Norwich City boss Chris Hughton and his assistant Colin Calderwood will draw on their own north-east experiences to try and overcome Sunderland in Sunday's Premier League test. Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd

Chris Hughton urges Norwich City to thrive on the pressure ahead of Sunderland televised test

Paddy Davitt, EDP Sports Writer Saturday, March 16, 2013
3:04 PM

Chris Hughton’s time spent at Sunderland’s bitter north-east rivals gives him a unique insight into the footballing psyche on Wearside.

"Any team that goes to the Stadium of Light knows what to expect. I didn’t do too well on my last trip with Newcastle. I know that. I don’t know what reception I will get but I know our team will get a good one because from what I am led to believe we are taking a big support."

Chris Hughton

Cooling the fervour of an expectant home crowd will be a key aim in Sunday’s latest Premier League test.

“They are a massive club up there. They have a big vocal support and that support would see this as one of the games they should win, albeit Sunderland’s form is not good at the moment,” he said. “There will be more pressure on the result for them. No doubt, irrespective of league positions just because they are at home. It is a tough place to go, because they are a very good side playing at home who will have a passionate crowd behind them.

“Any team that goes to the Stadium of Light knows what to expect. I didn’t do too well on my last trip with Newcastle. I know that. I don’t know what reception I will get but I know our team will get a good one because from what I am led to believe we are taking a big support.”

Hughton is challenging his Norwich players to thrive on the pressure with both clubs in need of league points to avoid any late season anxiety.

Norwich have a slender advantage over Martin O’Neill’s side in the current Premier League standings, and Hughton is demanding the Canaries rise to the challenge.

“You don’t want anybody accepting where we are at the moment,” he said. “You want them to strive for better in the table. We do have a nine point gap (to the bottom three) and the attitude has to be can we extend that? In some ways you don’t want too much of the pressure off them because you want that balance. Perhaps it might be that individual players respond differently, but generally you want some pressure. We have nine games to go and I would like to think we will fight as hard in the last game as we will on Sunday.

“Everybody is desperate to get points. It is the part of the season where you can get unexpected results. Teams are driving to get out of that bottom three and those not in the bottom three are striving to push further away so everyone has objectives at this stage of the season. As soon as your game finishes you are looking for other results and particularly when teams play against each other in the same position in the league.”

Former Sunderland defender Michael Turner typifies the resolve Hughton wants to see after enduring a torrid start to his Norwich career.

“He has done great for us and I am really pleased for him. He did have a difficult start and some of that was not down to himself,” said the City boss. “When he came he hadn’t had a great pre-season at Sunderland. He just missed a fair chunk of that preparation period. He is a big lad and it took Michael a while to get going. Once he got through that phase it is fair to say he has been really good for us. At Sunderland he played something like the last 17, 18 games of last season so we knew his conditioning was quite good towards that second half of the season. Pre-season was just a little bit up and down for him in terms of games.”

Turner and Sebastien Bassong have solidified a defence which continues to form the bedrock of Norwich’s concerted bid for survival.

“I think defensively we have been excellent,” said Hughton. “Yes, I would like to be scoring more goals and we have tried to address that of late. We have had a lot of clean sheets, along with a few games where we have let in goals, so at times we haven’t married up so well together.

“What we also have to do is try and give ourselves an opportunity to win these nine games because there is a big difference between drawing and winning games.”

10 comments

It seems quiet here. Why

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sharky

Sunday, March 17, 2013
oh no, a sunday game on sky. time to break the mold and win . As long as them mackems dont score first we got a real chance of a point.or even three.

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wivenhoebudgie

Saturday, March 16, 2013
I would like to wish you ' Good Luck ' at Sunderland Chrissy my lovely! But I and others are well aware that it is not 'luck' that will bring us a victory in the North East. It will be down to all the hard work and expertise that you have brought to most of the games we have played so far this season. Sunderland are having a lean spell at the moment and although a potentially good side under a very capable manager, I for one feel certain that they cannot match our superior quality. We shall watch from our screens, and have no need to bite our finger nails as you and the boys do a super Demolition Job. Enjoy a nice trip home to Norfolk!

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Stew Pydsodd

Saturday, March 16, 2013
Todays results make our last two games look good ;-)

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sharky

Saturday, March 16, 2013
Well results today I guess means the Sunderland game is at minimum a 'mustn't lose', but with other clubs hitting form and Wigan always likely to do the impossible, it's probably now a 'must win'... Pressure on...

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richard

Saturday, March 16, 2013
Well the pressure has just been cranked up one million percent. City are more than capable of going to Sunderland and winning but Hoots must give the lads some free reign and let then play to their strengths and talent! It's one thing being told not to lose, but WE need to win and I just wish Hoots would stop building up the opposition and build our lads up instead. That will instill more confidence and belief and they will play accordingly!! We can and should win this game!! otbc

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Canarygirl

Saturday, March 16, 2013
He,s only answering questions from Davitt, that produced three articles. Dear oh dear!!!! OTBC

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sharky

Saturday, March 16, 2013
Well currently as I type this Villa are in the lead, as are Soton. If there was ever a time to get a win...

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wisemanthree

Saturday, March 16, 2013
It is a tough place to go, because they are a very good side playing at home, CH in the article above.

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Lobbo

Saturday, March 16, 2013
Why... why thats Colin Calderwood on the touchline. But... that can't be right? Brewer and his herd all say he's never on the touchline and he's in the executives bar during games. Well I don't know about you guys but I'm shocked. I think it's almost entirely possible that those associated with the herd on here might possibly talk a load of a$£% and should actually try going to a game and supporting the team before they make libellous claims. Maybe this shows their other "tactical" *snigger* prowess to be flawed???

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Steady On

Saturday, March 16, 2013