Club captain Grant Hanley says that he and his young Norwich City teammates will come back stronger from their 2019-20 Premier League relegation.
“We have to look at ourselves and realise where it went wrong and where we need to improve,” he told the media on Friday. “We don’t want to be remembered as a side that played well and didn’t get results. As tough as it’s been, I’m certain this young squad will come back stronger from this season.
“A massive thank-you to the fans who have been through it all. They’ve been great for us and it’s not helped not having them there since the restart because they give us such a boost. We look forward to some point in the not too distant future having them back in the stadium.”
From a personal point of view, Hanley is hopeful of being able to return to the first-team somewhere around the start of next season.
“The surgery went well so I’m happy with that,” he said. I’ve got to be cautious over the next few weeks. I’d like to hope I could return not too far past the start of next season.
“I’ve had a couple of injuries this season. It’s frustrating as a player because you want to be playing. We felt like we had a chance to put a run of wins together after the restart, so it’s disappointing.”
Hanley also touched on the youthful nature of the Norwich City squad, explaining how his seniority affects his responsibilities in and around the Lotus Training Centre.
“The dressing room is so young and, as one of the senior players, I feel I can affect that and help,” he said.
“For a lot of the lads, they were winning most weeks in the Championship then came to the Premier League and didn't get the results we wanted. It’s important to make sure they’re mentally in the right place because it will be a quick turnaround for next season.”
Speaking of next season, Hanley said that a change in expectation will be a challenge for the Canaries to deal with, and it’s one they’re already getting prepared for.
“It’s difficult to go from being the underdogs and not getting results every week to having the pressure back on you again and everybody expecting results,” he said. “We need to start preparation now for next season.
“The players need to remember that they owe the club so much for giving them a chance to play on this stage, so now it’s about showing a bit of pride and character for the supporters to show that it matters and they care.”