Our day with Mel Morris

[G STAR RAM]

Think it's the only way of explaining how the Derby bus keeps on rolling even when the driver changes or parts needs servicing. Essentially it's like everything is sort of independent but all on the same path.

He wants it to be one club right from 7yr old to seniors. He wants the gateway into that first team to open. 

He spoke really about how McClaren worked in sort of a sphere of the first team. He wasnt looking long term. He was asked to get promotion so that was acceptable. But I think/hope it's fair to say that with more Mel Morris influence that he wants the wheels constantly rolling. No manager will come in and have everything geared towards his style. It'll always be the other way around. The manager will be brought in because he fits in with everything we have in place. 

I don't think he actually said "Derby way". He just called it "our philosophy and foundation". That's what everyone will abide to, sort of thing.

Understand what you mean now.

For me the Derby way has been about bouncing between divisions, a few good years followed by a few bad, with a few crooks thrown in along the way! Selling players that will always score against us and releasing rubbish players that go on to have decent careers elsewhere.

Now you've explained what was meant by it I'm much happier.

One of my main criticisms of McClaren would be that he never really gave our youth a chance but it appears that this will be encouraged from now, which is good.

[angieram]

 

He wants it to be one club right from 7yr old to seniors. He wants the gateway into that first team to open. 

He spoke really about how McClaren worked in sort of a sphere of the first team. He wasnt looking long term. He was asked to get promotion so that was acceptable. 

This is the most encouraging thing I have read from this meeting and, to be honest, my only real complaint with McClaren - that he didn't use some of the better under 21s more when the injuries hit. 

There should really be an under 21s player already at the club in every position playing in the first team style and itching to get into that first team and prove themselves.

A good man management move by MM to invite the Forum's 'leaders' (actual and influencers) to a pow-wow. Thank you for your feedback - it has been very enlightening.  

[Ashz09]

Great read and can't wait for the start of the season. Weekends are so boring at the moment.

[Ramarena]

Think it's the only way of explaining how the Derby bus keeps on rolling even when the driver changes or parts needs servicing. Essentially it's like everything is sort of independent but all on the same path.

He wants it to be one club right from 7yr old to seniors. He wants the gateway into that first team to open. 

He spoke really about how McClaren worked in sort of a sphere of the first team. He wasnt looking long term. He was asked to get promotion so that was acceptable. But I think/hope it's fair to say that with more Mel Morris influence that he wants the wheels constantly rolling. No manager will come in and have everything geared towards his style. It'll always be the other way around. The manager will be brought in because he fits in with everything we have in place. 

I don't think he actually said "Derby way". He just called it "our philosophy and foundation". That's what everyone will abide to, sort of thing.

I wonder if this is a lesson learned from the Billy Davies issues. 

[CornwallRam]

Without meaning to be negative - doesn't this all add up to people who have never been involved in the game as players, coaches or manager taking all the key decisions? New managers have to fit in with the club philosophy - what if that is wrong? New managers have to accept the playing staff already here - what if those players are rubbish?

I'm not saying that the approach can't work - it clearly has at Southampton and Swansea, yet it's also easy to real off the names of clubs where owners have called the shots and made the team worse. It all comes down to the quality of the decisions made, not the system for making the decisions.

I've met Sam Rush on several occasions and never felt anything other than admiration, but I always got the feeling that he saw his job as ensuring we had the right manager and then supporting him in every way possible. I can't fault Mel Morris for his enthusiasm or commitment and if it works we just might see DCFC competing in Europe again. But I'm far from convinced that reducing the influence of the manager is a good idea.

As Needles said earlier, it'll all come down to results.

[eddie]

I wonder if this is a lesson learned from the Billy Davies issues. 

My thoughts too. BD isolated the first team squad, not only here but at the gumps as well, whereas the Clough philosophy was to get all teams at the club playing the same way. Would hughes and Hendrick been given the same opportunity under McClaren, I wonder?

[Day]

I may have been brainwashed by PR although I'd like to think it's because Mel spoke sense with regards to Manager/Head Coach. I have always been let the manager take control and the men in suits sit in the background signing the cheques. I guess with the money in football now the men in suits need to look after their money and make sure it's invested wisely. Sounds scary but when you look at top clubs around Europe it's not really any different. 

"The Derby Way" is to play attractive football, on the ground and not in the air, the club wants to bring in players and staff that can all continue this philosophy which is one of the big reasons Clement stood out from other candidates. The club don't want to effectively hit the restart button with every manager, throw money at them and sit back and watch it go down the toilet. Sam Allardyce was mentioned as the kind of manager that wouldn't suit Derby and the way the club wants to play.

The club don't want to force promotion, with a manager like Sam, playing unattractive football in a desperate bid to go up, Mel said that clearly he wants promotion but he wants it in the right way, be it this season, next or the season after. 

Chris Evens and Sam Rush work together on bringing players to the club and Clement (pretty tall he is as well you know) has seen the shortlist and has approved it. Was also mentioned the stick Evens has taken and how unfair it was, apparently he's mobbed when he goes to other clubs, highly respected and his contact book is bulging. 

