, learn and refocus, so that I can return stronger and continue contributing to the team for the rest of the season. Thank you for your understanding and support. Borja.”

The Championship’s 15-goal top scorer was charged last week, with City officials providing their observations which were then considered by an independent regulatory body.

The original charge read: ‘Norwich City’s Borja Sainz has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E1.1 following their EFL Championship match against Sunderland on Saturday, December 21, 2024.

‘It is alleged that the forward committed the sending off offence of spitting at an opponent during the 74th minute.’

Sainz is the third City player to be charged by the FA this season after Kenny McLean was hit with a retrospective four-game ban for an incident unseen by the match officials in the 3-0 Championship defeat at QPR on December 7.

That game also saw Angus Gunn charged with misconduct and fined £4,500, but escaping any ban, after admitting he behaved in an improper manner during half-time of that league fixture. Gunn kicked the officials’ electronic substitutes’ board at Loftus Road.

Thorup on McLean FA ban before Portsmouth

Johannes Hoff Thorup believes the FA’s retrospective four-game ban for Norwich City midfielder Kenny McLean will set a dangerous precedent.

Thorup was left stunned by McLean’s second lengthy suspension, which was delivered hours before Tuesday’s 0-0 Championship draw at Portsmouth.

The Scot was charge with violent conduct, and City’s subsequent appeal rejected, for an incident in the first half of Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at QPR, which was not spotted by the match officials.

The FA acted on video footage to impose a three-game sanction, upgraded to an additional fourth game due to McLean’s recent red card against Middlesbrough.

“Everyone is disappointed with how this how gone, and everyone is disappointed with the professionalism being shown in a league where we spend so many hours to be at our best and prepare players and make sure that we deliver the best possible show for travelling fans as well,” said Thorup, who revealed he was only informed of the decision at 3pm. “And then things like this should not be able to happen on a game day.

 

“I cannot go into detail, you know the rules, and you know now ‘Big Brother’ is watching, so I need to be careful. That’s how it is. But I think it’s impressive that we come away with a suspension based on what happened in that game.

“We even spoke to someone from the department that takes care of the referees after the game, where they also accepted that that was probably not their best game.

“I’ve never had anything like that in my career. I will have to go through every Championship game to clearly find incidents in all the games.

“And of course, we need to appeal them. I’ve never seen anything like this, but they opened the door for a new strategy, a new way of working, and a new competition for us, because I expect that the same will happen to all the other teams. Otherwise, we don’t compete on equal terms.

“So I’m looking forward to what we can expect on Sunday (against Burnley), probably the team that we prepare, that we play against, will be different, because the FA will look at possible suspensions, and it will be the case for the rest of the season now the FA have decided this is the way to go.

“They have opened the door where they can possibly go back in time and then take decisions like that, and even on game days, they can present the news to the team. A whole new world for us. So I’m looking forward to go back and watching all the Championship games tonight and tomorrow, and then find out how many suspensions there will be between now and the weekend.

“I don’t think I give away too much of our preparation if I say that Kenny was a part of our preparation, but at 3pm we needed to change that, and we needed to change the line up, and of course bring a player in Marcelino (Nunez) onto the pitch, which was not ideal for us because he struggled with an injury, and not ideal for him to play another game so close to Saturday’s game. So we also put that at risk.

“It’s not the way that I’m used to working in the federations I’ve been a part of, and it goes from the Danish one to Uefa. It’s a new world for me, and I cannot do anything else than except that’s probably how it is. But I think it’s a surprise to everyone working within professional football.”

Norwich City 4-0 Hull: Paddy Davitt Championship pointers

Paddy Davitt delivers his Hull verdict after Norwich City’s emphatic Championship cruise.

1. Something’s cooking

Another Saturday lunchtime goal fest for Norwich City fans to gorge on after previous victories against Watford and on the road at Derby County. This is the type of over-indulgence you want more of.

The ‘oles’ were rolling around Carrow Road in the final stages when the job was complete, and fresh evidence of Johannes Hoff Thorup’s pleasing on the eye football and astute tactical brain.

The Canaries’ goal glut relegated Josh Sargent’s second half penalty miss to an irritating inconvenience, rather than an episode which had any lasting bearing on the outcome. Not forgetting Angus Gunn did not return for the second half, after what his boss confirmed afterwards was some rib pain from taking a cross late in the first half.

More assists and goals for the American and Borja Sainz. A first career league goal for Liverpool loanee Kaide Gordon to mark his 20th birthday. A 10-point haul from 15 available between the last international pause and the next one and now a frustrating halt to a domestic season which is picking up speed.

