Ben Gibson is hoping to inject Norwich City’s backline with some additional leadership.
The 27-year-old completed his loan move to Norfolk from Premier League side Burnley last week and is relishing getting back to playing regularly for the Canaries.
Once involved in the England set-up and commanding £15million from the Clarets when they bought him from Middlesbrough in 2018, Gibson arrives at Carrow Road with plenty of pedigree.
The defender wore the captain’s armband on numerous occasions during his spell with his boyhood club and believes he can establish a leadership role within City’s first-team dressing room.
“That’s always been in my nature and that’s the person I am,” he said. “I hope that I can not only get the best out of myself but also out of the people around me.
“You need people that sometimes don’t always tell people what they want to hear.
“There has to be a balance to that because there has to be a camaraderie to get out of this league and people have to get on, but you’ve got to be on at each other to get the best out of everyone.
“That’s something that I know that I’ll bring. I have high standards and demand a lot of other people around me, but I demand a hell of a lot from myself.”
Those high demands were pivotal in Gibson’s progression at Middlesbrough, where he made over 200 appearances.
City are set to be without defensive options Timm Klose and Grant Hanley for their opening Championship fixture.
Despite his last game coming in a League Cup defeat for Burnley in August 2019, Gibson is fit and ready should Daniel Farke call upon him to start at Huddersfield Town on Saturday.
“Without doubt,” he added. “I always back myself and I work extremely hard in looking after myself.
“That’s a decision the manager will have to make – all I can do is train with the team, impress and do that in the build-up to this game.
“We can’t look any further than Saturday’s game. It’ll be a big game and we want to get underway in the right manner.”
Read more from Norwich City defender Ben Gibson on his difficult two-year spell at Burnley on Wednesday morning
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