Quick one on Evens, things keep popping into my head! some of our signings have been criticised, one being Shotton, I like this bit as it confirmed what I've always thought about having a settled back 4. Shotton has admitted his season hasn't been great but said give him 4 games, just 4 games with the same player in front and to the side of him and he'll show you what he can do. A settled back 4 is something we didn't have after the turn of the year. It's clear now that this is also important to the players as well and when you have a keeper carrying a knee problem doesn't help either!

Christie was also given a mention, Wisdom who? at the start of the season, his form when he had Ward in front of him compared to Russell and Ince that didn't track back as much. Players form chemistry, Brayford and Coutts anyone? 

Like I say I came away thinking he made sense and won't see us back in another Jewell situation again.

Oh and he also get's frustrated and in his words when we "fanny" around the box and nobody takes a shot. I like the guy, down to earth, not anything like I expected him to be. Could have been sat a pub in jeans and t shirt, had the same conversation. To give us fans 2 and a half hours as well in what is a busy time for the club, not once feeling like we outstayed our welcome looking at his watch or anything was really appreciated by all there.

And a quick word on the invites as I've seen it mentioned, like I say I had an email and Mel reads the forum and chose members to attend, couple couldn't go which I replaced, he wanted to see a couple that have different views to give him a chance to answer anything that was bothering them. It wasn't a fun day out for members that brown nose me! I understand a lot of you would have wanted an opportunity like this and he is looking to do more in the future not just with this forum but all fans, they want to be as transparent as possible and let fans see just how the club works. 

I was going to do a write up but I've said most already, I'll just chime in and reply, maybe expand on what others said, not being able to take notes little things keep coming back to me. Had around 7 pints after as well so it's coming back slower than usual!

[Orphanram]

Without meaning to be negative - doesn't this all add up to people who have never been involved in the game as players, coaches or manager taking all the key decisions? New managers have to fit in with the club philosophy - what if that is wrong? New managers have to accept the playing staff already here - what if those players are rubbish?

I'm not saying that the approach can't work - it clearly has at Southampton and Swansea, yet it's also easy to real off the names of clubs where owners have called the shots and made the team worse. It all comes down to the quality of the decisions made, not the system for making the decisions.

I've met Sam Rush on several occasions and never felt anything other than admiration, but I always got the feeling that he saw his job as ensuring we had the right manager and then supporting him in every way possible. I can't fault Mel Morris for his enthusiasm or commitment and if it works we just might see DCFC competing in Europe again. But I'm far from convinced that reducing the influence of the manager is a good idea.

As Needles said earlier, it'll all come down to results.

The thing is we will never know if any new philosophy will work until until as a club, including fans we get behind it and be optimistic about the changes it could bring. Someone  mentioned in an earlier post the Derby Way has been a cycle of mixed fortunes in the the second tier of English football with the occasional foray into the top flight. Why continue with following a traditional model which always seems to only serve the most privileged clubs consistently whilst all other clubs wait for their limited window of opportunity where they seem to take their turn at success. This is usually based completely on the ability of one individuals all encompassing view and how often has history shown even when these individuals have been successful the clubs performance go into a steep decline when they leave.

I think we should take a leap of faith and embrace the new philosophy MM is guiding the club towards.

 

 

[TroyDyer]

When are ITV3 releasing this as a feel good drama. 

Daveo to be played by Pauline Quirke. 

[TomBustler1884]

I hope Mel continues to meet with the fans, and that they open up the training ground a little bit more. I'd love to have a look at the motivational stuff they've got on the walls and see how that can be translated into a fans version.

[ramsbottom]

Will MM be posing in front of a We8Forest flag a la Fawaz??

I prefer our directors/owners etc to keep out of the limelight and not suck up to fans (until they've achieved something!), all he's done thus far is sack the best coach we've had in a decades.

Hoping he does well though, seeing as though he's reading this ;-)

You have to remember that Fawaz sucks up to the fans and courts their opinion so brazingly because he had no f**king clue on how to run a football club.  The only thing he knows what to do is flog cheap fridges out the back of a Toyota Hilux, whereas our chairman can tell his arse from his elbow.  Huge differences in approach...

[Shaftesbury Street]

Seems like a top bloke. Came across very well in his press conference and it makes sense for him to open up a line communication in the future.

It's more suited to John Vicars or someone else at the club but it would be great if we could put forward some smaller issues that we raise on the regular on this forum. I.e club anthem, goal music, the price of a balti pie ect

[bcnram]

Without meaning to be negative - doesn't this all add up to people who have never been involved in the game as players, coaches or manager taking all the key decisions? New managers have to fit in with the club philosophy - what if that is wrong? New managers have to accept the playing staff already here - what if those players are rubbish?

I'm not saying that the approach can't work - it clearly has at Southampton and Swansea, yet it's also easy to real off the names of clubs where owners have called the shots and made the team worse. It all comes down to the quality of the decisions made, not the system for making the decisions.

I've met Sam Rush on several occasions and never felt anything other than admiration, but I always got the feeling that he saw his job as ensuring we had the right manager and then supporting him in every way possible. I can't fault Mel Morris for his enthusiasm or commitment and if it works we just might see DCFC competing in Europe again. But I'm far from convinced that reducing the influence of the manager is a good idea.

