Interview
South American duo will help City find creative spark - Smith
Dean Smith hopes that Gabriel Sara (pictured) and Marcelino Nunez will help Norwich City discover a creative edge. - Credit: Danielle Booden/Archant
Dean Smith believes that South American duo Gabriel Sara and Marcelino Nunez will help Norwich City discover a creative spark, with the pair poised to make their debuts against Wigan on Saturday.
Sara has completed a week of training, whilst new signing Nunez is waiting for some paperwork to be completed, but Smith expects him to be available for their opening Carrow Road fixture of the season.
City's boss bemoaned his side's lack of creativity in the wake of their 1-0 defeat to Cardiff City last weekend but is hopeful the duo can provide Norwich with an edge in the final third.
"From what we've seen in training, Marcelino is a bundle of energy, has really good connecting skills, can see a pass forward and can receive the ball very well," said Smith. "Sara is very similar as well, and I think they can add a creative spark in the final third.
"I’ve found them to be really hard working. They don’t just enjoy their football, they love their football.
"In South America, football is a passion to everybody and these players just want to be successful in the UK. Obviously, the Premier League is the league to be in across the world, for Gabby and Marce, their task is to get Norwich City back there."
Nunez was City's second addition from South America and both signings are the fruit of years of work in the region after the change in regulations post-Brexit that has made it easier to sign players from that area of the world.
Marcelino Nunez (left) has reportedly played his last game in Chile ahead of a move to Norwich City. - Credit: PA Images
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Smith has enjoyed working with players from that continent before at Aston Villa, namely Wesley and Douglas Luiz.
Despite jetting thousands of miles to leave their homes and begin a new life in Norfolk, Smith believes their characters will ease adaptation to the league
"We are missing a step, really, and that step is to get them directly from South America into us rather than elsewhere in Europe," Smith said.
"The leagues that they play in are relatively unknown to most of us in the UK. We have been watching the markets closely and we feel that the sort of players are very adaptable. We will be finding out pretty soon how true that is."
