Martin O'Neill: Ex-Norwich City boss believes Dean Smith can take Canaries up
- Published
Martin O'Neill was in charge of Norwich for 20 games, with nine wins, seven draws and four defeats
Ex-Norwich City manager Martin O'Neill has backed current boss Dean Smith to guide them to promotion this season.
O'Neill had two spells as a player for the Canaries in the 1980s and a short spell as manager in 1995.
Speaking before Saturday's Championship defeat by Blackburn, O'Neill drew parallels between himself and Smith - in that they took over at tough times.
"It looks as if things are turning again and promotion, which is what fans want, is within their grasp," he said.
The Canaries are fifth in the Championship table following relegation last term, but have nine points to make up on second-placed Sheffield United if they are to achieve automatic promotion and avoid the play-offs.
O'Neill told BBC Radio Norfolk's The Scrimmage podcast: "When a team gets relegated from the big league, you have to make adjustments, you have to try and get people's heads round it, no longer will you be heading to Old Trafford or to Anfield, you'll be going elsewhere.
"I don't think players feel a sense of entitlement but certainly you lose that drive for a while and making the adjustment takes a little bit of time.
"But I think all that has taken place now and I do genuinely think they are on the move."
Norwich lost 2-0 at home to Blackburn in their most recent game and head coach Smith afterwards questioned a section of the supporters, saying: "I think a lot of them have been waiting for this period to happen, or wanting it to - I don't know.
"A narrative's been set about it not being good football, despite us having the second or third highest shots in the league."
The Canaries were promoted to the Premier League twice under previous boss Daniel Farke, only to come straight back down, but O'Neill believes Smith has the experience to restore their top-flight status.
"Can they do it? Absolutely. If I look at the teams that are there or thereabouts, are they as strong as Burnley, as strong as Sheffield United? You would have to think so.
"When Dean was manager of Brentford, they played some delightful football and at Aston Villa I thought he did really well. There's a very good chance for Norwich. I genuinely do hope they make it and I think they can."
O'Neill tackles Eric Gates in Norwich's 3-2 win at East Anglian rivals Ipswich in December 1982
O'Neill's own time in the Norwich hot seat lasted only from June to November 1995 because of reported differences with then chairman Robert Chase, and he became Leicester manager shortly afterwards.
"The circumstances in which I left didn't feel great," the former Republic of Ireland boss said.
"There was very little difference between Leicester and Norwich City in terms of footballing ability and if I'd just got on with it, I honestly think we'd probably have got promotion that season.
"Leicester and Norwich were roughly in the same position, lying seventh and eighth or something like that, and at least I'd had a number of months getting to know the Norwich players, whereas when I stepped in at Leicester, I didn't know the strengths and weaknesses of the team at all."
Martin O'Neill was talking to BBC Radio Norfolk's Robert Butler