James Norwood has scored four goals in his last three games for Ipswich Town and has captured the imagination with his goal celebration videos. ANDY WARREN spoke to him about his first few weeks as a Blues player.
It must have been a really good couple of weeks for you with four goals in three games?
JN: It has and a great week for the team, too.
We're scoring goals and making chances, which is always important. Myself and Kayden (Jackson) are both scoring and that's what you want from a partnership. If you can do that then you have a good chance of being where we are in the league.
As a striker it's disappointing not to score in every game but we're top of the league and there's not a lot to complain about. If that continues we should sit there for the rest of the season.
Were you a bit frustrated to only score two in the win at Bolton?
JN: Very frustrated.
Obviously it was great to get the three points but we looked at that game as a chance to score goals because we were 99% sure we were going to win the game.
MORE: 'Great form brother!!' - The story behind Dwayne Johnson contacting Ipswich Town striker James NorwoodSo to come off having missed a couple of chances I'm not used to missing was very frustrating. A 5-0 win and a clean sheet isn't too bad, though.
As a striker you'll have off days and if my off day is scoring two goals then I'll take that every day of the week.
And you're well on course for the two goals a month which add up to 20 by the end of the season…
JN: Yeah, as long as Bolton stay in the league. If not I'm on my two a month.
I'm a little ahead of schedule but the most important thing is keeping that No.1 spot.
How much are you enjoying the partnership with Kayden?
JN: Everyone can see that, game by game, we're getting better and better.
We understand each other's game more and, even though we're quite similar in how we play, we've learnt to adjust and are working with each other.
You can see that in the Wimbledon game, after Kayden came on, we linked up a good few times and both came away with a goal.
It's often said that similar players can't play up front together…
JN: We're not the least intelligent. We're smart players and you have to be able to adjust and adapt, especially in League One.
The higher up you go you have to play in different formations with different people and it proves how hard we work together in training.
MORE: 'I'm desperate to get back fit and do the best I can for Town' - Sears takes next step in knee injury recoveryThe gaffer believes we can play together and we're reaping the benefit there.
How have you found the transition from League Two to League One?
JN: It's pretty similar I think. I'm in the same sort of situation in that I'm playing for a very good side, pushing for promotion.
Things are easier when you're in one of the better sides in the division. I've got people who can create and a strike partner who runs, creates and scores.
You have to do things a little differently but if you back yourself as a player you're more than capable.
You missed a penalty at Peterborough but you must be happy to have put that right at Bolton?
JN: I was on the sheet to take the penalty at Bolton and, after Peterborough, I said I would score my next one.
I made sure I grabbed the ball and said to him (Alan Judge) that 'I need this and need to put it right' and thankfully it hit the back of the net.
If you hit a penalty well enough it will go in. I didn't hit the one at Peterborough cleanly because I was in my own head a little bit and changed my mind during my run-up.
MORE: 'He needs to go and play proper football and learn what it's all about' - young keeper Wright would benefit from loan moveI made the decision three days before Bolton which way my next penalty was going.
People always miss penalties but it's important for you to score the next one after you miss.
I was getting texts off the lads saying Paul Pogba missed a penalty for Manchester United and he's on £300,000 a week, so that made me feel a little bit better.
Your wrestling videos seem to have captured the imagination…
JN: I think the first one (Stone Cold Steve Austin) got 1.3million views and I never saw that coming in a million years.
Then I got a little idea it might take off again with The Rock, but I wasn't expecting it to go to the levels it went to, with Match of the Day, the WWE and Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) tweeting me.
That was a bit of a crazy day for me.
I just like to have fun and show we have personalities and have our own lives away from football.
We got told to do a GIF and maybe do a cheer or something like that but obviously I'm a bit of a loud character and like to do things a bit differently.
If it brings more people to Portman Road then that's great.
Was wrestling a big thing for you growing up?
JN: Everyone my age grew up on it. It was Kane, The Undertaker, Triple H and The Rock were the big guys.
We grew up watching it week in, week out and a lot of my friends still watch it. I just thought I'd have a bit of fun and it's taken off, so I'm under pressure now to keep them going.
So what's next, then?
JN: I've got a couple up my sleeve but it's difficult to reach the levels of what I've managed these last couple of weeks.
I don't want to disappoint.
MORE: Norwood is the joker in the Ipswich Town pack... but flick a switch and the striker is all businessIf we have to re-use a couple we have to re-use a couple, but the more GIFs I can do and the more than get tweeted means I'm scoring goals which is what makes me happy.
You recently shared a picture of you wearing some new glasses, do you need to wear contact lenses when you play?
JN: No, they're only for reading, driving and watching tele and I won't be seen in public with them.
And you've also been chasing criminals in the Philippines?
JN: I got frauded! The bank rang me in the morning and I've done some research and found the guy's exact house in the Philippines, so we'll see what happens from there.
I probably shouldn't say too much in the media in case he turns up somewhere… I'd be in a lot of trouble.
There's not a lot the police can do, I got my money back, so it's not a problem.
He keeps trying to sign into my Netflix, though and that's the bit that keeps annoying me. I get an email every two days telling me he's trying to change my password.
I changed it to a message to him. A certain couple of words, so he might just leave me alone now.
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