As Derby County took a breather during the international break, fans hoped for team strengthening  - but there was news of site development off the pitch instead of expected squad reinforcements upon it.

Whilst the eye was off the ball during the international break and fans wished for team strengthening, the club instead occupied itself with presentations to local business and corporate representatives with announcements about a truncated Pride Park Plaza scheme.

In previous years, Derby’s latest owners have looked to the past to stimulate pride and interest in the club through fan-initiated heritage projects like the Steve Bloomer monument and Clough and Taylor statue. Now, GSE are looking to stimulate corporate investment in the stadium environs to generate more revenues.

Ex-owner and would-be shareholder Peter Gadsby, the local property magnate who conceived the £20m Plaza plans in 2007/8, offered ‘no comment’ as to whether he would be involved in the club’s revised £7m development. An uneasy relationship has existed between Mr Gadsby and GSE over the past few years.

I’d say it’s difficult to see them kissing and making up and easier to see counter-claims and challenges between the parties, in the time-honoured self-destructive manner of DCFC. Some observers think an ‘all or nothing’ tug-of-war regarding the club is too entrenched so it seems that an opportunity to pool resources, skills and finances will again be spurned.

The Rams have again contrived to preach loyalty and togetherness to fans and sponsors in a ‘One Club’ philosophy but the protagonists manoeuvre, separate and protect their respective interests. Tom Glick spoke enthusiastically to the media and interested parties about the revived property matters this week and has his ‘networking hat’ firmly stuck on at the moment.

It’s a rewind back to the future at Derby, as Tom Glick’s time machine buzzed backwards to collect previous plans off the shelf where they had been dumped following Mr Gadsby’s departure. Now we’re once more whisked away into the futuristic imagery of a shiny new development.

The latest Plaza plans - scaled down about two-thirds from the original Pride Plaza draft that represented Gadsby’s Pride Plaza scheme submitted several years ago - embrace retail and refreshment outlets, landscaped stadium areas and a concert venue, whilst omitting the hotel complex and other original features.

More cafes and a supermarket can add rent to DCFC’s coffers and benefit the ‘working population’ of Pride Park. Will they be closed on matchdays or add to fans’ choices? It is difficult to see these modest plans swelling the football funds greatly, or the development in itself making the stadium a true ‘community hub’.

It seemed a bit nebulous back then and became part of an imagined modernistic village, which fell into the mists of time as the ownership changed but is now a pet project once again.

A progressive development to benefit club and city is laudable - but the timing was questioned by some fans; much as I’d like an obelisk in the stadium grounds celebrating the classy Aljosa Asanovic, I’d really love a player or two like him and a team that can do as well in the top flight as his contemporaries.

After the Rams’ poor showing against Leicester City, supporter expectations had grown regarding further signings to strengthen a squad which still clearly lacks experience and strength in depth in several areas. The Plaza announcements successfully displaced those expectations.

The commercial presentations and corporate tub-thumping will leave Mr Glick with less time to contemplate on-field matters. There’s also the conundrum surrounding the proposed DCFC ‘technical director’. When and if he arrives, he would assist Messrs Glick and Clough in dealing with football matters; the appointment was announced months ago, then shelved, then dusted off.

We never quite know where we are with club pronouncements and developments these days and don’t know how and when the modest property plans will benefit the manager’s transfer funds.

The outstanding issue of Nigel Clough’s contract remains in limbo too, despite fresh ‘he’s our guy’ declarations. "We haven't put a timetable out in the public but we would hope to sort something in very good time," Glick said.

Mr Glick said it was unlikely that the club would add players to the squad in the immediate future. Fans will hope that Clough is able to continue to generate good results whilst the CEO says that the club has its eyes firmly on ‘what it will take to get through the first half of the season’.

Maybe that’s just code for getting by with what we’ve got. The comments seem to preclude the Rams’ outstanding need for a midfield general, a centre-forward and the full-back cover. The eventual fitness of Barker, Riggott and Tyson won’t resolve those shortages.

The question is: are the season targets for Derby marked off as only ‘getting through’ - or getting promotion? As ever, time will tell. Mr Glick says the club may recruit players “If we feel like we’re light” in January.

It’s yet to be seen if that means no action if the team is out of danger, or else decisive action to reinforce the squad (as per the manager’s oft-stated needs) should there be realistic chance of promotion (or dire threat of relegation).

There are some strong squads this year in the Championship - some aided by foreign ambition, others aided by the increased relegation ‘parachute money’. DCFC might be biding their time to see how Mr Clough and the squad shape up before the New Year and whether these stronger squads are pulling away at the top before investing heavily in the Derby manager or squad.

That’s understandable - but also risky, as it draws on the loyalty of both manager and fanbase. It’s possible that Clough could get positive signals from other suitors - regardless of the persisting Forest rumours - and see greener grass (though many do doubt that scenario). Fans might agitate and show unrest at GSE again should another false dawn become apparent after the previous set of promises from the owners last springtime.

