Blog on Nigel Clough

[The Scarlet Pimpernel]

"stuck around"?? You make it sound like he's been a highly sought after manager with his pick of the jobs! The reason he 'stuck around" is because he's landed a job with an executive salary based on his surname! He's on the gravy-train, why would he get off?

 

Whilst I am optimistic for the upcoming season, don't rewrite history.... Clough cannot be judged a success. He may not be the failure I often say he is, but he isn't the total opposite either!

If a club, or company come to that, is in such a bad state it is going down faster than the titanic I think it is remarkable success not only to keep it afloat with very little help/support but also to rebuild it at sea, point it in the right direction & (hopefully this year) turn on the throttle. Your view above is of course valid as your view but to be honest I think you are way out with your assessment.

[Ramarena]

 

Lots of people are frustrated with Clough because they don't see the club progressing as fast as their befuddled and naive minds want. The fact is Derby were a club in a massive downward spiral when Clough took over. I too share the frustration of his defensive tactics sometimes but then it's not me who gets ripped to shreds when a gamble doesn't pay off.  I think he has done a great job just as he did for Burton - see below taken from the Telegraph years ago.

 

When Clough joined the Brewers, the club were near the foot of the Dr Martens League Premier Division but he soon made them promotion contenders, finishing runners-up twice. Burton then switched to the UniBond League in 2001 following a Football Association restructure and the club took the division by storm, scoring over 100 goals on the way to winning a place in the Conference. Since then, Clough has turned Burton into a club capable of challenging for promotion to the Football League. Last season, Burton reached the Conference play-offs for the first time, losing 4-3 on aggregate to Cambridge United. Without doubt, however, Clough's biggest achievement was taking Manchester United to a replay at Old Trafford in the FA Cup third round in 2006. Although they lost 5-0, it produced a windfall of around £1 million, which wiped out the club's debts and paid for their new ground, the Pirelli Stadium. 

 

This season is big one for him and his plan for the club. I hope everyone gets behind the team. 

 

 

Fair enough. Although I'm not sure how the £1m from the cup match paid for the debts AND ground, when their ground cost £7.2m.

 

Last time I checked £1m was less than £7.2m. Look's like the Telegraph are befuddled and naive too.

[drgoodspeak]

I'll be happier if he ever makes a positive tactical substitution outside of the last ten minutes of a game. I'm hoping there was a module that covered that on his coaching course.

[The Scarlet Pimpernel]

I'll be happier if he ever makes a positive tactical substitution outside of the last ten minutes of a game. I'm hoping there was a module that covered that on his coaching course.

 By positive do you mean attacking intent? You can only make a positive substitution if your bench has the personal required on it.

[notts_ram]

 

Lots of people are frustrated with Clough because they don't see the club progressing as fast as their befuddled and naive minds want. 

I must be befuddled then, thanks for letting me know. 

 

As a secondary point, whoever penned that blog needs to be taught what a balanced article is, it's the biggest sycophantic homage to Clough that I've read second to Eddie's posts on here

[Mostyn6]

I would have thought he landed the job in part because the owners wanted someone with a proven track record in building a club with very little money, little by little improving them to a point where they would survive in a higher league... Maybe... Since that seems to be what the board have always said were their aims...

 

 

for starters, his track record was not relative as he was managing a semi-professional (turned professional) club at Burton. As for building it, he called in favours from his old Forest team-mates, who played for the fun of it, but were still a cut above that level!

[Mostyn6]

No, you read it like he was sought after.

 

He may have just walked at some point no?

 

Yeah right. We all give up good salaries when we have families etc don't we?

 

Why on earth would he walk? He must look in the mirror and think "wow, how have I blagged this?". 

 

I won't begrudge him it, if he learns on the job and improves us so we're no longer regularly disappointing and embarrassing.

[Mostyn6]

Sorry I just re-read your swill.

 

Don't re-write history...Where?

 

Clough cannot be judged a success? Why? Where has he failed? Do you perhaps have insight on his actual targets season by season?

 

You like an ill informed bicker don't you?

 

re-writing history by writing as if Clough has been an unmitigated success, he hasn't. At best, he's done a steady job.

 

As for success, yes, his targets were play-offs for the last TWO seasons. Both stated by the then chairman in public at fans forums and on the radio.

 

What's 'ill-informed'? My opinion is my opinion! You have yours, you can keep it. I have mine. Don't be so arsey! I'm not bickering, I'm actually amused how people sugar-coat things.

[notts_ram]

Let someone else have a word in edgeways

[Mostyn6]

Not for giving your opinion, just for continuing down the tacky non league and lucky to be employed route.

