Good interview with Brett Wilson.

[Leicester Ram]

I liked his explanation of Clough's sacking actually, seemed pretty honest about it and probably what it was like. They'd given him 5 years ffs, they weren't rushing to sack him.

 

Heard him on Radio Derby this evening, seems ok, just wish we had people who were football fans running the club (cue abuse) And also I just wish someone would remind him we are not a "franchise" as he mentions in the interview.

 

That's an American term, he's an American? What's really wrong with that, if we had a South American owner who called it Futbol instead of football, would you moan?

[HeyHudson]

just wish we had people who were football fans running the club

I think there needs to be a balance. A football fan running the club is more likely to make decisions with their heart, whereas I'd like to think somebody who is less of a fan and more of a businessman will be ruled by their head.

Of the two, I'd rather have the latter. As long as they at least have an appreciation of the club's history and the fans, and understand that they are simply a small part of a larger history (which I think our owners do, certainly compared to some owners), I'm happy to have business minded folks making the big decisions.

[ramesses]

If we get promoted this season then no one cares what Wilson says or thinks one way or another. He’ll be happy and we’ll be happy. Even if we get relegated after a season in the PL then I don’t believe he (or GSE) will mess up as badly as last time.

 

At present we’re third and I'm not complaining in the slightest.  However, if we don’t manage to go up this season then next season GSE will be sticking to their ‘model’ and that mean there’s going to be yet another very (overly?) tight wage budget.  Wilson says we’re one of the best managed and best owned championship teams. Maybe …I wouldn't know. But if you’re fed up with Derby being in the second tier for a sixth year under GSE then that sort of self-regarding guff falls a bit flat.

 

I expect/hope we’ll do well in next couple of months but I’d hate to look back on this season in the same way I look back on last season - when a little more strengthening in the January window might have made a big difference.

[Gone]

That's an American term, he's an American? What's really wrong with that, if we had a South American owner who called it Futbol instead of football, would you moan?

[ramblur]

I think there needs to be a balance. A football fan running the club is more likely to make decisions with their heart, whereas I'd like to think somebody who is less of a fan and more of a businessman will be ruled by their head.

Of the two, I'd rather have the latter. As long as they at least have an appreciation of the club's history and the fans, and understand that they are simply a small part of a larger history (which I think our owners do, certainly compared to some owners), I'm happy to have business minded folks making the big decisions.

Whilst I'd agree with your first paragraph,the argument didn't seem to hold much sway in the first 18 months of their reign.I'd like to think that football men wouldn't have embarked on the Jan 08 extravaganza,but kept the powder dry until the following window.But there again you have the AP factor,the guy who told us that we'd be surprised at how good a FB Connolly was.Maybe AP didn't know as much about football as he liked to believe-a dangerous animal (though tbf Jan 08 would appear to be a case of carrying out masters' bidding,when he may not have agreed with it).

[dabber]

Does anybody really believe that football clubs sack managers without having somebody either lined up or at least a favourite option?

I don't disagree that they should be aware of who might be available, but this smacks of more than just a thorough review process (strange time to do it if you backed the manager with the summer kitty and planning?) but a carefully planned extraction op. We were not even two full months into the season, we had played only 9 league games, with a record of W3, D2 L4, with the losses coming to Leicester and Burnley ("Mac" didn't fare any better in the return fixtures), Reading (solid point in the return match) and F*rest (we shall see this w/e), all teams that are at the very least competitive at the top end of the Table and perhaps nailed on certainties for promotion, so were we really doing so poorly as to warrant a sacking?

 

So to me Rush had this plan in mind for some time and credit to him for seemingly identifying a better way (jury still out though) and striking at the appropriate moment, but this interview with Wilson, coupled with the 15 minute coffee shop wankfest comes across a little too much as gloating and self aggrandisement for my liking and perhaps this should be saved for when we have actually achieved something. No goals in four games is not something to be satisfied with as we stumble from automatic possibles, play-offs assured to play-off maybe's, so it strikes me as an odd time to be publicly congratulating themselves how smart they were and I would think that "Mac", Simpson and Steele could do without it.

