 Tuesday, 10th Aug 2010 00:15 by Paul Mortimer It was a quiet build-up to Derby County’s 2010-11 Championship campaign, as the clock ran down and the cameras trained on the season’s kick off at Elland Road, Leeds. There was no significant transfer activity at Pride Park Stadium this week, though young striker Greg Mills was poised to go out on loan to Telford United. Nigel Clough was negotiating with Conor Doyle to prise him away from his American college life to become a Derby County professional. A Rams XI drew 1-1 at Belper town with Rob Hulse notching Derby’s goal. The Rams had given away a soft early goal but finished strongly and kept the Belper keeper busy. The game served to give various Derby squad members some valuable match-fitness time. The bookies predictions about the forthcoming season held Derby in low esteem, suggesting that they might manage a top 10 finish but with Nothingham Forest, Burnley & Middlesboro the fancied teams. Derby’s low-key preparation continued regardless, with the usual hopeful media comments from players champing at the bit to get into the real action of the season. As is customary, Robbie Savage did his best to hog the media headlines though, with the publication of his autobiography and some sensationalist excerpts and quotes. Me? I prefer the more scholarly and interesting ‘For Pete’s Sake’ book, which is daughter Wendy Dickinson’s first volume of life with dad Peter Taylor, the unsung half of the matchless management duo of Clough & Taylor. The dynamic duo is soon to be immortalised in bronze together, shaking the League title trophy in a towering statue situated right outside Pride Park Stadium. Much to Mr Savage’s chagrin, I doubt that there will ever be a statue to his footballing achievements anywhere. His image, voice and name are perhaps instead destined to be a ubiquitous presence in TV and radio punditry circles when he hangs up his boots. Just give us one good season for your swansong, Robbie, with a campaign that the club can truly celebrate, for a change! The Rams announced a Pride Park Stadium benefit game for former Derby and Watford winger Nigel Callaghan, now 47, who is suffering from bowel cancer. It’s on Sunday, September 12th at 1.00 pm. Details here: http://www.dcfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10270~2113253,00.html The game will feature ex-Rams and ex-Hornets’ teams and the beneficiaries will be Nigel and two cancer charities. I hope there is a good turn-out for Nigel. A Football League EGM held at Pride Park Stadium saw the approval of various new rules. There were improvements to regulatory disclosures about financial arrangements, stricter club director identity declarations and ‘fit & proper’ tests and player contract and ownership rules. The changes help to align more closely together various regulations governing both Football League and Premier League, whilst the Premier League is also set to pass £90m to the Football League over the next three seasons in the ‘drip-down’ of riches. It will be crucial to the survival of smaller clubs and also assist youth development and community work undertaken by League clubs. The ‘solidarity package’ includes extra cash passed down because promoted Sunderland and Birmingham City did not require further parachute payments, due to their instant return to the top flight. So it was all set for the big kick-off at ‘the damned United’ with Derby written off as a mid-table team in generous measure, previews being accompanied by all the presumptions about Leeds marching back to the Premier League. I did think that they would get a reality check - and also reckon that they will find this season somewhat harder than some folk seem to expect. The pre-match hype and TV pundits didn’t give Derby a chance, and the bookies placed the Rams lower in the predicted promotion pecking order in their odds for 2010-11 than Championship newcomers Leeds. Young American Conor Doyle had signed a 2-year deal with Derby and international clearance came through to allow him to be included among the substitutes. Derby used their successful pre-season formation in an attacking line-up. Though Hulse was the sole striker, Commons and Cywka were in support and expected to provide a threat as well. Derby put on a composed and enterprising display to overcome Leeds United 2-1, to give Rams fans (especially older ones recalling the Revie-Clough antipathy of old), the sweetest feeling! Beating DirtyLeeds is perhaps second only to Derby defeating the Trees, in supporters’ wishes for the season. A rare win at Elland Road is even sweeter! See I. Saw’s excellent RamZone report from Elland Road here: Derby certainly deserved the victory, carving out many golden chances - they really should have scored 4 or 5. United’s defiant goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel - once hyped up to superstar status at Manchester City before vanishing for a couple of years - saved Leeds on several occasions on his Elland Road debut. Penetrating play by Commons might have seen him put the Rams ahead right at the start but his shot was inaccurate. Another thrust through the centre saw Green release the ball to Hulse, who rammed in a superb goal after 13 minutes to silence the Elland Road hordes. Dean Leacock, limping for most of the