Town boss Kieran McKenna has no concerns regarding midfielder Marcelino Nunez’s temperament ahead of his return to Norwich City with the Blues on Saturday.

The Chilean made a controversial move across the Norfolk-Suffolk border in the summer for an initial £7.5 million after three seasons at Carrow Road. The Canaries could receive an additional £2.5 million from the deal, some of that almost certainly if the Blues win promotion.

McKenna was asked whether he will be having a special word with the 26-year-old ahead of his return to his old club on a day when he’s likely to be viewed as public enemy number one.

“I don’t think so,” McKenna said. “It’s so obvious to say, of course, when you make a move like that, that it’s not going to be popular with the club you are leaving behind.

“But, as I said at the time, I can only respect him as a person. He’s come from Chile to try and make the best of his career over in England and that means trying to get into the Premier League.

“He had a couple of good seasons at Norwich and then he made a big step this year to a club that he felt had a better chance of achieving that goal.

“It was a step he wanted to make in his career and he is a confident but really humble guy. He wanted to take that step on and I give him huge credit for that. And he has made a really good fist of it so far.

“Of course, us as a team and a club and him as a player, know that he will not get a very warm welcome on Saturday as that is how football works. But in terms of temperament, there are not many better than Marcelino, I have no worries with him in that regard.”

Nunez, the scorer of the winning goal when the teams last met at Carrow Road two years ago, a 1-0 Canaries’ victory, has made 20 starts and nine sub appearances for Town this season, largely in the number 10 role, scoring three times.

“He is an important player for us and he is having an excellent season,” McKenna reflected. “He has had a big contribution and we really missed him when he was out.

“We have to be very careful with him in terms of the amount of minutes he is going to play over the next seven games because they are going to come thick and fast.

“But we know the impact that he can have and we have loved having him from the very first day. He is a big, big part of the group and part of the club now, and he is looking forward to the game.”

Could Nunez winding up the home crowd work as a positive for the Blues at Carrow Road? “I’ll give you an honest answer, I wouldn’t particularly want him to go into the game thinking he’s going to wind anyone up!” McKenna smiled. “I imagine there are going to be people already wound up with the match that it is, irrespective of any individual player.

“Everyone who gets the opportunity to play on Saturday needs to be ready for the atmosphere and ready to stand up to what the atmosphere brings.

“It doesn’t matter, people can do what they want in a crowd but in a big atmosphere it leads to a big intensity, to big challenges, the duels are massively important, the physical bit of the game is massively important.

“It leads to heightened senses so the composure is really important and the clarity is really important and I think everyone who is going to step onto the pitch on Saturday needs to be ready for that atmosphere and ready for that brings.

“And then best thing to do then is just focus on executing your job and performing as well as you can, and no exceptions for Marcelino on that.”

Nunez, who if he scores on Saturday would become the first player to have netted for both teams in an East Anglian derby, thoroughly enjoyed the celebrations following Town’s 3-1 win at Portman Road in October and McKenna was asked whether he might seek to rein those in should the Blues record their first derby double since 1992/93.

“No, I think we’re so focused on what’s going to come in the 90-plus minutes,” he added. “We’ll deal with what comes after, after.”

Photo: Matchday Images