[BondJovi]

I don't disagree that they should be aware of who might be available, but this smacks of more than just a thorough review process (strange time to do it if you backed the manager with the summer kitty and planning?) but a carefully planned extraction op. We were not even two full months into the season, we had played only 9 league games, with a record of W3, D2 L4, with the losses coming to Leicester and Burnley ("Mac" didn't fare any better in the return fixtures), Reading (solid point in the return match) and F*rest (we shall see this w/e), all teams that are at the very least competitive at the top end of the Table and perhaps nailed on certainties for promotion, so were we really doing so poorly as to warrant a sacking?

 

So to me Rush had this plan in mind for some time and credit to him for seemingly identifying a better way (jury still out though) and striking at the appropriate moment, but this interview with Wilson, coupled with the 15 minute coffee shop wankfest comes across a little too much as gloating and self aggrandisement for my liking and perhaps this should be saved for when we have actually achieved something. No goals in four games is not something to be satisfied with as we stumble from automatic possibles, play-offs assured to play-off maybe's, so it strikes me as an odd time to be publicly congratulating themselves how smart they were and I would think that "Mac", Simpson and Steele could do without it.

 

I disagree about the results under McClaren compared to the same ones as Clough. We lost at home to Burnley and Reading. I don't count Leicester as it is quite clear they are way beyond us. Under McClaren we outplayed Burnley in the second half, with 10 men, I dare say had it not been for the ref we would have got a result there. Reading as you say is a solid point. But I think that Burnley performance shows how far we have come, we didn't roll over and die, we went for it. At no point under McClaren (except the Leicester game) have I felt we were not going to get something from a game. Sadly for Clough he lost to 4 sides all chasing the same goal, a tough start to a season, but also a chance to make a real statement. Another factor is, if they stuck with Clough and the results didn't improve then it is another season of midtable. They took a risk( a huge risk) and it has paid off. Realistically I do not think it could have gone any better as to where Derby are in the table. Even though Derby are doing well, people still question the decision??

 

I am not worried about the lack of goals, I would be worried if we weren't creating chances. And I would be more concerned if we weren't scoring and were conceding a lot. We will finish in the play-offs not a problem, we are not in a state of dramatic freefall!

 

I think we have achieved something, a sense of ambition and excitement and this interview is just riding that.

[dabber]

I disagree about the results under McClaren compared to the same ones as Clough. We lost at home to Burnley and Reading. I don't count Leicester as it is quite clear they are way beyond us. Under McClaren we outplayed Burnley in the second half, with 10 men, I dare say had it not been for the ref we would have got a result there. Reading as you say is a solid point. But I think that Burnley performance shows how far we have come, we didn't roll over and die, we went for it. At no point under McClaren (except the Leicester game) have I felt we were not going to get something from a game. Sadly for Clough he lost to 4 sides all chasing the same goal, a tough start to a season, but also a chance to make a real statement. Another factor is, if they stuck with Clough and the results didn't improve then it is another season of midtable. They took a risk( a huge risk) and it has paid off. Realistically I do not think it could have gone any better as to where Derby are in the table. Even though Derby are doing well, people still question the decision??

 

I am not worried about the lack of goals, I would be worried if we weren't creating chances. And I would be more concerned if we weren't scoring and were conceding a lot. We will finish in the play-offs not a problem, we are not in a state of dramatic freefall!

 

I think we have achieved something, a sense of ambition and excitement and this interview is just riding that.

Thanks for the reasoned response BondJ. It is tricky to compare performances, but I think it is fair to say that we did under Clough and still (perhaps to a lesser extent) have a problem with is breaking down teams who come and park the bus.

 

Anyway my beef is not about the footy, but the egos on the likes of Rush and Wilson who seem compelled to tell everyone how fantastic they were / are for changing the way the club was run. I would rather they just sit quietly in the background and let the results speak for themselves.

