Neil Adams is thrilled to be seen as a valued presence around the Norwich City first team again – and to be able to watch Canaries games regularly.

Head coach Daniel Farke described the 55-year-old former City winger as a ‘great guy’ with an opinion he values having ‘sat in my chair’ during his previous nine-month stint as manager, following Adams’ recent appointment as assistant sporting director.

Part of that change was to delegate some of Stuart Webber’s many responsibilities and Adams - who won the top-flight title with Everton and played in a League Cup final for Oldham prior to beginning his long association with Norwich in 1994 – will do all he can to help towards the success of the Canaries first team.

“We’ve got a very strong relationship - myself, Daniel and Stuart - and the pleasing thing is that they don’t think it’s a weakness to ask for advice or an opinion,” Adams explained.

“Some people would never do that. They think they should know everything so why should they ask someone else?

“I’m obviously only too pleased to be a sounding board and give them my opinions but I think it’s excellent when you’ve got a sporting director who has achieved what he has, and Daniel achieving what he has here, who openly acknowledge that they are always willing to learn and ask for advice.

“We have a really strong relationship and hopefully that continues for a very long time.”

Adams scored 30 goals in 206 games before returning to Oldham in 1999 but later returned as an academy coach and worked as a local media pundit.

After leading the under-18s to FA Youth Cup glory in 2013, he took over from Chris Hughton as first-team manager in April 2014 but couldn’t prevent Premier League relegation, eventually resigning the following January with City seventh and three points adrift of the Championship play-off places.

He was assured of a role at the club though and returned as loans manager later in 2015, a role which prevented him from seeing too many Norwich games in person, until handing over the reins to fellow former City midfielder Andrew Hughes recently.

“I can watch Norwich now, whereas before I was everywhere but Norwich,” he added with a smile.

“A big emphasis on getting players out on loan was monitoring the players and making sure we know what they’re doing.

“We’ve got 18 out currently and whereas I would be watching any one of those 18 players on a monthly basis, that’s Andy’s job now and I’ll be watching the first team, which is great for me because I can actually see how we’re doing rather than just seeing the results.

“I’m very proud, it’s a huge honour for me to be assistant sporting director and I’ll be giving everything to make sure it works out so that I can continue my career here at Norwich City.”

NCFC EXTRA: Adams challenges Norwich City players to kick on after Burnley draw