Norwich City midfielder Wes Hoolahan grilled former Canaries' loan star Kei Kamara for the inside track on the club's American tour.

Hoolahan revealed Kamara had provided the lowdown on what to expect from MLS tests against San Jose and Portland Timbers and the Republic of Ireland international is relishing the prospect of sampling one of the best 'soccer' atmospheres in the USA when they face the title-challenging Timbers in the early hours of Thursday morning (BST).

'Going to the States this summer was something to look forward to,' he said. 'I didn't really get to ask Kei much about Portland (as a team), but he did say that it is fantastic to play there in front of the fans, who create a great atmosphere. It will be a great opportunity for us to play in front of a crowd like that. It's really exciting to go to the States, where I believe the crowds are fantastic and get behind the teams.'

The Dubliner made his first appearance of the new campaign in the 1-0 friendly defeat to San Jose as the Canaries step up their preparations to repeat last season's mid-table Premier League finish.

'It was a really good season. We finished in 11th place and had two great wins right at the end, which was a nice way to end it. I think we can be quite pleased with how we did overall,' he said. 'The run before Christmas, beating Arsenal and Manchester United, was great but after Christmas we just couldn't score a goal for whatever reason. Once that happens, confidence goes.'