Norwich City’s manager, Johannes Hoff Thorup, is eagerly anticipating an exciting FA Cup third-round clash against Brighton and Hove Albion, a club that has become a benchmark of success in the Premier League. Brighton have enjoyed seven consecutive seasons in the top tier, bolstering their squad through astute recruitment and a strong reliance on data analytics, enabling them to compete effectively with the elite of English football.
Under the guidance of Thorup and sporting director Ben Knapper, Norwich are striving to emulate this success, albeit from a more nascent position. Thorup has expressed admiration for the solid foundation established by Brighton, viewing it as a source of inspiration for his team as they prepare for the cup encounter.
"I'm really impressed by them. They've taken some big steps and have changed their approach in the game," Thorup remarked. He noted the evolution of Brighton's playing style, which has become increasingly dominant over the years. "The first couple of seasons they had in the Premier League was a bit different to the style that they have now. Now, their style of play is really dominant, and it's really clear what they want to do."
Thorup attributed much of Brighton's ascent to their managerial changes, specifically highlighting the contributions of Roberto De Zerbi and former manager Graham Potter. "Roberto De Zerbi deserves credit for that and Graham Potter was a big part of that. Now a third manager from Germany has come to bring his ideas. They have a good balance in the team," he said.
The manager observed that Brighton's progress appears to stem from a deliberate strategy: "From the outside, it looks like it has been deliberate. It's something that they've planned for and a clear strategy that they are following. That is a little bit of what we are trying to do here, where we try to put emotions a little bit to the side and look at a strategy that we take as a club and a team to be sustainable in the long-term." He added, "They are definitely an inspiration for us to follow."
This match presents another opportunity for Norwich to measure themselves against Premier League opposition, having previously faced a challenging 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup earlier this season. Thorup views the encounter as a crucial benchmark for his squad's development against a higher calibre of competition. "It's a very good test. Sometimes you can do it in pre-season with friendlies, where you arrange a good schedule to play against teams from an even higher level than yourself to see where you are and how close you can get," he explained.
"This is even better because it's a competitive game and a game where something is at stake. It means a lot to us. I'm really excited to see where we are as a team," he added.
Thorup is acutely aware that the match will present challenges, stating, "There will be moments in the game where we will suffer a little bit and have to defend, be solid and work really hard." He is keen to showcase his team's capabilities, hoping they can replicate their Championship form against a formidable opponent. "Hopefully there will also be moments where the things that we have been able to show in the Championship, we will be able to show against an even better team. That's what I'm really looking forward to."
Norwich are likely to rotate their squad for the clash, a tactic Thorup believes is essential. "It's always fun to beat the best possible team and beating their best team is always more fun to beat them," he remarked. "Their team selection is up to them. We play against the XI they select for that one. We have had a very good training week and we have a lot of respect for them."
He further acknowledged Brighton's accomplishments, stating, "They've done well in the Premier League and in Europe. It's an experienced team, even though they have some young players. We're looking forward to it."
The FA Cup holds personal significance for Thorup, who recalls its impact during his formative years in Denmark. "It's big in Denmark. It's a competition that everyone who loves football follows. It's on television and everyone will watch it for the teams they support or just to watch English football. It's really, really big," he said.
Reflecting on the upcoming match, Thorup conveyed his excitement about being part of the FA Cup experience. "It's been a big part of me watching football from all the best leagues when I was younger. I'm excited to finally have the chance to be a part of an FA Cup game. It's big, and it's not something you can just expect as a coach."
He hopes that his team’s performance will reflect the importance of the match. "That will be big for us and hopefully the expression we have as a team tomorrow will indicate and signal to all the ones looking that it is important to us."
In a change from previous years, today’s match will be decided by extra time and penalties if required, a modification Thorup welcomes. "It's okay for us because what we need as a team and a club is training weeks where we can keep on implementing what we want to play, repeating some of the stuff that we do," he explained.
"We have had a very good week because we've had a lot of days to dig into details. I don't think we're even close to where we want to be as a team so to have these weeks is fantastic." He concluded, "I don't need another game. I'm happy for these days to train."
As Norwich City prepares for this pivotal FA Cup tie, Thorup's reflections reveal a blend of ambition and strategic planning, setting the stage for what promises to be an intriguing encounter against Brighton.