2 weeks Ago
Glen Riddersholm and Johannes Hoff Thorup have faced multiple challenges since arriving at Norwich City, but the assistant boss is pleased with the Canaries' quick progress in the Championship. The pair are attempting to implement a new strategy that includes a different game model, the inclusion of young talent and the rebuilding of a sense of togetherness with supporters. After 11 matches, City have lost on just two occasions and are unbeaten in six, despite a frustrating away double-header upon their return from the October international break against Stoke and Preston.
Riddersholm arrived at City as Thorup's number two tasked with helping achieve progress and spoke in-depth to the Pink Un during their Austrian training camp about the vision for the future of the club. After a two-hour fans forum earlier this week, Riddersholm faced the cameras again and admitted to being pleasantly surprised by the high level of performance in the early stages of this new project at Carrow Road. "You can see in my expression now that I'm really enjoying it; there have been so many things going on.
I learn every day. I can also see that I can give and not only get - which is important to thrive as a person and a football coach," Riddersholm said. "For me personally, it has been what I hoped and what I expected, and I also get motivation from what I have seen so far because I can really see that we have something to do here and that we can take this project to a level where we can really compete.
"To be honest, I've been really surprised that we are on a stage where, after 11 games, we have only two defeats, and we've played games against those teams that should be fighting for promotion. That gives me a lot of motivation that we, with many injuries and new things, are where we are. That is way better than I could have ever expected.
"We are hungry. We want more. We are confident but humble that it is still a project despite the positiveness and the great performances; we can also see we have so many steps to take.
"We know some of the stuff that we do, but we are not even close to mastering what we want to master." What Thorup and Riddersholm have built, even in the early stages of their spell at Norwich, has been received well by supporters who desperately wanted a project to buy into again after becoming disenfranchised during stages of previous eras. Despite a testing start against newly-promoted Oxford, where City were handsomely beaten on a day that was side-showed by Jonathan Rowe's decision to withdraw himself from the matchday squad, Norwich have shown real signs of progress in their efforts.
Riddersholm joined Johannes Hoff Thorup at Carrow Road in the summer. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd) Since that point, and amid several challenges along the way, the Canaries' performances have been met with real positivity and patience by the fanbase. Even after conceding a late equaliser to Blackburn, City were serenaded off the pitch.
Despite a poor 12-minute spell, the away contingent remained hopeful of an eventual comeback at Deepdale in midweek. "In the year 2024, you cannot be anything else other than grateful," the Dane said. "When you see what is going on in the football world around us with so many emotions and coaches getting sacked all over the place, it is great to see that they also can see that from that Oxford game, we have tried to improve game to game.
"Then, of course, there will always be a couple of steps backwards before you can take another one forward. "In the big picture, we can not do it alone. We need the support from our fans, and they have been massive, especially in the away games, and I've been positively surprised by that.
"[At Preston] when it was really not good after 12 minutes, they were there and they did everything. We were grateful that we could give them a little bit back. "This is only one step of many.
I expect a lot of ups and I also expect some downs, that is part of the football business, but without that support we wouldn't be where we were." City are hoping to maintain their positive start to the Championship campaign with another statement home victory against a Middlesbrough side that have boasted strong underlying data but not won the points their performances have deserved. Riddersholm has emerged as a popular figure with City's playing group.
(Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd) If Norwich can avoid defeat, it will mark a whole year unbeaten at Carrow Road. Riddersholm and Thorup have largely inherited rather than built that run, but City's assistant knows they will have to up their levels to retain it against a strong Boro side. "It's great to have," Riddersholm said.
"Actually, it was only after the second home game that I got that information that we have this unbeaten record. "It's nice, but the focus is on preparing the team to make a good performance because the team that is coming here may not be on points, but if you look at the underlying barometers, they have performed well and are a strong team. "If we want the win again, then we need to perform above the levels that we have in the last few games and be back to our best to get a win.
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