'The fitter you are, the more you can run' - Vrancic on the secret to City's success
Mario Vrancic is in his fourth season as a Norwich City player - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
Superior fitness, consistent performances and a clear style of play are the key ingredients which are giving Mario Vrancic hope of enjoying a second promotion at Norwich City.
The 31-year-old is out of contract this summer and revealed in a recent interview that he has already had interest from other clubs, but suggested he would leave the decision about his future until the campaign was finished.
For now the classy midfielder is just focused on enjoying his football, having started seven of the Championship leaders' last 10 matches.
"There are lots of similarities," Vrancic said, comparing the current squad with the title winners of 2018-19. "It was important to keep as many players as possible in the squad.
"We've had that experience of getting promoted so we probably know how to deal with difficult situations and tight games.
"The recent results show that we're capable of winning games that are very close. We play the same style, which is also successful, and that is the key."
His point was proven with yet another narrow win on Saturday, beating Barnsley 1-0 thanks to a brilliant Emi Buendia goal, which means 12 of the 14 victories so far have been by a one-goal margin.
Speaking to City's OTBC matchday programme, he continued: "Every day in training we are working hard and in pre-season as well. That's the basic, I guess.
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"The fitter you are, the more you can run and the better first touches and finishes you can have, even in the last minutes.
"It works and it fits to our philosophy because we are a possession-based side and eventually the opponents get tired, but we are fit and we know we can score late goals."
The Bosnia & Herzegovina international has three goals and two assists to his name this season, having surpassed 100 games for the Canaries at the end of the last campaign.
With City four points clear at the top of the table at the halfway point of the season, the prospect of another promotion is very real for the former Paderborn and Darmstadt midfielder, but he is not getting carried away.
"Consistency, that is the key," he added. "I can say that we need to believe. We have the confidence and we need to extend the momentum as long as possible.
"It's crucial in the games against direct opponents that we should at least get a draw, this is also very important.
"Consistency is the key. It's a long season and the fewer games you lose, the more points you have."