But a chance for Thorup and his coaching staff to reflect, sift out plenty of good, and address the negative areas that may lay the groundwork to move through the gears, and firmly into the Championship promotion picture as City begin the long run to Christmas.

2. SAS

Sargent and Sainz are posting numbers that might have the statisticians running for cover if they stay fit, healthy and the focal point of this fluid attacking strategy shaped by Thorup.

Sargent slotted Sainz’s cut back for his seventh goal contribution in nine league games, while Sainz added a pair of assists and the fourth home goal to his personal tally, which stands at nine goal contributions in nine.

The Spaniard may have felt an added urgency to nudge the dial, and shift the focus from his rather extravagant attempt at 0-0 to lob the ball over Ivor Pandur, when perhaps a finish more akin to his unerringly accurate slot against Watford at home recently was in order.

Thorup thrust his hands to his head at the impudence, and maybe the imprecision. But that is Sainz. As he demonstrated when he later executed the lob for Norwich’s fourth over the stranded Pandur.

An off-the-cuff young footballer who has all the tools to play higher than the English Championship.

While if Sargent continues in this vein it will not only be firm interest he attracts from the MLS in January. That is the downside of two players posting headline-grabbing numbers. But that is for another day. Albeit he might struggle to rest his head on the pillow thinking about that second half penalty slammed against a foot of a post.

Thorup pertinently flagged Sargent’s selflessness at Derby, when he served up a hat-trick sealing goal for Sainz.

The Dane said such an act would be reciprocated by grateful team mates. There might be a friendly personal duel developing, but the main beneficiaries are City’s fan base watching two clinical operators in their midst.

3. Home comforts

City’s unbeaten home record now stands at 23 matches in all competitions. Or one month shy of a calendar year. Not all that long ago attendance at Carrow Road was more like an act of devotion, one where plenty of supporters had to muster the enthusiasm to watch a brand of football far removed from the current entertainment.

Worth pointing out Thorup’s predecessor, David Wagner, should share some reflective kudos from that prolonged unbeaten spell, but there is a marked contrast in the feel and the feeling a home matchday now must engender among the fan base.

With 42 minutes gone in the first half against Hull a spontaneous volley of applause rippled around the home stands, to greet a move that had actually broken down when Marcelino Nunez tried to find Sainz.

But it was yet one more incisive, intuitive counter sparked by Shane Duffy and Jose Cordoba feeding Kenny McLean, who then found the unmarked Callum Doyle to play a one two with Sargent prior to releasing the Chilean. It was flowing football in the gorgeous autumnal sunshine.

Thorup will be the first to remind any who care to listen this remains a process pockmarked with inconsistencies from game to game, and again on this offering even within each half as Hull probed in mini spells.

But as the old footballing cliché goes, home form is a staple of any side with ambitions to chase promotion. Long may it continue.

4. Disrespect

It could have been you. What’s the score? Norwich reject. Those were the publishable barbs directed at Abu Kamara, when he emerged early in the second half to warm up on his swift return, after a transfer request paved the way for a deadline day switch to Norwich’s Championship rivals.

When he was finally introduced from the bench in the 72nd minute, it was to a cacophony of boos and cat calls. His first act was to chase a ball into the channel Kellen Fisher intercepted with a sliding block greeted almost as loudly as the home goals.

Kamara’s joy at serving up an assist for Joao Pedro was short-lived, when the official rightly spotted Pedro had guided the cross home with his extended arm. After Sainz had made it 4-0, Kamara was again asked did he know the score.

Thorup optimistically called for ‘respect’ to be afforded the youngster on Friday, who was developed in City’s academy but after an impressive League One title-winning loan stint at Portsmouth, clearly felt his future lay elsewhere.

Kamara was again named among the Tigers’ substitutes on his first reunion, which inevitably begs the question why he opted to leave Carrow Road if in the short term he is still in a holding pattern when it comes to game time?

That can change quickly, and there is no doubt a Fratton Park stint showcased his talents. Thorup was always at pains to insist the 21-year-old was a player he liked, and felt could be integrated into his plans.

Now his future career path will be a source of fascination, rather than pride in these parts at a homegrown talent who felt he wanted a new home.

Croatian striker Ante Crnac signs for Norwich City

Norwich City have completed the signing of Croatian attacker Ante Crnac.

The highly-rated 20-year-old has joined in a deal for an undisclosed fee, believed to be worth £8.5m plus add-ons, from Polish side Rakow Częstochowa and has signed a four year contract at Carrow Road. With a further one year option.

City confirmed his arrival on Thursday night, with Crnac expected to be registered in time for the Canaries next Championship game against Sheffield United at Carrow Road on Saturday.

