Improving George Long of great value to Norwich City

The experienced deputy signed a new three-year deal earlier this month and was called into action in the second half of City's 4-0 victory over Hull after Angus Gunn suffered a muscular injury. 

City are now assessing Gunn's fitness after he withdrew from international duty, and Long may be called upon to fill the void left by the Scotland international if it keeps him out of Championship action for the Canaries. 

Johannes Hoff Throup believes the 30-year-old has showcased tangible improvement since his arrival at Carrow Road and is pushing Gunn for a spot as City's number one. 

"He's definitely taken some steps compared to where he started in pre-season to where he is now. He is, from week to week, improving and getting better," Thorup said. 

"He's a great player for the environment but is actually a player who can push for that goalkeeper position, which is important for us.

"We don't want to have goalkeepers in the group who are just here to train, there should be an ambition from them to push to be the starter. I think he is doing that. He's a fantastic person for the group and the club.

"The professionalism, the way that he behaves, the way he is supporting the guys - it's things like that which you cannot really open up and let people from outside see but I can definitely see it and everyone in the club can see it. It creates a huge value to us." 

Long's quality in training also helps elevate the performances of Gunn and raise the standards of the City number one. 

George Long replaced Gunn in City's 4-0 victory over former club Hull. (Image: Daniel Hambury/Focus Images Ltd) That competition represents the environment that Thorup wants to create within his squad, across all areas of the pitch. 

"It's not only the goalkeeper position, it's all the other positions that we have," City's boss said. "It's so important that there are players pushing because it tells the player who is starting at the moment that he needs to do his best every day in training and in every game that he plays. 

"It's important for us to have different possibilities - we can change and keep the momentum, rest players here and there. It's so important for the group dynamics that there are no players who can feel safe in terms of playing every Saturday."