Daniel Farke assures out-of-favour players they will still have big roles to play for Norwich City this season

Daniel Farke insists Norwich City’s shadow squad still have a massive role in the Canaries’ Championship push.

Captain Russell Martin, internationals Steven Naismith and Marley Watkins plus summer signing Marcel Franke have been notable omissions from the last two league games.

City have picked up four points and two clean sheets, following a testing start to the season that prompted the German to shuffle his pack.

“Sometimes you have to accept in professional football that you have to wait a bit. That is not a problem. They all accept this,” he said. “For example, I spoke with Russell (before the Birmingham game) about this situation and he was brilliant. He is our captain, he will support the guys in the dressing room and on the training pitch. He will speak with the young players and I am happy to have him here as a leader. I always say it is not so important to stand on the pitch each and every day. You might be on the pitch for only a few minutes, or the bench or not even the squad but you still have to be there. I am really content with the behaviour of those lads and they will be pretty important on the pitch over the course of this season.”

Farke admitted he had to act to address a shocking concession rate that prompted a late transfer window move for ex-Newcastle United centre back Grant Hanley, prior to restoring fit-again influential defender Timm Klose to his backline.

“Listen, we had conceded 12 goals in four league games, not including the clean sheet against QPR. So, you know you have to change something,” he said. “There are three options. Firstly, you improve the players, secondly, you bring other players on the pitch and thirdly, you change the tactical structure and the formation. We decided for Birmingham to do the second and third points, because now we have options available.

“In general I have to say the most important of the three points was the tactical structure and a better attitude towards defending our goal. I am convinced with this attitude we can win games with the guys who are not selected as well. I know it was a hard decision for them but we had conceded too many goals. It is not about winners and losers. It is about a win for the whole squad.”