Norwich City: Josh Sargent opens up on Canaries development

The American international has come on leaps and bounds since arriving at Norwich in a near £9million deal from Werder Bremen in 2021. 

Sargent was a frustration to City fans for a period of time, forced to play out wide and in reserve to Teemu Pukki. 

Now, he is their number nine and there was a lot of hope in him before he suffered an ankle ligament injury that will keep him sidelined until January, having just undergone surgery. 

It comes at a time when Sargent was just hitting his stride after being handed the opportunity that he has long craved since arriving at the club. Pukki's departure to the MLS saw David Wagner put trust in him to spearhead his attack. 

By his own admission, his spell out wide was 'frustrating' and curbed his ability to affect matches regularly. 

Wagner has ruled out a return to that position, and that has come as a relief for the 23-year-old who, although grateful for the experience, didn't view a future for himself as a winger. 

“To be honest, I don’t know if it’s helped me in the striker role. It’s helped me learn a new position which can always be beneficial, but it was never my goal to play as a winger.

"I was never the happiest playing there," Sargent admitted. "I was a young guy and I got the opportunity to play there for Bremen, who were fighting relegation and it’s what the team were asking for.

"I came here to England and we had a striker like Teemu where I know I’m not going to start in front of him. I was asked to play on the wing in the Premier League which isn’t the easiest thing to do when you’re defending a lot.

"I think everyone could see it wasn’t my most natural and comfortable position to be in. As much as I liked playing and getting the experience which I’ll never regret, it was a bit frustrating because I know I’m most beneficial as a striker for myself and the team.

"I don’t know if there is much you can say (to the coach). As a young guy, you can’t go into the office and say ‘I want to play in front of Teemu’; you just have to put your head down.

"David Wagner said straight away that I was a striker and I wouldn’t be playing as a winger anymore. When a manager comes in and says that, it’s like a weight off your shoulders. It was a refreshing thing to hear.”

Teemu Pukki's presence and goal-scoring form was the main reason that coaches, namely Daniel Farke and Dean Smith, opted to move Sargent out wide. 

Josh Sargent started the season well before suffering an injury. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

Pukki was an influential figure to Sargent - not necessarily by coaching him, but more through his actions on the training pitch and within matches that led to him being so prolific for City. 

“He’s a very experienced striker and there was a lot to talk to him about and learn from him," Sargent said. 

"He wasn’t the most vocal guy but just watching him in training and in games, seeing the movements that he makes had a big impact on me and how I view the game.

“It was a good relationship. He was a good guy who never caused any problems so it was very easy to get along with him.”

Sargent feels the two biggest improvements during his time in England have come from improving both his physical condition and mental capabilities to deal with the pressures of modern football. 

Like many young footballers, there are the pressures that come with social media and Sargent has sought improvements in dealing with that exposure and managing his own expectations.                 

“Any striker is going to be judged on the goals he scores. I have a mental guy that I speak with and the coaches on the team as well," Sargent told the Scuffed podcast.

"If I’m doing the right things to get myself in the positions to score chances, then good things will come after that. The team has been playing really good football and creating really good chances which means we’ve scored quite a few goals already.

"Hopefully, when I get back, we can keep doing that. Being young, going to Germany on my own wasn’t the easiest thing to do. I found myself on social media too much caring about what people were saying, thinking and I wasn’t myself or focussed on the game, more on what people thought about me.

"It was a big area where I needed improvement. So far, it’s been huge for me. We came up with this model where instead of being so goal orientated and being like ‘I need to score’, it’s more little things I can throughout the game to make sure I can score the goals.

"So, can I make X amount of runs in behind? Can I have three shots on goal? Can I take someone on two times? They are random examples but it’s about setting little goals to reaching the bigger one.”

Along with the improvement of his mental aspects, Sargent has also learned the importance of bulking up to contend with the physicality of the English game. 

“I definitely noticed coming to England that it was a very physical league. Starting in the Premier League straightaway, the guys are some of the most athletic and strongest that you will face," Sargent said.

Josh Sargent was Norwich City's main striker prior to interview. (Image: PA Images)

"It was an area I felt I could improve. I remember I got a small injury and I texted our trainer and said ‘let’s use this time to get some weight on’ and I think it’s really improved my game.

"When I got here, we had a nutritionist which was different from Germany. That helped me learn a lot. Every year you are learning more about your body and what works for you and what doesn’t.

"I feel like I’m in a really good place now where I know what works for me.”