New City signing Maceo Rigters left everyone in no doubt what they can expect from him in the club's final seven games of the season: 'Goals'.
The 24-year-old signed on an emergency loan until the end of the season from Blackburn Rovers earlier today and is well aware of the task he faces in breathing new life into Glenn Roeder's shot-shy troops.
“The fans can expect goals ? that's what a striker has to do,” said Rigters, whose Golden Boot winning display at the European Under-21 Championships won him a host of Premiership admirers in the summer. Including Roeder who – in-between jobs at the time – would have been one of those player-spotter types who would have been feverishly jotting down names, clubs and positions as the action unfolded.
“That's why they have brought me to the club and that's what I'm looking to provide,” said Rigters.
“I met my team-mates for the first time today and they seem like a good set of lads. I will get to know them better at training in time for the match against Colchester on Saturday.”
Manager Roeder had to use all his charm to convince Rovers boss Mark Hughes to part with Rigters for the season's remainder but the former NAC Breda striker needed little persuasion upon hearing of City's interest.
“The gaffer (Roeder) is a very good talker and I was happy with what he said to me,” said Rigters. “He is a very experienced manager and I'm looking forward to working with him.”
After moving to Ewood Park in the summer he has struggled to make a first team impression with Hughes preferring to choose from an impressive quartet of strikers including Roque Santa Cruz, Benni McCarty, Matt Derbyshire and Jason Roberts.
It seems that Hughes has marked down Rigters as one for the future but the man himself is eager to show just what he is missing out on.
“Yes it's been frustrating but the strikers at Blackburn have been doing very well,” he said. “I joined them from a smaller club and it was a big step for me to make.
“I knew it was going to be hard for me to get in the team straight-away there but I have kept training well, kept positive and now I just need to get some games.”
Rigters would not be drawn on whether he would like to make the switch permanent in the summer as he wants to see how he adapts to Norfolk life for the final six weeks of the season.
But Roeder would happily settle for the striker to score a few goals and drag the Canaries away from the relegation zone before heading back to Lancashire.
“I cannot think about a permanent move at the moment,” he added. “We will see how it works but all I'm thinking about at the moment is the next six weeks with Norwich and I plan to enjoy it.
“I think it's a good team to play for so I'm happy to be here. I'm coming to Norwich to get some games and some goals.”
It seems that the Canaries owe a debt of gratitude to Fulham striker Collins John in convincing his fellow Dutchman to swap the Premiership for the Championship.
John has made that transition himself as he enjoys a loan spell at Watford and Rigters revealed he had asked his fellow countryman about the switch.
“I spoke with Collins about the move and he said it is a good division to play in,” he said. “Then I spoke with the manager and realised it was a good move for me. I'm coming to a really big club that has a good history.”
A number of Championship sides were monitoring Rigters' situation with Ipswich Town manager Jim Magilton also known to be an admirer.
Rigters' name has been on the radar of several other Championship bosses but Blackburn had been keen to hold on to the player.
However, as the season approached its final furlong Hughes' stance softened and Roeder was the quickest to make a move.
Rigters' long term goal is to win a full international cap, which he was expected to have done by now after his impressive form for the Under-21s.
However, a lack of first team football has hindered his chances and he hopes to use his time at Carrow Road as the first step in the path to the full Dutch team.
“Every player wants to be a full international but it's very hard in Holland as we've got a lot of good strikers,” he said. “Of course it would be nice and I expect to make it to that level and that's what I will try to do as soon as I can.”
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