The 33-year-old was signed from Sunderland on transfer deadline day in early September, but only made his first appearance at Carrow Road in the 1-0 win over QPR on Saturday.
It was only his second full 90 minutes in yellow and green, having featured in the late 3-2 win over Cardiff earlier this month.
However, the former Wolves man said he had no problem waiting for match time and was happy to ensure he prepared as best he could until that head coach David Wagner urged him to do so.“There are some good players here, which is good for me because it means I have to do my best every day,” he said after the QPR win.
“It challenges me every day and I’ve had to be patient, but when I have an opportunity, that’s how I wait and how I prepare when that opportunity presents itself.” “For me, it’s about making sure I’m prepared and ready to go whenever I’m asked.
I can’t control selection, form or anything like that, so for me it’s about giving my all every week in training.“If I’m not selected, I won’t be selected, but I’ll be a good teammate and support the team. It just makes you hungry and excited when you get the chance.
Batth secured a place in the Championship team of the season as the Black Cats stormed into the play-offs last season, but did not feature for several minutes after being left on the bench at Norfolk.
Instead, he was confident that Wagner would see his hard work and that it would eventually pay off. “I think the coach can tell from my behavior on the pitch that I am always ready and willing to play whenever I need to,” he continued.“I hope I can build on this form and of course a run of matches would take me to my highest level.”
Then I am convinced that I will be a good player for this club at this level. Of course, I made a few appearances, but this was my first start at home.This is one of those where you want to check off your first point. Let’s move forward and build on this.”
