Alex Neil will keep delivering home truths to spark Norwich City's Championship promotion push into life.

The Canaries' chief made five changes to his starting line-up for a 0-0 league draw at Birmingham after questioning his players' hunger in the previous Carrow Road home defeat to Brentford.

Neil praised his squad's response at St Andrew's in earning a hard-fought point against one of the in-form sides in the Championship and the Scot is demanding no let-up ahead of struggling Blackpool's weekend league visit. City host the Tangerines lying in eighth spot, three points out of the play-off places, as they look to finally crack the top six over the defining months of the season. I don't think it was strong words. It was just honesty. We didn't play well, we didn't show the appetite I expect from my team.

'That is one thing my teams have always had and I will look to instil in this squad,' he said. 'The lads had their bit to say and I let them know what my thoughts were. It was really constructive and now we need to put it behind us. The one thing you don't just want to do is go in and start shouting and bawling at them.

'Sometimes they need that, but if you can show them and they can see the reasons why you are saying those words and there is a logic to it then most players are clever enough to see that, think he is right, and take it on board. That is how I want us to construct our week. We look at the bits we haven't done well and try to improve on them.

'The boys have been very responsive. There were no issues to be fair and they are a good set of lads. They held up their hands at the time and we moved on.'