Bethnal Yellow and Green

U21s is about developing individuals, not a team. The development of select players will be put ahead of the team gaining results. Promising players will be played out of position to develop certain skills (wingers played at full back to improve defensive qualities, centrebacks in midfield to improve passing, strikers on the wing to improve take ons etc). Also, training schedules won't necessarily be changed around to account for games, so Tomkinson, Springett etc likely training with first team and then dropped into the U21s the day of the game. More than half the players in any U21s team are never expected to play a first team game, many are signed just to make up numbers. Not much point worrying about the results of games as that isn't the primary focus of the academy.

Wilshere was only in Denmark a few months. Riddersholm was in Belgium at the time and Thorup was an assistant at Nordsjaelland, so doubt he would have spent much time chatting to a player of an opposition team. Former Norwich player David Neilson was Wilshere's manager in Denmark though.

Yeah, it looks a good mix on paper and happy with all the appointments. Roberts and Wilshere are both coaches I would have thought beyond Norwich being able to attract. I also like how the coaching team isn't just Thorup and friends and should he be poached or sacked, Norwich wouldn't be in a position that the whole coaching team would have to be moved on as well.

How so? In Thorup, Wilshere, Riddlesholm, Stanley, and Roberts, Norwich have a coaching team who have never worked together prior this summer.

I'd say he is on a different level to managers like Roberto Martinez, Ronald Koeman, Spallett and Deschamps. Tuchel is known for being a difficult personality, but it could be that is fairly marginalised in international football where he spends less time with the players, and as others have mentioned can't argue with boards about transfers etc. For me, Tuchel is probably in the top 10 coaches in the world at the moment. His pragmatism is also suited to international football as having too fixed a philosophy is hard when you can't sign players to implement a style. He's also a bit of a cup competition specialist, which suits as well. He definitely won't be in the job for a prolonged period of time, but seems a very good choice to get England through the World Cup and then there be time to make a decision afterwards.

What that list shows is that England have probably landed themselves the best Head Coach/Manager in international football right now (there is an argument that Nagelsmann is better, but I'd go Tuchel). I can see why the FA have gone this route, Tuchel is a winner and they want to win something after a couple of near misses. While it would be nice to have an English manager, aside from Potter (and he may not even be interested, given the rumblings around Man U) there isn't anyone who would be a good option. Football in England is probably more obsessed with managers than any other country, but is bad a producing them. Imagine the complaining if England hired the equivalent to Lus De La Fuente.

Sargent has never played well for the USA, and as he has played all his senior career in Europe, he isn't a player the average MLS fan has seen play much. The US have a really good crop of young players coming through, and their youth coaching is of a very high level. Unfortunately, the MLS is of a really mixed level and the college sports system doesn't really help as many players won't join professional teams until they are in their 20s. Things are improving though, and if the US ever really sorts itself out, then they will become a huge force in international soccer. Can see things really snowball for them development wise if they can convince more of their top athletes to go into soccer, over football or other sports. Like all sports in America, the facilities they have are of a ridiculously high level, the coaching is fast improving to match as well.

If Norwich were going to sign him, they would have done so already. I read Throup's quotes more as a sign that Norwich have passed on him and won't be going for him. He gives some nice platitudes about him, but is also fairly clear he isn't a player Norwich want to bring in. "As a club, we had to find out how he would fit into that strategy and how he would fit into our plans. Immediately it wasn't exactly something we were missing[...]" "Of course he will be interesting, but for the strategy we have laid out, he does not fit in 100 percent. He would raise the average age, and we have lowered the average age in our squad and starting line-up."

Nations League is much better than the Friendly games that it has replaced, which were necessary for International teams to get together and get game time. If you want World Cups/Euros you need games to give International teams time to play and develop. Crucially the Nations League isn't creating additional International breaks. The only downside I can see is that England and other major European teams will play teams from outside of Europe less often. These were often a crucial revenue generator for teams in South America/Africa/Asia.

Can definitely have flair players, being able to dribble past their opponent will be a key skill for attackers under Thorup. It is more about knowing when to take the risk and when to avoid it (and what is worth taking a risk on). Sainz has a habit of either shooting from impossible angles of positions which causing a cheap turnover in possession and allows the opposition to counter. Against Coventry Sainz tried to back heel a pass to Sargent when there were at least two defenders between them. That is just stupid and gifted Coventry the ball. It is something that can be coached out of a player, but Sainz has had these tendencies at every club he’s been at. Given he has 2 years on his deal now. Norwich need to stick or twist on Sainz. If Norwich could get a decent fee for him I’d lean towards ‘twisting’ over giving him a new contract and him looking increasing like a player who was signed for a very different coach under a very different style.

Bilbao can only sign players from the Basque region of Spain, so they are constantly scouting pretty much anyone with that connection. Personally, I wouldn’t be that sad to lose him. While he offers an element of chaos in games given he can pull off a sudden moment of magic, this can also be is downfall as he will also try to do something difficult when there is a better, easier option. If JHT wants to have a possession system controlling games, having Sainz give the ball away softly on the regular probably doesn’t fit that idea.

That is the squad registration list - it is in alphabetical order. Ashley Barnes hasn't gone rogue and taken shirt number 1.

For shot stopping there are few better in the league, but Gunn has a bit of a weakness on crosses and sticks to his line a bit too much. He does seem to have improved a bit on this since Clements came in so hopefully he can continue to get better this season. The worry is his contract is up next June and no news of a new one yet. Would be a shame to see him go for nothing, but can see why the club might feel there is better out there who'd have lower wages.

I think it is exciting as it is just starting now. I doubt Norwich will do anything beyond what Brighton and Brentford are doing, but Norwich are at the beginning of the journey (or a couple of steps down the path) and that is intrinsically more exciting that something that is fully formed. (Also, potentially a little bias from Sarah Rudd as she and Ben Knapper worked together at Arsenal). However, the fact there is a six person team at Norwich already is noteworthy, this is definitely larger than you would expect in the Championship.

Just to bump this up as it is an interesting interview. The queen of modern football analytics, Sarah Rudd, has described Norwich as having 'one of the most exciting projects in football analytics'. Will be interesting to see who is appointed the Head of Analytics to replace John Iga as this is obviously an area MA is really focused on, as is Ben Knapper who started his career in football in data analytics.