Philippe Clement, head coach of Norwich City, took time to reflect following his team's narrow 2-1 defeat to Hull City on the final day of the Championship season. While the disappointment of missing out on the play-offs weighed heavily, Clement's commendation for the Tigers stood out during the post-match interviews, particularly as their victory secured them a coveted position in the top six. Read more about Clement's Canaries Target Victory in Season Finale at Hull.
The encounter at the MKM Stadium was filled with drama. Norwich surged ahead when Mohamed Toure scored a remarkable volley in the 26th minute, marking his tenth goal in just twelve appearances and showcasing his impressive form. However, Hull responded swiftly; just two minutes later, a foul by Ruairi McConville on Joe Gelhardt led to a penalty, which Oli McBurnie converted to equalise.
The match tilted decisively in Hull's favour with just over twenty minutes left on the clock when McBurnie found the net again, taking advantage of a flick from Matt Crooks to secure the win that propelled the Tigers into the play-offs. Read more about Clement Reassures on McLean's Fitness Ahead of World Cup.
In his post-match comments, Clement expressed frustration at the result, stating, “All credit to Hull, but that was not a game we should have lost. We did our job to get a result, and I think we deserved more. Our players showed the right mentality and they - until the last second - tried to get a result. We need to focus on ourselves. What we missed to have a really good game was to be more ruthless in the final third.”
He also shared his happiness for Hull's success, saying, “I’m really happy for Hull City to make the play-offs because they have two of my ex-players (John Lundstram and Kieran Dowell).”
Reflecting on his tenure at Norwich since November, Clement highlighted the progress made, particularly during the latter part of the season: “In the last 26 games, we took the most points in the league, so it’s an amazing story. Next season, this (the play-offs) will be our target. There’s now a real unity with our fans, so, of course, we want to do something special next season.”
As the Canaries prepare for the summer transfer window, Clement acknowledged the importance of strategic recruitment: “We need the right players – players will also be coming and going – so that’s a puzzle that will need to be fixed. The most important thing is to focus on ourselves, but to raise our levels with recruitment, with players who are already in the building. I’m really hungry to continue this story for as long as possible.”
Defender Ruairi McConville also spoke candidly about the lessons learned from the defeat. He expressed a hope that Hull’s celebrations might inspire Norwich as they gear up for the next campaign. “I was right in the middle of it, but you can understand it. Credit where credit's due; they've done well throughout the whole season, so they deserve it,” he remarked.
Reflecting on his role in conceding the penalty, McConville added, “It’s frustrating that it’s ended the way it has, obviously giving away the penalty. But there’s so much to learn, and that’s what I’ll do.”
With a renewed sense of purpose and ambition, the Canaries are determined to leave their mark in the forthcoming campaign.