McClaren Gone

[i-Ram]

I voted NO.

My instincts are rarely wrong, and I think this is a bad move and we will end up back in the middle zone!

With regards to the Newcastle nonsense, I think the fans have handled it way way way worse than McClaren did/didn't, it shouldn't have even been an issue. It shouldn't have meant a difference, and it wouldn't have but the fans kept pushing and pushing and making out it was a major thing. It derailed our season by the fans making the feelgood factor disappear.

As you might know Mostyn I don't go to many games, but one way or another I do get to see the lads play a lot.  The way we played the last 2 months of the season was in part a result of chronic luck with injuries, but mainly due to many poor individual performances, an apparent lack of collective will and cohesion, and some most bizarre tactics.  A few thousand loons do not derail a season - a team squad of 20 and a management of group 3 must take that blame.  Mac had to go in the end because he left it far to late to say he was committed to the Club, and I don't doubt Simmo and Steele will go too.  My instincts are different to yours. I think we have a good nucleus of first team players, a good U21squad, and with 4 or 5 new additions, and a young coach on the sideline with a lot to prove, this will be more of an exciting season than if the board had decided to give Mac one more year.  Let's compare notes in April 2016.

[TheDeadlySaul]

As you might know Mostyn I don't go to many games, but one way or another I do get to see the lads play a lot.  The way we played the last 2 months of the season was in part a result of chronic luck with injuries, but mainly due to many poor individual performances, an apparent lack of collective will and cohesion, and some most bizarre tactics.  A few thousand loons do not derail a season - a team squad of 20 and a management of group 3 must take that blame.  Mac had to go in the end because he left it far to late to say he was committed to the Club, and I don't doubt Simmo and Steele will go too.  My instincts are different to yours. I think we have a good nucleus of first team players, a good U21squad, and with 4 or 5 new additions, and a young coach on the sideline with a lot to prove, this will be more of an exciting season than if the board had decided to give Mac one more year.  Let's compare notes in April 2016.

​What are these bizarre tactics? I can only think of one game where his tactics were a bit odd and that was the second half against Brentford where Martin seemed to be playing on the wing.

The biggest criticism about Mac was him being stubborn in not changing 4-3-3, but that is hardly being 'bizarre'

[61GT]

As you might know Mostyn I don't go to many games, but one way or another I do get to see the lads play a lot.  The way we played the last 2 months of the season was in part a result of chronic luck with injuries, but mainly due to many poor individual performances, an apparent lack of collective will and cohesion, and some most bizarre tactics.  A few thousand loons do not derail a season - a team squad of 20 and a management of group 3 must take that blame.  Mac had to go in the end because he left it far to late to say he was committed to the Club, and I don't doubt Simmo and Steele will go too.  My instincts are different to yours. I think we have a good nucleus of first team players, a good U21squad, and with 4 or 5 new additions, and a young coach on the sideline with a lot to prove, this will be more of an exciting season than if the board had decided to give Mac one more year.  Let's compare notes in April 2016.

Bookmarked for April 2016 by which time we'll hopefully have autos assured! LOL

[Mostyn6]

As you might know Mostyn I don't go to many games, but one way or another I do get to see the lads play a lot.  The way we played the last 2 months of the season was in part a result of chronic luck with injuries, but mainly due to many poor individual performances, an apparent lack of collective will and cohesion, and some most bizarre tactics.  A few thousand loons do not derail a season - a team squad of 20 and a management of group 3 must take that blame.  Mac had to go in the end because he left it far to late to say he was committed to the Club, and I don't doubt Simmo and Steele will go too.  My instincts are different to yours. I think we have a good nucleus of first team players, a good U21squad, and with 4 or 5 new additions, and a young coach on the sideline with a lot to prove, this will be more of an exciting season than if the board had decided to give Mac one more year.  Let's compare notes in April 2016.

​I appreciate your opinion, and I have nothing concrete to disprove your theories even if I wanted to.

I base mine on seeing, over the years, once a player is targetted by fans, and once the booing starts, a player, NEVER turns it around.

I thought that one of two things would happen, 1)McClaren stays and weeds out the weak players. 2)McClaren goes and we end up repeating the same mistakes with weak players.

There is of course a third option, 3)McClaren is replaced, and his replacement weeds out the weak players. I hope this is now the case.

But my instincts tell me that a feelgood factor can help over-achieve, as we did last season, a feelbad factor, which we've had for the whole of 2015 in my opinion, will undoubtedly effect the weaker minded of players, regardless of manager and coaches.

[IlsonDerby]

12 points out of the last 13 games. 

Over the course of the season that gives us 42 points (roughly). Which means that for 2 and a half months of the season we were in relegation form. (Obviously I know Millwall went down on 41 points third bottom but 42 is still 'there or thereabouts')

Was backed quite well but was tactically inept when things started to go wrong. 

 

When things were good they were very good. Unfortunately when things were bad, they were very bad!

[dcfc_ryan]

Voted no.

