PNE's attacking intent

Neil is putting the squad through their paces at Fota Island, a venue just down the road from midfielder Browne’s home city Cork.

While only a few training sessions into the Irish trip, Browne thinks Neil is already getting his message across.

“The new gaffer has a bit of a different approach than what we were used to,” Browne told the Post.

“Under Simon Grayson we were tight and compact but still had goals in the team.

“We had players who could go and win games for us.

“Alex Neil wants us to have a more attacking style of play.

“Whilst before we would have counter-attacked, he wants us to be the attacking team, he wants us to take a game by the scruff of the neck, take a few risks – he wants us to score goals from anywhere.

“We’ve been working on our passing and movement from the midfielders to the forwards, even getting the defenders up to support the midfield.

“It is coming along nicely, I think the boys can see what is required from them.

“What is good is that we are all away together this week.

“The work is intense and a lot of information can be put across to us quickly.

“When we get back later in the week, there will be more hard work to do in among the friendly games.”

Browne, 22, returned to training after the summer as a newly-capped international.

He made his senior debut for the Republic of Ireland in their 3-1 defeat to Mexico in New Jersey on June 1.

A few days later, Browne was an unused substitute for the friendly against Uruguay.

Said Browne: “It was a great experience.

“I had never been to the United States before so the trip was something I enjoyed.

“To get my first cap was a massive bonus because I had only expected to train with them.

“It was a special moment when I went on as a substitute against Mexico.

“For the Uruguay game I was on the bench, then they let me go because the squad needed to be cut for the World Cup qualifier against Austria.

“What helped me was that I knew quite a few of players in the squad.

“There were four or five lads from my Cork days, then Andy Boyle and Daryl Horgan from Preston were there.

“Aiden McGeady came in a bit later on after we had been over to America.

“When the Irish squad first met up, we trained for a few days at Fota Island, which is where we are at the moment.”

Meanwhile, tickets are on sale for PNE’s League Cup clash with Accrington at the Crown Ground on August 8.