Manager motivated by challenge
TAKING ON the âchallengeâ of the like that Norwich City are currently facing is one of the main reasons why he went into football management, says Chris Hughton.City have just three matches left in the 2012/13 campaign, starting this Saturday with the visit of Aston Villa to Carrow Road.
Despite the Canaries not having secured their Premier League status for next season, boss Hughton says it is situations like these that motivate him as a coach.
âItâs always a tough job, but you do the job because of the challenges,â he said while addressing the media at his pre-match press conference on Thursday afternoon.
âWe can speak about the challenge now â the challenge of going into these last three games trying to get the results that we need. Theyâre there throughout the season.
âYou do this job because of them, and you never shy away from them, but you also do the job because you have a confidence in what youâre doing. We need to take that confidence into these last three games.â
Hughton says his team will be focussing on their own capabilities rather than worrying about an Aston Villa team sure to be on a high after Mondayâs 6-1 win over Sunderland.
âTheyâre on the back of a very good performance, but I think what we have to concentrate very much on is ourselves and what weâre prepared to put in to try and win the football match,â he added.
âWe approach every single game the same, in the sense that we want to win every game, but weâre playing in a difficult league with top players playing at top clubs.
âItâs about concentrating on our strengths â we are at home and weâll have a fabulous crowd behind us, as they were in the Reading game. We have to very much look at the positives.â
When asked about team news, Hughton had a mixed report with regards to Cityâs defence, with Sebastien Bassong fit to play but Michael Turner all set to miss out with a groin strain picked up in the home victory against the Royals.
With the match set to be Kei Kamaraâs last in his loan spell from Sporting Kansas City, Hughton also explained that the Club has until Monday to make a decision on whether to make a permanent swoop for the forward.
On Bassong, he said: âHeâs fine, there are no problems. Weâre ok, the only one whoâs missing again is Michael but apart from that weâre fine.
âWe have until Monday to make that decision on Kei. Of course there have been conversations between us, but the correct way is for those conversations to be kept private and to concentrate on the job in hand.â