Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Thread of the Week - Where Next For The Manager?
Thread of the Week - Where Next For The Manager?
Wednesday, 21st May 2008 12:09

The aftermath of a dreadful season was reflected in the message board comments from Rams fans.

Regulars picked over the bones of the Rams’ short, sad sortie into the Premier League.

Derby fans now have ‘football fatigue’, probably due to the lack of it played by their team and the rank humiliation we all suffer going about our own business. You should try not living in Derby, mateys, to know the true measure of abuse and ridicule heaped upon Derby County nowadays!

Message board activity is moderate as fans await some signings (and blessed departures) so that they can feel that the club is regrouping ready for the 2008-09 pre-season, only six short weeks away from now.

Atrocious as Derby were and as ‘unacceptable’ as it has all been labelled by everyone from turnstile to boardroom, the gap between the Championship and the Premier League is widening rapidly and discussion about what it takes to make a stab at Premier League survival or what fate awaits the newly-promoted teams and impending play-off victors will no doubt not be far from the thoughts of many fans by the time the new fixtures come out and the bookies can thankfully select their next chopping blocks.

Hemingway kicked things off on the post-mortem on Derby’s season in asking: “Whose contracts are up?” with chatters listing and condemning their own least favourite players and marking them for the chop!

Just think, only a year ago, we were still able to praise the odd hero or two even if we did gain promotion unconvincingly…but then, such as Matt Oakley and Steve Howard, who had made their presence tell in the Championship, are long gone now and several of the other Wembley Wonders are out in the cold and set for pastures new.

There was a nod of nostalgia as MB regulars, like your RZ columnists, respectfully marked the passing of the DET Green ‘Un Saturday evening sports paper, which ceased publication last week after 102 years on the local newsstands.

There was plenty of debate about the manager and his job security at Derby - it fairly dominated the discussion this week! The News of the World whimsy declaring that Adam Pearson was about to replace PJ with ex-Ram Steve McClaren - and Camelogue scratched the wounds as fans suggested that Jewell might have 10 or 12 games to show that the ship has been turned around at the start of next season.

Some felt that Jewell was lucky to escape the boot after the sex scandal that was splashed on the same Sunday tabloid not long ago, or his appalling run of results. People also acknowledged that it would be foolhardy to sack a manager who had just recruited a new backroom team and was in the middle of putting together his own squad ready for next season.

The right type of player coming into the club was a recurrent theme amongst chatters, as with Camelogue’s further offering: “A few bits and bobs”, with folks mulling over the loss of Lee Carsley and elsewhere we discussed the interesting on-off bid for Swansea’s Dutch midfielder Ferrie Bodde, who made a big impact in Division One, helping the Swans to the title.

Fans are certainly expecting Derby to operate seriously in the transfer market and for GSE to solve the funding weaknesses that so blighted last season - and to work towards some sort of stability off the field in our ever-changing football club.

A couple of managers and another ownership and board transplant in 2007-08 had fans seeing the musical chairs in the offices move rather faster than any of the players on the turf.

Dirty Piggy returned to the fold and started another good discussion on the Derby manager Paul Jewell, which I’ve chosen as my Thread of the Week. He’s asking: “Where Next For The Manager…?”

DP was unimpressed by Jewell’s signings and wondered whether they had improved the team at all. He acknowledges that PJ has a good track record and has the backing of the DCFC boardroom. Respondents feel that PJ must quickly overhaul the dressing room mentality and recruit hungry, athletic players.

People certainly feel that there will be early pressure on PJ to produce a winning side and hope he is successful in shipping out unwanted players. The stark contrast between ye olden day Dave Mackay signing and today’s Captain Calamity Robbie Savage was drawn!

Attracting a higher quality of incoming player is seen as critical - though most fans want those who can actually perform, rather than newcomers necessarily being household names - and not just oldies looking for a hefty last pay packet.

Thanks to Dirty Piggy and all posters on this week’s messageboard – keep the discussion bubbling through the summertime!

Read the Thread of the Week here!

Photo: Action Images



Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.


You need to login in order to post your comments

Derby County Polls

About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© FansNetwork 2024