Can’t help but think some fans didn’t give Mac the credit he deserves. Some fans almost discredit his hard work saying that Nigel would have done a better job if he didn’t get the chop. Some give Sam Rush far too much credit for whats happened over the past two seasons. He made the decision to bring Mac in (good decision), but ultimately the reason our fan base is back, the reason we’re always on the tele and the reason we’ve received so many plaudits from the media and opposition clubs, managers, players and fans, is largely down to the success on the pitch. McClaren, the players and the backroom staff deserve the credit for that. Unfortunately the success has bought up a lot of stories, speculation and rumours over the past few months. I don’t know whats happened behind the scenes, but if Mac has been sacked because of two **** months then that is very harsh and unjust.

We’ve been an average, stale and bland club for so long. Mid-table season after season, playing some awful stuff at times. Mac came in and bought an effective and attractive brand of football, that bought the belief, positivity and expectation back. And thats why for me McClaren has undoubtedly been a success, and its a shame to see him leave on a bad note. Hopefully he’ll go on to do well else where, I certainly rate him. Whoever the new man is he's got big shoes to fill, but hopefully he’ll take us that one step further!

[ariotofmyown]

​I can feel a song coming on.

Seriously tho' - I don't feel as bad as I did when we sacked Clough, maybe that was because we'd just lost to the dogs and it was more 'personal'  but, these last two or so months, seriously, something happened, something major.  Sad times, but we all knew it was coming.

Another chapter starts......

 

It seemed liked something happened between the Charlton and Fulham match. Once I heard Thorne was injured whilst walking to Craven Cottage, pretty much everything else this season went wrong.

[King Kevin]

I voted yes reluctantly, Readings three games before ours was against Birmingham ,Rotherham and Brentford .They lost them all yet they came to the Ipro  and made it look easy .

I absolutely knew we would lose that game before hand ,the lost of form was so bad you could tell he couldn't turn it round we never turned up in an important game there was clearly things wrong in the dressing room.

Tough call, I liked Steve but we went backwards from the previous season despite the backing from the board ,Bent ,Ince etc. and the football was not as good. My gut feeling was he would not have turned it round next season ,hope the board know what they are doing though. 

[cloughandtaylor]

So the club what's to go in a different direction eh.

 What direction is that then? 

Back to how it was before Mac, lower crowds, poor style of football, mediocre finish in the table?

[Day]

Just to add my worthless alcohol fuelled views....

I'm 33 years old and I can only remember 2 periods supporting Derby that have been entertaining for the right reasons on the pitch, 1) Jim Smith and 2) Steve McClaren.

Not only entertaining but winning games.

4th March we was in an automatic place having not been out the top 6 since October. Last season we made it to Wembley in the Play Off Final and out played QPR right to the end.

Blame the Newcastle rumours all you like, blame the fans all you like but losing Thorne, Mascarell, Eustace, Buxton, Martin and Bent to injury any manager would have struggled to cope.

If the board have sacked McClaren because of the Newcastle rumours and his failure to publicly deny them and linking it to our failure to reach the play offs or promotion, then I'm sorry in my opinion, wrong move. Maybe more has gone on behind the scenes that we don't know about, that we are not told about, but don't expect me to understand this unless you are fully open with us.

I'm just a customer, a fan, someone that has been watching the most entertaining football since puberty and I've just seen him sacked for reasons I'm struggling to comprehend.

**** it, the internet is full of know it all's, claim McClaren's failure to deny it cost us, the fans that are so sensitive they need an official club statement for every rumour. Maybe it is these fans that have caused the club to take action, we know they read what the fans say online...believe me they do, maybe Mostyn was right all along, I hope to god he's not, I hope to god something has gone on behind the scenes between McClaren and the board that I'm unaware of and the ITK players unrest was real.

We're now venturing into the unknown in Clement, he is a risk, a huge risk, don't try and deny it. I'm now looking to a season of the unknown, not thinking about promotion, not even thinking about the top 6 anymore, I can't get excited about the YouTube videos behind the scenes at Real Madrid, oooh Real Madrid, sounds sexy doesn't it?....Mascarell came from Real and Eustace was a bigger loss for us last season.

Yes he's a respected coach, yes players loves him but we've just sacked a highly respected coach that many players wax lyrical about. What happens if a club comes in for Clement, are we expecting him to come out with a Ram tattoo on his arse? how can we expect him to be loyal when the club has just binned the best manager we've had for years.

I'll get behind Clement, I have to, I have no choice...well I do, I could be one of those with a tissue still out for Clough but I'm not. Give me a few days to get over this and I'll be alreet I have to be, I've never even played Candy Crush pfft, anyone want to join a clan on Clash of Clans send me a PM. 

 

 

[Day]

I demand to know why my thread has been deleted when it was clearly as speculative as the Clement ones! :(

Automatic forum quality control

[-JW-]

I voted yes. I urge everyone on here not to waste your vote. Make your voices heard and have you say on the future of our club.

#dcfcfansvote  

[Rev]

Just to add my worthless alcohol fuelled views....

I'm 33 years old and I can only remember 2 periods supporting Derby that have been entertaining for the right reasons on the pitch, 1) Jim Smith and 2) Steve McClaren.

