McConville Praises Varied Pre-Season Challenges
Ruairi McConville believes facing a variety of tactical challenges during pre-season has been ideal preparation for the new Championship campaign. From non-league Kings Lynn Town to Premier League opposition in Fulham, Philippe Clement's side have been exposed to a broad spectrum of styles and approaches, demanding adaptability throughout.
Upcoming Test Against Osasuna
Up next is La Liga outfit Osasuna at Carrow Road on Saturday afternoon, with McConville expecting another valuable test before competitive action gets underway against MK Dons the following weekend. "I think every game has had something different," the Northern Irish defender said, speaking at a summer signing session.
McConville noted, "We started it against Kings Lynn; we've played against low blocks; we've played against St Gallen with a high press. Every game has brought something different, and this one on Saturday will be the same."
Building Team Chemistry Off the Pitch
The squad have also used pre-season to build relationships both on and off the pitch. The Canaries' stay at the Lensbury in London last week provided valuable time together away from the pitch, something McConville relished. "When you say it like that, 24/7 together as a group, it sounds a bit mad. But it was really nice," he said.
McConville added, "It was a good week of training and the build-up to that. As I keep saying, we want to keep doing the work on the pitch, take that into the games to come and just take it game by game."
In addition, the team faced a different kind of challenge last Thursday afternoon, swapping the training pitch for the River Thames for a raft-building exercise that put their teamwork and communication to the test. "My team won, so I can't complain," the 21-year-old said with a broad smile. "It was nice. It's good for team bonding, and we all loved it. It was a really enjoyable trip and, again, it's something that's going to help us in the season to come." The Pink'un