Also, why would Championships newcomers next season - the freshly relegated Prem clubs with parachute £££millions - necessarily be weaker in 2012-13 than this season’s challengers? If DCFC ultimately settle for modest improvement on previous seasons, with or without Clough’s help, the club must then repeat their promises regarding real squad investment to cajole supporters to renew their season tickets again, promising another bright dawn next season.

The club denied media stories linking Derby with young Leeds United defender Aidan White regarding a loan deal at Derby - and the Mansfield player Tom Naylor, who has spent time on trial at Derby, has been trialling with Burnley.

A former Premier League full-back, West Ham’s Congolese international Herita Ilunga has joined Doncaster Rovers, where ex-Ram Dean Saunders is making an impact, having already signed ex-QPR defender Pascal Chimbonda in September and is eyeing up other squad reinforcements. There are players out there but the Rams are sitting tight in anticipation of maintaining their form.

As hopes of Derby signings receded, fans had to make do with progress reports on injured defenders Shaun Barker and Chris Riggott, who are both progressing satisfactorily. There is further match-time for them next week with a reserves game against the Trees.

Defender Jason Shackell missed out on the September Player of the Month accolade in the Football League awards. The Rams’ stand-in skipper was pipped by Middlesbrough’s Matthew Bates the Teeside club landed a one-two Championship success as manager Tony Mowbray also took the Manager of the Month award.

The Rams have had another fixture moved for live television - the fourth so far this season - as the kick-off for the away game at West Ham on 26th November is now at 5.20 pm for the benefit of Sky viewers.

A Portsmouth pub landlady has initiated an unexpected slap in the face for the Premier League and Sky, winning a judgement to obtain live football from an alternative European source. This could undermine the comfort of the complacent, restrictive assertion from the EPL that: "The Premier League states UK citizens should only be able to watch live matches through Sky and, to a lesser extent, ESPN.”

What a self-serving, arrogant stipulation that is, aimed at protecting the selfish interests of the big media companies! Scudamore and Murdoch had presumed they can dictate from whom UK consumers may buy their TV subscriptions ad infinitum and fell foul of the pub’s successful defence in utilising a less expensive Greek provider to stream the live games.

The landlady (and other business subscribers) can avoid the exorbitant Sky fees for public live match broadcasting for the time being. No doubt the global media vested interests will work out a way of conquering the ruling by the time the next TV contracts are negotiated and implemented.

On the international front, whilst Jamie Ward and Kevin Kilbane had withdrawn from their respective international squads through injury, youngsters Jeff Hendrick and Mark O’Brien pulled out of the Republic of Ireland’s Under-21 squad too. All are expected to be in contention for the Rams’ home game with Championship leaders Southampton next weekend.

England made it through to next year’s European Championship finals with a 2-2 draw in Montenegro. The Three Lions took an early lead through Ashley Young and it soon looked plain sailing after Darren Bent doubled the lead. Then England gave an incredibly mediocre second half display which won’t have the bookies slashing the odds on England lifting the Euro crown next summer.

Montenegro pulled a goal back in the dying seconds of each half to spark wild celebratory scenes as the small nation secured a play-offs place. England striker Wayne Rooney’s day ended in shame when he was stupidly sent off for violent conduct, which made for a nervy finale. Rooney will miss at least the first game of England’s group stage nest summer through suspension.

The rugby World Cup saw England eliminated after a poor showing against France, even after the French were said to be in disarray; Wales marched on and will play France in the semis after defeating Ireland.

Next week it is back to domestic football and Derby’s biggest challenge of the season - their home game versus surprise leaders of the Championship, Southampton. They romped to promotion last season and seem to have disregarded the fact that they’re now playing in a higher league.

Can the Saints ‘do a Norwich’ and shoot straight through to the Premier League, or will Clough’s men halt their march?

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RamsWeek 41 last season saw the Rams nursing injury cases back to fitness during the international break. Russell Anderson, Gareth Roberts and Dean Leacock were set for reserve game comebacks.

Manager Nigel Clough was contemplating his options for late in the year when loanee forwards Ryan Noble, Luke Moore and Shefki Kuqi would all be returning to their clubs. Turns out Clough didn’t have any options in the end!

Ex-Derby County forward and accomplished Derbyshire County Cricket Club all-rounder Ian Buxton passed away aged 72. He made almost 150 appearances for the Rams and also notched up some 12,000 runs and took 480 wickets for DCCC - Ian was one of the best sporting servants that the county ever had.

England were preparing to meet Montenegro in the 2012 Euro Championships qualifiers as Pride Park Stadium was set to host the international friendly match between Brazil and Ukraine in the coming week.

Photo: Action Images

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