Tim Krul has compared playing football behind closed doors to a training ground game - and has admitted Norwich City will need to work on their concentration as they continue to adapt to life without supporters.
The Canaries restarted their Premier League campaign at Carrow Road last Friday as they were beaten 3-0 by Southampton.
Krul has confessed that adjusting to life behind closed doors has proven difficult, especially considering the change of intensity with no supporters present in the stadiums.
“At the end of the day, we’re professionals, so we need to deliver on the pitch. The concentration side of things is going to be the biggest topic we will have to be focused on.
“When you’re in a full stadium there’s not a second you switch off, that’s the danger of the quality we’re up against, something can happen in any second of the game. It’s not uncommon for someone for to switch off a little bit or think it’s too easy, because sometimes it feels like a training game more than a competitive one.
“We need to build momentum, I think that’s the biggest thing.”
City remain six points adrift at the bottom of the Premier League table - but even if the season does conclude in relegation, the Dutch international believes the Canaries long-term project remains the correct approach.
“We’ve got such a great setup and such a great club in the way it’s run, I’ve never seen a club that have fans who are totally behind what we’re doing on the pitch, even though we’re bottom of the league and not winning every week.
“That’s something to be proud of, because the club is definitely going in the right direction and to be part of that is huge.”
Carrow Road will be full of banners rather than supporters in weeks to come, with the coronavirus pandemic putting an end to mass gatherings for the foreseeable future.
City have developed a campaign entitled #ApartButTogether in order to help supporters feel connected with their team.
“I think the campaign is a great thing to raise, because everyone you speak to on the streets turns around to say good luck for the games coming up and they’re all behind us,” Krul told the club’s official channels.
“To hear that on a daily basis, it’s definitely going to be helping the boys, because we really need to find it from within ourselves.
“I think that’s the message the manager has given us in the last few weeks, normally you’ve got Carrow Road roaring you on for the final 10 minutes, but this has to come from the team now and really show what we’re made of.”
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