Dean Smith can go down as one of the ‘managerial appointments of the decade’ if he keeps Norwich City in the Premier League, claims pundit Ally McCoist.

The Scot is convinced City have pulled off a coup in enticing Smith to Carrow Road just eight days after he was dismissed by Aston Villa.

The experienced head coach will be officially unveiled on Wednesday, before the countdown begins to Southampton’s weekend visit.

“They cannot accept relegation. No chance. I think in appointing Dean Smith they’ve appointed a top class manager,” said Talksport regular McCoist. “I make no apology for saying it, but I do think he was sacked a bit early at Villa.

“I do think also that if he does manage to keep them up, it will be one of the managerial appointments of the decade.”

Ex-City forward Dean Ashton believes Norwich fans should be buoyed by Smith’s arrival.

“I think it is an exciting appointment for Norwich City. If you look at what he did at Aston Villa and what he did at Brentford, he did an outstanding job,” said Ashton, speaking to Talksport.

“He was unlucky to lose his job at Aston Villa, when I’ve looked at what has happened in the recent past there, he’s lost his outstanding player that any team would miss, brought in new players, some of those have had niggling injuries and had the problems with the international break.

“It wasn’t as if he’s had every player available from the start of the season, he’s had those issues.

NCFC Extra: How Norwich City snared Dean Smith

“I don’t think that has been taken into account with that poor run and Norwich have seized upon it.

“Delia has barely let his tyres skid down in New York before they’ve phoned him up as they know he’s a man who can come in there and work with exactly what Norwich want to work with, that’s developing players and clearly has got experience of the Championship, as that could feasibly happen. I think it’s a great appointment.”