Alty_Ram

Do we need to rename this the 'Of Professional Standing Thread' ? ?

Do we need to rename this the 'Of Professional Standing Thread' ? ?

That's not likely to happen. Punch it maybe?

but the Euros show how much Marshall loves to get to the half way line

If those accounts put us in the clear and we can resolve the EFL 'naughty list' issues then maybe that'll trigger something but those are surely a minimum requirement for anyone to want to get involved? The trouble is that the season is upon us and even if we get those issues dealt with, we will have run out of time to do much on the playing side and we'll go into the season with surely one of the weakest squads in recent memory. If the playing side looks to be heading for the trapdoor then it isn't much of an incentive for a potential buyer unless at the very least they get a real bargain.

If those accounts put us in the clear and we can resolve the EFL 'naughty list' issues then maybe that'll trigger something but those are surely a minimum requirement for anyone to want to get involved? The trouble is that the season is upon us and even if we get those issues dealt with, we will have run out of time to do much on the playing side and we'll go into the season with surely one of the weakest squads in recent memory. If the playing side looks to be heading for the trapdoor then it isn't much of an incentive for a potential buyer unless at the very least they get a real bargain.

I think it's about managing expectations. With our squad last year, especially after Bielik's injury and relying on ckr up front, we deserved to finish where we did. 
With more players leaving and us having to shop in the bargain basement, anyone expecting to be in anything other than a relegation battle this year needs to give their head a wobble in my opinion.
I feel it's how the fans react to poor form and defeats that could be the difference in us surviving or not.
A siege mentality will help and I struggle to understand how anyone can think slating a player before the season's even started or even once it has, can help the long term aim. 
I'm not talking about on here necessarily, although there are some, but more when I read comments posted on Facebook or Derby belly laugh articles. 
If people think that these players, particularly the youngsters, aren't on their phones for large chunks of the day (like most youngsters now days) and don't read what's written about them, again, I think they need to give their head a wobble.
 
 

I think if we can develop a bit of a collective 'nobody likes us' siege mentality then then crowd can be a big positive. To do that though we need to be braced for a real struggle and then we can leap on any positives and not expect a weak squad to suddenly be a force in the division. No point being despondent at being thumped by the better sides because it will happen. Our squad is what it is but the crowd can lift the team in tight moments and we will need to win a respectable proportion of the games that could go either way.

I think if we can develop a bit of a collective 'nobody likes us' siege mentality then then crowd can be a big positive. To do that though we need to be braced for a real struggle and then we can leap on any positives and not expect a weak squad to suddenly be a force in the division. No point being despondent at being thumped by the better sides because it will happen. Our squad is what it is but the crowd can lift the team in tight moments and we will need to win a respectable proportion of the games that could go either way.

It's a tricky one and not one with a single answer really because it depends on the game and the kid really. One thing I will say is that 90 mins is a long time to expect football (as a spectator anyway) to amuse someone of that age. You will definitely need some distractions and as others have said, food, drinks and even a backstop of a phone game if you need to.
Key thing is, if it isn't a total roaring success first time at that age then don't be either too surprised or too downhearted. If you need to fall back on alternative entertainment plans during phases of a game then don't feel that you've failed. The entertainment nuances of a 0-0 draw with Luton in front of a flat crowd is hard to sell to a youngster. If you can get him to engage for a reasonable chunk of the game then take that. If the goals are flying in then it's easier to keep them entertained so basically with Derby you're screwed ?
I first took my lad when he was 7 for a Boxing Day game and he was swept up with the whole occasion and big crowd with plenty of noise. He has never been that fussed about a season ticket but he still comes to odd games with me and likes away games in particular.

Rooney was probably shouting at them to "Pick up the runners!"

Rooney was probably shouting at them to "Pick up the runners!"

I think the problems are (at least) twofold. Last year we just didn't score enough goals, not even close. The knock-on effect of that is that it meant that every game was a massive pressure on the defence to keep things tight. Short purple patch aside, if we conceded we were as often as not stuffed and even if we took the lead we could never put a game to bed bar one freak game away at Birmingham and that was with a lot of help from the opposition.
Our central defence is weaker/ non-existent and we have one aging striker (plus some completely unproven youngsters..) who for all his work-rate has a rather underwhelming scoring record throughout his career. If the rest of the attack-minded outfield players don't score anything more than the odd token goal again then we will be in a deeper hole in terms of scoring and the pressure on a defence (particularly the centre) will be colossal.
Without meaningful reinforcement I just can't see how we can expect anything more than relegation zone with this squad and a couple of old journeymen is not going to transform this. The response to the alarming slide last year was pretty much non-existent. If we start badly I can see us folding and just going through the motions again.
I want to be positive, I genuinely do but I just can't think of any obvious examples of teams who will have a weaker squad than us. We need some bodies through the door just to give us enough playing resource to get through the season but we badly need some quality too.

Our defence.

New ownership is a must.
I do worry how much of a draw either DCFC or Rooney are after the last two seasons. We clearly were a draw on the academy side, but I'm sure how that's looking right now and for established signings, well, we're skint and paid wages late last season.
If it's a carry on on life support situation for the rest of the window we're not going to be high on anyone's list of "I'd really love to play for" so we're looking at free agents, need first team or "it's a chance to step up into the championship" players.
New owners come in and it's an entirly different situation.

That occurred to me too. Slightly worried that they are just keeping their powder dry for the better option of nailing us.

Thing is, we don't just need players that will obviously improve us, there are positions where we just need some reasonably competent people who can pull on a shirt, full stop. I don't want to get saddled with a load of zero-future deadwood any more than anyone else does but we just don't have enough players for a season, unless we are pulling out of the junior competitions.

Not a done deal yet. The local paper up here (Manchester Evening News) yesterday had an article titled 'Teden Mengi close to sealing second Manchester United loan exit'.
Fans and club are so desperate for transfer news that I'm sure DCFC will make a big deal of this if it gets over the line.

Not a done deal yet. The local paper up here (Manchester Evening News) yesterday had an article titled 'Teden Mengi close to sealing second Manchester United loan exit'.
Fans and club are so desperate for transfer news that I'm sure DCFC will make a big deal of this if it gets over the line.

On the up side, we probably don't need a Team Coach now, we can probably get by with a Minibus. Much easier to park at these pokey lower league grounds and at service stations they can park closer to the building which'll be easier for the lads to kick Sibs out to go and get the Crisps and Yorkie Bars and cans of Monster.

Just to echo the above comments really. It felt like a gamble but if it had worked then we'd have had an excellent player at this level in a position that we needed it. Shame.
Good luck for the future Jordon, hope you can find yourself a good place and I hope that whatever help you received at DCFC has put you on a better track.

On the up side, we probably don't need a Team Coach now, we can probably get by with a Minibus. Much easier to park at these pokey lower league grounds and at service stations they can park closer to the building which'll be easier for the lads to kick Sibs out to go and get the Crisps and Yorkie Bars and cans of Monster.

Just to echo the above comments really. It felt like a gamble but if it had worked then we'd have had an excellent player at this level in a position that we needed it. Shame.
Good luck for the future Jordon, hope you can find yourself a good place and I hope that whatever help you received at DCFC has put you on a better track.

Tell you what, they're going to have their work cut out for the official calendar this year ! ? I usually get one for our lad for Christmas but might have to pad it out with a couple of snaps of me in my Derby shirt.

Oh god, the beard has been trimmed.. it's the beard that gives him his powers...we're doomed ?.