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‘Coach, trust me, I need the keys to your car’ - Farke’s take on Stiepermann’s wash and go antics

Marco Stiepermann indulged in some unusual preparation for Norwich City's trip to Millwall Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd Paul Chesterton

Marco Stiepermann’s car washing skills might give him the edge over his Norwich City rivals.

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Stiepermann was forced to clean head coach Daniel Farke’s car at Colney this week after losing a player forfeit on the ‘wheel of fortune’.

Farke revealed on Friday he was bemused by his compatriot’s request to borrow his car keys but joked he needed to get back in his good books after firing blanks in the 3-2 Championship win over Bristol City.

City head to Millwall on Saturday and Stiepermann has done his chances of featuring at the Den no harm.

“A clinical performance from Marco Stiepermann. I was a little surprised it was labelled as a fine. It should be an honour for him or at least a chance to make up for not scoring in the last game,” said Farke. “We have a lot of midfield players who want to play so he used his chance to be in my thoughts.

“It was their idea to have this wheel of fortune to either double the fine or someone else has to be pay it.

“To clean the car of the boss was a surprise to me that it would be an option on the wheel.

“I like it to be honest. Stiepi came in and asked for the keys of my car.

“I was surprised. ‘Why do you need this?’ He didn’t want to speak about it. He just said, ‘Coach, trust me. I need the keys to your car.’ So of course I gave them and I was pretty pleased. Well done Stiepi.”

Farke admitted times have changed since he was a player.

“All jokes aside, in my generation as a player pretty often the head coach used fear and players had to be scared to feel the pressure to bring a perfect performance,” he said. “My feeling is totally the opposite.

“When you feel comfortable and settled in your surroundings and feel good in the dressing room it helps to be there with your best performance.

“If you ask me, I wouldn’t need to have any fines. I hated as a player when the head coach would say I am about discipline, strictness and being on time. For me, that is nonsense. We are working in professional football.

“That should be a given. I never heard a head coach talking about being ill-disciplined or being late.

“It is good fun when someone uses the mobile in the wrong situation and there is a fine. But that is totally up to the players to judge it. I am not standing by my window and hoping a player is 30 seconds late.”