Clinton Morrison has revealed he did not expect to be playing in the Championship with the Eagles two years after his return to Selhurst Park.

Last Saturday's defeat to Sheffield Wednesday all but seals the Ireland international's second successive failed promotion campaign since he left the then Premiership side Birmingham City to rejoin his first club in the summer of 2005.

Morrison admitted he risked his international future by choosing to drop down a division, but believed he would make a quick return to the top flight with the Eagles.

"I did not have to leave Birmingham but they knew I wanted to go back to London and I wanted to join Palace because they had a good chance of going back up," he said.

"I expected to be playing in the Premiership the season after I joined because we had a great team.

"AJ was firing up front and we had other players who have gone on to play in the Premiership and are doing well.

"We all knitted together but one sloppy performance at Selhurst against Watford ruined our chances in the play-offs.

"This season, the gaffer brought in some really good players and we thought we could kick on.

"It's frustrating. The more you play in the Premiership, the more chances you get to play international football. If you play in the Championship, you do not get as many chances."

The striker insists he does not cast envious eyes at former team-mates Andrew Johnson, Emmerson Boyce, Fitz Hall and Mikele Leigertwood, who left the Eagles in the summer to join teams in the Premiership.

But he has no doubts he could still be a force in the top flight.

"I'm not envious, because they are my friends and I'm glad they are doing well. But I do look at players playing the Premiership and think - hold on - if they are playing there, then surely I will get a chance."

Morrison's future will come under further scrutiny at the end of the season when Peter Taylor and chairman Simon Jordan put their summer shake-up into action.

Now the club can no longer depend on Premiership parachute payments, the future of Morrison and fellow top earners are in the balance, especially as the striker has one year left on his contract and could walk away for nothing at the end of next season.

Morrison, however, is keen to remain with the Eagles and aims to make it third-time lucky next year.

"I'm happy to stay at Palace," he said. "But I'm just frustrated because I want to be back playing in the Premiership and this club deserves to be there."