The Rams’ spirited draw with Pompey gave fans an optimistic start to the week.
It also drew some well-earned praise from various sports media and football personalities. Derby continued their squad building in week 33 and had two tough Premier League games to negotiate in a week in which they sought to build on their promising start.
On Monday, Davies was busy progressing deals on two international recruits, flying Finn Mika Vayrynen from PSV Eindhoven and the Brazilian-American midfielder Benny Feilhaber. Both had been at Pride Park to see the Rams’ opening game against Pompey.
International clearance was awaited for Feilhaber ahead of the midweek game at Eastlands but he was not able to participate. Vayrynen returned to Holland early in the week due to a slight injury and to tie up some transfer aspects. Davies said that he still anticipated the Finn joining Derby this week. Feilhaber completed his move to Derby for a reported £1m transfer fee on Friday of week 33. Hence, the less patient fans were now seeing the results of Derby’s sustained transfer market activity.
Peter Gadsby has commented in interviews that several more signings were anticipated. He was also vocal about Derby’s ambitions, after Billy Davies formally agreed his contract extension to 2010 and assistant David Kelly penned his own 3-year deal. The Chairman said that the agreements were a sign of Derby’s intentions and also warned off other clubs and the media regarding Derby’s players. He warned clubs and agents off Giles Barnes, stating that Derby were gathering evidence to see if West Ham were guilty of an illegal approach in an alleged £3.5m bid and if so would report the Hammers to the F.A.
Gadsby made reference to past events and the cheap and damaging outgoing deals of the previous regime (Huddlestone, Rasiak) when he said that Derby County had ‘had enough of raiding’, were solid financially and remarked: “Derby County has a history of being pillaged but clubs would be mistaken if they think we are a soft touch.” He said that The Rams were not going to be ‘out-manoeuvred by people who are trying to use the same tactics that they did a year or two ago’.
Davies said there were a number of deals under way to bring in quality, to add more firepower and numbers to his squad. Stories about Derby’s interest in Palermo's Polish striker Radoslaw Matusiak have been dismissed but Southampton’s Columbian midfielder John Viafara and Manchester City forward Darius Vassell have been added to the mix in the current round of rumours. Late in the week, media darling Roy Keane reportedly joined the chase for Southampton’s Kenwyne Jones and seems willing to pay a bigger ‘up front’ fee than Derby County - then Birmingham tagged along for good measure.
Davies didn’t refute stories of John Stead’s return to Derby. On Tuesday, Watford manager Adie Boothroyd wanted to start a ruckus with Billy, going ‘off on one’ and claiming that Derby were offering £6.8m for their striker Marlon King with Billy Davies ‘trying everything’ to lure King away.
The Hornets’ manager certainly had a bee in his bonnet about yet more players departing from Watford and said that as promotion was worth £60m then that’s the price Watford wanted. I missed whether that was for the whole Watford squad and the club as well, or just for Marlon King! It will be interesting to see if Mr Boothroyd can back up any predatory claims he cites about Billy, or whether the player himself might prefer to move back to the Prem with a bigger club and soon ask to speak with Derby and others…
Outgoing transfer activity saw Club Captain and defensive stalwart Michael Johnson in talks with Luton Town – the ex-Rams club at Kenilworth Road is growing (Jackson. Peschisolido, Currie) and we appear to have adopted them as a sort of reverse feeder club! Perhaps we’ve conceived the ‘bleeder’ club, for retiring our old stalwarts or weaning away unwanted players gracefully into the lower leagues…
The Rams’ first Premier League away game of the season at Manchester City saw another committed performance from Billy’s men, though City went ahead right on half time rather against the run of play. Highly rated 19-year old Michael Johnson (no relation!) put a crisp shot beyond Bywater as the Rams defence was parted. Derby couldn’t maintain their bright first half display and created little, so Billy’s quest for more strike power needs to bear fruit this month to turn good play into goals.
Mears starred again and Oakley showed well, as did Fagan but the Rams lacked quality in the final ball and finishing. Davies exhorted his team to be more ruthless and arrogant in order to gain precious points. Derby’s team is very much a work in progress – having commenced rebuilding a year ago to climb the Championship – and climb out of it within three years – Davies has to take the squad to a higher level immediately and this is a huge challenge for him and the Derby County board of directors.
They must add finishing power and more confidence in ‘the final third’ to the commitment, effort and teamwork on display already this season, if the club is to bridge the gap that’s already apparent from their sudden rise to the Premier League - but few would entrust that task to anyone but Billy Davies.
On Friday, Davies made a surprise move for 33-year old ex-Preston and Leeds winger, Eddie Lewis (see picture above). He looked impressive under Davies at Preston; he’s a tricky, strong runner with a goal touch. It could be a canny move, as Lewis will bring the left-wing width and experience that the squad currently lacks. Lewis wasn’t signed in time for the Tottenham game. The other American recruit, Benny Feilhaber, went straight into the squad, and was selected as a substitute.
Progress on Vayrynen had ground to a halt, however, with Billy commenting that the people involved were ‘moving the goalposts’. It thus looked like the Lewis move was some insurance by Derby to secure a specialist left-sided attacking option, in case the Finn reneges on the deal.
There are plenty of other transfer rumours circulating and no doubt it will all go to the wire on 31/08/07.
The build-up to the Spurs game on Saturday had Martin Jol under severe scrutiny and Derby had hopes of springing a surprise. Derby lived up to their no-hope underdog tag, however, by getting buried in a 3-goal salvo within 15 minutes of the start. Derby regrouped to keep a rejuvenated Tottenham at bay until the break. Derby laboured for the remaining 75 minutes, showed no threat and were buried 4-0.
Fans will hope for more transfer activity before 31/08/07 and that, first of all, Davies can get Derby revved up for the home match against Brum next Saturday. It’s a testing time for everyone and how the Rams respond will shape the season. Davies said it was “a big lesson” and that we have to perform better.
In my opinion, everyone in interviews - manager & team members - can also practise the ‘arrogance’ that Billy is seeking from the team so that the ‘poor underdog’ role is not overplayed. The novelty and sympathy will wear off and a siege mentality will set in. The message must be: “Derby and Proud!”
The Carling League Cup beckons again, as the 2nd Round Draw took place this week. It’s another chance for Derby County to treat their fans to a cup run and first they must overcome newly promoted Championship side Blackpool at Pride Park Stadium in week commencing 27th August. The Rams haven’t met the Tangerines since both clubs were in the Third Division 22 seasons ago.
The next two weeks are vitally important to Derby’s season. Apart from the quest to add quality and depth to the squad by the transfer deadline, the players have to start writing their own scripts and make their mark on games rather than follow pundits’ storylines of being willing triers out of their depth.
So the brightness of the Pompey curtain raiser largely evaporated this week and a dose of reality was received in the two away defeats. Straight away, the Rams must focus on the clash with Birmingham City at home next weekend; it’s a “must-win” game, however much Billy will play it down! Win it and the Rams have a point per game... defeat would initiate a more worrying mood. Come on you Rams!
In RamsWeek 33 last year, Billy Davies had declared that a home draw with Norwich was a decent point. Then, the Canaries were expected to show in the promotion race and the Rams were just starting to rebuild. Lupoli had joined Derby (in preference to Preston and WBA) and Billy was chasing other targets, including a Kansas City star (Josh Wolff).
In August 2006 fans debated the rumours about the imminent departure of Player of the Year Tommy Smith and the talismanic Inigo Idiakez and its’ possible effect on the team.
How times change (not!) as Davies declared last year that he would be working away until the transfer window closed at the end of August in order to re-shape and strengthen his squad.
He wouldn’t have it any other way!