Norwich City: Christian Fassnacht on injury, contract status

It's a big one for the Canaries, who are still out to prove their Championship credentials under Johannes Hoff Thorup. They're facing a side undefeated at home since February, having struggled last time they were on the road in a 1-0 loss to Swansea.

They're buoyed, however, by a 4-1 demolition of Watford and a victory over Mark Robins' highly-tipped Coventry, with optimism starting to creep into the fan base under the new regime.

But Fassnacht wasn't part of any of those. He played 63 minutes of a 2-0 loss to newly-promoted Oxford United, sustaining an Achilles injury in the process that has kept him out for months. He's back at Carrow Road on a rainy Norfolk evening, signing autographs for supporters.

He praises that experience as he starts talking to the Pink Un, but he'd much rather be in the East Midlands preparing to play.

City have found form in the 30-year-old's absence (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd) "It's really hard, to be honest," he admits. "Of course at the beginning it was quite frustrating, because it happened after just the first game. Straight after the game I felt like something wasn't well, and I realised that I'd be out for a few weeks probably.

"That's really hard every time, and you want to be back with the team or back on the pitch as soon as possible, especially when I look back on pre-season and I got a calf injury in the first week.

"I only trained for one week before the first game, when I was able to play and then got injured again. That's quite frustrating, because I probably only trained 10 times with the new manager. Hopefully I can show him what I'm capable of soon, but that's part of the game, and that's life."

There have been upsides to the 30-year-old's fitness struggles, with the absence of matchday travel and training schedules meaning time with his 18-month-old daughter. Soon he'll be back on the road, however, with a return to action expected before too long.

Fassnacht is in the late stages of his recovery (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd) "At the moment I'm happy because I have a little baby at home, so it means a little bit more time with family," he continues. "There are other things in life you can enjoy during this period.

"It's going really well. I'm in a good way, and hopefully towards the end of October I'll be back with the team. I've started running outside, so hopefully everything progresses well and I'll be back on the pitch as soon as possible."

When Fassnacht is back in the fold, it'll be Thorup's possession-based football awaiting him. "It's been really good, I like the way he wants to play," he adds, half-laughing at how big a role injury has played in his life recently.

"As I said before, I'm almost more injured than healthy, so I haven't had that much time with him on or off the pitch. So I'm really looking forward to the upcoming weeks and getting to know him better.

"It is hard, because you have to find the right timing to be on the training ground. It's not possible every time because you work with the physios, who have to work with the team as well. It's not easy to be around the team every time, but I'm trying to be there as often as possible."

The Swiss has seen his time with new head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup restricted (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd) In any case he'll have to hit the ground running, with his contract up next summer and multiple factors going against him. With the group for Derby are fellow right-wingers Ante Crnac and Kaide Gordon, while attacking option Emiliano Marcondes is signed almost exactly a week after this chat. Sporting director Ben Knapper has also made clear his preference for a younger squad, and Fassnacht is now one of the club's older heads.

But the Swiss is taking one step at a time, with his full focus for now on recovery and performance.

"At the moment I'm quite calm, to be honest," he says. "That's part of the business. Of course I want to stay, I want to play well. Hopefully the club says 'hey, let's extend the contract with Fassi and he stays for another one or two years'.

"But at the moment I can't do anything. First of all I need to get fit, and then we will see what's next."