The arrival of the Croatian Under-21 international ends City’s pursuit of a striking replacement after losing Adam Idah on a permanent basis, following his £8.5m return to Scottish champions Celtic earlier this month.

Crnac is City’s fifth addition of the summer transfer window, following Jose Cordoba, Ben Chrisene, Callum Doyle and Amankwah Forson.

“I cannot describe how excited I am and I can’t wait to get on the pitch and play,” Crnac said, speaking to the club’s official site.

 

“The club showed me a plan of how they see me, how they want to develop me. I really like that idea and we all decided, my family and I, that it seems like a perfect step for me.

“It has been a busy few days. But that is the life of football players and we need to get used to that. Of course I followed the Premier League but I also watched some games of the Championship and I know it is a pretty strong league. One of the strongest.

“I think I play best when I can drop between the lines and face the goal. I like to have the ball at my feet, but also I like to shoot and score goals and provide assists.”

City sporting director Ben Knapper added: “Ante is a very exciting talent, and someone we have been tracking for some time.

“He is a young player who will need time to adapt to his new surroundings, team-mates and style of play, but we believe he can have success here in both the medium and long term. He is a real asset that we feel we can develop into a player for the highest level.

“We’re delighted to be able to welcome him to the club and are excited to see how he can progress, improve and help the team.”

Their pursuit of the Croatian intensified after an issue in the medical scuppered a permanent move for Rennes forward Bergot Yildirim last week despite the deal being at an advanced stage.

City then turned their attentions to Crnac, who can play across the forward line. He will bolster a striking stable that contains Josh Sargent, Ashley Barnes and young Ken Aboh.

Crnac began his career at Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb before moving to Slaven Belupo, where he netted 11 goals in 56 appearances. A transfer to Poland followed, where the youngster has blossomed in the Ekstraklasa with his all-round performances.

The Croatian is understood to be taking one of City’s ESC (Elite Significant Contribution) slots that enables them to sign a certain amount of players from overseas without the need of a work permit following alterations to rules post-Brexit.

The 20-year-old will become City’s second ever player born in Croatia to represent the club following Drazen Muzinic in the 1980s.

Norwich are also in advanced negotiations for Danish Under-19 international Oscar Schwartau.

The teenager has headed to England to undergo a medical and finalise personal terms after Norwich thrashed out a reported £2.1m deal with Brondby for the youngster.

Adam Idah completes permanent Celtic return from Norwich

Adam Idah has completed his permanent return to Scottish champions Celtic.

The Irishman departs Norwich City after seven years to join Brendan Rodgers’ men in an initial deal worth £8.5m plus a further £1m in add-ons. The Canaries have also inserted a sell on clause of 15pc into the deal.

Idah has signed a long-term contract at Celtic Park and is City’s second high-profile departure after Gabriel Sara joined Galatasaray earlier this summer.

The striker made 116 appearances for Norwich, mostly from the bench, scoring on 17 occasions including memorable late strikes against Hull and Bristol City last year.

Speaking about his departure, sporting director Ben Knapper told City’s channels: “Adam leaves with our very best wishes. He has a great opportunity at Celtic to continue his progression.

“The academy staff have taken great pride in seeing Adam develop from a youth team player into the senior squad, and going on to become a full international with the Republic of Ireland. So many people here played a part in his journey, and he and everyone should be really proud of that.

 

“Everyone at Norwich City wishes Adam the very best for the future.”

The striker has made little secret of his desire to return to his boyhood club after a successful loan posting there in the second half of the campaign and is delighted to fulfil his desire of becoming a permanent player at Celtic.

“I think everyone knew where I wanted to be. It’s amazing for me and I’m delighted to be back,” Idah told Celtic’s official channels.

“Within the first couple of days of being here when I came on loan first time, I wanted to play for Celtic.

“It was amazing to get all of those goals and to be in with the boys and to see these amazing fans week in, week out was unbelievable.

“I’ve never experienced anything like it and I’m just so happy to be back.

“I always wanted to play for Celtic and obviously last season was amazing. To come here now and be fully a part of the team and a part of this club is amazing to me.

“Everyone back home, all my family and friends, they all wanted me to come back to Celtic, myself included, so it’s massive and I’m just so happy to be here.”

Those sentiments are shared by Celtic boss Rodgers, who praised the hierarchy for striking a deal with the Canaries to enable Idah to return permanently.

“We are delighted to welcome Adam back to Celtic on a permanent basis and we are so pleased that he has agreed this new five-year contract with the club.

