FARKE: I WON’T FLY AWAY
Canaries coach: I feel at home here, my heart belongs to Carrow Road..
DANIEL FARKE has fired back at claims that it would be bad for English football if Norwich are promoted.
It was suggested during this week that Farke’s success would deny upcoming English managers such as West Brom’s Darren Moore, Frank Lampard (right) at Derby and Aston Villa’s Dean Smith the chance of managing in the top flight.
The Premier League currently only has four homegrown managers.
But defiant Farke hit back ahead of tonight’s clash at Bristol City – and insists that his love-in with Norwich is set to blossom into a long-term affair at Carrow Road.
German Farke said: “I heard what has been said about me and I am quite relaxed. Everyone is allowed to have their opinion, even if it is a bit different.
“I’ve been here 18 months and I am one of the longestserving head coaches in the league already.
“I’ve got a German passport and perhaps my German education, but in the same way the fans sing, ‘Jordan Rhodes is one of us’ I already feel one of us.
“My heart is yellow already and I don’t have the feeling that I am just here a few months and then going back to Germany. I feel at home.”
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has admitted that he tracks Norwich’s progress due to their mutual Dortmund connections – and Farke says it is a nice encouragement for his side. “Jurgen Klopp knows what he is talking about and it’s a bit of nice motivation for our players to know he follows our games,” Farke said.
“It’s always nice to hear some compliments and some nice words.”
The Canaries have built a reputation as smash-and-grab kings of the Championship, having struck winners in stoppage time twice in the past month.
But Bristol City midfielder Marlon Pack says his side know they have to stay awake for the entire game.
Pack said: “They’ve scored quite a few goals late on so it just shows you can’t really rest at all in the game, you’ve got to stay focused for the whole 90 minutes.
“It also shows Norwich have probably got a good team spirit, which I know for a fact we have as well.
“They’re going to have to make sure they’re focused for 90 minutes too because we’ll be giving it our all.
“I feel like we’ve been unlucky in the last few games at home and now we’re up against top of the table.”