Norwich City

LESS than 24 hours after having agreed to take the managerial reins at Norwich City, new boss Neil Adams spoke of the ‘honour and privilege’ of taking charge of the Canaries as he was introduced to the media at the club’s Colney training ground on Monday afternoon. 

But the new City boss made it clear that there would be little time to bask in the limelight of a first-team appointment in the Premier League with one of the most crucial games in the club’s recent history soon approaching. 

“It’s a really tough run-in and at the moment I’m not looking beyond the Fulham game,” Adams told Norwich City TV in his first interview since news of the managerial change at the club was publicised on Sunday evening. 

“What I can guarantee is that we’ll be organised. The players will know what’s required with the ball and without the ball. We’ll be ready for it.”

With ongoing fixtures, games in hand to account for and unpredictable form at this time of year - making any calculations about a Premier League relegation battle can make for tricky business. But Adams reduced the matter to its very core: City will need to pick up more points, at least three more, to stay in the top division. 

“I don’t care how much the gap is between us and third from bottom. 

“We haven’t got enough points at the moment to guarantee that we’ll stay up, it’s as simple as that.  We need more points and that’s what we have to go and get. 

“If we can win the game, we’ll have a great chance of staying in the division and ultimately that’s the main objective. “ 

As you might expect, Adams was unwilling to divulge too much about his tactical game-plan in the build-up to a critical clash at Craven Cottage - but he made it very clear that he expects a ‘character’ performance from his side.

“We have five days to create a rapport and a bond to ensure that everybody is going to go out there and give everything, because this is a club that with the support we’ve got, they deserve that kind of performance.

“This club belongs in the Premier League, and it’s our job to make sure it stays there.”