Every other teams 'one to beat' now?

[robglosta]

I appreciate we have had pressure on us in the season just gone, but with the money now sloshing about and other teams starting threads about how unfair it is/jealous they are; are we now the team that people will hope slip up? I will admit I've always loathed QPR and their spending habits, so taken some satisfaction in any capitulation (similarly with Man City).  

Might the 'give an extra 10%' factor now slip into other teams mindsets? Would this be present without the big money spending, anyway? 

Just a thought to discuss - by no means a negative one. 

[Ewetube]

I'm sure we will be considered the team to beat.

If we are good enough (and we should be) we'll deal with it, if not it could be a long hard season. 

[Ambitious]

I think it's only fans that think like this to be honest, not the players. The often misconception is that players like Bent and Ince have 'egos' because they come from reputable backgrounds. It's just sweeping statements that have absolutely no factual information towards them. 

All through Tom Ince's career, since leaving Liverpool for Blackpool, he has shown that he wants to play football. He turned down Inter Milan for Hull because he wanted to ensure he played games - unfortunately he should have asked Bruce where he would play first. 

He's coming to Derby when he could have easily got a move to a Premier League side, because he knows that he will be the main man here. He will play games and he will build a reputation here. I have no doubt that his ambition is greater than Derby, and so it should be, he's a fantastic footballer. The England U21 snub was a complete farce; he wanted to concentrate on his club football and getting that right, yet people said he was 'arrogant' for that decision. 

The way Derby players should be looking at these big signings through the door is not: 'oh, ****, look at this billy big ******** coming into the club on big money.' it should be: 'If I play well here and become an important player then look at the money I can earn.' 

The clubs that spend the money are 90% of the time at the top. There is a reason Chelsea are top of the league and not Mickleover Sport. 

[cosmic]

If we had a goat on our chest, we'd be called billy big balls. 

[SaintRam]

I think it's only fans that think like this to be honest, not the players. The often misconception is that players like Bent and Ince have 'egos' because they come from reputable backgrounds. It's just sweeping statements that have absolutely no factual information towards them. 

All through Tom Ince's career, since leaving Liverpool for Blackpool, he has shown that he wants to play football. He turned down Inter Milan for Hull because he wanted to ensure he played games - unfortunately he should have asked Bruce where he would play first. 

He's coming to Derby when he could have easily got a move to a Premier League side, because he knows that he will be the main man here. He will play games and he will build a reputation here. I have no doubt that his ambition is greater than Derby, and so it should be, he's a fantastic footballer. The England U21 snub was a complete farce; he wanted to concentrate on his club football and getting that right, yet people said he was 'arrogant' for that decision. 

The way Derby players should be looking at these big signings through the door is not: 'oh, ****, look at this billy big ******** coming into the club on big money.' it should be: 'If I play well here and become an important player then look at the money I can earn.' 

The clubs that spend the money are 90% of the time at the top. There is a reason Chelsea are top of the league and not Mickleover Sport. 

Cos Chelsea wear blue, right?

[Pearl Ram]

The thing for me is Mel Morris. Fernandez was reputed to be a West Ham fan at one time, he just wanted to be a big shot at a Premier League club and QPR have been run haphazardly since his takeover.

Old Sheik Yerbooty at Man City....it's a game to him, he has no allegiance to them, I honestly believe if Bristol Rovers had dominated the Premier League like Manchester United had done,  he would have bought Bristol City.

Mr Morris is one of us done good, incredibly good actually and fair play to him, BUT under his stewardship, our club WILL be run properly, we won't flaunt FFP rules and we'll only splash the cash if it's in the club's LONGTERM interests, I honestly believe that and that's why I pay no heed to the tosspot fans from other clubs wingeing how unfair it is that we're strengthening. If the boot was on the other foot we wouldn't hear a peep out those complaining now. 

And as for becoming the team to beat, course we are because everything about our club is now screaming progress in the correct manner, Moor Farm, the stadium, it being packed most home games and our board, we're the envy of the championship now so of course everybody will want to beat us and it'll be good practice for us for when we play in the Premier League.

C O Y R.

[RamNut]

I think we will be under pressure. Last season there was a case of post-wembley blues.

we never really got going even though we were top (and i'm aware that sounds stupid, but its true )

the collapse was so bad that we couldn't go again without some incoming players.

mel is going for it like no other chairman before or since Lionel. 

Hopefully we have a great season. Team selection will be interesting.

 

[Alph]

Difference between us and QPR is massive.

Bournemouth had a higher wage bill than us last season. 

Yeah, we're spending money. Money we can afford. We also have players we can sell. 

We're not quite the collection of freebies, youths and lower league gems fighting the good fight anymore. But do you want to be at the top or not? There's a reason that players are expensive. No team will win the PL by fighting the good fight. 

So long as our transfer activity is sustainable (in football terms..) then we can't be compared anything like to QPR. 

Or Forest. Let's not forget another club that was chucking money they can't afford about. 

If we're really chucking the cash about as some have suggested then I'm sure we'll have our very own embargo. 

 

Again. Poor ickle Bournemouth last season. Higher wage bill.

