It's top six or bust for Derby

[uttoxram75]

Im amazed in 5 years we have not finished above 10th. Yet so many are happy.

 

LeedsCityRam I would argue Clough hasn't been backed in the transfer market. He's always had to generate his own transfer and wages budget by selling players or letting players go. And he certainly doesn't have anywhere near a top 6 budget for 2013/14 when you look at several other Championship clubs.

If Clough gets top 6 this season it will have been an excellent effort against the odds in my opinion.

 

When you see the money being spent elsewhere in this league - on both fees and wages - its difficult to disagree with this.

[mcsilks]

A nonsense article.

If this Derby side finishes 7th then Clough has done pretty well and it's further improvement.

He hasn't been backed in the transfer market and has always had to generate his own money.

We have a decent squad but with Brayford gone, I wouldn't say it is an improvement on last years.

The majority of fans back Clough and will continue to back him if we fail to make the play offs.

[networker1884]

We have a decent squad but with Brayford gone, I wouldn't say it is an improvement on last years.

I disagree. Having Russell and Grant should make an incredible difference to last season. And with Forsyth being with us for the full season that's already an improvement. The squad is a year older with some of our best players getting international experience in the summer. Brayford leaving is disappointing, but nothing more than that. Freeman is a good player, and this Adam Smith looks to be even better. Also Brayfords departure means we can again strengthen the defence. This season's squad is much improved.

[Albert]

Clough will be gone

No he won't.

I really don't get people working themselves up every season. There is nothing make or break about this season, last season, or the season before. The club are clearly working slowly and methodically towards a goal, and it's not some boom and bust nonsense that some people seemingly want. Give the club, the manager and the players time to get the job done and don't prattle on about this kind of nonsense, as it doesn't help anyone.

[Nijul_cluff]

LeedsCityRam I would argue Clough hasn't been backed in the transfer market. He's always had to generate his own transfer and wages budget by selling players or letting players go. And he certainly doesn't have anywhere near a top 6 budget for 2013/14 when you look at several other Championship clubs.

If Clough gets top 6 this season it will have been an excellent effort against the odds in my opinion.

I too agree with that Clough has had 5 years, and I'm going to have a guess and say he hasn't had near 10 million to spend in 5 years, that's about 2 million a year, and even then some is money he's had to generate himself. That's not really being backed at all. If i am wrong someone please tell me

[eranio20]

He hasn't been backed? Having blown 700,000 on Maguire who'd blame em'? Another million plus on Sammon..

The signings of Barker, Keogh, Brayford, Bailey, Fielding, Bryson, Porter, Russell and Davies must've also been freebies.

Compare this with Barnsley, Yeovil, Huddesfield, Birmingham, Blackpool, Charlton and ten other sides at this level and you'll see Clough hasn't been held back as some seem to think.

[weedram]

I too agree with that Clough has had 5 years, and I'm going to have a guess and say he hasn't had near 10 million to spend in 5 years, that's about 2 million a year, and even then some is money he's had to generate himself. That's not really being backed at all. If i am wrong someone please tell me

 

If you look at the quoted figures, net transfer spend each year appears to have been about 1 million.

Forest fans are happily discussing which 2 million+ players to bring in this season alone.

 

The only manager to have got promotion on a budget recently has been Ian Holloway & he also 'failed' at 2 clubs.

 

Thats why Nigel Clough's doing well to keep progressing each season & hopefully build a good squad for the future.

[Jayram]

No he won't.I really don't get people working themselves up every season. There is nothing make or break about this season, last season, or the season before. The club are clearly working slowly and methodically towards a goal, and it's not some boom and bust nonsense that some people seemingly want. Give the club, the manager and the players time to get the job done and don't prattle on about this kind of nonsense, as it doesn't help anyone.

I agree that people should wait and see what happens before the usual wrist slashing Albert but how can you say we are moving towards a goal? We have just sold our best defender and its becoming clear we have no intention of replacing him permanently. Adam Smith is a good signing but he's not ours, and Freeman is not in the same class as Brayford. And now Clough is talking about not rushing to sign a CH. in all honesty he is deluded if he thinks Keogh and Buxton are good enough to be a top six CH pairing, and I get the sense that we are not going to see a great deal of the Brayford money being spent anytime soon. No-one is talking boom or bust but some genuine hope would be nice. It's sickening to look at WBA and see how far ahead of us they are now. Clough may still be here for years to come but not many Rams fans will be. In my view Nigel has this season and maybe the one after to make something happen - let's hope it's this season.

[McMuffin]

Clough saying we don't need a centre half when we have Buxton playing and £1M plus burning a hole in his pocket has infuriated me.

Ridiculous.

Come Sunday that better not come back to haunt him, no excuses!

He's made his bed

[Animal is a Ram]

Clough saying we don't need a centre half when we have Buxton playing and £1M plus burning a hole in his pocket has infuriated me.

Ridiculous.

Come Sunday that better not come back to haunt him, no excuses!

He's made his bed

 

After which we still have near enough a month to sort some transfers out. Calm down dear, he may well change his mind.

[eddie]

After which we still have near enough a month to sort some transfers out. Calm down dear, he may well change his mind.

 

There's also the possibility that he has been knocked back as far as one of his targets go.

