Cameron Jerome insisted he was off the pace when he left Norwich City to join Derby County.

Jerome plundered five goals in his last five games of the season, but the Rams missed out in the Championship play-offs to eventual winners Fulham.

The 31-year-old notched two goals in 17 games for the Canaries, prior to his New Year switch, after a frustrating stint when he was hampered by a back injury and playing second fiddle to Nelson Oliveira.

'It took me a little why to get up and running and that is probably the only disappointment I have on my behalf,' he said.

'I wasn't as fit and as ready to go as I would have liked, but in terms of trying to help the team and having an impact towards the end of the season, I was glad I could help out in that way.

'It's a bigger adjustment than I thought to be honest.

'Over the summer, you usually have a bit of time to bed in and you have the friendly games to help you get used to how your new team plays, your team-mates' strengths and vice versa, your team-mates get to learn your strengths.

'It was more difficult than I thought it would be, a bigger transition than I imagined, but it is the same for everyone that moves in January.

'I knew I was coming to a successful side, though, and that was a risk that I wanted to take.'

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Derby have yet to replace Gary Rowett but Jerome is confident he can spearhead a promotion push next season.

As a striker, you want to score in every single game that you go into and you go out on to the pitch believing that you are going to do that,' he told the Rams' official television station.

'Whilst I am happy with the contribution I made towards the end, I am already aiming to make a bigger contribution more consistently next season.

'In terms of having a consistent run in the team,

'I didn't have that at the beginning. I would have a game in, then a game out, and any player will tell you that it is difficult to build up fitness, sharpness and confidence like that.

'As a forward, you tend to have those periods where you go through a purple patch or a drought and luckily for me, towards the end of the season, it was a purple patch.

'It would have been nice to score more goals and help the team more, though.'