After a slow start, Derby recovered from their mauling by Aston Villa, putting in an encouraging performance at West Ham.

The Rams played with pace and energy, movement and purpose - getting stronger as the match wore on. Unfortunately their inability to make possession count for goals and the usual defensive deficiencies consigned them to another defeat - but the performance was a step in the right direction as Paul Jewell sought signs of progress.

He acknowledged that the Rams should have won but they just can’t gain that confidence-boosting breakthrough. There were some good performances from Derby players and Tyrone Mears gained in match fitness and confidence; he now looks set to figure next season. Overall, the prospect of the upcoming visit of the dazzling young Arsenal side perhaps wasn’t quite so daunting.

With that game delayed until Monday, 28th April because of Setanta TV schedules, the Rams had more preparation and recovery time as their supporters hoped for an end to humiliations such as Aston Villa had inflicted upon them in the last home game. Arsenal had buried Derby 5-0 at the Emirates Stadium early in the season so the game would be another indicator of whether the Rams have progressed at all.

Phil Cannon commenced his role as Academy manager this week and is laying down more stepping-stones to a better future. He’s the man that spotted Theo Walcott and has generated a strong youth policy at Everton. He’s looking to beef up many aspects of player recruitment and youth development and will reinforce Derby’s efforts to capture talent from the Midlands area.

He is relishing Derby’s excellent resources and the club’s potential. “Recruitment is the key. It’s no good having a great facility and having no players in it. But even when you bring good players in, you need good coaches to develop them. That is what we are looking to do here – identify, recruit and develop".

David Lowe (42) also joined DCFC this week as the chief coach of the Academy. He has played with and worked alongside Jewell at Wigan Athletic. In a less predictable move, Jewell’s assistant, Stan Ternent, moved on and left the Rams to become Huddersfield Town’s manager.

If Stan’s new plan was precipitated by his desire to have another tilt at management, then it probably suited Derby County.

Judging by the way another ex-Wigan cohort, Chris Hutchings, was instantly lined up to take over from Ternent alongside Jewell at Derby, everyone is happy. It’s hoped - demanded - that this change can produce more success, as Ternent & Jewell did not manage a single League victory as a partnership at Derby. I’m sure Jewell is pleased to be reunited with him most successful managerial partner.

It was the Jewell-Hutchings managerial combination that propelled Bradford City and then Wigan Athletic into the Premier League, and kept them there against all odds so the duo have a proven pedigree.

Hutchings succeeded Jewell as Bradford manager but departed after winning only one game from 12, then in May 2007, he took over at Wigan when Jewell left the club - but Hutchings was dismissed by Wigan in November having won just once in 12 games. Let’s hope they break Jewell’s duck very soon!

Wigan have recovered under Steve Bruce and look likely to retain their Premier League status as they now have 36 points, whilst Hutchings and Jewell are of course destined for the Championship already.

The Rams Reserves managed their first (and last!) win of their Reserve Premier League South season in beating Birmingham City 1-0 at Burton’s Pirelli Stadium on Monday night. It was a swansong for the second string for the time being, as Derby County have announced that they would not have an official reserve team for the 2008-09 season.

It’s not mandatory to operate a reserve team in the Championship. Jewell had already declared that he initially wants to build a smaller high-quality first team squad. Regular practice matches behind closed doors at Derby’s convenience will replace a regimented reserve season. Phil Cannon will be working closely with the manager to restructure Derby’s feeder mechanisms and monitor player development.

Rams’ teenage centre-back Kallum Keane (16) has been selected for the Republic of Ireland’s squad for the European U-17 Championships in Turkey this summer. Mitch Hanson has returned early from a loan spell with Port Vale due to injury.

The legal case concerning members of John Sleightholme’s duff regime came to court again with a hearing at Northampton Crown Court.

Ousted Derby County directors Jeremy Keith, Andrew Mackenzie and Murdo Mackay are accused of conspiracy to defraud and attempting to conceal criminal property; their associated cronies, David Lowe (no relation to the Rams’ recent Academy coach recruit!) and Mark Walters are the other defendants. The case was adjourned until May 30th when pleas will be heard. Evidence is being submitted and if this is sufficient, the case will proceed through Crown Court.

Games are running out now on this turgid season for the Rams to register any kind of reprieve for the long-suffering fans. The manager however doesn’t necessarily feel that he has got to kill the monkey - or monkeys - perched on the backs of himself and his team, namely to achieve his first win as Derby manager, to record an away win at the final time of asking at Blackburn, or avoid collecting the all-time wooden spoon in failing to better Sunderland’s worst-ever 15 points’ total in a season.

He stresses that the important focus is on ensuring the right recruitment and preparation for a season of high expectations in 2008-09, once this dirge of a season is confined to the record books. Pity, Paul that for the fans it seems to be destined for so many of the record books for all the wrong reasons!

The build-up to the interesting but perfunctory clash with Arsenal on Monday was low-key, though of course a stadium sell-out was again anticipated. Paul Jewell has few injury concerns; Kenny Miller and Dean Leacock are expected to shake off knocks whilst David Jones is nursing a calf strain.

Chelsea and Manchester United fought out the usual fractious, recriminatory clash at Stamford Bridge with their highly paid role models and management whingers indulging themselves on and off the pitch.

At the bottom of the League, Saturday saw Sunderland’s gamble on higher spending pay off. Roy Keane’s men secured their Premier League safety by clinching 3 points with one of their countless, decisive late goals in a tense 3-2 win over north-east rivals Middlesbrough.

Birmingham must whittle their fingernails after blowing a 2-0 lead over Liverpool in a 2-2 draw; Fulham surprisingly won away again, this time 3-2 at Manchester City. Bolton won a point at Tottenham and Wigan and Reading shared the points in a 0-0 at the JJB Stadium, so there are still 4 clubs under threat of accompanying long-gone Derby into the Championship.

RamsWeek 17 last year saw Derby finally fritter away their once-comfortable chance of automatic promotion as they surrendered feebly 2-0 at Crystal Palace. The defeat ensured that Sunderland and Birmingham City would claim the top two places.

Chairman Peter Gadsby announced more details of the proposed stadium development plans, with the Pride Plaza project promising that tributes to Lionel Pickering, Brian Clough and Steve Bloomer would be integrated into the landscaping and features.

If a week is a long time in football, a year is a veritable lifetime, as fans await an update on the now marginalized scheme, anticipating a total squad reconstruction rather than any new bricks and mortar facilities.

Photo: Action Images

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