FIRST Team Coach Ian Crook will manage the Canaries' Reserves this season and says he's looking forward to taking charge of a Norwich City Xl for the game against Dereham at Aldiss Park this evening (7.45).

The former Canary midfielder took City's Reserve games last season on a temporary basis. Speaking to canaries.co.uk, Crook said he was delighted at the prospect at working with the future Norwich stars while still maintaining his coaching role with the first team squad.

"I'm really pleased at officially taking on the Reserves," he said. "It means I'll be working with the lads on a day-to-day basis and concentrating on their development. After the disappointment of relegation last season, it makes you sit down and re-evaluate things and have a re-think about it all.

"The Reserves give you the chance to concentrate on the lads' development, especially the younger ones - they did so well in the youth team last year, I'm looking forward to working closely with them all.

"The Adeyemis, Stephens, Dumics, Rudds, Steers - they are the future of Norwich City and we need to develop them fully and as quickly as possible. Because of that I do feel an extra pressure, but it's a good pressure because we want them to get to the level where they are ready for the first team. That what it's all about, getting them to a level where they're ready whenever they're called upon."

Looking ahead to Wednesday night's match, Crook added he had been pleased with the overall response of the Reserve team members: "I have nothing but good things to say about all the lads I've been working with in the Reserves, and they all have fantastic attitudes.

"We were all one big squad up in Scotland on tour and it was a big group - obviously only 11 can make it into the starting line-up during the season but for those who don't they just need to keep playing well, and the reserves are a pathway for them towards first team football.

"I don't generally like the term 'reserves' - they're all part of the first team squad as far as I'm concerned. The coaching is intense, and the players enjoy that because they need to make the step up. The step up between the youth team and the first team is huge but I want us all to look back on this season and see a successful one. With the reserves it's not so much about results, it's more about learning new skills and styles of football, as well as different varieties of the game.

"The younger lads who were with us in Scotland, like Declan (Rudd) and Jed (Steer) all got some really good game time, which is really important for them and their development. They learned a lot, and they now know what it takes to play as part of the City first team. They've all done really well so far, so I have nothing but high hopes for them all."