© FIFA World Cup - Burnley v Norwich CityNorwich City chairman Dean Smith told the Eastern Daily Press that the Canaries could return to the Premier League for the first time despite being left out of promotion contention.
Although they continued their form against Burnley at Turf Moor yesterday, Jay Rodriguez's 82nd minute penalty was Smith's other penalty difference between the two Lancashire sides.
They last won against Blackpool earlier this month, but despite a 1-1 draw with Reading, they haven't played much and have failed to pick up three points in their six league games since then.
Their defeat has now dropped them to seventh place, which has surprised many, with some predicting a return to the Premier League as champions.
In particular, he will be disappointed with his current position, having won six league games in a row at the start of the season.
But Smith believes his good past form is reason to be confident he can rise to the top despite recent setbacks.
He said: “Look, I came back from a bad gap to take Villa into the league and were only 12 games ahead.
"In this league, we saw at the start of the season that with the quality we have in the squad, you can win five or six in a round.
We have to bring back big players.
Judgment:
Things are not looking good at Carrow Road at the moment and given how strong their squad and Smith's revue is, their current position is impressive.
The experience may give him more time to think before the next game, but if one is in charge of the club, he thinks he needs to change in the next two games.
He will be more desperate than most to get the team back on track - he has a good reputation in management and could do a lot of damage if he is sacked next week.
On a positive note for him, Timo Puckey is back in net and could be Smith's "get out of jail" calling card at critical moments. Due to optimism regarding changing conditions.
They may need more changes in the summer after relegation, but not many changes have allowed them to start stronger than yesterday's rivals, who have overseen a major rebuild at Turf Moor.
Formula
