Johannes Hoff Thorup had his say on all the key issues around Norwich City’s 1-0 Championship away win at Coventry City.
Borja Sainz’s deflected close range finish in the 49th minute sealed a maiden league victory for the Dane against the Sky Blues.
Thorup spoke exclusively to the Pinkun on Saturday afternoon.
“As a coach, you always wish for a win in your first game of the season, and that was not the case. So we’ve been waiting a little for this relief,” he said. “But, especially also for the fans that have been supportive and behind the team from day one. So I think it’s well deserved, especially for the fans traveling here.
“It is a big moment, but I think it also comes down to to the attitude and the mindset that we played this game with, where, I think again, we’ve talked so much about a strategy, younger players, a new way of playing, but there’s been so much positivity from the players so far in the season.
“Of course, they need that last or final step with a win so they can really see, ‘Okay, when we perform like this, we also get the results’. And I think here was both.”
Thorup made a double change at the break, with deadline day signing, Anis Ben Slimane, and Oscar Schwartau replacing the ineffective Amankwah Forson and Ante Crnac.
“I was not satisfied with the performance of the two guys. Simple as that,” he said. “I also chose to told them in half-time and after the end, that’s how it is. Being a football player, you cannot always perform to your standards in every game you play. That’s how it is. So make sure you go out there in second half and support the team and give them everything they they need, and they both did.
“I think the the good thing about it is that we now have managed to to find players and recruit players from outside the group who can then step in and make sure that we can perform a little bit better.”
Thorup confirmed experienced defender Grant Hanley was absent after injections in an ankle issue.
“He had problems with it after the game against Crystal Palace, so we decided that it was better for him with an injection,” he said. “He had it before and that actually made him able to play again. But it takes a couple of days, four, five days, for him to get back on the pitch.
“He will travel with the (Scotland) national team squad and hopefully be able to play for them and make sure that when he’s back home with us he can play again.”
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