 

I still think you're missing why he was brought in and not showing any kind of respect for what he'd done before. I think you're missing as well how much of a pull Derby County wasn't at that particular time. Everyone in football knew it was a nightmare job. It broke Jewell.

 

The relationship between Clough and Derby totally changed around 8 months before he got the job. Adam Pearson in particular was throwing compliments at him left right and centre. He'd built Burton from a nothing side into one which was getting better and better, everything he did stood them in good stead for the future as well. It was clear they were courting each other by the time he was appointed.

 

He got the job because he was THE perfect fit for the job at that time. The club had nowt to spend and they'd already seen him at very close quarters, build a side and a legacy without bankrupting the owner.

 

The name was an added bonus. The connections and the heart warming history, should have been enough to have grown men weeping in hope.

 

No other manager would've been accepted with the same results. Clough got the job cos the name was romantic.

 

Had it been one of the managers who have vastly out-performed Clough at similar levels, such as Graham Westley or Garry Johnson, there would've been uproar, and I don't doubt either of those would've done similar jobs, if not better in Johnson's case, if given five years.

[Mostyn6]

Let someone else have a word in edgeways

 

 

I'm not stopping people from posting. i'm just answering comments directed to me.

[Mostyn6]

You see this is what you base your whole philosophy on and it clearly drives you mad that Derby County, the team you love, aren't behaving like every other team. It actually quite narrow-minded and must surely limit your enjoyment of the sport. It certainly seems like you don't "enjoy" supporting DCFC at the moment, which begs the question "why bother?" The amount of negative rage that exists inside you, that you're slowly letting seep out via internet forums is worrying. It can't be good for you mate!

 

By the way I decided not to pick apart your analysis of why you weren't talking nonsense because it was just more nonsense

 

 

thanks for the psycho-analysis, but you're way off. I have no rage, and I still enjoy the sport, but yes, I have struggled to enjoy being a Derby supporter, but it's easy to be one, cos it's in my blood, not a choice. I have no negative rage. In fact this is the most positive I've been as a Derby fan in about 15 years! I'll tell you why... I think this coming season one of two things will happen.... 1) Clough will get it right and bring success, and I'll be eating humble pie, and to be honest, I'm starving and would love a double portion, with gravy. OR ... 2) Clough proves my opinion right, and we're languishing in the bottom six after 10 games, and he's booted out. Which I will accept but prefer scenario 1.

 

As for the crux of your comment, it's not MY philosophy. It's the way of football. Clubs that don't adapt get left behind. I would say it's narrow-minded to ignore the fruits of the foreign market and foreign players, and had we always had a similar philosophy, you'd have NEVER seen Eranio, Baiano, Stimac, Asanovic, Kinkladze, West, Poom, Laursen, Idiakez, Rasiak, etc etc.

 

To ignore the foreign market is ridiculous, and very narrow minded! The modern world, and in particular, modern UK has embraced multinational workforces! I think we have Gjokal, and that's it.

 

You couldn't pick apart my analysis if you tried, it was truth and you know it 

 

X

[ronnieronalde]

No other manager would've been accepted with the same results. Clough got the job cos the name was romantic.

 

Had it been one of the managers who have vastly out-performed Clough at similar levels, such as Graham Westley or Garry Johnson, there would've been uproar, and I don't doubt either of those would've done similar jobs, if not better in Johnson's case, if given five years.

remind me again what Graham Westley or Garry Johnson achieved in their playing careers.

 

No matter how much you try to dismiss it, there is a massive difference in experience between the 3. I'm not sure either of them could handle the step up as much as Nigel did. He's been there, played at the top stadiums and knows what it's like to win things at the highest level.

 

You dismiss that too much.

[Mostyn6]

remind me again what Graham Westley or Garry Johnson achieved in their playing careers.

 

No matter how much you try to dismiss it, there is a massive difference in experience between the 3. I'm not sure either of them could handle the step up as much as Nigel did. He's been there, played at the top stadiums and knows what it's like to win things at the highest level.

 

You dismiss that too much.

 

IRRELEVANT!!

 

Remind me what Arsene Wenger achieved in his playing career!

Remind me what Jose Mourinho achieved in his playing career!

 

On the flip side, remind me what failures such as McFarland, Todd etc achieved. The two things (success as player v success as manager) do not go hand in hand, The best managers ever were not successful players. Rinus Michels? Arrigo Saachi?

