Norwich stand-in skipper Darel Russell is ready and willing to lead from the front again.The 27-year-old deputised for midfield ally Mark Fotheringham in Saturday's Championship defeat to Derby after the Scot was left out of Glenn Roeder's starting line up.

Norwich stand-in skipper Darel Russell is ready and willing to lead from the front again.

The 27-year-old deputised for midfield ally Mark Fotheringham in Saturday's Championship defeat to Derby after the Scot was left out of Glenn Roeder's starting line up.

“I know it was disappointing for Fozzy to be dropped but I was really happy when the gaffer asked me to lead the team out,” he said. “It was an honour and it was disappointing for me not to get the result while I had that armband.

“You want to lead the team to victory and be at the front of the troops and if the opportunity arises again then I will be happy to do it and hopefully we can get a better result. I feel like I'm getting back to my old self since the operation.

“It's been a difficult couple of weeks and I'm feeling a lot more mobile again so hopefully that can coincide with me getting myself back and gaining my position again to see how we progress over the next couple of weeks.”

Russell admitted the manner of Norwich's self-inflicted late defeat against the Rams ahead of the international shutdown still stung.

“The result we had at the weekend was gutting and the way we lost it - especially after working so hard to get ourselves back in it,” he told the club's official site.

“I've found when we have lots of new players that it takes time to get that continuity and getting those things to click just right, hopefully once it does happen we'll be firing on all cylinders.

“It seems like we're playing good stuff but just that little something needs to click and trigger.

“If we can play against a team like Plymouth and feel that superior it shows that we should be in that position ourselves, and above them. We've just got to get the formula right to get ourselves up there.”

Russell is confident reported QPR-target Leroy Lita is the ideal new recruit to pep up one of the Championship's lowest scoring frontlines.

“Most definitely, he's Premiership quality,” said the former City trainee.

“He's played in the Premiership and he's something different again amongst what we have - he's got pace, strength and aggression.

“We feel like he's going to provide us with some chances and without a doubt I think he's going to score goals for us while he's here.”