Seb Bassong says he had no choice but to get his Norwich City career back on track – thanks to boss Alex Neil.

The Cameroon international has gone from an outcast to key figure since the Scot's arrival at Carrow Road, which led to him signing a contract extension at the start of the new campaign.

Bassong spent part of last season on loan at Watford, but revealad jumping ship was never an option under Neil.

'In the back of my head I had something to prove. I know I haven't done everything right, I can't blame anyone else. I always blame myself, I look at myself first so I needed to make it right,' he said. 'The gaffer didn't give me any choice anyway. In that instance there was no discussion. It was pretty clear. I got my head down and worked hard and proved to everyone what I am about.

'It wasn't nice, but this isn't just football, it was a life lesson. Whatever profession you are in you have good and bad times, that is only natural. The most important thing is to get back on track, forget about it and look forward. That is what happened to me. Now I am playing games, no one knows what can happen in the future so I am enjoying the moment.'

Neil's man-management skills came to the fore again in his handling of Lewis Grabban's public spat during the closing days of the summer transfer window which saw the striker fined and suspended for a walkout before the Capital One Cup tie at Rotherham.

'He is the boss and we all follow him,' said Bassong. 'As much as we are grown men, we need a leader and he is a leader. He knows how to deal with us and keep us on the right track. He doesn't change whether we are winning or losing. That is the hardest bit to do because if he gets relaxed, then we get relaxed because he is the boss. I don't think that is going to be an issue.'