ALEX Neil got what he wanted from his Norwich City players in their 7-0 opening pre-season win over Gorleston at Emerald Park on Saturday.

Neil’s squad came through the contest injury-free – and had no trouble finding the goalscoring touch against their Thurlow Nunn Premier Division hosts.

Cameron Jerome’s first half hat-trick set the Canaries on their way to a routine victory, with further strikes coming from the boots of Tony Andreu, Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe, Lewis Grabban and Jonny Howson.

Speaking after the match, Neil said: “It’s important that we came here and tried to put on a bit of a show.

“We wanted to get the guys working hard and playing in the manner that they should when they play any game. I think you’ve seen that in both halves with the two teams that we had out.

“I thought it was a good, competitive game. They gave it their all and we worked really hard too. I thought we showed some good quality at times.

“They’ve been working really hard over the course of pre-season so far, they’re in good shape and I thought you could see part of that today.”

Saturday’s game got City’s pre-season campaign underway, with six more warm-up matches planned ahead of their Premier League opener against Crystal Palace on August 8.

Neil says he wants to strike a balance between fitness work and winning to help his team ‘kick on’ in the new campaign.

“It’s got to be a bit of both. When you’re involved in football, to say that you don’t care whether you win, lose or draw is never going to be true. I want to win every game,” he told reporters.

“First and foremost it’s about fitness and not picking up injuries, but then it’s about making sure you go about your job in the right way.

“It’s about kicking on this year now. Regardless of what we did last season, it’s about this season now. If I don’t do well this year, then it won’t matter.”

On City’s transfer pursuits, he added: “We’re trying our best to make things happen, but it’s always difficult when you’re trying to get somebody else’s players.

“We’re trying to add to the squad to make it better.”

ALEX NEIL: WE SHOWED GOOD QUALITY

More Club

#NCFC

Principal Partners

Primary Partners