It’s been a longer break from football than Norwich City would have liked – but defender Ceri Flye says they’re itching to get back on the pitch this weekend.
With postponements either side of the winter break, it’s been over a month since the Canaries – who are currently second in the FA Women’s National League Division One South East – last stretched their wings on the pitch.
“The Christmas break gives you that well-needed rest,” Flye explains to SheKicks.net. “We’re still very busy with our training plans – we get a few little sessions to do, a couple of pitch sessions, a couple of gym sessions to do in our own Christmas break, but obviously it’s well needed to spend time with friends and family and just have that time to switch off football because it is so full on.”
The two postponements mean there’ll be an extra buzz as they travel to Actonians this weekend.
“It’s given us that extra excitement to get back on the pitch on Sunday and that motivation to go out there and get the three points and get back on track and pick up back where we left off,” she says.
Ceri Flye: There’s no easy game in this league
Norwich’s results are interesting to cast an eye over. Their three most recent wins in the league have all been by a single goal, which suggests something about the tenacity that can be found in this team.
“We’ve had a few difficult games – more difficult than than they needed to be,” says Flye. “But that’s one thing about us – we’ll graft and we’ll work to the 95th minute in [added] time.
“There’s no easy game in this league. Our results have proven that: we’re winning 1-0, we’re winning 2-1, and some of these teams are towards the lower end of the league and it just shows that every game is difficult and you’re not going to have an easy game.
“We’ve got such a good, strong group – mentally as well as physically – that we can push right to the end and get those late goals.
“We’re never down and out, really. Teams try and set us back, but we bounce back really strong and I think we’ve got that strong mindset as a team that we know that we can turn around anything as a group.”
“We’re all working towards the same goal”
Flye is a fan of hard work herself. She signed her first professional contract at the start of this season, and has relished the opportunity to train more and train harder as well as access the club’s infrastructure to support their players.
“I love football and I love exercise in general, so I’ve taken everything in my stride,” she says.
Norwich are four points behind league leaders Fulham with a game in hand, so they will need to draw on all the grit to haul back that deficit against a team who are still unbeaten.
Flye is, however, bullish.
“If we’re chasing, we know our goal anyway, that’s even more of a reason to keep winning games, keep putting performances on the pitch and keep training hard and doing the bits in and outside of football.
“It is difficult and it is a long season, but then it’s one of those seasons where you can’t really afford too many slip-ups. We know how good Fulham are. We know that they’re not going to drop many points. We know what we need to do.
“We’re all fixated on the same goal and we’re all working really hard towards it.”
Flye: Actonians are relentless
And the next step towards that comes in West London on Sunday. It is the reverse fixture from the opening game of the season, when Norwich beat Actonians 4-0 at the Nest. Add to that the fact that Actonians lost 5-0 to Fulham last weekend, so this time round the Canaries may find themselves facing a team who have a point to prove.
“I think it will be different to the start of the season,” says Flye. “I know that the scoreline when we played them last time probably [suggests] that it was an easy game, but it definitely wasn’t. Actonians are a strong side and they work really hard and they’re very relentless. It’s going to be a tough game.”
On the flip side, with no football over the last month, Norwich City can’t wait to get back out there and get their promotion push back under way.
“It’s difficult having games postponed,” admits Flye. “Last Sunday I was literally just about to leave the house when I got a text saying the game’s off. So then you’re in a bit of a lull – you’re like, ‘Oh, now what do I do?’ So I had to go for a nice long run to kind of try and make up for it!
“But there is no comparison to going out there and just playing. So [it will be]nice just to hopefully get back out there on Sunday. We’ve been training well, so we’re very well prepared for it, so hopefully we’ve put ourselves in the best position possible.”