 

You say the risk has paid off, for me it hasn't yet, I hope it does, I truly do, but to me that means promotion this season, otherwise we enter the summer in the Championship still, with Clough's squad plus Dawkins and minus Jacobs.

[IlsonDerby]

I'm delighted with this ownership group - they (or Brett) are/is clearly fans of the sport otherwise they wouldn't come to the matches and stand in the crowd. The popularity of "soccer" is growing all the while in America and whilst it'll never be their first sport, could you argue that football isn't Wales first sport either? (rugby). 

 

We have fantastic business men who are smart enough to learn from their mistakes of throwing money at the club and clearly it doesnt work as a long term model - look at leicester, they've actually made a profit on transfer dealings the past couple of windows and have stopped throwing money at it (their wage bill is still astronomical but just talking transfer money here) and now theyre top of the league. You have to make one or two quality signings every season and let the team grow. Evolution not Revolution. 

 

Our owners could quite easily sell us and cut their losses, so who would we end up with? A Huw Jenkins sort? i doubt it. We'd probably end up with some bell end from Belgium who wants to turn us into a feeder club NB - Charlton. 

We could do a lot lot worse than these guys and I wish our fans would understand that. Off field - we are in a fantastic place, on the field we are a work in progress but we are getting there. I actually feel like with Sam Rush and this ownership team I'll get to see my club become an established premiership team in the not too distant future. A sort of West Brom/ Norwich/ Swansea type team...With the right investment in youth who knows the next southampton? 

 

All i know is im excited for the club and i enjoy listening to what the owners have to say, its them pouring their hard earned money into the club without taking a penny  out, in exactly the same way we, as fans, do. 

[rezner]

I like the bloke,I think they (the owners) are doing a great job.I think the team are doing a great job,the management are doing a great job.

Everything is great.Everything is awesome

[rsmini]

To be fair Brett Wilson is Canadian not American, as stated by some in this thread. They have there own terms, like field instead of pitch etc.

For the last 3 or 4 years he has been happy to chat to fans on twitter, although some have been quite off hand ( to be polite) with him, but he has handled them well. He has said many times they bought into s club in a mess and it has taken a number of years, and a lot of money to turn the club around.

He comes across as a very decent chap, and at least the owners are not like the ones at Hull trying to change the clubs name. Just imagine Derby Rams!!

[Stive Pesley]

I'm delighted with this ownership group - they (or Brett) are/is clearly fans of the sport otherwise they wouldn't come to the matches and stand in the crowd. The popularity of "soccer" is growing all the while in America and whilst it'll never be their first sport, could you argue that football isn't Wales first sport either? (rugby). 

 

It's not even the first sport in some English cities (Leicester & Wigan…)

[BondJovi]

Thanks for the reasoned response BondJ. It is tricky to compare performances, but I think it is fair to say that we did under Clough and still (perhaps to a lesser extent) have a problem with is breaking down teams who come and park the bus.

 

Anyway my beef is not about the footy, but the egos on the likes of Rush and Wilson who seem compelled to tell everyone how fantastic they were / are for changing the way the club was run. I would rather they just sit quietly in the background and let the results speak for themselves.

 

You say the risk has paid off, for me it hasn't yet, I hope it does, I truly do, but to me that means promotion this season, otherwise we enter the summer in the Championship still, with Clough's squad plus Dawkins and minus Jacobs.

 

I said on another thread somewhere. That is the thing with football, if it goes wrong, the board/manager take the flak. If it goes right, the manager/players take the plaudits. I have no idea on how American/ Canadian businesses like to be perceived but I get the sense they are after some sort of recognition for what they have done. I don't think any football board in this country gets such recognition so they are flogging that old dead donkey. I certainly think they have received undue abuse from a minority.

 

I imagine a lot of people share your sentiment that they just want them to work quietly in the background but with the amount of crooked, crappy owners in football these days, a little light into their world is not a bad thing. The things I want to know are why they did things, what they are doing and what they plan on doing. I am certain they can communicate that without coming across as seeking a massive ego massage. Wilson has attempted that. Rush and Vicars....hmmm