On Monday, Rams’ CFO Adam Pearson denied tabloid stories that manager Paul Jewell might be replaced.
According to Sunday’s media, Jewell’s position was under threat and there were suggestions that Steve McClaren could return to Pride Park Stadium as manager.
Mr Pearson called the rumour “Utter rubbish and complete fantasy” and it would be farcical to see yet more management surgery at Derby, given that Jewell has been in charge only 6 months, now has his trusted ally Chris Hutchings alongside him, and is busy recruiting players and reinforcing his backroom complement.
The Rams’ young Aussie midfielder, Ruben Zadkovich has been away helping the Australian Under-23 team to make progress in the Intercontinental Cup. He scored the winner in a 2-1 win over Chile and his team has reached the semi-finals.
Other assorted Rams were called up for international duty at home and abroad: Americans Eddie Lewis and Benny Feilhaber are with their squad to play England at Wembley next Wednesday, whilst Mile Sterjovski, awaiting the birth of his second child, was in action for Australia in a World Cup warm-up friendly against Ghana in Sydney. He scored the winner in a 1-0 victory but was sent off late in the game.
More substantive news at home arrived when Everton released gritty midfielder Lee Carsley. Lee was out of contract, wanting a long deal; the Rams were in the running for his services along with promoted WBA and relegated Birmingham City - but Brum won the race for his signature. He’s a good ‘enforcer’ but he is now 34 years old and Derby must target similar younger players from various sources.
Derby then had an initial bid of £500,000 (plus £250k add-ons) for Swansea’s Dutch midfielder, Ferrie Bodde, rejected as ‘laughable’ by Swans’ chairman Huw Jenkins. He waffled on about 'not letting clubs like Derby walk all over us and do what they like’. Whaat? Get real! We made a bid for a player, offering to pay Swansea nearly 9 times what they paid for him less than a year ago. Maybe the player wants to talk to bigger clubs - and might like playing in front of 30,000 fans at Derby?
Bodde helped the Swans win the League One title and was named in the division’s Team of the Year. The Swans were allegedly keen on Rams’ defender Darren Moore so it may not be the end of the bidding, even though Jenkins said that Ferrie is going nowhere. True - not with Swansea!
Nevertheless it was a bit irksome hearing about failed deals when last week’s spin was that we will learn about transfer targets when the moves are actually done and dusted. Adam Pearson declared that details of four or five confirmed details would emerge soon.
Departures from Pride Park Stadium were still on the cards, too, (hooray!) with full back Jay McEveley linked with Ipswich Town, where he’d been on loan during the 2005-06 season when still contracted to Blackburn Rovers. Failed striker Robert Earnshaw has met with Nothingham F*rest to discuss a possible move with the clubs having already agreed a £2.5m transfer.
Earnshaw’s departure would trigger other transfer moves by Derby, Adam Pearson told the media on Tuesday. A rumour also surfaced that F*rest were interested in the Rams’ young Welsh defender Lewin Nyatanga; this was dismissed by DCFC who had received no offers for the player. Lewin spent a large chunk of last season on loan at Barnsley and the Tykes would also like to sign him.
A further development to the Rams-Trees transfer wranglings came when F*rest midfielder Kris Commons - wanted by Derby - told F*rest that he wanted to leave. He wasn’t offered a new contract and was promptly released. Adam Pearson soon announced that Derby were in talks with Commons.
Derby are also chasing the signature of striker Nathan Ellington, whom Jewell signed for Wigan and did well for - but has latterly failed to make his mark in a big-money signing for Watford in a similar way to Earnshaw’s expensive failure at Derby County.
He joined Watford last August for an initial £3.25m in a 4-year deal. Ellington might cost Derby circa £2m - and Rams fans will hope he shows the form he did when he hit a hat trick for Bristol Rovers in 2002 as they booted Derby out of the FA Cup. He had 34 appearances for the Hornets but only 18 starts - and just 4 goals.
Decisions on the Earnshaw and Ellington moves are anticipated early next week.
Unless Derby were bluffing when they said a while ago that they couldn’t afford Blackburn’s Jason Roberts, Ellington won’t be resuming his most successful partnership at Derby. Hopefully, other good partners can be found…. if only Steve Howard were half a dozen years younger!
If Earnshaw goes and Ellington arrives at Pride Park, the Rams can ill afford to swap one dud striker for another so success is essential. Nathan’s teammate, Jordan Stewart, available on a free transfer, was also poised to join Derby.
Although Adam Pearson was optimistic about some Derby signings being confirmed by the weekend, fans were waiting for good news about a re-shaped team - and waiting for the sun, as a miserable Bank Holiday, weather-wise, left them with little to cheer after all, apart from Lewis Hamilton’s Formula One victory in Monaco and little Leeds’ defeat at the hands of mighty Doncaster at Wembley Stadium.
Derby County took the novel step of placing at TV message for their fanbase last Wednesday. It appeared during ad-breaks in the Champions League Final on 21/5/08 as Manchester United beat Abramovic’s Chelsea playboys in his own Moscow back yard.
Credit to Mr Glick and Co for another round of thanks to fans - though for myself, I found it a little needless and I would have wanted such outlay to be put towards more tangible use like funding memorials to such as Brian Clough and Steve Bloomer.
You can see the thank you message on the official site here.
Elsewhere, Dean Windass’s blistering volley propelled Hull City remarkably into the Premier League on Saturday, with his fine goal proving conclusive against Bristol City at Wembley Stadium in the Championship play-off final.
Great news for them, though we wonder if the likes of Windass, Barmby and Co will be found wanting in the big league and whether Dean will think it is all so “f***ing brilliant!” (as he exclaimed on-air!) in a year’s time! Hull now take their turn to be written off as no-hope relegation chopping blocks. Time will tell if they are Tigers or tadpoles in the Premier League.
Regardless of Hull’s progress in Derby’s stead as media and bookies’ laughing stock, Derby might soon benefit from their success if Phil Brown wants to take on-loan winger Craig Fagan off Derby’s hands!
At the top of the pile, (well, nearly!) as Hull, WBA and Stoke plan for salvation at 17th spot or higher, Chelski boss Avram Grant’s reward for finishing 2nd in both Premier League and Champion’s League to Manchester United was to have his contract terminated by moneybags Roman. Funny game, football.
Will defeated Bristol City prove a one-season wonder in the Championship? How will the promoted Swans, Trees and Doncaster fare against Derby and the rest? It will seem an age before we find out!
RamsWeek 21 last year of course brought the Rams’ rapid revival to a thrilling climax as Derby County gained promotion to the Premier League when they beat West Bromwich Albion 1-0 at Wembley Stadium in the Championship play-off final.
A wet, cold and windy day couldn’t dampen the fans’ joy!
Much-fancied Albion, believing their own press, thought that their attractive but ultimately ineffective football would ensure their superiority over a hard working Derby side that set its’ stall out, grafted as a team and took the chance when it came along on 61 minutes to seal the game and win the prize.
Craig Fagan and Steve Howard combined as Derby broke upfield on the right and Derby’s flying substitute Giles Barnes laid waste to the Albion defence and crossed for Stephen Pearson to slot home THAT goal! Then Derby stood firm; Albion’s threat was quelled.
The celebrations were short-lived, however, as Billy Davies’ bloated ego soon took centre stage… ah well!