Former City striker Mathias Svensson is eager for his former club to repeat their title-winning triumph of four years ago - after watching them in action during their tour of Sweden.

Former City striker Mathias Svensson is eager for his former club to repeat their title-winning triumph of four years ago - after watching them in action during their tour of Sweden.

Svensson, 33, who helped the Canaries win the Nationwide League championship in 2003-04, was on the touchline for Tuesday's 3-0 victory over Falkenbergs FF.

The ex-Sweden international had to retire this summer because of a knee injury, but is still part of the management team with IF Elfsborg, with whom he enjoyed another title success. They won the Allsvenskan - Swedish championship - in his first season back in his homeland in 2005-06.

Svensson believes City can prosper in the Championship once they have settled down after two years of major upheaval at Carrow Road.

As an illustration, only three players survive from his time with the club.

“They're all sitting there injured at the moment - Doherty, Drury and Shackell are the only players I played with,” said Svensson.

“I just hope that Norwich can push back up there in the Premier League. There are a lot of things happening at the club at the moment - managers in and out and players in and out. I hope it will settle down and they will become a top team in the Championship.

“It's good to see Norwich play again - it's been a while.

“I had probably the best time of my career when I was at Norwich, the last two years when I was in England and I think maybe I went home a bit too early, but that's how football is. Sometimes you stay a bit longer and sometimes you tend to move on.

“I wish them all the best. I speak to a few of them now and again.

“When we got promoted and we were celebrating at the City Hall it was one of the biggest moments in my career. There are a lot of memories.”

Svensson played in the Champions League and UEFA Cup with Elfsborg in 2006-07 but had to retire because of medical advice.

He said: “I was just going to go in and have a little clear-out in my knee and the doctor said you can't play on with it because the knee is in such a bad shape and you need to retire now. It was a hard thing to take but I had to do it because I was risking my future.

“Now I am working for Elsfborg as assistant manager, doing a bit of marketing and scouting for players. There's a few at Norwich here I might try to bring over.”