“The club has done brilliantly to secure this long-term deal. We are investing in a player of real quality who will be crucial for us over the next few years.

“He is a player who already has given us so much, performing fantastically for us on loan and really delivering for the club and our fans last season.

“Adam has fantastic attributes and he is a dynamic, hungry, committed player who can make a real difference.

“Really importantly, Adam feels at home at Celtic, he has a love and passion for the club and I know he will be giving everything to once again bring our fans success.”

Thorup on Jon Rowe no show at Oxford

Johannes Hoff Thorup plans crunch talks with Jon Rowe after he declined to play for Norwich City in their 2-0 Championship defeat to Oxford, due to transfer window distractions around his future.

Rowe has attracted interest from Marseille, but the French club’s opening offer is believed to be well below City’s valuation for their England Under-21 international.

The winger was part of the travelling squad, and expected to be in the line up for Saturday’s opening day defeat, until he informed head coach Thorup earlier in the day he was not in the right frame of mind to play.

The Dane confirmed afterwards he expects to hold talks with Rowe, and sporting director Ben Knapper, as soon as Sunday.

This was a transcript of Thorup’s post-match reaction

“The next plan is that him and I and also Ben needs to have a conversation about what happened today and how can we help him continue moving forward. As I said in Austria, sometimes things like this happens, and it’s for us to find the best possible solution and then start working forward.

“But most of it will be internally between the two or three guys of us.

“You need to prepare for more or less everything when the transfer window is open. That’s a part of the game, and as long as the season is started while the window is open as well, you have to be prepared, and you have to be able to react. It’s not ideal.

“If I was a team mate, I will not be happy about the situation. But that’s how it is. We have to deal with it, and we’ll find a solution.

“(Have you experienced that before on the eve of a game?) Not particularly that. But of course, I come from a club where we also used to sell a lot of players, and where a transfer window could be quite hectic.

“I’ve seen plenty of things in my career as a coach, and I know the only response to that is to take it as easy as possible, and just focus on the players that are about to perform in the game. That’s the only thing that really matters for me.

“(Has he been badly advised?) I have no idea. It was his decision. It was his words. I respected him. That’s how it is. And I just needed, as the coach, to focus on players that were actually ready to play and ready to perform. That has been my focus for the day. And then, of course, like I said, we will see tomorrow how we deal with it internally and what we do going forward.

“Of course it should not happen. What’s important for us is to build the environment, build the culture. And we should not have a culture where something like that is accepted.

“(Is there a way back for him?) There will always be, and it’s just a matter of behaviour and how the players respond to this. Of course, it’s a situation that should not happen, but you can never know what happens tomorrow.

“We can have a good conversation, and we can have a not so good conversation, you never know. What’s important for me is that I look at this group and we have to build a strong culture.

“We have to build an environment based on players that have the desire to perform for Norwich, wherever we play, because that’s important, and also for everyone around to respect that it is important that a club cannot be run by too many players.

“Not ones where they have ambitions to go somewhere else in the middle of a game day. We have to build that culture. We have to build that environment. Because it needs to be even stronger. That’s where my focus is.”

Gabby Sara completes Galatasaray transfer move

Gabby Sara has completed his move from Norwich City to Turkish champions Galatasaray.

The 25-year-old signed a five year deal for what Gala tweeted to their 15.2m followers on Sunday night was an €18m fee, excluding add ons and bonuses.

Sara’s annual salary will be €2.75m net over the course of his contract. The Canaries confirmed the midfielder had departed for an undisclosed fee, believed to be a club record for the Istanbul giants.

City have negotiated bonuses and player and club performance add ons along with a sell on fee. Former club Sao Paulo are due a percentage of the transfer from the sell on fee they inserted when Sara moved to England.

The playmaker sat out City’s 3-1 friendly defeat to St Pauli on Saturday before boarding a plane for Turkey. Gala officials had flown into Norfolk on Friday to conclude negotiations for the Brazilian midfielder.

 

Norwich head coach, Johannes Hoff Thorup, confirmed Sara’s exit was close after his squad’s pre-season finale at Carrow Road.

”First of all we should be proud that we have developed a player here to this level in his career,” he said. “Also when we create these type of stories it helps to create the next ones that we can hopefully bring to this club to show them if you can perform in a good league at a good club then you are ready to take the next step.

“I think it’s obvious for everyone, of course, when we leave a player with his abilities out of the squad for a game because it’s getting close. It will not be ideal for us to play him with his head maybe being not somewhere else, but with a difficult decision to take.

“So it was an easy decision for us to take to leave him out. That’s a part of the game and if it will be a transfer for him, then it’s more than well deserved.”

