Ben Knapper on his desired Norwich City playing style
Norwich City’s new sporting director, Stuart Webber, is aiming to bring a synergistic approach to the football department by implementing an aggressive and proactive style of play. With influences from some of the biggest names in football, including his time at Arsenal under Arsene Wenger, playing under Graham Potter, and working closely with Mikel Arteta and Unai Emery, Knapper’s priority at Carrow Road will be to assess the current situation and key personnel, particularly under pressure head coach David Wagner. Knapper has emphasized the importance of an attacking and proactive style of play, influenced by his experiences in football and his belief in controlling the game with the ball.
Knapper’s vision for Norwich City revolves around an attacking and proactive style of play, emphasizing the importance of controlling the game with the ball. He aims to establish consistency and an identifiable playing style for the club, creating a team that is aggressive, proactive, and entertaining. His goal is to build a Norwich team that is recognizable and has consistent themes, not only for the men’s senior team but also for the women’s senior team and all academy teams. This approach may take time to develop, but Knapper is committed to instilling an aggressive and attacking football philosophy throughout the entire organization.
Influenced by his experiences in football and the people he has worked with, Knapper sees himself as a purist when it comes to the sport. His passion for attacking, proactive football has been shaped by his career, and he believes it is the best way to approach the game. He hopes to create a Norwich team that represents these ideals, focusing on controlling the game, being aggressive in winning the ball back, and entertaining fans with an attractive style of play. By establishing an identifiable playing style and philosophy, Knapper aims to create a Norwich City team that consistently embodies the qualities of aggressive, proactive, and attacking football.