JOSE? I’LL JUST CALL MY MUM, SAYS NEIL
ALEX NEIL’S rival for a place in the Barclays Premier League, Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka, has Jose Mourinho to call for advice after serving as his assistant at Real Madrid. So who does the young Norwich City boss go to for help? ‘I’ll probably just give my mum a ring,’ Neil said, after masterminding victory against Ipswich for a place in the Championship Play-Off Final. ‘Tactically, I’m pretty clear on what I want to do and it seems to be working so far.’ Norwich’s 16 wins in 24 games since he took over a languishing team in January have propelled them to the brink of promotion. Neil is doing it his way; not the Chelsea manager’s way or anyone else’s way. He has carried that bullish mentality from his playing days at Hamilton. Neil, 33, was still a tough-tackling central midfield just two years ago, first becoming player-manager of Accies before leading them to promotion to the Scottish Premiership in his first full season in charge. His man-management is equally as forthright. Winger Nathan Redmond, 21, is Norwich’s greatest threat on his day but his form has been inconsistent this season. Neil told him that in no uncertain terms. ‘If you don’t work hard for him he’s going to let you know,’ Redmond said. ‘A couple of times on the pitch he shouted. Then a couple of times he’ll bring it back and keep it in house in the dressing room. ‘It’s one of those where you have to give respect to get respect and I respect him a lot.’ They have been doing extra work with Redmond in training to sharpen his game. That paid off against Ipswich when he won the penalty for Norwich’s first, which Wes Hoolahan tucked away, scored the second — crucial after Tommy Smith pulled one back — and played in Cameron Jerome for the third. Neil’s teams are known for their physicality, but there is an intelligence and tactical subtly which underlines his work. While he will afford his players time to rest this week, Neil will be up at dawn each morning before the Final next Monday, studying Middlesbrough. The Scot will take the team to Wembley this week as part of that preparation. ‘There’ll be no being a tourist about it on the day,’ captain Russell Martin said. ‘It will be about being focused and getting the job done. It was the gaffer’s idea and we agreed to do it to get it out of the way. ‘His preparations are brilliant. He leaves no stone unturned, so there are no excuses.’