[SaintRam]

If Boro sign Downing, as they're rumored to be dealing with + a couple of decent loans they won't be far off our squad strength and I don't think we should go into the season disregarding them. Plus there's still window to go, people could make some great signings still.

QPR still have a strong team, as do Burnley, Boro, Brentford, Wolves, Ipswich. Going into the season the "team to beat" phrase doesn't really come into effect. If after 15 games we're in and around the top it will start cropping up, certainly.

You have to be realistic, I hope Derby walk the league, but there's no evidence as yet to suggest this season is going to be anything other than as competitive as last season.

[Ewetube]

I think it's only fans that think like this to be honest, not the players. The often misconception is that players like Bent and Ince have 'egos' because they come from reputable backgrounds. It's just sweeping statements that have absolutely no factual information towards them. 

All through Tom Ince's career, since leaving Liverpool for Blackpool, he has shown that he wants to play football. He turned down Inter Milan for Hull because he wanted to ensure he played games - unfortunately he should have asked Bruce where he would play first. 

He's coming to Derby when he could have easily got a move to a Premier League side, because he knows that he will be the main man here. He will play games and he will build a reputation here. I have no doubt that his ambition is greater than Derby, and so it should be, he's a fantastic footballer. The England U21 snub was a complete farce; he wanted to concentrate on his club football and getting that right, yet people said he was 'arrogant' for that decision. 

The way Derby players should be looking at these big signings through the door is not: 'oh, ****, look at this billy big ******** coming into the club on big money.' it should be: 'If I play well here and become an important player then look at the money I can earn.' 

The clubs that spend the money are 90% of the time at the top. There is a reason Chelsea are top of the league and not Mickleover Sport. 

I think something that's obvious, but still needs referencing is the fact that Bent and Ince have already been integrated in the team last season so their "arrival" will have minimal effect on the stability of the squad. 

It's not really like we've got two big premier league egos that have just arrived, causing feelings of insecurity amongst the existing squad members. They've both probably already forged relationships within the squad.

 

[Alph]

Agree. I'm happy with the transfers but I don't see why there will be more pressure than last season. Bent and Ince were here then so I wouldn't look at us from the outside and see a MASSIVE improvement on the team that finished in May. Obviously I'd still say Derby will finish up there because for the majority of the season they were a top 3 side. But no extra pressure on top of what was here.

Maybe if Shackell and Bridcutt happen i'll start to think that with the money spent and the individuals brought in that this team really would be letting itself down if it didn't get promotion or come extremely close. 

2 more highly rated 2nd tier players coming into what is here? What more could Clement ask for??!

[ramblur]

A past thread showed that in 13/14, 9 clubs posted losses in double digits (millions),and 5 were £20m+ (it would have been 6 without QPR's debt write off) -figures courtesy of SwissRamble.

There must have been a lot of teams trying to buy their way out in the past,without some of them being singled out for 'treatment'. There's no way our headline loss will breach £20m in 15/16,and I'd be surprised if it went over £16m. Other club's fans should wait until all the dust has finally settled before passing judgement. I expect to see some outgoings ( not necessarily big money) to reel back wages a bit,and if we were to sell anyone at a book profit of c£5m,I could see a loss nearer to £10m,and comfortably within FFP. (even £16m,with FFP exemptions could see us FFP compliant).

Whlist fees have been undisclosed,it looks to me that,on business so far, additional amortisation may so far be in the region of £2.5m/year. Additional wages are impossible to estimate,but you have to add the new wages together,deduct the total wages of outgoing permanents,and then deduct the total spent on loanees last year.

The above bits on possible losses assumes that we complied with FFP in 14/15 and that income levels less expenditure (excluding wages and amortisation) in 15/16 at least match those of 14/15.

[StringerBell]

I know I'm going to sound like McClaren but we've earned the right to spend. 

We've managed our finances well over the last 5 years or so. The aim was to get our house in order and then we could pick up the better players as other teams had to deal with fines and embargoes. That was always the plan I believe.

Well the other clubs went and stuck two fingers up at FFP by voting to relax the rules (and I think there's possible grounds for a legal case for clubs like Derby who bent over backwards to keep to FFP rules only for a U-turn to happen). The FA has done nothing about QPR yet I don't think so why should we carry on being thrifty when we've effectively been ****** off by the other clubs and the FA?

We're still losing money but we're in a better position than most in this division and that's through being a well managed club for once. 

I saw a Wolves and Leeds fan having a pop about us and FFP on a forum a couple of weeks back. Wolves and Leeds? The bloody nerve!

[ramblur]

When FFP was operating on a 'guidelines only' basis,we were always comfortably within such guidelines,and have continued to comply since sanctions came in (and,in fairness,there may be a number of other clubs with a good record). I think fans of any clubs that have breached FFP during this period should keep quiet.

[i-Ram]

Not sure as yet I am excited about the coming season.

I have always found with Derby since 1976 that hope is a better mindset to have than expectation.

[Ramkesian]

The pressure that could effect the players most may not come from our opposition but from our own supporters.

This team may well need several league matches to gel, my only hope is over excited fans don't get down hearted if we lose the odd match.