McKenzie's plan to floor Coleman

McKenzie has certainly got his game together during the past 12 months. This time last year he was playing for Peterborough, but a £325,000 transfer to Norwich last December propelled him from Second Division obscurity to the bright lights of the Premiership.

"I don't see that as luck, that's something that was waiting to come to me," said McKenzie. "What has got me here is sheer hard work and a little bit of ability. I'm not Thierry Henry but I've got enough ability to hold my own in the Premiership."

Norwich supporters would not disagree. Despite scoring only once in seven Premiership starts, McKenzie has become a thorn in the side of opposition defences.

"Hopefully, when my name is getting put up on the team-sheet, other clubs are not going to take me too lightly now," he said. "I have actually put a stamp down whereby I am a nuisance and that's what I want. It's a case of making a little name for yourself so people think, 'This guy can cause problems'."

McKenzie was destined to cause problems, but the legacy of the family name, which included national amateur champion Winston and All-England Schools champion Dudley, suggested it was in the ring and not on the pitch that he would excel.

"He was a good southpaw, he could throw every punch in the book," said Clinton McKenzie, recalling his son's ability. "But as time went on he got more and more interested in football.

"When he was 15 we still used to go out for runs and go down the gym, and I thought there was a possibility he might change his mind.

"But 6.30am one day I went to wake him up before training and said, 'Son, let's go, time to go for a run', he looked up at me and said, 'Oh no dad, it's football for me'."

But McKenzie didn't turn his back on boxing. Instead he used the experience of sparring in the gym and watching his father fight to fuel his own motivation.

"I loved the boxing training," he said. "You do three minutes punching or fighting and know what it feels like to be defending yourself and also giving out. It is hard work, believe me.

"It's just you two in there, you haven't got 10 others helping you, you can't have your little breather, so sometimes when it does get hard out on the pitch I know when to dig in and if anyone really watches me play, I give everything." Father and son still enjoy a few rounds in the ring together, although there seems to be some dispute over the current champion.

"Me and dad haven't sparred for about a year, but he's getting old now and I'd just hurt him," said McKenzie. "His experience used to come through but I think the last time I sparred with him I was holding back." Clinton, not surprisingly, tells a different story.

Meanwhile, Zat Knight returns to the Fulham squad for tomorrow's game after missing the Chelsea match through suspension.