Tettey calls for Canaries players to stop feeling sorry for themselves
Alex Tettey had to cover for injuries in defence during Norwich City's midweek defeat at Arsenal Picture: Focus Images - Credit: Focus Images/Focus Images Ltd
Norwich City’s squad must stop feeling sorry for themselves if they are to have any chance of pulling off a great escape, Canaries stalwart Alex Tettey has ordered.
City head into Saturday lunchtime’s home clash with Brighton on the back of four successive defeats since the season resumed, with a calamitous 4-0 defeat at Arsenal on Wednesday leaving them seven points from safety.
An immediate return to the Championship looks likely but the final six games start with three against fellow lowly teams, as the clash with the Seagulls is followed by a trip to Watford on Tuesday and the arrival of West Ham next Saturday.
“First of all our heads shouldn’t be down, if they’re down then we’re done and there’s no point going out to play games because we are already beaten before we start the game,” Tettey said bluntly.
“We need to have our heads up, we need to be wanting to play these games. We need to keep our spirits high, regardless of the result.
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“Our spirit and mentality has to be strong so that we can go into games wanting to do well, wanting to win, because of the run of games coming - and the teams in front of us are struggling as well.
“So if we can get results then you never know what can happen.”
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The Canaries’ longest serving current player moved level with John Polston in ninth place in the list of most Premier League appearances on Wednesday, as he wore the captain’s armband during his 96th top-flight appearance for the club.
If he plays in the remaining six games he will pass the landmark of 100 and Bradley Johnson in eighth - but is also facing up to his third relegation to the Championship.
The 34-year-old former Norway international midfielder has been on the Canaries roller-coaster since 2012 and has already signed a one-year extension to remain with the club until the end of next season - but is not giving up hope of survival yet.
“I said that to a couple of journalists now, unless someone shows us the mathematics point of view that we are relegated, we still have hope,” Tettey continued.
“We need to push ourselves and the games against Brighton, Watford, West Ham, we need to try and get something out of it.”
