Norwich head coach Dean Smith urges his players to finish their season on a high

Norwich head coach Dean Smith has challenged his side to produce a positive end to a Premier League season to forget by not finishing bottom.

The Canaries’ swift return to the Sky Bet Championship was confirmed last weekend following a 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa, Smith’s former club.

Norwich’s fate had long looked inevitable, with a change in the dugout following the departure of Daniel Farke during November failing to prove a catalyst for a successful survival bid.

While there may be little other than wounded pride to play for over the remaining four games, Smith feels a run of decent performances can only bode well for the battles ahead back in the second tier.

“The approach is still to try to win games, that has to be the approach. There is a lot to play for still,” the Norwich boss said.

“We don’t want to finish bottom and there is still a possibility of finishing above Watford.

“With that comes the positivity, but also an awful lot of money (for finishing higher) which is important to the football club and to try to get some momentum heading into the following season as well.”

With Norwich facing up to another failed survival bid after the summer recruitment drive failed to deliver, there have been calls for the likes of 19-year-old Academy graduate Jonathan Rowe to be handed a run in the side.

Smith, though, insists there is no need to have one eye on next season’s campaign just yet.

“Only if we feel they are (in) the best team to go and win the game,” the Norwich head coach said at a press conference.

“I am still of that mindset that we need to pick teams which are capable of winning.

“There is money at stake, there is a chance of finishing 19th rather than 20th, so they are all things which are important to us.”

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