Norwich caretaker boss Jim Duffy insists plotting City's Championship revival is his number one priority.Duffy, who was placed in temporary charge following Grant's departure on Tuesday, yesterday made it clear any talk of succeeding his former boss on a permanent basis was firmly on the backburner.

Norwich caretaker boss Jim Duffy insists plotting City's Championship revival is his number one priority.

Duffy, who was placed in temporary charge following Grant's departure on Tuesday, yesterday made it clear any talk of succeeding his former boss on a permanent basis was firmly on the backburner.

"That's not for me to decide, it's for the board to decide," said the 48-year-old. "I think you can't win with an answer really. If you say you want it, people think you're trying to jump in the manager's chair straight away - and if you say you don't want it people question your ambition.

"So for me it's just a case of I'll do the job the club ask me to do until they decide otherwise. The task in the short term is to keep things as professional as possible until the board decide in which direction they want to move the club. Either fortunately or unfortunately there is an international break so we have a few days where we can take stock and take our time, which I'm sure the directors will do as well."

Duffy admitted it was a wrench to see the departure of the friend who brought him to Carrow Road.

"I'm extremely disappointed and saddened, that is my first reaction," he said. "I know from working with him very closely how much he'd given to the football club. But football is gauged on what happens on the pitch over the 90 minutes and recently those results and performances haven't been good enough. Peter was aware of that, we've discussed it several times and he gave every ounce of effort to turn it around, but ultimately it just didn't fall for him.

"I think in the club you ask the players to put in 100pc but no one gave more than Peter Grant I can assure you of that, the time he put in was immense, the effort he put in was immense. He imparted some great tactical knowledge to the players and the players to a man respected him totally, but he had a bad run with injuries to key players. He never made excuses about that and a lot of other managers would have."

Duffy reiterated Grant had enjoyed the full support of his playing staff after recent speculation of dressing room unrest.

"I think that's rubbish," he said. "If you're gonna say that then name them. I don't think that was the case. I think players can be off form but I don't think they weren't playing for the manager.

"They were giving 100pc in training but in games they were sometimes not on good form. If two or three key players lose form it can sometimes give that impression but I don't think that is the case."