Movie script wows Marco
MARCO Stiepermann admits even Norwich’s players are stunned by their ‘Hollywood’ season.
The German midfielder, who has played for Borussia Dortmund, says he has not experienced anything like it in football.
Stiepermann scored his first league goal on English soil, helping the Canaries to overcome battling Bolton and stay top of the Championship.
Norwich manager Daniel Farke described his club’s exploits as like a movie blockbuster and 27-year-old Stiepermann said: “This is just really special. I’ve never felt this feeling before.
“We are on 43 points – more than two points a game – and, to be honest, I didn’t expect that.
“There is no pressure on us because no one expected us, before the season started, to be top and that the manager would be boss of the month for November.
“I don’t want to talk about the Premier League. There are 25 games left. We’ll look game by game.
“I didn’t even know we were playing the late kick-off [this Saturday against Bristol City] until now. I was just focusing on this game. It’s what we do.”
Carrow Road was booming as the Canaries went 2-0 ahead after strikes by Mario Vrancic and Stiepermann.
Stunned silence followed, though, as Farke’s men switched off, allowing Sammy Ameobi and Mark Beevers to pounce and make it 2-2.
Stiepermann said: “We were a little bit too comfortable after our second goal and a little bit too sloppy. We have to work on that.”
After Ameobi was then sent off, Norwich striker Teemu Pukki dramatically fired in – six minutes into added time.
Bolton looked shattered after a huge effort despite not having been paid during November.
Chairman Ken Anderson needs to be tempted with the right offer to sell the club but the players are not letting off-field issues affect them.
Manager Phil Parkinson said: “We keep talking about wearing the shirt with pride for the supporters.
“And it’s important, representing yourselves and your families, that you are giving the absolute maximum. They have done that here.
“It’s one of the quietest dressing rooms I’ve seen in a long time. I didn’t really know how much I could say to them as they are hurting a lot.”
Life does not get any easier for Bolton as their next game is against another of the top two, Leeds. But Parkinson said: “It’s a confidence booster in one way that we have come to play Norwich – who everyone are talking about – and played like that.
“We can get a result against Leeds. We’ve just got to keep working, then something will
go for us.”
NORWICH (4-2-3-1): Krul; Aarons, Zimmermann, Godfrey, Lewis; Tettey, Vrancic; Buendia (Hernandez 83), Stiepermann (Rhodes 87), Cantwell 7; Pukki 7 (Srbeny 90). Booked: Vrancic. Goals: Vrancic 39, Stiepermann 59, Pukki 90.
BOLTON (4-2-3-1): Alnwick; Olkowski (O’Neil 79), Hobbs, Beevers, Taylor; Williams, Lowe; Ameobi, Noone (Dyer 60), Buckley (Magennis 71); Doidge. Booked: O’Neil, Ameobi. Sent off: Ameobi 90. Goals: Ameobi 63, Beevers 88. Referee: S Duncan (Northum).