48 hours

In the thread 'Rooney In', @Highgate argued one of the reasons we should dispense with Rooney's services is:
"Sacking him will mean we won't have to look at the 'Wayne Rooney's DCFC fans' anymore."
To the mods.... Help us reclaim our club. Even if we must have a celebrity in the managerial hot seat, and it seems we must, then at least let this forum lead the way in showing the world that the club is bigger than any individual.
Derby County Football Club.
Then we can say things like "DCFC's manager Wayne Rooney..... needs to get wins".

One of the few men I’d like to see stay around the club. A true professional.

A total credit to this club. A superb professional and someone I would never have taken the armband from. 

Hi everyone,
I have posted this on my personal facebook but want to let everyone else know as well hence why I have started a new thread. As fans we need to be collectively acting now on the back of the group Club 84 raising various issues over the past week or so. Do no bury your heads in the sand any longer. I am concerned.
Spent this last week focusing on something that means a hell of alot to me, Derby County.
This past year has been tough on me, sure you all know that and my primarily focus has been on my business and family. A new addition in Phoebe, a house move that now risks having houses built at the back of us replacing the green belt land that reside on the land and then working most nights delivering Uber to bring some income in, not to mention home schooling. So I haven't had the time to think about Derby County but it has now come to a tipping point where I am very concerned about our club.
Regardless of the result on Saturday, this club in my opinion is in serious danger and when I say that I mean it in the strongest of terms. Should this takeover not happen then I worry that we will have no club to return to.
Over the past few weeks many supporters group and the local press have requested that either Mel Morris or Stephen Pearce just come out and gives us fans some 'reassurance' that our club will be secure in the event of the takeover collapsing. This has been refused many times.
I have been involved with the club for around 15 years now and have attended many meetings including the supporters committee that meet every couple of months and improving the atmosphere etc etc... Always had a very good relationship and a mutual respect with both Mel & Stephen. There was plans for a protest after the game on Saturday (now been called off due to safety concerns with the Arena Vaccines) and originally this could have simply been avoided by either of them coming out to give us fans reassurance. I asked the question a couple of days ago and they have refused to come out and say 'anything'.
It does not need a genius to work out that this is an absolute disgrace of respect for us fans. The same people who asked fans to donate their Season Ticket money to the club in the middle of a pandemic to help it be run as opposed to having a refund. The absolute pure cheek of it is astounding.
When things go silent and when people in authority refuse to speak to the biggest stakeholders of this football club, which if you didn't know, is us fans, then questions and concerns need to be raised and answered and unfortunately certain people are hiding - draw your own conclusions on that.
The focus without doubt needs to be on the game on Saturday but irrespective of the outcome, Derby County are in serious danger and as fans we need to act. Do not say to me that it will all be okay if we stay up, it won't be. Do not be naïve to think that. We are in a huge mess. There is a reason why accounts get published and that is so fans can understand the situation of our club. This is way overdue, why?.
Mel Morris has invested alot of money in this football club but whilst doing so has made us an absolute embarrassment in the football world and has failed. Selling the stadium to himself was done because he overspent and screwed up. So many thought it was clever, it really wasn't - it was hiding his mistakes as custodian to this football club which resulted in the football club no longer owning the biggest asset which in turn will make any takeover complicated. Let's not even go there with the Arab failed takeover, due diligence of any interested party failed big time there and weeks were wasted with it.
Under his command we have seen absolute appalling recruitment. This has never been addressed despite being raised time and time again. In fact, we may as well appoint him as manager as I always thought it should be the football club manager that targets & buys players. I dont need to name names with this one but there is a player at this club who has never played second time around and is getting paid very well, wonder why...
Clearly our season has been nothing short of a shambles. You cannot blame the kids and you cannot blame the players to a degree, it isn't there fault they are not good enough. The captain of the ship is responsible for this. Important we back the lads tomorrow and hope and pray they get us over the line to keep our Championship status.
This post is not a rant. Its reality that our football club and the fab Derby people that work within it are in serious danger of being no more. Please do not say to me that this derails tomorrow, I am sorry but the situation is far worse than the potential relegation we face tomorrow. Feel free to bury your heads in the sands but things need to change at Derby County and quick before it really is to late.
I would say to Mel & Stephen, feel free to respond and give us reassurances, but they have already refused to do so. That my friends is all you need to know about who we currently have running our beloved Derby County.
Stephen Pearce needs to resign. Any CEO of any business does not hide like what you have.
Mel Morris needs to depart this football club and take all the debt with him. The stadium should be given back to the football club and included in any sale. He should swallow his pride and sell this great football club to the 'best' candidate and not just who he prefers. We both know there are offers on the table and you know who they are from.
After all, you are Derby through and through - said no one ever but you.
Nick

Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
He’s done a lot of good for a lot of people,my family included.

Good run out for Lawrence,  needs minutes.

I've rarely played in a football team.
The office where I worked forced me to play in goal once.
We were losing 2-1 at half time.
3-1 straight from the kick off second half.
We changed tactics to a 0-0-10 and let in 3 more quick goals (not surprising with only me in our half).
I refused to carry on until I had at least one defender in support.
After that the game ended in a 6-1 defeat.
I wasn't invited to play again!
I have the utmost respect for goalkeepers.

Keogh? ?

