City forgotten man Jamie Cureton has admitted he's relishing the backing of new boss Paul Lambert as he aims to get back on the goal trail at Stadium:MK on Monday night.
It looked like he was on his way out of Norfolk after Bryan Gunn made it clear he wasn't part of his first-team plans.
But when the man who wanted to sign him in the summer came up the A12 from Colchester, Cureton's love affair with the Canaries was back on track. And he's as happy as Larry…
“Until the manager change I felt I may probably have to leave to get football but since the manager has come in, I've started all three league games,” said the Bristolian.
“It's so far so good and it's is nice to be back involved. Once a new manager comes in they've got new ideas and you just hope you're part of his plans. Luckily this time the change has helped me.
“I've still got to prove I'm good enough to stay in the team and do well but it is just nice to be given that opportunity again.”
Lambert is thought to have made a move to bring Cureton back to Essex in the summer and with the former Norwich trainee seemingly a confidence player, you'd like to think it won't be too long before he finds the net � especially given the support of the new City chief.
He admitted that as soon as he walked through the doors at Colney, Lambert made it clear he wanted the 34-year-old to stick around. And the respect is clearly mutual.
“The day he came in, on the Tuesday, I wasn't even in the squad when the boys went to Brentford but he made a point of coming up to me and telling me he wanted me in his plans.
“As a player when you hear that from the boss it gives you a big boost. So I knew he liked me as a player – when he was appointed I knew I'd have a chance again.
“Hopefully we can have some stability now. You always want someone as a figurehead, to look up to and respect.
“They've made the change and so far it's been a good one. Everyone is getting on well with the manager and enjoying working with him.
“He said in the first week what he wanted, how he wanted us to play and what he expected of us as professionals. The boys have responded to it well and are enjoying it now.”
This season is the last on his City contract and Cureton will be hoping to find his shooting boots again after a steady, if unspectacular last three outings.
But to be fair, it's not as if he's missing chances – which has been a criticism in the past. And as soon as the supply starts flowing on a more regular basis, Cureton is confident he can recapture some of the form that won him the Championship Golden Boot in 2006-07.
“It has been a bit of a strange one, even in the 5-2 win I didn't get a chance where you think 'I should have taken that',” he added.
“It was the same again at Hartlepool and again last Saturday but nothing has come to me. It would certainly be nice to get a chance, get on a goal trail and start banging them in.
“It is nice having the manager's backing and hopefully if a chance does fall for me, I'll take it and we can go from there.
“It would be nice in my last year to have a real good year, score lots of goals and help the club to promotion – that would be a great year for me.”
Tom Haylett
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