Norwich City manager Alex Neil has been handed a vote of confidence by Canaries chief executive David McNally.
Goal difference is currently keeping the Carrow Road side out of the Premier League relegation zone following five defeats in a six-game winless run.
But former Hamilton boss Neil has been backed by McNally to steer the club away from danger.
McNally said: “Whilst he has a huge challenge on his hands, we think he has done a brilliant job.
“Genuinely, I don’t think we’ll get relegated. We have enough about us to finish higher than 17th.
“We want him to be our manager for a long, long time.
“Personally I would like Alex Neil to be our manager for a very long time. I hate to think he would be enticed away by another club.”
Speaking to the Little Yellow Bird Project, McNally added: “The season has probably gone, in terms of where we are after 26 games, as we expected.
“I know we have had plenty of bumps along the way and most Norwich fans, honestly, would have expected this to be a tough season at the start.
“We set ourselves the target of doing as well as we can.
“We are on target to do that but we would like some room between us and the bottom three.
“We have been a bit unlucky at times, Stoke at home, Crystal Palace at home, West Ham away spring to mind.
“We are still above that line and staying in the Premier League means 17th is acceptable but we would like to be a few points and places higher.”
Neil, whose side last won on January 2 against Southampton, appreciates the fans’ frustrations over their current barren patch.
Neil said: “My responsibility is to win games and at the moment we are not doing that.
“Whatever way you want to cut it, people want to win. You can play the worst game ever but if you find a way to win they are quite happy.
“I have to fix it and so do the players because if they want to be seen as Premier League players they have to win games at this level.”
