Canaries manager Alex Neil claimed this week that some of the clubs battling for the Premier League have an edge on his team as the finish line draws near.
After Saturday’s thumping 4-1 win at Millwall, Norwich City sit poised in fifth place in the Sky Bet Championship table with just five points separating the top seven clubs and the most keenly-fought contest for years only just hotting up.
However, Norwich’s recent Premier League experience is claimed to be the root of a burden of expectation, according to the low-key manager who has transformed the East Anglia club’s season.
Talking to EDP24, Neil claimed that clubs like Brentford and Bournemouth were effectively punching above their weight this season, and should failure to achieve promotion occur for those clubs, fans would still reflect on the season in a positive light.
“That expectancy can work in two ways. The fact we have the experience, we have lads who have been there, seen it and done it does give us an advantage,” Neil said.
“But that means the expectation level on a Brentford or a Bournemouth is completely different. I think if they come up short it is still going to be a fantastic season, well done, and everybody connected gets a pat on the back. If we come up short, then I have not done my job, my players have not done their job and we have had a terrible season.”
A fantastic run of seven wins from eight games has propelled Norwich into the thick of the promotion battle and with 11 games remaining Neil is charged with managing the expectation of an immediate Premier League return.
Saturday’s encounter with second-placed Derby County is a rare opportunity for Norwich to exploit a team with a similar expectation problem, and with pressure mounting as the business end of the season approaches, how Norwich deal with that expectation could make or break their season.
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