Norwich City boss Dean Smith insists Canaries can win Premier League survival fight

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New Norwich City head coach Dean Smith has insisted the Canaries can save their Premier League skins, telling fans "there is enough quality here".

Smith was speaking publicly for the first time since taking charge at Carrow Road on Monday.

The 50-year-old has signed a two-and-a-half year deal at Carrow Road and will be joined by former Leicester City boss Craig Shakespeare as his assistant.

Smith succeeds Daniel Farke, who lost his job the day before Smith himself was sacked from his previous club Aston Villa after five defeats on the bounce.

And he sounded a confident note as he reassured fans that he believed Norwich could avoid relegation, despite being rooted to the foot of the table.

"If I thought it was a risk I wouldn't have taken the job," he said.

"We have 27 games left. This is a progressive club, and my job is to keep this team in the league. I believe we can."

Dean Smith was addressing the media for the first time Credit: PA

He identified defensive organisation as the key to the team's survival hopes, adding: "We obviously need to score more but we have to be solid - but there is enough quality here.

"I have looked at the squad with Craig and we believe this squad is not producing the results they need or are capable of."

Smith's appointment had been met with a mixed reaction from Norwich fans, with some questioning whether a manager who had failed with a relegation rival was the right man to lead City to survival.

  • Hear more from new Norwich City Manager Dean Smith.


One fan group warned that Smith would need to "hit the ground running" to win over fans, given that Norwich have just 27 games to save their Premier League status, starting with Southampton on Saturday.

Norwich sit five points adrift of safety in the Premier League, but did secure their first win of the season before the international break, beating Brentford 2-1.

Sporting director Stuart Webber and head coach Dean Smith faced the media at Carrow Road Credit: PA

Lampard 'not offered job'

Chelsea legend Frank Lampard had been linked with the job at Norwich as well, but withdrew his interest last week.

However, sporting director said reports that Lampard had been offered the job were wide of the mark, and insisted Smith had been the club's first choice.

"Dean is a manager we have admired for a long time," said Webber.

"We scout players, and we scout managers in this job. What is important for this club is we are different as a model and Dean understands that. Our values align, and how we see football is aligned."