IT’S NOT just Norwich City’s first-team who are readying themselves for the new campaign on continental soil, with the Club’s two senior Academy age-groups also enjoying European training camps.

The Canaries’ Under-18s group have been in the Czech Republic to ramp up their pre-season schedule, while the Under-21s are currently based in Kirchdorf, Austria – just a 45-minute drive from where Alex Neil’s squad are staying in Grassau, Germany.

Neil and a number of his staff were present at the Under-21s’ friendly against SV Kirchdorf on Tuesday night as a selection of City’s younger squad members helped them to a 7-0 victory.

Academy Manager Gregg Broughton said: “Alex has been very interested from the outset. He talks daily about the players and wants to know how individuals are getting on.

“We had a good conversation on Tuesday about individuals, and some of those were involved from the start in that game and some will be involved on Thursday night against Gaziantepspor.

“To have the Under-21s this close to the first-team’s training camp shows what this club is all about. It’s all about progression, and to have eight people travel over from the first-team camp for Tuesday’s game says a lot.

“The boys responded to that and they were very positive about that.”

The development group also had the opportunity to watch Neil’s team in action from the stands when they visited for Monday’s narrow 1-0 loss to Maccabi Haifa.

Broughton outlined the benefits of a pre-season training camp, adding: “It’s a chance to drill in those key components from our DNA from the very start of the season.

“It’s also great from a social aspect as well, and I think you get away from distractions. We’re in a hotel in the beautiful Austrian countryside and it’s a time to work, and they’ve responded to that.

“We went to watch the first-team play on Monday, and that was a good opportunity to show them the standards that are expected.

“We start a day after the first-team on July 9 at Sunderland, and now it’s all about the build up to that game.”

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