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the 'honest appraisal' debate.....

Mostyn6

By Mostyn6
in Derby County Forum

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Mostyn6

Mostyn6

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I must admit, although it doesn’t shock me, it does surprise me just how positively people appraise the job being done by Nigel Clough and his mates here at Derby County.

 

Recent poor results at home and a cup defeat appear to have opened up the tiresome old arguments where people thrash out whether he’s done, and his still doing a good job, or whether he’s not got what it takes to improve Derby County further.

 

It’s no secret which side of the fence I am on, but on the off-chance you’re a new reader here, I’m of the belief that the current coaching set-up is inadequate. That doesn’t necessarily mean I want Clough out, but I definitely, without doubt, believe there needs to be a shake-up of the coaching staff. I think a specialist defensive coach, and an experienced assistant manager, one who is experienced in dealing with the natural confidence and ego that comes with the better players (we WILL need at some point if we are to progress) are vital to any progress. As it happens, Clough has no intention of putting Derby County FC before the financial well-being of his mates, so on that basis, by default, I am Clough Out.

 

So, back to the appraisals that are almost apologetically given in Clough’s defence as people desperately clutch at straws in trying to justify his continuation in the job. I’d be very harsh and unreasonable if I was to suggest that Clough has not done some good things during his time in charge. Personally, he’s bought a bit of moral fibre to the club. He’s clearly a man of honesty and loyalty and whilst qualities in everyday life, perhaps in the cut-throat, “people don’t matter” environment of professional football, these are not ingredients in the recipe for success. Nevertheless, I used to feel almost ‘ripped off’ during the Paul Jewell era, as players didn’t even go through the motions, and in many cases, were not fit to wear the shirt. I think it’s true to say that if Derby lose a game under Clough, it’s most likely to be as a result of lack of quality, lack of concentration and lack of leadership, and not like under Jewell where it was lack of interest and commitment!

 

Many of those that defend Clough’s management point to the development of Hendrick, Hughes and Bennett, but I personally believe that quality players will come through the ranks regardless. I also believe that in the cases of Hendrick and Hughes, their introduction to the team was more out of accident than by design. Had players not been injured and the squad not been neglected in certain areas, neither player would have made their debut in the way they did. Both were also at the club before Clough arrived, so I am uncertain what Clough deserves credit for here.

 

Clough has overseen many subtle improvements, without being solely responsible for them, and these collectively have resulted in the club being much healthier than it was when he arrived. If I was to use a crude analogy, the club was a malnourished and abandoned greyhound with all kinds of illness and disease, now, after some attention, the dog is no longer ill, but is just about ready to start training to be a racing dog, and now needs a trainer and not a nurse. Clough is a nurse.

 

What has astounded me more than anything in recent weeks is the level of excuses being offered and the bizarre implications that they cause. Comments like “we’d have won but the opposition stopped us playing!”, “we play really well apart from defence, attack and crossing”, “we were the best side until the last half hour”!! ALL ridiculous statements, with the implication that the opposition should step aside and let us win!

 

Defending/Attacking/Crossing can be rubbish but the team can still be judged positively, and games aren’t 90 minutes long all of a sudden.

 

There’s a thing in sport known as the “winning formula”. I wouldn’t argue that Clough and Derby haven’t got half the formula sussed, but we need the full formula before we can win ugly, hold on to leads, beat Leicester/Reading etc, have a cup run, a long unbeaten run etc. I struggle to give credit for half a formula. I don’t agree that money needs throwing at it, in either wages or transfers. George Burley managed to create the formula to hit the top six, without spending a single penny on transfers! Clough has spent money, and has spent what he’s had in a way he’s seen fit. When I asked at the fans forum how much had been spent on loan fees, I was told almost £5m, and this was before Forsyth, Martin and Smith were loaned. There are several questionable purchases such as Dave Martin, Chris Maguire and the cash spent on Connor Sammon, but it wouldn’t be fair if I neglected to mention considerably successful signings Brayford, Fielding, Buxton, Bryson, Ward, Coutts, Bailey and now Martin. So perhaps credit on the whole is due there, but a lot is neutralised by waste of resources.

 

Those fans who back Clough have recently attempted to discredit the importance of tactics, and to some extent they’re correct. But it’s obvious that tactics do have a place in the “winning formula”, we have certainly been beaten by tactics! On the other side of the fence, us that aren’t happy with the current set-up can easily see the lack of nous on display, the inability to react to adversity and the naïve instructions which actually leave us more likely to concede when being more defensive!

