‘This squad is better than last season’ - Tettey excited by City’s revamp
Norwich City stalwart Alex Tettey is bidding for a hat-trick of Championship promotions Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
Norwich City’s longest serving player Alex Tettey has a good feeling about the Championship task ahead.
Tettey knows exactly what is in store, after twice earning promotion from the second tier during his eight-year stint in Norfolk.
The popular midfielder, who was deployed as centre-back cover during the club’s German pre-season tour last week, has gone up as a title winner and through the play-offs at Wembley.
The former Norway international is entering the final season of his Carrow Road career and was prepared to make a bold prediction about the squad Stuart Webber and Daniel Farke have assembled over the summer.
“I think this squad is better than last season. I am not saying whether the team would be better than last season but the squad is,” he said. “I have seen signs it will definitely come together. We have so many exciting players. (Przemyslaw) Placheta, for example, that is a guy we were missing in our team, in terms of being able to go behind. If you can’t run defenders, especially in the Championship, they will be happy to sit in and see if we can break them down with our passing. That guy is quick.
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“It is different when you are fighting for three points (compared) to pre-season but we are up for the task.
“Teams in the Championship need options to play so many games. We probably have two teams who could compete in the Championship and do well.
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“I don’t know how the manager can keep everyone happy. If you are a player of course you will be disappointed if you are not picked but you just have to work harder.”
Tettey fully backed a major overhaul of the playing roster after Premier League relegation.
“If you don’t refresh then it is the same squad who were in the Premier League. The danger is too many still feel they are Premier League players and they have their heads down,” he said. “It takes longer before you realise, ‘No, we are now Championship’. To have the 10 new signings, they have come in with a smile on their faces and they are determined to work.
“There hasn’t been any time for the rest of us to feel sorry. We are not in the Premier League, we are not Premier League players. Right from the fitness testing it has been intense and hard work.”