He's an athlete, tall, strong, good shot stopper, good with the ball at his feet, maybe he's one of those goalkeepers who improves with age.
If he improves his ability to come and claim the ball, confident to know when to catch and when to punch, he'll be a top keeper.
If he had learnt that a bit sooner we'd be in the Prem. (still can't forgive him for Villa's second goal at Wembley)
 

Shout out for Kelle...
Played well. Caught extremely well.
In very difficult conditions.
The boy done good ?

I actually think watching him against Liverpool U23s he could be a 10 working in the pocket behind CKR as could Lawrence when fit. 
 
I would play Sibley at Barnsley and let’s see what he does

Started in 2 of the opening 3 defeats at the start of the season. Dropped completely following the Blackburn thrashing and seemed to be the one of the players to get a heap of the blame for that despite all 4 goals coming from defensive errors.
Then it took until Rooney's first game as manager (Wycombe) for him to start another game, playing in a very defensive lineup (Wisdom and Fozzy fullbacks, Evans at DM, Holmes on the wing). He was dropped from the starting lineup again following that.
He eventually returned to the starting lineup over a month later - the 4-0 thrashing vs Birmingham. He was one of the best players that day and if it wasn't for rustiness (having rarely played all season) he could have come home with a hattrick rather than no goals. Started the next game against Sheff Weds and certainly wasn't the only bad player that day, yet only he and Fozzy were dropped for the next league game.
 
Only given 2 consecutive starts all season!

Well I am looking forward to this mighty rams having a title winning season providing he is given a good money to spend depanding who still owns the club but I am likening what i am see so far the form we are showing title winning team just a shame he was not in charge start of the season.

Louie will make it , im sure of that , but for now hes got to knuckle down , work on the parts of his game that lets him down and above all else listen to Wayne

He’s 19!! 19 for crying out loud! To think anyone can make a judgement on him one way or the other at such an age is beyond me. Maybe he’ll turn out great and maybe he won’t that’s what happens with young prospects. I remember thinking Miles Addison would go on to greatness but he didn’t. To say Sibley is this or that is beyond bizarre in my view as he has so much time to learn and progress, why judge him at 19?

Good luck to the guy - but it's also just as likely he'll sink into football obscurity. Equally I think Wayne played a master stroke by bringing him into the first team and putting him in the shop window. It was clear he wasn't going to sign his contract - which had been on the table for several weeks, so he went to the highest bidder. As I said good luck to him, but the grass isn't always greener elsewhere is it....

Another example and theme , where football is heading for a massive fall, amongst others.
 
In not protecting the nurturing club - and big boys swoop - nom nom thanks very much.
 
The whole footballing structure IMO needs a whole massive shake up. And a levelling to sort out its heritage, protection of grass roots and get fans back on side. Real Fans.
 
Good luck to the lad. 
 
it’s the system and the greed shagging it all up 

£2m? That's far more than I expected them to be worth, more money than I could hve dreamed for. Wooooo!
...it's a bit like an episode of Antiques Roadshow though isn't it? Take some piece of tat that's been in your family for generations and holds a little sentimental value. You think it could be worth 20, 30 quid, the auctioneer has news for you though - it's actually worth £150! Wow everybody, that's amazing, what a surprise.
"What are you going to spend the money on?" asks the host.
After a few seconds thought, you're strugggling to name anything significant or worthwhile you could actually get for £150 in 2021, so you stand there mouth agape before spluttering out the first thing that comes to mind  "Errrrm, I dunno, maybe put it towards a Fitbit or something?"
...and everyone applauds, marvellous.

Academy players will be traded younger and younger now that Brexit has stopped the bigger clubs from buying abroad. I think this can only be good for English football in the long run because English clubs will have more home grown players coming through. But obviously not great news for academies outside of the Premier League. Another reason why Derby needs top flight football soon. 
 
I don’t know if this has been mentioned but Kaide Gordon’s younger brother is apparently in the U13s. 

No. This is the standardised compensation value set out in the EPPP compensation guidelines. 
There is figure per year from the 9-11 fixed at 3k per year. There is then a fee per year based on academy status from 12 to 16 which varies from 12.5k to 40 depending academy status.
A worked example would be that Player x joins Derby at age 8 and is now being picked up by any other academy at 15.
3 k for years 9-11 = 9k
3 years for 12 to 15 @ 40k as Derby is the elite academy. 
That's your fee and I presume your 129k but that assumes these players have been with us since early. If it's someone we picked up at 14...we are entitled to 40k.
The per games compensation is fixed thereafter UNLESS another agreement is made between the two clubs which guarantees an income now.
So risk vs reward if those 3 15 year old go on to make 100 appearances for United it costs them 7.75m each player spread over the years the appearances take.
Or they could give Derby 2m now ans Derby forego any entitlement to future earnings from the players. 
 

I think it is a combination of two things - physical strength and temperament. 
His upper body strength allows him to be pushed off the ball too easily. I think he's busy working on that from bits I have seen on his social media.
His temperament is different,  I think he's got to curb that if he wants to progress. Picked up another booking last night despite only being on the pitch a few minutes.
I think this aggression is partly a response to coming out on the wrong side of physical battles and then retaliating, so is actually linked to his physical strength. Let's hope as the first improves, the other does too.
Louie for me is the most exciting of our younger players in terms of what he could bring to the team creativity wise. Just needs to keep working at it and he will get there.
As others have mentioned, he'd get more game time if we weren't in such a precarious position in the table.

The deal is being held up due to him borrowing Wisdom's old satnav. After he typed in liverpool training ground, it took him to the old one instead of the new one in Kirkby.

The EFL are currently processing our paperwork 

Meanwhile in the EFL offices...