All three members of that trio mastered the ability of following a celebrated feat with another great accomplishment, which is remarkably uncommon in the world-class bracket.
Of course, the Carrow Road faithful are not under any pressure to win successive Premier League titles, numerous Olympic gold medals, or release an acclaimed follow-up to a seminal album, but they do have the unique task of trying to improve on their best work this weekend.
Their most recent outing consisted of leading their club to derby victory in a thunderous East Anglian atmosphere, with tifos raised and chanting never-ending as their undefeated streak stretched 15 years.
That’s not where the excitement ends, either, as Canaries head coach David Wagner expects the same amount of support when Bristol City visit NR1 this afternoon.
“I think there will be more or less the same people in the stadium,” he stated during his pre-game press conference. “It makes no sense to exhibit the mood because of the opponent; instead, show the atmosphere because of the team you support and the stage of the season we are in.
“We’re playing for something. Everyone should be as enthusiastic as we are, and that is my hope. Hopefully, this will be the case on Saturday, and we can all obtain a satisfactory outcome.
“The atmosphere two weeks ago was fantastic, which is something I haven’t experienced often in my managing career.
“Now when there are fewer games and you are truly playing for something, it
absolutely makes sense to do what we did in the last home game, everyone in the stadium; in the stands and on the grass.
I’m excited to see, hear, and feel the emotion and atmosphere, because everyone has seen how this affects the game and the players. This is exactly what we need for the upcoming home games.
Wagner and his players will be encouraged by a very encouraging fitness update, with Jacob Sorensen back after recovering from a hamstring injury and club captain Grant Hanley nearing the end of his personal conditioning programme.
Star man Jonathan Rowe is also anticipated to play against the Robins, even if the match is too early for him to start.
“No new issues,” Wagner stated. “As expected, Lungi has resumed training since Tuesday. He is prepared and fit, and provided he maintains his health, he will be included in the matchday squad.
“Grant is likely to return next Tuesday to prepare for the Swansea encounter. We’ll see how he looks when he rejoins the gang.
“No issues (for Rowe).” He had a good week this week and will participate again. Hopefully, we can give him some extra time. I believe I need to discuss this with the medical department.
“He’s not ready to start right now; he’s been out for nearly three months.” However, we have seen the impact he
can have, and it’s great to have him back.
“With another week of training next week, [a start] is coming closer and closer.”
Even despite the positive injury news, Norwich won’t have it easy against Liam Manning’s side. The visitors are one of the Championship’s form teams at present, and Wagner’s well aware of the threat they pose.
“Everybody knows that Bristol are the in-form team in the last five games,” he continued. “I really like what I’ve seen of them, even if I’m not surprised. It’s a very energetic team, they work hard, good distances.
“I would not be surprised if next season they really are in the mix for the play-off places. They have created something that is interesting, and this is what they’ve shown in recent weeks.
“We’ll face a proper challenge. Look at the major names they’ve beaten this season, including in the FA Cup. Nobody should look at the table and think, ‘Oh, come on, this is easy’.
“They can put on great shows, as seen by their previous performances. They are on a roll; they are enthusiastic, swift, and can play in pockets, behind, or in open areas. They can play three or four at the back, so they are quite versatile.
“I am confident that this is a team to keep an eye on for next season. But, at the end of the day, whoever we face, the goal is obvious. We want to be successful and
for this we will invest everything and make sure that we are on fire.”
