Norwich City manager Daniel Farke is refusing to heap too much praise on the young shoulders of Tottenham Hotspur loanee Oliver Skipp in public.
Skipp joined the Canaries on loan from Spurs last summer in an attempt to bolster his chances of staking a claim for a first-team spot in north London and been nothing short of outstanding, playing a key role in the Norfolk-based club's promotion charge.
To date, the England Under-21 international, who is contracted to Spurs until the summer of 2024, has started all 30 of Norwich's Championship matches.
Skipp has been a leading presence in Norwich's midfield throughout his time at Carrow Road, topping the passing charts and scooping endless man of the match accolades.
Despite the formidable form he has been in, Farke, who currently has his side sitting four points clear at the top of the Championship table, is refusing to heap too much praise on the youngster's shoulders.
Farke told The Eastern Daily Press: “I am always careful to praise young lads too much.
“I like to keep the pressure high on them because in these times they are celebrated so much by social media, agents and things like this.
“It’s difficult also for young players to handle that praise so I am quite careful in praising them too much but actions are more important than any words and when you look at Oliver’s season you can realise that he has played more or less every second in the league for us, for a side that has lots of competition in the squad.
“This says a lot about how much I rate him and how much I value him, I don’t want to praise him too much in public, it’s more like each and every day I keep on criticising him.
“I ask for more goals, for more assists, better passing choices, for many topics to improve – but my actions speak louder than my words.
"He plays each and every second for more or less each and every game for such a good side. He’s a top player and also a top character.”
Throughout his time at Carrow Road this term, Norwich supporters have been raving about Skipp's performances, with many naming him as the best player in the Championship this season and others insisting that he should be playing in Spurs' midfield next season.
In total, the 20-year-old has racked up 32 appearances in all competitions this season but has not managed to score.
