CANARIES boss Nigel Worthingon accused Fabian Wilnis of sour grapes after he gave a frank assessment of the Norfolk side but then admitted Norwich would struggle in the Premiership and new players would be needed.

CANARIES boss Nigel Worthingon accused Fabian Wilnis of sour grapes after he gave a frank assessment of the Norfolk side but then admitted Norwich would struggle in the Premiership and new players would be needed, writes Derek Davis.

In an interview to the EADT, which was used in a number of other papers, the Dutch defender stated the Canaries were not good enough to be top of the league and would need 15 new players to stand a chance in the Premiership.

Speaking on a radio phone-in Worthington conceded: “We will be the same as every other team that goes into the Premiership. It will be hard going. But the first thing is to get there. If that happens we will then sort out how we will stay there.

“We will need to sign a few players to add to the current squad. But the players that we have got, and the hard work and team spirit, also counts for a lot.

“If and when we get there I will assess everything with the board and we will do what we need to do, with the resources that we've got to deal with.”

The upset City boss also moaned that Wilnis was “out of order” in attacking his team.

Worthington said: “The comments after Sunday's game sounded to me like sour grapes from a player who could have done the interview about 25 minutes beforehand because he was taken off. That's how well he was playing.

“There is no need for that sort of thing because it's a professional game and we all have good days and bad days. I think there is an etiquette in the game and for a player to open his mouth like that is out of order.”

Wilnis was replaced for tactical reasons to allow Joe Royle to introduce another forward, with Pablo Counago going on. It worked to an extent with Town winning a penalty, put away by Tommy Miller.

Wilnis made the comments after being asked by the EADT if he thought Norwich were good enough to survive in the Premiership and if they were worth their position at the top of Division One.