BLUES coach Bryan Klug has praised new Norwich City boss Glenn Roeder ahead of this Sunday's derby game.Roeder offered Klug a job when he was the Newcastle United manager and revealed he got to know him when the former West Ham boss brought his son William to Ipswich Town's Academy.

By Derek Davis

BLUES coach Bryan Klug has praised new Norwich City boss Glenn Roeder ahead of this Sunday's derby game.

Roeder offered Klug a job when he was the Newcastle United manager and revealed he got to know him when the former West Ham boss brought his son William to Ipswich Town's Academy.

Roeder was appointed on a two-and-a-half year deal at Carrow Road on Tuesday and Klug is convinced he was a good choice.

He said: “Glenn will do a really good job. Norwich is a place where they have 24,000 (fans) each week. They have very good players for the Championship and have spent money on good players.

“I know him through football as Glenn brought his boy to us for six months or so as part of the Academy and he would occasionally come on the training pitch with us.”

Klug turned down the chance to become the Academy director at St James' Park and weeks later was promoted to first team coach with Jim Magilton as the new manager.

He said: “It was at a time when there was a possibility but it came at the same time as this opportunity so it was not going to happen.”

The Blues coach believes Sunday would have been a difficult game whoever was appointed and for Roeder it is the chance for a dream start with the bottom club.

He said: “New manager or not this is a game that psychologically can turn their season.

“It is an easy job for Glenn this week telling them it is a derby game coming up. It is good first game for Glenn because he can say to the players, show your commitment, show your pride and play for the fans.

“We have to rise to that challenge.

“We will look to impose our game on them because the one thing we know is that in the first 20 minutes in a cauldron like that then anything can happen.”

While Town have been preparing for the derby duel amid the excitement of the takeover talks, Norwich have been disrupted by injury and a new man looking to sign a number of new players.

Klug said: “I will be surprised if he is able to bring in three or four new players in time.

“If they do then we will have to react and deal with it if it happens.”

With the game switched to Sunday by police, and now being shown on television, it means the Blues will have two days to prepare for the game against 'The Norwich of the North' Sheffield United.

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy described the fixture-schedulers as 'plonkers' and while Klug would not be so rude, he was not impressed at the timing of the two away trips.

He said: “It doesn't make any sense to play on the Sunday and then play 48 hours later.

“It is crazy trying to fit in 46 games in a season and then you have to go two weeks at a time without a game.

“Sheffield United refused to change because they say they do not play on Wednesdays but we will handle it.

“We will cool down on the Monday and have massage and then travel on the Tuesday and take someone with us to do the massages.

“We will go to Norwich on the Saturday night to make sure we are rested and not caught up on the A140.”

Tommy Miller remains the only real injury concern but he is hoping to shake off his ankle injury and take part in full training tomorrow.