IslandExile

Bielik did his ACL.

Chris Martin wasn't here last season. He started the 2020-21 season with exactly the same players Rooney had minus the FIVE loan signings. Take one of those loan signings out (Lee Gregory) and Rooney's record now stands at Played 12 Won 0 Draw 2 Lose 10. Two points from a possible 36.
Now correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Phillip Cocu record more points at the beginning of last season compared to Wayne Rooney's end-of-season record? Rooney had exactly the same players + Mengi, Edmundson, Roberts and Baningime.

As mentioned, Wayne Rooney has yet to win a game as Derby County manager without Krystian Bielik or Lee Gregory starting. Phillip Cocu also had neither of those players.
Rooney hasn't done any better with the same set of players than Cocu did. In fact, he has done worse and he had the luxury of being able to sign FOUR other players (Gregory aside) during the January transfer window.
The point of this post isn't even to make Rooney look like a poor manager. I think this squad is poor and Rooney's hands are tied. We're in for a long season and January may be our only hope of survival.

Cocu got a pretty average Derby team to tenth during his first season in charge despite everything that went against him. Sibley, Bird and Knight all performed far better under him.
His transfer targets such as Dursun, Panzo and Moore had brilliant seasons last year.
Cocu was a slow burner. But he improved players and could spot potential transfer targets to move us forward. His time at PSV proved with the right pieces in place, he could succeed.
But he was undermined by Wayne Rooney's arrival while restricted from making any signings due to the circumstances caused by Mel Morris. Bizarre you would give up on him after the Charlton away game, which was about 10 game into his first season, working with an average squad. What were you expecting? Bielsa-ball?
There were signs after that we were on the right track. Like the back-to-back wins over Sheffield Wednesday and Blackburn, the latter a crushing 3-0 win where Wayne Rooney didn't even play.
Post lockdown, we still had momentum and Louie Sibley was being talked about as a potential superstar. But by that point, Rooney's fitness was so dire we were starting games with ten players.
Cocu's job come the second season was impossible. We were obliged to play Rooney who was awful, while we started the season without a recognised striker due to an embargo and the Martin fiasco.
The subsequent improvement in form after Cocu's exit was down to Rooney retiring and Krystian Bielik coming back. Not only were we playing with 11 men again, but we had arguably the best midfielder in the league absolutely running it for us. 

Mel Morris is simply incompetence at running a football club.
He isn’t a charlatan or leacher. He didn’t take over Derby in 2015 and immediately look to asset strip by selling Hughes, Hendrick, Martin, Keogh, Thorne and Russell etc.
On the contrary. He walked in and immediately pumped £25m plus in on transfer fees. Unfortunately, only one player actually improved us and fit the bill then and that was Tom Ince who even still shifted the dynamic somewhat from team-play to relying on individual moments.
Morris thought he was doing what was right. He thought he only needed to invest big (Championship big) and the puzzle would fall into place.
He underestimated the importance of so many other factors such as squad harmony, team spirit and togetherness.

Excuse me, you don’t speak for all the supporters. I hold him primarily responsible but I don’t hate him and, in case you hadn’t noticed, he is trying to sell up.

Mel is a Rams fan and currently making up the shortfall in income each month to keep the club operating. It’s easy to use the word hate on social media, but would you say it to his face......unlikely. He has done as much as he can to turn us into an established Premier league club, but unfortunately it hasn’t come to fruition. He is now trying to secure our future by bringing in new owners. Football comes down to fine margins as we know and there was another Keogh moment yesterday when Byrne did a triple toe loop on the penalty spot.
Massive mistakes with recruitment of both managers and players has been our downfall, while trying to chase the dream of Premier League football and I’m sure Mel would agree and do things differently if he had a time machine.
Forum members posting hate comments should be banned in my opinion.

Can’t believe the abuse Kamil is getting! He’s playing in a team full of donkeys! 
 
He can mix at the top level as he has shown in the international fixtures he has played in! 

His touch is normally very good the fact he has had no pre season due to injury is probably a factor. 

Apparently by Derby fans a homophobic slur at a Peterboro player and racist comments aimed at our own player Jozwiak.
Hopefully the brain dead morons are identified and banned for life.

The only reason Phillip Cocu abondoned his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation and switch to a back three was because we were carrying an overweight, unfit 35-year-old in midfield who was undroppable.
He had to get more defensive players to shore up central areas as we were embarrassingly overrun in that Blackburn game.
Wayne Rooney’s presence and the obligation to play him got Cocu the sack. It was inevitable, playing with virtually 10men every game.
It’s no coincidence that our best performances early last season (at Forest where we should have won and against Cardiff City) came during Rooney’s isolation period.