 

As a Derby fan, my ambition for the club will always be to be entertaining and competitive, and in recent times, there’s certainly been no lack of incident. So why the feeling of such despondency in some of us? I think it’s seeing other managers do better in similar or worse situations. We can all point to the teams that have bigger budgets and expensively assembled squads, but there’s nothing we can do about that! I personally get depressed that there are plenty of managers who have that ‘magic touch’ that means they can create something special without spending millions. Over the years there’ve been loads of these. It’s obvious to me, that whilst Clough is steady, he has no ‘magic touch’, will never get the ‘winning formula’ and will always finish below both the managers with big budgets (aside of the odd exception), and below those managers with the magic touch.

 

I can see the good work Clough has done. But all I see now and the future, is Clough limiting Derby and holding the club back.

 

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Ambitious

Ambitious

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I'd definitely prefer a 'magic touch' manager - but unforunately, these are very inconsistent.

 

Phil Brown, wonderful job with Hull City poor everywhere else.

Paul Jewell, wonderful job with Wigan, really was - as with Bradford too..

Iain Dowie has had some cracking times at some clubs, and shocking at others.

 

and so on, and so forth.

 

Name me a manager who is consistently battling well above his budget requirements? 

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Mostyn6

Mostyn6

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I'd definitely prefer a 'magic touch' manager - but unforunately, these are very inconsistent.

 

Phil Brown, wonderful job with Hull City poor everywhere else.

Paul Jewell, wonderful job with Wigan, really was - as with Bradford too..

Iain Dowie has had some cracking times at some clubs, and shocking at others.

 

and so on, and so forth.

 

Name me a manager who is consistently battling well above his budget requirements? 

 

 

that's the point though! Not being able to guarantee the next one is NOT a good enough reason to stick with one you know isn't going to succeed!

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Ambitious

Ambitious

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Didnt we just say good football management is not just about budgets ;)

 

Yeah, but I can guarantee not one person can name a manager that has CONSTANTLY (key word) had a team challenging despite budget limitations. It doesn't happen.

 

The two constants I can see is Nigel Pearson and Billy Davies, but they're well funded to do so.

 

I would happily take a manager who is proven at getting teams in the top 6 with roughly the same budget as us, happily - but non are available.

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Ambitious

Ambitious

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that's the point though! Not being able to guarantee the next one is NOT a good enough reason to stick with one you know isn't going to succeed!

 

just as you don't know the next one is going to ruin us - I guess it'll come to the stage where we do change manager, but, I feel that with the way the club is being run any manager coming in is always going to be looking over his shoulder, currently people moaning about not being in the top 6 is refreshing from moaning about being in the bottom 6. 

 

Overall, I guess a change in manager is inevitable - but, it's just going to be a vicious circle again.

 

We haven't had a manager in my lifetime we haven't called for his head - it's ridiculous. 

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Ambitious

Ambitious

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Championship or other leagues?

 

Can go other leagues for me, 

 

like when Burton Albion stormed the conference despite being part-time? but in all honest I know two answers already, and if we was to sack Clough today I can almost guarantee ONE of these would be manager. 

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Mostyn6

Mostyn6

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Yeah, but I can guarantee not one person can name a manager that has CONSTANTLY (key word) had a team challenging despite budget limitations. It doesn't happen.

 

The two constants I can see is Nigel Pearson and Billy Davies, but they're well funded to do so.

 

I would happily take a manager who is proven at getting teams in the top 6 with roughly the same budget as us, happily - but non are available.

 

 

I would argue that Warnock has ALWAYS been in a challenging (for promotion) position. Even at Palace when he had blooming Claude Davis playing for him!!!!!!

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Ambitious

Ambitious

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I would argue that Warnock has ALWAYS been in a challenging (for promotion) position. Even at Palace when he had blooming Claude Davis playing for him!!!!!!

 

let's take a brief example of his recent years..

 

He has always had reasonably well funded football clubs, apart from Leeds who he finished with below us on both occasions. But yes, can agree with that. I'd expect to be bottom 6 with him as manager, more of a prediction than anything else but just think he is the sort of manager that would ruin us.

 

If we was to sack Clough today, the two managers who would be fighting it out for the job would be Rowett and Powell. 

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