Daniel Farke comparisons show Norwich City must keep the faith | OneFootball

Norwich City have been inconsistent this season, but Daniel Farke's first season with the club shows that good things come to those who wait.

Norwich City under Johannes Hoff Thorup so far has been a mixed bag, but that was much the same in Daniel Farke's first season and the fans know it will take time to reap the rewards of the foundations currently being set.

When Farke first took charge of Norwich, he faced many of the same problems Thorup currently has on his plate. They both followed a somewhat underwhelming Championship season despite being at the right end of it, and had an aging squad who were adapting to a new, progressive style.

Yet, the German's second season is considered one of the all-time greats of the Championship. Whether Thorup will emulate that is debatable, but based on the 17/18 season, it looks to be heading in the right direction.

A squad overhaul is in progress under Johannes Hoff Thorup

During Farke's first campaign he still had the likes of Russell Martin, Wes Hoolahan, James Maddison, and Nelson Olveira on the books. All Norwich legends in one sense or another, but certainly not synonymous with the coach the way the likes of Teemu Pukki and Emi Buendia would be in the following campaign.

A new manager and sporting director will always inherit what was already there, whether they fit the vision for the club going forward or not, but of course, the incomers will want to start building their own squad quickly, and it culminates in a blend of eras, not quite ready to take things forward, but on their way.

A squad with Hoolahan and Alex Pritchard and the likes of Grant Hanley and Mario Vrančić is difficult to picture, but that 17/18 season was as much as a 'transition' as the 24/25 season looks to be. In the future, it could be hard to imagine a squad consisting of Hanley, Onel Hernandez, Oscar Schwartau, and José Córdoba.

Both the future and the past exist at the same time in a season such as this one, making it a challenge to charge forward.

How the 2017/18 and 2024/25 season compare

To a degree, they've both lived up to their promises. On average, Farke's side managed 4% more possession than the previous season, while Thorup has increased his side's by 8% so far this season.

By the end of Farke's first title-winning campaign, he increased the average possession by another 3%, though interestingly, still lower than where Thorup currently has at 58%. Despite the more positive 'Farkeball', the results weren't always there to match only taking three points fifteen times.

Much of the same can be said of Thorup's Norwich, where glimpses of the possession-based football in the works have been on display, but converting that into results has been an issue.

Borja Sainz could be Johannes Thorup Hoff's James Maddison

Another similarity between the two seasons has been the reliance on one man. For Farke, it was Maddison and for Thorup, it's now Borja Sainz.

The frustration for Norwich fans is that they cannot enjoy their best players at Carrow Road for long, with Sainz already being eyed overseas while during the 17/18 campaign, Maddison had already caught the attention of the Premier League by January.

Sainz has already surpassed Maddison's goal tally in their respective best seasons at the club, with the Spaniard on 15 goals before Christmas compared to the now Tottenham man who had 14 goals and eight assists making him the side's top goal contributor.

They are different players, Maddison was much more of a creator than a goalscorer, but that shouldn't detract from the fact that they were both standouts in otherwise mediocre seasons. All Norwich fans would rightly say they'd prefer the team that didn't include Maddison the following season. His sale gave the cash injection needed to fully implement Farke's ideals.

What happens with Sainz going forward is pure speculation, but if and when he does make an exit, the funds raised will go a long way to fully shaping a Thorup squad, rather than the mismatch of eras this season has been dealt.

Patience will still be needed at Norwich City

None of this is to say that Norwich will be promoted next season. What made the 18/19 season so special was the fact that it was so unexpected, but even then Farke would only manage one win out of his first six.

Of course, results are still needed in the meantime, and the Canaries' 'blip' from November has gradually transformed into a longer dip in form than what the Carrow Road faithful would have liked.

However, it's important to remember Farke finished far closer to the bottom of the table than the top in his first season and Sporting Director Stuart Webber recognised that a poor season doesn't necessarily mean things aren't going in the right direction.

Keeping the faith will be challenging, especially given recent performances, but Thorup himself knows it's never straightforward.

In his words: "It will still take some time for us to be there, but what the guys are doing in terms of training and preparation, I have so much confidence in the group".