Some may see it as a changing of the guard but Russell Martin remains the “main man” in Norwich City’s dressing room, as far as Ivo Pinto is concerned.
From injured to out of favour, Martin has not played a single minute of first-team football since being subbed after an hour of the Canaries’ 4-0 drubbing at Millwall in August – where he was booed by sections of the visiting support.
Since then Pinto has been the man to carry the armband, during an excellent unbeaten run through September before a more inconsistent October.
Head coach Daniel Farke has included Martin on the bench in recent, injury-hit weeks – including Saturday’s defeat at the Championship’s bottom side that morning, Bolton Wanderers.
Who wears the captain’s armband is only a minor debate for Pinto – unlike the support from his fellow right-back.
“Russ is a big symbol in this club,” said Pinto. “He’s a great character and as soon as I arrived in Norwich, he was a big help for me. So yes, he is very supporting and he is the club captain.
“I don’t think there is much to say. When he is not playing, I’m the captain now – I see it that way. But he is the club captain, so he is the main man in the dressing room.
“I’ve already said before, we don’t need one captain. I think we are all captains. As a team, every player should feel they are responsible to help the team and the club. If we think that way, everything will be easier.”
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