Derby County boss Billy Davies is staying positive, despite the club's slow start to the campaign.

The Rams drew their season-opener at home to Portsmouth, but have failed to collect a point from their ensuing three league fixtures.

Davies acknowledges Derby are not quite ready to compete at Premier League level and is not surprised they are in the bottom four.

"I'm a winner. I'm passionate and I don't like getting beaten," he told the Guardian.

"But I'm a realist, too, so I'm not surprised by our start and I'm not downbeat.

"In the cold light of day I can sit back and realise that I'm not quite ready to compete against other clubs because there's too big a gulf.

"If anyone is surprised about us being in the bottom four, considering what's been spent and where we've come from, I would call them a fool."