Norwich City’s Promotion Hopes Under Thorup: A Repeat of Farke’s Success?
After last season’s play-off disappointment, Norwich City supporters had high hopes for a serious push toward the top six under new manager Johannes Hoff Thorup. However, with just eight matches left, the Canaries sit eight points adrift of the play-off spots, and frustration is growing after a recent dip in form.
Yet, Norwich fans would do well to remember that Daniel Farke’s first campaign at Carrow Road ended with a 14th-place finish, before he later led the team to promotion. Many now hope that history will repeat itself under Thorup.
Parallels Between Farke and Thorup
The similarities between Farke and Thorup are striking. Both took on the Norwich job as their first experience of Championship and English football, having only previously managed in their home countries.
Thorup climbed the coaching ladder at Nordsjælland in Denmark, transitioning from youth coach to assistant and, eventually, first-team manager in January 2023. Similarly, Farke spent six seasons at SV Lippstadt, guiding them from Germany’s sixth tier to the fourth division before taking charge of Borussia Dortmund’s reserve team.
While Norwich represents just Thorup’s second managerial role, it was Farke’s third, following his tenure at Dortmund’s second team. Despite the difference in experience, their early records at Norwich look remarkably similar.
At the time of writing, Thorup’s side sits 13th, with 12 wins, 13 draws, and 13 defeats. By contrast, Farke’s first season ended in 14th place with 15 wins, 15 draws, and 16 losses.
That initial mid-table finish didn’t stop Farke from turning things around. The following year, he guided Norwich to the Championship title with 27 wins and 94 points. Though they were later relegated, he won another league title soon after, securing two promotions in three seasons. A similar resurgence under Thorup would transform perceptions of him in East Anglia.
Of course, Farke’s tenure ended midway through his fourth season as Norwich manager, with the club struggling in the Premier League. Now at Leeds United, he is once again chasing promotion after falling short in last year’s play-offs.
Norwich Taking a Long-Term Approach with Thorup
By handing Thorup a three-year contract upon his arrival last summer, Norwich’s board signaled their commitment to a long-term project. In contrast, Farke initially arrived on a two-year deal from Dortmund’s reserves.
Beyond their managerial backgrounds, the state of Norwich’s squad when both managers arrived was also comparable. Farke had to navigate the departures of key midfielders Jonny Howson, Jacob Murphy, and Alex Pritchard, while Thorup saw Gabriel Sara and Adam Idah leave, along with Jonathan Rowe’s pending permanent move to Marseille.
Both managers had to rebuild their squads in their debut seasons. Thorup signed 14 players to replace 14 departures (excluding loan exits), while Farke brought in 17 replacements for 14 outgoing players. Given such major squad overhauls, it’s no surprise that neither manager had an immediate impact.
Norwich will now hope that, like Farke before him, Thorup has laid the groundwork for a significant improvement next season. Farke proved that a mid-table finish can be the foundation for a Championship-winning campaign just two years later – something Norwich fans will be eager to see Thorup replicate.