Not only entertaining but winning games.

4th March we was in an automatic place having not been out the top 6 since October. Last season we made it to Wembley in the Play Off Final and out played QPR right to the end.

Blame the Newcastle rumours all you like, blame the fans all you like but losing Thorne, Mascarell, Eustace, Buxton, Martin and Bent to injury any manager would have struggled to cope.

If the board have sacked McClaren because of the Newcastle rumours and his failure to publicly deny them and linking it to our failure to reach the play offs or promotion, then I'm sorry in my opinion, wrong move. Maybe more has gone on behind the scenes that we don't know about, that we are not told about, but don't expect me to understand this unless you are fully open with us.

I'm just a customer, a fan, someone that has been watching the most entertaining football since puberty and I've just seen him sacked for reasons I'm struggling to comprehend.

**** it, the internet is full of know it all's, claim McClaren's failure to deny it cost us, the fans that are so sensitive they need an official club statement for every rumour. Maybe it is these fans that have caused the club to take action, we know they read what the fans say online...believe me they do, maybe Mostyn was right all along, I hope to god he's not, I hope to god something has gone on behind the scenes between McClaren and the board that I'm unaware of and the ITK players unrest was real.

We're now venturing into the unknown in Clement, he is a risk, a huge risk, don't try and deny it. I'm now looking to a season of the unknown, not thinking about promotion, not even thinking about the top 6 anymore, I can't get excited about the YouTube videos behind the scenes at Real Madrid, oooh Real Madrid, sounds sexy doesn't it?....Mascarell came from Real and Eustace was a bigger loss for us last season.

Yes he's a respected coach, yes players loves him but we've just sacked a highly respected coach that many players wax lyrical about. What happens if a club comes in for Clement, are we expecting him to come out with a Ram tattoo on his arse? how can we expect him to be loyal when the club has just binned the best manager we've had for years.

I'll get behind Clement, I have to, I have no choice...well I do, I could be one of those with a tissue still out for Clough but I'm not. Give me a few days to get over this and I'll be alreet I have to be, I've never even played Candy Crush pfft, anyone want to join a clan on Clash of Clans send me a PM. 

 

 

Perfectly summed up how I feel.

[Carnero]

I voted yes. I've thoroughly enjoyed the last 18 months or so, not so much the "so", but since January he's repeatedly failed to quash the constant speculation. It's a massive shame as we were a good fit for each other. That said I'm still pleased it has now been resolved and look forward to a bright future under Pablo Clemente. I also hope SM has learned his lesson and wish him all the best for the futyure.

[ramesses]

It’s an idiotic poll. No one knows if this decision will turn out to be the correct one or not.

What we can do is agree or disagree with the reasons for the board’s decision…but so far they’ve said diddly squat.

[DEL]

I voted NO because I felt Mac still GOT 1 more go for us.

[Day]

It’s an idiotic poll. No one knows if this decision will turn out to be the correct one or not.

What we can do is agree or disagree with the reasons for the board’s decision…but so far they’ve said diddly squat.

​Always one. The poll pretty much is that, unless you're trying to twist it.

[Guest]

a firm Yes from me.

our last 12 performances were awful. Results worse. If we had made play-offs and lost with a good performance in semis or made Wembley he would not have been fired IMHO

so Geordie rumours did not help, but deterioration in results cost him his job. He tinkered way too much with team. We had injuries, so he needed to puck an alternative team and stick with it. Hanson in for two games and jettisoned. Keogh at right back...fozzie at centre back.

signings were very iffy.....lingard hardly played, Warnock is awful. We had no decent reserve keeper. (warnock and roos will be nowhere near first reamunder new manager)

performances finished him off.....and performances even in first half of season were not as good as prior season

Board backed him throughout season, with little indication they would fire him. However Brett Wilson was very factual and I would not want a major shareholder correctly implying many others could do my job.

I personally dint like way mcclaren name drops Mel Morris. He named Mel Morris on tv interview immediately after Reading game......which non derby fans would have thought "why, who is he...?"

that he now names Mel Morris in his leaving statement shows me he is trying to show we have divisions in club that are not there. Totally unacceptable to say Mel Morris wants to take us in different direction. Mcclaren trying to be clever with media, just like he was over Newcastle job. Hope he goes to Geordies for out sake as that will likely diminish the pay off he gets. If he dont get Geordie job we are likely to be biggest club he will manage in remainder of his career.

with our good squad he got us playing well, and I admire him for that. He then blew it massively, and if he dont know why we imploded and he wants to pretend geordie approaches nver affected our play hr deserves to be fired for that alone.

[cosmic]

Unfortunately, I don't think Mac would have been able to turn it around, so it's right he's gone. My beef lies in the fact it should never have come to this. He's the best thing to happen to the club since Jim Smith. What caused the rot is the real topic of debate here, and something tells me we'll never know. 

[ramesses]

​Always one. The poll pretty much is that, unless you're trying to twist it.

​Always one what? The poll pretty much is what? What might I be trying to twist?