Johannes Hoff Thorup wants to keep the hype away from Gabe Forsyth but admits the Scottish teenager has ‘big potential’.

The 17-year-old midfielder has featured in every pre-season game so far under the Dane this summer.

Forsyth moved to Carrow Road from Hamilton 12 months ago for a reported six-figure fee, but Thorup is keen to strike the right balance despite fast-tracking him into his senior plans.

“There's a big potential. And I think it's important for us to give a guy like that some minutes on the highest level,” said the City chief, after an eyecatching late cameo in the 2-2 friendly draw against Hoffenheim.

“I think and I hope it's obvious for everyone watching him that there's a great potential. We have to be careful, of course, though, to protect them a little bit because it's new to him this, being with the first team and in this environment with high quality games and so on.

“We have to protect them a little bit, but also, give him the trust and the minutes. And I think that pass he made for Onel (Hernandez) with a few minutes to go was outstanding; so much potential but still at the stage of getting used to how it is to play senior football on a consistent basis. That's what I will say the next six months for him will be about.”

Forsyth looks set for more game time in Saturday’s Carrow Road friendly finale against St Pauli, after what Thorup rated his squad’s stand out summer display against fellow Bundesliga opponents in Austria.

“Fair to say maybe the best so far in pre-season,” he said. “Against good opposition. At times in the game we struggled and had to defend and also, of course, it wasn’t a great start being 2-0 behind after 25 minutes. But we had our chances also in the first half to score goals.

"After 20 minutes, we started to play well, we started to find a good structure, a good rhythm in the game and creating chances. And I think we did that also in second half, and scored some great goals and created a good amount of chances, which is important for us.”

- The Pink Un is providing full coverage of the Canaries' time in Austria, in partnership with Chips Away Norwich