Michael McGovern has signed a new contract at Norwich City until June 2021.
The Northern Ireland international has been the back-up to Tim Krul this season and looked likely to move on this summer when his contract was due to expire.
However, when City sporting director Stuart Webber raised the possibility of extending the 34-year-old’s stay at Carrow Road, he was only too pleased to take up the offer.
“I’m delighted to commit my future to the club. I know where I’m going to be for the next couple of years now and it’s a club on the up so there are very exciting times ahead,” said McGovern, who has made five cup appearances for Norwich this season.
“I wanted to stay here and when Stuart (Webber) mentioned the contract, I was really interested to speak to him and get the deal sorted.
“It was a difficult decision because obviously I haven’t played as many games over the past couple of years as I would have liked.
“But you’ve got to bear in mind that this is a club which is striving to get to the Premier League. It’s a great club to be at so I took all of that into account and in the end, I’m very happy to sign.”
McGovern was brought to the club in the summer of 2016 on a free transfer from Hamilton as he was re-united with Alex Neil but the Scot’s departure saw him fall down the pecking order at City.
MORE: Onel Hernandez on the secret behind City’s successHowever, McGovern has been happy to play a supporting role off the pitch to Daniel Farke’s young squad.
“Since I’ve come to the club, I’ve had to adapt my position to not be playing in the team. I think I’ve done that well. I’ve kept my spirits high and I try to put things into perspective.
“I’m thankful for being a professional footballer. We’re all blessed to be in this position and that’s the way I look at it. I just try and be positive around the group and spread that to the rest of the lads.
“We have an unbelievable team spirit. You see the spirit on the games on a Saturday, it’s plain to see. Everybody gets on off-the-park, not everyone is best mates and round each others houses every day but sometimes that’s a good thing.
“You can be too close off the pitch sometimes and I think we’ve got the balance just right. You see that every week, it’s paying off.”
Farke believes his squad look up to McGovern as one of his more experienced charges.
“I am very pleased. Since the first day I arrived here, Michael has been unbelievably professional and he is a great character. I can always trust him when I need him,” Farke told the official Norwich City website.
“He delivers outstanding professionalism, is never injured and never ill. He is so experienced with many games for Northern Ireland. He is a role model in terms of professionalism.
“He is so important for the whole atmosphere and mood in the dressing room. He’s a great lad and we’re all happy he is staying with us.”
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