David Wright said his Norwich City Under-23s need to learn the ‘ugly parts’ of the game, following Premier League 2 defeat to Manchester United on Friday.
The U23s suffered an unfortunate defeat against Manchester United last Friday. Speaking to canaries.co.uk, Wright reflected on the performance, and outlined the step players have to take to be involved in the senior sides.
“I think you have to look throughout the performance, there were some really good moments and there were some parts that we dominated. In terms of the set-up tactically, the team is good to go. Technically, they’re good players.
“But at the moment, they don’t quite understand them bits don’t get you a career, it’s the uglier side of the game that gets you a career as a footballer.
“Running hard, closing down hard, overlapping your teammates, running in behind, winning tackles, it’s them bits that get you a career. And it’s not doing that for an hour of the game, it’s doing that for 90 minutes, it’s doing that every single day as a professional footballer.
“If you look over the last four games, it’s not the tactical side that lets the group down, it’s the uglier parts.”
Speaking on the role of Academy staff in player development, Wright explained further the work that goes into making a professional footballer.
“It’s my job to get them to understand and to realise it’s those ugly parts that get you a career. It’s quite straightforward, if you understand that, you give yourself every opportunity to be a professional footballer. If you don’t do that, unfortunately the opportunity will pass you by.”
“Our job as U23s staff is not necessarily results, it’s about getting people in our first-team. If they don’t get in our first-team, it’s about getting them in teams in other leagues. In terms of that, what we work on as U23s staff is the process of it, if we get the process right the result will take care of itself.
“That’s the part of the process we’re missing, for 90 minutes playing the ugly side of the game. That’s why, at the moment, the results are not coming through.”