Football
Exclusive: Former Norwich Manager Johannes Hoff Thorup Linked to MLS Move Amid Chicago Fire Interest
Former Norwich City Manager Johannes Hoff Thorup is eyeing up a potential job with MLS team Chicago Fire. Sources say he has been in talks with the team following their recent playoff exit. Known for his innovative coaching style, Thorup is seen as a good fit for the team as they aim to build a strong squad for their new stadium. If the Fire job does not pan out, Thorup's representatives will explore other opportunities in North America.
Norwich City FC v Coventry City FC - Sky Bet Championship by Stephen Pond | Getty Images
Johannes Hoff Thorup, the former Norwich City manager, is searching for a new opportunity in the MLS with sources telling SportsBoom that he has been sounded-out about the possibility of working for Chicago Fire.
The Dane, who left Carrow Road in April after failing to reach the Championship play-offs, is understood to have spoken with senior figures behind the scenes at Soldier Field following their own team’s elimination from this season’s end-of-term knockouts.
That defeat, to Philadelphia Union, has raised question marks about Gregg Berhalter’s future as both the franchise’s sporting director and head coach.
Thorup, who has instructed his representatives to explore other potential openings in North America, has been identified as a potential good fit for the training ground role should the one-time USNMT chief decide to focus on his off-the-pitch responsibilities.
REPUTATION
Despite enduring a chequered period in Norfolk, being dismissed after The Canaries lost six out of eight towards the end of the 2024/25 campaign, Thorup’s reputation as an innovative and effective teacher of footballers remains intact having first rose to prominence at Nordsjaelland.
That not only makes him a good fit for clubs in the US, who prefer to split recruitment and coaching responsibilities, but also means the country is an attractive destination for the 36-year-old as he attempts to advance his career.
Fire are at a critical period in their history after unveiling plans for a new, privately-funded soccer specific stadium having decamped to the home of the Bears, their NFL cousins, in 2020.
Owner Joe Mansueto, who also runs Swiss outfit FC Lugano, wants to ensure they possess a forward-thinking, easy-on-the-eye squad by the time they eventually move in - a style which echoes Thorup’s own views on the game.
Should an opportunity at Fire fail to materialise, his advisors plan to make discreet approaches to other sides in North America ahead of the MLS’ return to action in February.
Thorup has not entirely ruled-out another job in Europe but his experiences with Norwich make an immediate return to England unlikely.
Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.