ALWAYS LOOK ON BRIGHT SIDE OF STRIFE
Smith: Injuries & lack of new signings won’t clip Canaries’ wings
DEAN SMITH is convinced he has all the right clubs in his bag for Norwich to make the cut this season.
The Canaries kick off their Championship campaign at Cardiff today as one of the promotion favourites.
But given that relegation from the Premier League last term was so traumatic the play-offs might turn out to be a more realistic bet.
Especially as Smith has added just two new faces, in Gabriel Sara and Isaac Hayden (the pair, below), and both are injured.
But the Canaries boss has a number of loanees back at Carrow Road, including forward Jordan Hugill and playmaker Todd Cantwell (below left).
And with star striker Teemu Pukki still there, he is confident his squad can cope with whatever a 46game campaign throws at them.
Smith, who loves to spend free time on the fairway, said: “You have to have the full set of clubs in the bag.
“We feel we have that at the moment but we still want some additions. A lot of teams may sit off us and we have to open the door, and there will be some who press us.
“We have to compete in both boxes because there will be a physical element as well.”
Sara, the £6million signing from Sao Paolo, has an outside chance of making the bench. Kieran Dowell is another doubt but defensive duo Sam Byram and Ben Gibson are definitely out.
Smith was hopeful Cantwell could rekindle previous hot form after falling out of favour under previous boss, Daniel Farke.
A loan move to Bournemouth last term failed to morph into a permanent stay so the ex-england Under-21 star is back at square one.
Smith said: “When we came in he had been through a tough period and I believe he has come through that now. He throws out big numbers when he plays and is a fit lad.”
Chile midfielder Marcelino Nunez, 22, is close to sealing a £3.3m switch from homeland outfit Universidad Catolica.
Smith added: “We are still looking to bring in good players and things are moving on that. It’s a wide-open window still.”