Darling keeping City rivals

Harry Darling is keeping Norwich City rivals Jose Cordoba and Ruairi McConville ‘on their toes’ after heart-to-hearts with Philippe Clement.

Centre-back Darling started his Canaries career with a bang 12 months ago but found himself out of the side with Cordoba and McConville anchoring a Championship revival under the astute Belgian.

But the 26-year-old took his chance down the stretch last season when McConville was out injured – notably in the Easter win at Millwall – and has looked sharp in the pre-season friendly swing.

"We talked about after the Millwall game that is the level Harry needs to get to on a consistent basis," said City boss Clement.

"Also the months before, what we expect from Harry. We had more individual talks during this week, and he's challenging the others.

"Ruairi and Jose did really well last season, but they have to be on their toes because Harry is growing in level.

"Against St Gallen he had four or five really good crossfield balls, decisive balls also in that game, and won a lot of his duels.

"That's what we want for this season; more competition in the team, more competition for spots so that everybody needs to be on their toes, and that we can make a certain rotation during the season, because we have to play so many games and we're going to need that."

Clement wants selection headaches of the right variety as he plots a Championship promotion bid.

"All good teams in the world have that, because you cannot have complacency," he said.

"In this time and age there are no players any more who can play 70 games at the same level, because the intensity of the games has changed so much the last 10 or 15 years.

"We need everybody ready, and we need to keep this unity.

"That's, for me, the biggest challenge for this year to keep the same atmosphere in the dressing room like it was last year, where everybody fights for everybody without ego, in whatever position they have to play.

"I've seen really good signs of that in these four weeks, it's been really good the dressing room atmosphere with the players, also new players coming in, and the competition between each other, but supporting each other. That's the way we need to continue."