CITY'S latest addition David Fox says he's delighted to be reunited with Canary boss Paul Lambert - but he's under no illusions regarding the tough scrap ahead for first-team places in an increasingly competitive squad.
Fox, 26, joined for an undisclosed fee from League One side Colchester on a two-year deal, signed by the same man who took him to the Weston Homes Community Stadium in the first place.
Now the creative midfielder is looking forward to the challenge of working to force his way into Lambert's first team reckoning, as the Canaries continue to prepare for life back in the npower Championship.
At a press conference at Carrow Road he commented: "It's a fantastic club playing in a really strong league next season. Hopefully I can play my part in us doing well, I mean it's a massive set-up. I had a look round the training ground and it's a really good club.
"Everyone wants to play as high a standard of football as possible and I'm no different to that. Some of the clubs and the stadiums we'll be playing in should be all set up for some really good games.
"Hopefully we'll hit the ground running next season and it's not going to be an easy thing, but I'll try and hopefully get my way into the team. I just try and get the ball down and pass it basically. It's pretty simple, I don't try and complicate things, it's about getting the ball off one person and giving it to someone else to hopefully try and score goals. Helping to set up chances, that's what I'm all about hopefully."
Fox netted with an excellent free-kick during the shocking 7-1 home defeat to the U's on the opening day of last season - but he's hoping Canary fans will forgive him!
"It was some feeling scoring at this place, though unfortunately not everyone celebrated! I hope I'll be able to go on and score many more goals here for Norwich," he said.
Once again the lure of playing for Lambert played its part in persuading a player to join Norwich City, as Fox explained: "He was a massive part of it obviously - he's the main reason that I'm here to be honest. He brought me to Colchester and he was really playing a big part in what I was wanting to do there. He wanted me to play my normal game, to get on and pass it - he wasn't looking for things that I can't 't do. I like that. He speaks highly of me and I just want to do well for him as much as for everyone else."
Trying to force your way into a team which has just picked up silverware is not going to be an easy task according to Fox and the other players who have joined in the past couple of weeks: "I can't come here and just expect to walk into the side," he told reporters.
"I don't think anyone can, especially at a team that's just got promoted. It's going to be a massive challenge for me personally to get into the team and I'll be like everyone else; I'll be trying really hard to impress in pre-season and hopefully start the first game of the season. But I'm under no illusions that it's going to be a very difficult task.
"I'm sure all the lads will be buzzing. Obviously the ones that have been here last year have obviously just won the championship so it's not going to be an easy thing to get into the team by any means. I'm sure they are a tight-knit group with what they've been through last season so hopefully I'll get to know the boys better and then we'll take it from there.
"I know Wes Hoolahan from my time at Blackpool - he was there for a couple of seasons and he was brilliant, he really was. He's carried it on here to be fair on a bigger stage, so I look forward to seeing him again and hopefully I'll get to play with him again because he's a terrific player."
For Fox's full interview and to hear from Paul Lambert on his new signing log onto Canaries Player. Not a subscriber? Click here.