I don't want Rooney as manager.
I didn't want him at the club in the first place.
But the club is in a terrible state. The squad is the poorest it's been for years.
And yet, Rooney has been very dignified throughout the past couple of very difficult months.*
I'm not sure any manager could save us this season.
We need a new owner, ownership of the stadium and an end to the EFL soap opera. Then we can have a total reset.
* Personal life excluded.

I spoke to CKR’s dad yesterday after the game outside the ground, he said it was an Achilles problem seems like a tear of the skin on the Achilles apparently some players have it cut but CKRs was still intact until yesterday. He’s having a scan today. 
He said CKR loves the fans and he feels sad for them as yesterday he was sure he was going to boss the 2nd half. He said he would be back soon loves being at Derby and wants to pay the fans back. 
Also spoke to liam Rosenoir yesterday he said he’s sorry. He said there trying there best and please stay with them. He said he’s gutted to see that many fans and them being so vocal to lose in the way we did. He said stick with them and they will give there all. Seemed genuinely sorry and upset by yesterday. 
 

Woeful.
I never learn. I was realistic but as the season starts, I get ridiculously optimistic. I start thinking maybe we're not so bad, maybe we'll do better than I expected.
Some hope.
We are really poor.
Where's those who criticised Cocu's team for passing it around at the back?
Why is Lawrence playing so deep? Getting the ball from the central defenders, then giving it back to them.
So Rooney's tactics are to push the full backs forward. Did anyone tell Forsyth? In fact, is Fozzy even on the pitch.
Shinnie and Bird, short passes going nowhere. Why two players of that type?
Pleased to see Ebosele but he's naive giving away free kicks when attacking.
I despair. This hurts.

I don't want Rooney as manager.
I didn't want him at the club in the first place.
But the club is in a terrible state. The squad is the poorest it's been for years.
And yet, Rooney has been very dignified throughout the past couple of very difficult months.*
I'm not sure any manager could save us this season.
We need a new owner, ownership of the stadium and an end to the EFL soap opera. Then we can have a total reset.
* Personal life excluded.

That's a lovely thought. I'd add Jozwiak to the mix.
But can you really imagine the master tactician that is our manager bringing it about?

I don't want Rooney as manager.
I didn't want him at the club in the first place.
But the club is in a terrible state. The squad is the poorest it's been for years.
And yet, Rooney has been very dignified throughout the past couple of very difficult months.*
I'm not sure any manager could save us this season.
We need a new owner, ownership of the stadium and an end to the EFL soap opera. Then we can have a total reset.
* Personal life excluded.

Nice try Roy. ?

I don't want Rooney as manager.
I didn't want him at the club in the first place.
But the club is in a terrible state. The squad is the poorest it's been for years.
And yet, Rooney has been very dignified throughout the past couple of very difficult months.*
I'm not sure any manager could save us this season.
We need a new owner, ownership of the stadium and an end to the EFL soap opera. Then we can have a total reset.
* Personal life excluded.

Great runs, great positions, just needs to improve his first touch.
Hope the goal boosts his confidence.

I don't want Rooney as manager.
I didn't want him at the club in the first place.
But the club is in a terrible state. The squad is the poorest it's been for years.
And yet, Rooney has been very dignified throughout the past couple of very difficult months.*
I'm not sure any manager could save us this season.
We need a new owner, ownership of the stadium and an end to the EFL soap opera. Then we can have a total reset.
* Personal life excluded.

You’ve got to feel sorry for Joz.
He came here to progress his career but it has been an absolute nightmare from the start.
He was probably sold on Phillip Cocu’s ability to develop youngsters (something proven) and the idea of playing alongside an influential Wayne Rooney.
What he soon found out was our former manager was severely undermined and restricted, later being dismissed while Rooney the player post lockdown was clearly unfit for Championship standard. He was dreadful.
Throw in the absolute turmoil off the field, his close friend Bielik picking up a lengthy injury, Wayne Rooney’s questionable tactics and an inexperienced coaching staff and it couldn’t have gone much worse for the guy.
Who would blame him if he wanted out? I’m sure he is professional and will try his best but deep down he is probably wishing he never came here.

He’s a young lad that’s trying to make a go of plying his trade in a foreign country in a tough league saddled with an expensive transfer fee. 
He’s also playing in a struggling side that lacks a character on the pitch to put his arm around him. The last thing he needs is being abused by people that probably have no clue whatsoever about how much character he’s already shown to cross that white line. 

I don't want Rooney as manager.
I didn't want him at the club in the first place.
But the club is in a terrible state. The squad is the poorest it's been for years.
And yet, Rooney has been very dignified throughout the past couple of very difficult months.*
I'm not sure any manager could save us this season.
We need a new owner, ownership of the stadium and an end to the EFL soap opera. Then we can have a total reset.
* Personal life excluded.