Norwich can’t be Premier League tourists, says sporting director

October 28 (Reuters) – Troubled Norwich City risk being labeled “Premier League tourists” if they can’t start putting points on the board, sporting director Stuart Webber said.

The Norfolk club have managed just two points in their first nine games on their return to the top flight and are eyeing a second relegation in three seasons.

While the fixture list has not been favorable for Daniel Farke’s side, last weekend’s 7-0 loss to champions Chelsea, whose main attackers were injured, sounded the alarm.

“The way the matches went, it was always going to be difficult. Having said that, we won the right to be in this league and we should expect better results,” Webber said in a Q&A on the club. from Norfolk. website Thursday.

“We can’t go into games writing them like ‘oh we don’t stand a chance in this game.’ There’s no point fighting so hard to get into this league if that’s our mentality. against Chelsea was unacceptable, and we have to admit that. “

Norwich was five points less after nine games than two seasons ago when they finished bottom, although they faced Liverpool, Manchester City, Leicester City, Everton, Arsenal and Chelsea in an intimidating start.

They managed 0-0 draws against Burnley and Brighton & Hove Albion and this weekend welcome a struggling Leeds United side who are just five points clear.

Webber said the talks need to end now.

BEST OPPORTUNITY

“We didn’t come to this league to be tourists and exchange shirts with other players, we are here to show that we can stay in this league and compete in this league,” he said.

“We have invested a lot in the team and heavily in infrastructure and heavily in our staff to give us the best opportunity to fight to stay in this league.

“It doesn’t give us the right to stay in this league because it’s the toughest league in the world, but we know we can do better. For us now it’s less talking and more action. . We know we need to put better performance in. “

Webber, however, is resisting suggestions that Norwich is lacking in ambition and has already agreed to a second tier return.

“We all deserve what we got (Saturday),” he said. “But where I struggle is some of the things that have been said about the club that just aren’t actually correct: that ‘we haven’t tried’, ‘we haven’t spent’, ‘ we don’t deserve to be in the Premier League “- we are the 11th most spendthrift in Europe. I would say that is quite disrespectful to our 22,000 subscribers and the history of this club.

“Someone saying that we don’t deserve to be at this level is wrong. That people say that we have given up and have already accepted relegation, I cannot accept that.”

Manager Daniel Farke has been criticized by fans this season, but Webber knows he can’t be held solely responsible.

“If someone says he’s been perfect this season, then he’s going to lie. We all have to improve,” he said.

“Too many times it’s just one person. We won the league last year with 97 points and Daniel is rightly praised for that, but we also had a pretty good squad and a pretty good staff. .

“At the end of the day, I’m the one at the top of the football side of the business and the responsibility ends with me.”

Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Ken Ferris

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