#ncfc DS squad update: 'Dowell started training on Thurs. Available. Everyone bar Zimbo fully fit. Byram to play more mins for 23s on Mon.'
The plan is for Sam Byram to increase his minutes with the 23s on Monday. The hope is to get him 60 minutes. Smith will be led by his medical team but reiterates how good a player Byram is.
DS: There’s a growing belief in the group after back-to-back wins. Wolves are in good form, it will be a tough game for us. We're at home again and if the second half atmosphere last Saturday is anything to go by, Carrow Road will be a tough place to come.
DS: It’s a very welcoming place for myself and Craig, from board level all the way throughout the club. It’s been a really nice start to what I hope will be a long career here.
#WWFC a 'very good team' and Smith praises Bruno Lage for not losing his beliefs despite a difficult start to the season.
DS: I wanted to know there was stability at the club before coming here. I’m looking forward to enhancing the relationship I’ve got with Stuart already.
Keinan Davis links... DS: "I have 23 players I am working with at Norwich. I am not thinking about other players."
'I think it showed the mentality of the players. They proved they can turn around a game. Football is a simple game. It's about the reaction to the goal.' Smith again mentioning the importance of 'consistency' within performances and remaining level headed within games
DS: Bruno is a really good coach. They lost the first three games but I looked at the statistics because I’m a bit of a geek with data, and their data was really good. It was only a matter of time before they turned results around.
Smith has probably used the word 'belief' more than any other in his press conference so far. On the fans: 'We have to get them behind us with our performances by showing how hard we will work for the shirt'.
New additions to the
#NCFC squad 'integrating really well', according to Smith. There is still a desire for patience but he believes they will come good.
Smith says Ozan Kabak was 'unlucky' to miss out last week but hadn't trained much because of glandular fever. Describes the understanding between Ben Gibson and Grant Hanley as 'excellent'. Stresses the importance of competition from Kabak and Omobamidele.
Nice snippet from Smith that he watched Josh Sargent play for both Werder Bremen and the USA. His work ethic is something Smith highlights. Describes him as a 'wide forward' and 'changed the game'.
A full week of training has allowed Smith to drip-feed a bit more information to his squad. He wanted to simplify the information he was giving the squad last week. Work on transitional phases has been at the fore this week.
'I know the sort of player Todd is and can be'. Smith believes Cantwell is getting closer to his top level. Plenty of praise for him as a footballer. I wonder what that means for tomorrow.
DS: "I believe the risk was worth it. I just felt he was slightly off it last week. He has had a full week of training this week and I feel he is getting back to those levels we all know he has."
Smith has had a chat with Todd Cantwell about last week and explained why he decided to take him off. 'It won't take an awful lot to get him back to the levels of the Premier League. I don't need to tell what
#NCFC fans what a player he is.'
#ncfc DS calls himself a 'data geek': 'We ran collectively 5km more than
#saintsfc. half a km of that was high speed running. We are certainly fit enough. But we need to be able to keep the ball more.'
