Huckerby hopeful of prompt return
Norwich forward Darren Huckerby remains optimistic he will be fit for the start of the new Barclays Premiership season.
The 28-year-old was the catalyst for the Canaries’ surge to the First Division championship last season, playing an inspirational role following his transfer from Manchester City in December after a loan spell at Carrow Road.
However, he has been troubled by a niggling groin problem and has not featured since the club’s opening pre-season friendly at Great Yarmouth on July 7.
But the striker today revealed he could now make a return for Saturday’s final warm-up game against Real Mallorca at Carrow Road, which would boost his chances of making the opening match of the season against Crystal Palace a week later.
“I’ve been doing a bit of light training for the past few days,” said Huckerby on the club’s official website, www.canaries.co.uk.
“I’ve been working in training, but only with the ball for the past couple of days.
“It’s going to take a bit of time and I’m a few weeks behind the other lads.
“Hopefully I will have enough to be able to play in the Mallorca game but it’s still early days yet.”
In Huckerby’s absence it has been on-loan Arsenal player David Bentley who has caught the eye.
The 19-year-old smashed in a superb goal during last night’s 1-1 draw at Peterborough, which left an impression on Norwich boss Nigel Worthington.
“We had a lot of good moves and it was a great goal from David Bentley,” said the Ulsterman.
“We stuck him out on the left in the second-half where he can come in on his right and he did very, very well and scored a wonder goal.”
Veteran Denmark defender Thomas Helveg made his long-awaited Norwich debut during the second half at London Road ater finally receiving international clearance following his free transfer move from Inter Milan.
“Thomas Helveg showed his quality,” added Worthington in the Norwich Evening News.
“He was composed on the ball and is a very, very good addition to the squad.”
Worthington is still awaiting news on a bid for Leicester forward James Scowcroft, but ruled out a move for Rangers defender Craig Moore.
The Australia international’s proposed move to Blackburn collapsed yesterday after he failed to agree terms with the Ewood Park club.
Worthington revealed the player was offered to them, but said: “Alex McLeish spoke to me to see if I was interested. I said: ‘Depending on the overall package’ and the overall package was too expensive for Norwich City Football Club.”
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