Norwich City: Sydney van Hooijdonk's on Carrow Road reunion

The Dutch striker returned to Norfolk with NAC Breda in Saturday's friendly and led the line as the Eredivisie side prepare for their league opener away at Feyenoord next weekend. 

Van Hooijdonk's father, Pierre, formerly of Celtic and Nottingham Forest, was watching on from the directors' box, and despite enduring a six-month spell at Carrow Road that saw him limited for minutes as Josh Sargent shone, the 25-year-old was delighted to return and catch up with familiar faces. 

"Mostly kids want a picture. Now that we went to play a friendly in England, it is nice that it's here. In the club everyone was super good and sweet." the striker said post-match. 

"It's great to see all those people and a few guys from the team again. Especially the medical staff, performance coaches, and team managers; it was really nice to see them again.

"It's a different intensity. Up and down all the time. I noticed that when I played here too, and I wasn't fit at all.

"You really have to be top-notch. If I even got the ball here, my legs were completely worn out from running up and down. These are the kind of matches you take with you."

Norwich limited van Hooijdonk and NAC to very little in front of the goal, with goalkeeper Vladan Kovacevic protected well by a defensive trio that contained the improving new recruits, Jakov Medic and Harry Darling. 

Sydney van Hooijdonk felt Norwich City punished NAC Breda for their errors in possession. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd) That made life difficult for the Dutch side to fashion chances and van Hooijdonk was left rueing the errors that City punished courtesy of Ante Crnac and Josh Sargent's first half strikes to secure victory. 

"We actually played quite well, but if you make two mistakes, they immediately punish you," the former City loan striker told BN DeStem. 

"I think that was the difference. It's also difficult to create chances against them. They defend well and have three big defenders at the back."