Sydney van Hooijdonk: Norwich boss David Wagner pleased with 'super positive' signing
Last updated on .From the section Norwich
Norwich City boss David Wagner insists he will give January signing Sydney van Hooijdonk time to adjust to the club.
The Dutch striker, son of former Celtic and Nottingham Forest forward Pierre van Hooijdonk, was Norwich's sole major signing of the transfer window.
He made his debut as a stoppage-time substitute against Coventry City.
"I don't like to put too much pressure on individuals but we are really excited to have him in our group," Wagner told BBC Radio Norfolk.
Van Hooijdonk is on loan from Italian club Bologna, where he has had limited opportunities since joining them in the summer of 2021.
The 24-year-old did, though, score 22 goals in 46 league games during a previous loan spell back in the Netherlands with Heerenveen.
"He's a super positive character. He has settled in as good as he could after the first week," Wagner continued.
"Everything is new to him, the training regime, the speed, the tempo in training, the intensity as well."
The 2-1 win over Coventry left Norwich ninth in the Championship, just one point outside the top six.
And they could climb into the play-off places for the first time since September if they win at QPR on Saturday.
Wagner will have a full range of attacking options available with top scorer Jonathan Rowe back in training following a hand injury.
"We have 16 games to go and have to make sure we take it game by game - I know everybody says this, but we really like to approach it in this way," the head coach said.
"We are really hungry to keep our feeling, and belief, and trust in ourselves in terms of how we defend and how we attack.
"At this stage of the season, it's totally irrelevant where the opponents are in the table, everyone has to play for something and QPR are fighting to stay in this division.
"We respect them but have to be focused on doing what we need with ball possession and without ball possession at the highest possible level, whoever the opponent is."