Sara joined from Sao Paulo in 2022, making 96 appearances and winning the club’s player-of-the-year in 2023 before his 25 goal contributions in 46 Championship appearances last season played a major part in the club finishing inside the top six.

The midfielder is believed to have attracted interest from two Premier League clubs and two Serie A clubs this summer before opting for a move to Turkey and the chance of Champions League football this coming season.

Pinkun podcast exclusive chat with Glen Riddersholm

Glen Riddersholm has developed over 100 international footballers, is a Superliga champion as a head coach in Denmark and is now working alongside Johannes Hoff Thorup in Norwich City’s bold new era.

It is a CV that caught the eye of City fans when news of his arrival surfaced, and Riddersholm has shown throughout his career that he is a builder of football institutions. It is that passion that fuels his work.

Already in the inner sanctum, Riddersholm is a liked and trusted voice. He has taken a role much closer to the playing squad, whilst Thorup takes on a more authoritative position from distance.

When he arrived, the main questions on the lips of supporters were ‘why Norwich?’ and ‘why as an assistant head coach rather than the number one?’. They are points Riddersholm answered in depth on an exclusive Pink Un podcast episode in Austria.

“I totally understand [those] thinking and wondering about it. To understand it, you have to understand me,” Riddersholm said. “For me, status is nothing. I am not driven about that.

“I’m driven about meeting in a shared ambition with other people and being surrounded by good human beings that can be human beings together in a tough business. Then, when we go out of the door, we are very professional and ambitious.

“To be honest, after the Norrköping time, I thought it was difficult to find that. I am not a believer in the things that you see in modern football today. A lot of clubs hire coaches, then sack them. All that money is wasted. We need to be more professional in football and better at finding a philosophy, a style of play that isn’t dependant on who is the head coach or sporting director.

“Then the money will stay, and it can be spent on the academy and stuff like that. I believe in that because I have come from that culture for 16 years.

“After Midtjylland, I have only said yes to projects. I’ve only committed myself to projects. Not the big names or status. I want to be part of something here that wants to go [higher]. When you look in the landscape around professional football, everything is about money, winning and all that.

“If you look at my resume, I want to win and develop top players. But in the six months I had between jobs, I had a lot of meetings with people who I know in the football business about whether these projects exist or am I naive? Because I still believe in them.”

That answer was provided when a phone call inviting talks over a position alongside Thorup at Norwich began.

The move was constructed by Thorup’s agency in partnership with Ben Knapper, who felt a more experienced hand would complement City’s young boss and equip him with more knowledge ahead of stepping into the unforgiving nature of the Championship.

But, after previous experiences, Riddersholm’s answer was neither straightforward nor instant – but after time, it proved itself to be the opportunity the experienced Dane had been searching for.

“It sounded almost too much to be true, so I was a little bit sceptical,” Riddersholm told the Pink Un. “You need to be [sceptical] because in football, like my last job, everything can sound good and then it’s not like you expected.

“I met Johannes – we spoke a lot – I spoke to my agent and I had a good feeling but also a little bit of doubt. Not because of my job description, but because in football I’ve also been unlucky with ownership. This is also important.

“Then I had a meeting with Ben [Knapper] and Neil [Adams], now I was almost convinced. Then, when we went at the end of May to Colney, when I stepped in, I got this really good feeling that I have been hunting almost since I left Midtjylland. It’s a family environment but also very ambitious.

“All my football life has been about something that is bigger than me and reaches out to a community where we can together share a dream and an ambition to promote. But not just to promote, also to really stay in the Premier League.

“That’s the culture, the daily work, my ambition and the driver that Johannes has, that I have and that we share with everyone else in Norwich. Now I’ve been there meeting some people, we are doing a great job. It will take time but we are committed.”

Riddersholm is a lecturer in sport and leadership and understands the importance of a strong working culture to success in the game.

His qualities in those areas were another attraction for City, who believe that skillset will help Thorup implement his desired vision both on the training pitch but also into the sporting side of the club more broadly.

That has to be wider than simply the first-team playing group, as they seek to achieve buy in from everybody connected and working at the club.

“There is a lot of things that are very different from what we are used to,” he said. “As an example, hierarchy – from where we come from, we are very honest people. We could say to the kit man ‘hey, what are you saying? You don’t know anything about that, just relax a little bit’.

“But here it’s about status. Of course, it is important. But Johannes and I will not a success if our cleaning lady, kitchen staff or groundskeeper don’t have a working environment that is great.

“We are in it together because we create it together,” the 52-year-old said. “That is how it becomes sustainable. That’s why I am here.”