Jewell takes his side to Everton on Sunday still searching for a first Barclays Premier League win since replacing Billy Davies at Pride Park in November, with a penalty shoot-out victory over Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup remaining his sole success.

The inevitable was finally confirmed last weekend the Rams were relegated back to the Coca-Cola Championship following their 2-2 draw with Fulham - only the fifth point they have secured since his arrival.

It is widely accepted the County side inherited by the former Wigan boss lacked the quality to stay in the top flight but he concedes he had foreseen them putting up more of a fight.

Asked if the task had been as tough as he expected, Jewell replied: "It's been more difficult.

"I think I would have imagined us to be a little bit better than we have been and results to have been better but that's the way it is.

"I've got to learn from that, be stronger next season and take the club forward."

A record of no victories from 18 league matches would be enough to see most managers handed their P45s in the current climate but Derby chief executive Tom Glick confirmed Jewell's job was safe earlier in the week.

The Rams boss acknowledges he is lucky to have such a supportive board but insists the sack does not scare him.

"At the end of the day, if I get sacked, I get sacked. I haven't been looking over my shoulder," he said.

"I've had great support from (chairman of football) Adam Pearson and the American owners since they've been here.

"They know the difficult situation we are in, they knew the team wasn't good enough.

"I think anyone that's seen us this year knows that we haven't been good enough in all departments.

"It's been a difficult season for everybody but short-term pain for long-term gain is what we are after.

"It's hurting me, not winning a game for 18 matches is horrendous but I knew it would be tough.

"Hopefully if and when we do come back, which will be sooner rather than later, we won't find ourselves in the same situation we do now."

With six games remaining time is running out for Jewell's side to overhaul Sunderland's record points low of 15.

They remain stranded on 11 points - 19th-placed Fulham are a further 13 points clear - and five of their games left come against sides in the top 10.

Jewell is so desperate to forget about the disastrous campaign he has already started referring to it as "last season".

But while he admits beating the Black Cats' total is a "pretty pathetic aim" he concedes it would represent a "crumb of comfort".

"We want to wipe this season from our memory. We want to learn from the mistakes we have made and try and have a sustained effort for trying to get out of the Championship next season," he added.

"We will try and get as many points as possible, we will try and get if we can past 15 points, which is the lowest total.

"It's a pretty pathetic aim really for the season but that's the only crumb of comfort we've got."