[eranio20]

Paul Cox has achieved more in his time at both Eastwood and Mansfield than Clough did in his long tenture at Burton - Check out his win ratio compared to Cloughs, pretty impressive. Eastwood have gone on a free fall since he left unfortunately.

It's a shame Eastwoods ground didn't meet the regulations to compete in the playoffs, I'm certain they'd have won them (19 game unbeaten at the time).

He also turned around Mansfields fortunes and made them into a footballing league side again. Kudos to the bloke when there's teams like Grimsby, Luton and Wrexham in the mix.

Clough gets too much credit for his work at Burton, Ben Robertson was/is the real man pulling the strings there.

None of the Burton fans I work with want Clough back there in a hurry and are more than happy with Rowett...

[ronnieronalde]

I'd invite you both to check Burton Albion's history but I don't think you'll admit to possibly being wrong.

 

It wasn't just getting them promoted.

 

He broke numerous records along the way, got to final and semi finals of cup competitions, had the longest winning sequence in the history of the game at that level.

 

When you then put that burton chairman ben "robertson" was the man responsible then it tells me that you don't know enough about his time there to comment.

 

Cox at Mansfield cannot possibly compare to clough at burton. If you think it can then again it shows a total lack of understanding of the two clubs starting point.

[dan]

You know what, if you read my comments then I appreciate it. If I am going to post, then I must accept that people will judge and comment on what I have put.

 

Mostyn6, I was arsey. No need. I was being far to defensive instead of joining in with the discussion.

 

Has Clough been an unmitigated success? No I don't think so.

 

Could anyone else have done the job? Possibly but he has been given more time to do the job and it is now paying off (IMO)

 

I'll stick by my new contract comment as I would gladly try and keep the ship steady and move onwards and upwards this season at least

[Mostyn6]

I'd invite you both to check Burton Albion's history but I don't think you'll admit to possibly being wrong.

 

It wasn't just getting them promoted.

 

He broke numerous records along the way, got to final and semi finals of cup competitions, had the longest winning sequence in the history of the game at that level.

 

When you then put that burton chairman ben "robertson" was the man responsible then it tells me that you don't know enough about his time there to comment.

 

Cox at Mansfield cannot possibly compare to clough at burton. If you think it can then again it shows a total lack of understanding of the two clubs starting point.

 

 

Do you rate say... Roberto Mancini's achievements at Man City higher than say... Arsene Wenger at Arsenal?

 

Similarly,.. do you think Nigel Pearson did a better job at Leicester than Nigel Clough did at Derby this season?

 

I know the answer to both those questions, and both answers are influenced by the amount of money each manager had to spend. Clough at Burton was the equivalent of both Man City and Leicester, AND he got his mates to play at well below their market value on wages! 

 

I am not taking away 'achievements' and 'records'. 

[Mostyn6]

You know what, if you read my comments then I appreciate it. If I am going to post, then I must accept that people will judge and comment on what I have put.

 

Mostyn6, I was arsey. No need. I was being far to defensive instead of joining in with the discussion.

 

Has Clough been an unmitigated success? No I don't think so.

 

Could anyone else have done the job? Possibly but he has been given more time to do the job and it is now paying off (IMO)

 

I'll stick by my new contract comment as I would gladly try and keep the ship steady and move onwards and upwards this season at least

 

 

Dan, fair enough, cos that's all it is. If we were in a pub having this conversation over a pint, I doubt very much that I'd be offended, and I don't know you, but most people wouldn't be offended by my stance. It's nothing personal, just a difference of opinion. I wouldn't say you were an idiot or anything similar for wanting Clough to sign a new deal, I'd recommend waiting until Christmas though I can understand people's reasons, and I can see how different Clough is to say... Paul Jewell. 

 

For all my doubts, I would gladly give Clough another contract and back him, than remove him a replace him with 'proven' managers like Megson and Bruce! So, it's not all about promotion.

[ronnieronalde]

Do you rate say... Roberto Mancini's achievements at Man City higher than say... Arsene Wenger at Arsenal?

 

Similarly,.. do you think Nigel Pearson did a better job at Leicester than Nigel Clough did at Derby this season?

 

I know the answer to both those questions, and both answers are influenced by the amount of money each manager had to spend. Clough at Burton was the equivalent of both Man City and Leicester, AND he got his mates to play at well below their market value on wages! 

 

I am not taking away 'achievements' and 'records'. 

I wont bring Mancini or Wenger into it but it sounds like you're comparing Burton to Leicester and Man City in terms of having massive budgets?

 

Do you think Burton spent their way out of he league? Is that what you're looking to say?

 

and just how many of his mates do you think he got playing?