game, was then too casual on the ball and put Savage into trouble with a weak pass; Sav was robbed by Howson, who switched the ball quickly into the middle of the penalty area. Becchio had acres of room and all the time he wanted to sweep home the equaliser. However, the Rams did not fold. Soon after, Cywka was chopped down in the box (quite why the TV pundits debated the penalty so much was lost on me) and Commons coolly passed the ball into an empty net from the spot kick, sending Schmeichel sprawling in the wrong direction. Russell Anderson was struggling by half time and was replaced by Shaun Barker, a surprise inclusion. As we have come to expect, Barker put on another imperious display despite missing pre-season with his injuries. Leeds clipped the crossbar a couple of times, and Roberts - like Brayford on the other flank, having a very steady Derby debut - cleared an effort off the line. Derby’s midfield trio of Green, Bailey and Cywka caused the Leeds defence serious trouble all afternoon. The TV audience and ‘experts’ like the smug TV pundits might just take a bit more notice of Derby after that successful display. The Rams’ 4-3-2-1 formation worked well for the most part; some defensive sloppiness needs working on though, and the team must not dawdle and overplay too much when in possession in their own half. Coach Johnny Metgod had rather disappointed me in midweek, endeavouring to justify the negative, physical tactics employed by his Dutch squad in the World Cup Final - but the formation they’d employed in winning games more attractively early in the tournament has positively influenced the way he and Clough have set up the Derby County team. The work rate and skill of Cywka, Commons, Green and Bailey can match most teams at Championship level, and they lent more energy and control to the midfield. Savage had a little more time and space than last season and might now benefit from having some other busy bees doing most of the legwork. If Commons wasn’t man of the match then Kasper Schmeichel was - which just indicates how the goalkeeper saved Leeds from a much heavier defeat. Savage and Hulse were rather harshly booked for dissent. It was interesting to note the refereeing favouritism on Saturday in regard to the frequent dissent and backchat from Leeds players (especially Becchio). Given the punishment meted out to Clough, Steve Pearson et al for speaking out of turn, after the F.A.’s judgements upon Derby’s disciplinary record last season, it is clear that officials need to be fair, and consistent - if that’s possible. Whatever - Leeds’ return to the Championship ended the same way as their relegation exit had done three seasons ago - with defeat at the hands of Derby County. Just gotta love beating Leeds! Forest and the Foxes lost their opening games, as did fancied Middlesbrough, though ambitious QPR thumped Barnsley 4-0. It looks set to be a very tight and competitive season but if Derby takes care of business as they did at Elland Road on a consistent basis, they might confound the pundits and make a serious challenge. The satisfying win at Elland Road gave the manager something to build on. Should the Rams be in contention at the turn of the year, owners GSE might be called upon to shake a few pockets among the consortium members, for them to show their investment intentions a little more emphatically. Next up is the Carling Cup tie away at Crewe on Tuesday, Clough no doubt saving a few players ready for the home League curtain-raiser against Cardiff City next Saturday. Injuries to Anderson and Leacock give us yet more immediate worries in central defence. It looks like Moxey, Buxton and others might be called upon for duty earlier than expected - unless Clough moves Rob Hulse to centre-half and puts Chris Porter at centre forward! _____________________________________________________________________ RamsWeek 32 last year saw Derby ‘get on the good foot’ as they kicked off the new season with a 2-1 home win over Peterborough United. Derby played some neat football and a 33,000 crowd anticipated a promising season. Croft, Moxey and Buxton made their Derby debuts as Derby notched the first Football League goal of the season, when Miles Addison swept the ball home after just 5 minutes. It looked like Derby would bury the Posh but their good football was not converted into goals. Worse, Peterborough levelled with just 6 minutes remaining as Connolly and Bywater needlessly presented the visitors with a penalty, which was converted. Clough’s men refused to settle for a draw, however and Gary Teale stabbed home a Kris Commons corner to clinch three deserved points. New signing Shaun Barker and top scorer Rob Hulse were ruled out with injuries, as were Porter and Leacock - and Giles Barnes was struck with another fitness reversal that would rule him out until the New Year. Prior to the game, the Lionel Pickering Entrance was unveiled, assembled from the original front entrance to ye olde Baseball Ground. A rousing ‘minute's applause’ before kickoff was dedicated to Mr Pickering and Sir Bobby Robson.
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 |
   Macclesfield Town Polls |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.We in turn value your personal details in accordance with our Privacy Policy.