 

On the other hand, he might be having a laugh at a few of our more hysterical posters, who seemingly have all come running down the information super-highway, screaming and brandishing lighted firebrands in the last few hours.

[Ambitious]

He hasn't been backed? Having blown 700,000 on Maguire who'd blame em'? Another million plus on Sammon..

The signings of Barker, Keogh, Brayford, Bailey, Fielding, Bryson, Porter, Russell and Davies must've also been freebies.

Compare this with Barnsley, Yeovil, Huddesfield, Birmingham, Blackpool, Charlton and ten other sides at this level and you'll see Clough hasn't been held back as some seem to think.

 

Find me where it says we spent 700,000 on Maguire.

 

I got this one, http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/3609008/Derby-set-to-sign-Chris-Maguire-for-400000.html

[Albert]

He hasn't been backed? Having blown 700,000 on Maguire who'd blame em'?

Seriously, you're bringing Maguire up? At least get your figures right mate. Firstly, Maguire was around a £400k compensation package (as reported by the BBC among others) and the fee he went to Wednesday for was supposedly around £300k. The club took a gamble, it didn't pay off, and he was moved on a minimal loss.

[eranio20]

Wow I'm a whooping 300,000 off, I don't sit with a big notepad next to me with all these figures fella.

What about the 1.2 on Sammon? The million on Barker? Keogh? Bailey/Brayford? Fielding? Porter? Moxey?..

How's that having NO money to spend?

[Ambitious]

But anyway on the top 6 or bust topic.

 

I just don't see how or why, I also don't see what bringing in a new manager to moan about would achieve. I means lets face it, in my time as a Derby fan we haven't had a manager we didn't call for his head - do people think that will change in the future? no chance! 

 

A new manager doesn't mean we will suddenly start spending millions either, nor does it mean we will get better - i've said it time and time before, but a team in our position spending what we currently spend has more potential downwards than we do upwards. I think Clough has found a right balance, and has grown into his particular role. 

 

I said that Rush is a new person, with a new agenda and straight away has put Clough in a difficult position - no fan will look at our team, and say well they should be in the premier league next season, or even challenging. We should be struggling, with the amounts we've spent and what we've done we should be definitely no better off than Huddersfield or Ipswich but we are, and that's down to Clough's progression. Another manager could have done better, no doubt - but an awful lot more would have done worse, that I am sure of. 

 

I will never call for his head, and when people do I will stop attending games because, there is no worse feeling than going to football games to criticises and be-rate my own team. I think a few on here notts_ram and bris, genuinely enjoy being the victim and like arguing with their own fans. For example, I didn't comment but Bris comments in WBA thread were just extra-ordinary. Bleeting out comments from wild stabs in the dark guesses and then arguing with people who were at the game, was just utterly mental, but everyone needs to get their kicks some how, but for me that has to be one of the most pathetic moments I can remember this forum going through, and it's only pre-season. 

 

There is going to be a lot of people who make this season 'make or break for Clough' and there is going to be people who will get more of a thrill out of a loss than us winning, people prefer to talk about how poor we are and how we're never going to do anything under Clough than celebrating his good work, and 'supporting' the side - we've all turned into critics rather than supporters. In a season where there was so much good work done at home, and some of the best football I can remember being played - some prefer to focus on our away form, which fair enough is awful but me personally, I'll focus on the good stuff and the positives until I am asked to write a critique on the club.

 

I am going to enjoy this season for what it is, a club under a manager who has put in a lot of graft and hard work to put themselves in contention against the odds, I will support that cause and hope to watch more exciting football both home and away.

[Ambitious]

Wow I'm a whooping 300,000 off, I don't sit with a big notepad next to me with all these figures fella.

What about the 1.2 on Sammon? The million on Barker? Keogh? Bailey/Brayford? Fielding? Porter? Moxey?..

How's that having NO money to spend?

 

Because we've sold players for more money than we have brought since Clough has been here, but he has spent money. 

[eddie]

Wow I'm a whooping 300,000 off, I don't sit with a big notepad next to me with all these figures fella.

What about the 1.2 on Sammon? The million on Barker? Keogh? Bailey/Brayford? Fielding? Porter? Moxey?..

How's that having NO money to spend?

 

You really will make yourself ill getting so worked up. Us old gits have to keep calm

[Mostyn6]

I think the pressure from Rush and the board will NOT be because they've backed him financially, but because the only thing that stopped us from being there or thereabouts (this past season) was the inexplicably pathetic points return in away games. By all accounts (here, from Clough backers) is that we play well away and it's just goals stopping us. Rush has now allowed Clough to address that by signing Grant and Russell. So if we are shocking away from home in this coming season, which in my opinion is the only way we could fail, then yes, Clough could be asked to leave.

[notts_ram]

I go for bust

[Guest]

Even clough states that the sack comes to everyone, so im not sure how some people think this is never going to happen.

its ok having a 5, 10 or 15 year plan, or whatever it is now, but dwindling ST holders, along with declining attendances can't go down well with even the most passive board / owners / investors.

Not challenging for the top 6 for the 5th time on the row, with another poor cup run would surely lead to a review of the managers role; otherwise I would question the boards capabilities of carrying out their role.