A rarity occurred on Saturday during the BBC radio 606 talkback program. After a call in which a Rams fan described Nigel Clough’s comments about Tomasz Cywka, Robbie Savage was left speechless.

It is debatable as to whether Savage was shocked or deciding what he could or should say in the face of this information but as the boy rarely is lost for words, I would say it was a substantial mix of both.

After stammering and a few false starts his answer was sensible and measured but containing little substance. It was obvious he had no idea Clough had made the comments as he was if nothing else, caught well and truly off guard (if you have not already heard Nigel's interview that produced the criticism of Cywka listen HERE).

Ironically the caller who rang in to inform the country of Clough's name calling was named “Nigel”. He accurately described to Mark and Robbie the details of his namesakes post match criticisms and that such things would be better left behind closed doors.

The deafening silence from Sav obviously caught Chappers off guard as he quickly had to get things on track after he waited for Robbie to comment.

When Sav finally gathered himself he described Clough’s passion in the rooms after the match and suggested that if people could only see that. It was hard to believe Robbie himself was sure after hearing what had unfolded and was towing the line without a lot of conviction.

Our beloved Captain is constantly spruiking the importance of fans to get behind the team and that players have to stick together. It would be interesting to know what he thought of Nigel’s comments and if he contacted his boss for a chat after the show.

The full phone call also detailed parts of the current turmoil at Derby with players being sold and fans deeply unhappy. You can hear it in full (starting from the 20 minute mark) on the BBC 5 Live iPlayer HERE.

If he did call Clough, perhaps he could have recounted a story he has rolled out a couple of times on the programme that relates to Martin O’Neill. The anecdote revolves around a player who played an absolute shocker in a terrible loss which earned all players a verbal spray after the match.

O’Neill walked around and gave it to each player but when arriving at the worst offender he stopped and told that player he had been brilliant. Savage states it was the best piece of man management he has seen as it picked the player up off the floor and the following week he went out and was man of the match.

I think Tomasz would have preferred that type of post match reaction from his manager as well.

There can be no doubt Nigel must be under near unbearable pressure. No money to spend and after doing what the club have directed he do, wearing the brunt of the fans anger for not performing on the pitch. One arm tied behind his back and expected to fight for his life.

There are few of us who would not snap if while at work were hampered by other staff constantly putting our job at risk with sub par performances. I have seen much worse brain fades from management in my working career and frankly the pressure was far less considering they did not have the media scrutinising them and thousands of fans baying for their blood.

At the same time Nigel should know better, not speak if he knows his temper has become volatile and at very worst try not to blame individual players in a demeaning and public fashion. A poor workman always blames his tools and frankly that is the way most fans have seen this incident.

Now we all wait with baited breath too see whether the club and Nigel will try to move forward while ignoring the backlash or whether the club does the sensible thing and puts the issue to rest by confronting it head on. You would hope Clough himself would take this bull by the horns and remove what is just another unwanted distraction.

An apology would be a good start but even better would be rolling the player and manager out for a jovial press conference to show there are no hard feelings. If the manager is as well liked as the players constantly profess then this should not be a problem. Plus it would be hard for fans to hold a strong grudge if they feel like the manager has not lost the dressing room which seems to be a growing concern.

I wont hold my breath as the DCFC media department are either under strict instructions to not try to repair what obviously needs fixing or are just far removed from the genuine feeling amongst fans and what would help soothe the savage beast.

After the unrest and protest amongst fans last week it was quite jarring to see a mind boggling number of club ‘partnerships’ and news of awards rolled out on the site.

This was either unfortunate timing or an attempt to deflect the issue but whichever it was like salt in the wounds of every Rams fan. While fuming over not signing players no one wanted to see the club making cash on everything ranging from peas to power tools!

Sometimes it is better to say nothing at all, let the dust settle and for me that was definitely one of those times. On other occasions you have to say something and the Cywka situation is one of those times. It would be nice to see the club get them around the right way this time.

As I type today it seems so far the club have not given any indication of a reaction to the Clough incident. To date it’s a few puff pieces on players and an announcement for a ‘Easy Peasey’ competition for the Leicester match.

Phew! - I was worried they might prove me wrong for a moment.

Photo: Action Images

prideparkpete added 14:03 - Feb 7 Well i think that most, if not all of your points are what most of us Derby Supporters would agree with. I too would like to see them both, Cloughie and Cywka, side by side in a 'jovial Press conference', that would be a great idea. With such in mind, I wish the club and its staff at senior levels realised that they could offer various clever moves to help lift us fans in these difficult times by communicating more with what they do off the field and between matches as well as what they try to do on matchdays and currently fail with. I personally dont feel like i am a part of the club as a supporter like i once did, its not necessarily correct that i should feel that way, but i remember a time when i used to think of it as MY club rather than A club that i supported.

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RamZone_News added 13:12 - Feb 8 The PFA boss Gordon Taylor has slammed Clough's public criticism of players - see BBC pages, or link on the MB forum!
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