As Needles said earlier, it'll all come down to results.

Sometimes the worst people to run a club are the managers, their interest is going to be pretty much their own and the first team. What happens when they are gone and someone else comes in with a completely different philosophy, do we start again based on the ideas of one man?

If a club like Derby is to get close to succeeding just outside the Manchester / Liverpool & main London clubs, we have got to have continuity in the club philosophy. A manager lasts maybe two years and in my view we cannot change direction each time we have a new manager / coach. Was it said anywhere that a new manager has to accept the players that are already there? I am pretty sure that I have not seen that anywhere. 

When Paul Clement moves on (it is inevitable that he will either get fired or get another job at some point), I think it is essential that there is minimum disruption. I like the way that the club is heading at the moment, we are building not just for now, but for a sustainable future and I think that many other clubs will also follow this pattern.

[Stive Pesley]

 

When Sage mentioned Southampton's catchment area I liked how Mel reacted. "We have to compete with that. We have to compete with that"

I wouldn't mind at all following in Sourhampton's footsteps. Or Swansea. 

 

Interesting - draw a circle with a 50m radius around both Southampton and Swansea and what is the first thing you notice about their catchment areas?

Assuming we don't want to sign sealife - we should absolutely be able to compete

 

[MuespachRam]

Where was my invite...brown noses..!

[RadioactiveWaste]

Should we start a lot of form noise about a bidding war for Sammon, drive his price up? 

[LesterRam]

Should we start a lot of form noise about a bidding war for Sammon, drive his price up? 

I wouldn't take less than £6m for him personally

[Gypsy Ram]

I may have been brainwashed by PR although I'd like to think it's because Mel spoke sense with regards to Manager/Head Coach. I have always been let the manager take control and the men in suits sit in the background signing the cheques. I guess with the money in football now the men in suits need to look after their money and make sure it's invested wisely. Sounds scary but when you look at top clubs around Europe it's not really any different. 

"The Derby Way" is to play attractive football, on the ground and not in the air, the club wants to bring in players and staff that can all continue this philosophy which is one of the big reasons Clement stood out from other candidates. The club don't want to effectively hit the restart button with every manager, throw money at them and sit back and watch it go down the toilet. Sam Allardyce was mentioned as the kind of manager that wouldn't suit Derby and the way the club wants to play.

The club don't want to force promotion, with a manager like Sam, playing unattractive football in a desperate bid to go up, Mel said that clearly he wants promotion but he wants it in the right way, be it this season, next or the season after. 

Chris Evens and Sam Rush work together on bringing players to the club and Clement (pretty tall he is as well you know) has seen the shortlist and has approved it. Was also mentioned the stick Evens has taken and how unfair it was, apparently he's mobbed when he goes to other clubs, highly respected and his contact book is bulging. 

Quick one on Evens, things keep popping into my head! some of our signings have been criticised, one being Shotton, I like this bit as it confirmed what I've always thought about having a settled back 4. Shotton has admitted his season hasn't been great but said give him 4 games, just 4 games with the same player in front and to the side of him and he'll show you what he can do. A settled back 4 is something we didn't have after the turn of the year. It's clear now that this is also important to the players as well and when you have a keeper carrying a knee problem doesn't help either!

Christie was also given a mention, Wisdom who? at the start of the season, his form when he had Ward in front of him compared to Russell and Ince that didn't track back as much. Players form chemistry, Brayford and Coutts anyone? 

Like I say I came away thinking he made sense and won't see us back in another Jewell situation again.

Oh and he also get's frustrated and in his words when we "fanny" around the box and nobody takes a shot. I like the guy, down to earth, not anything like I expected him to be. Could have been sat a pub in jeans and t shirt, had the same conversation. To give us fans 2 and a half hours as well in what is a busy time for the club, not once feeling like we outstayed our welcome looking at his watch or anything was really appreciated by all there.

And a quick word on the invites as I've seen it mentioned, like I say I had an email and Mel reads the forum and chose members to attend, couple couldn't go which I replaced, he wanted to see a couple that have different views to give him a chance to answer anything that was bothering them. It wasn't a fun day out for members that brown nose me! I understand a lot of you would have wanted an opportunity like this and he is looking to do more in the future not just with this forum but all fans, they want to be as transparent as possible and let fans see just how the club works. 

I was going to do a write up but I've said most already, I'll just chime in and reply, maybe expand on what others said, not being able to take notes little things keep coming back to me. Had around 7 pints after as well so it's coming back slower than usual!

the best way to approach this as my one time great editor told me is to a first person approach. Describe what you saw, what happened, what was around you from the moment you got in to leaving and how you felt getting there and what was the feeling as you left. No more than 900 words. Go... 

[Stive Pesley]

If the clubs transfer policy is anything like the selection of fans for an open day pr exercise then god help us. 

I don't buy the whole "random selection of forum posters" selection criteria

I think you'll find that all the forum members who got an invite are represented by the same sports media company.

[Ovis aries]

I don't buy the whole "random selection of forum posters" selection criteria

I think you'll find that all the forum members who got an invite are represented by the same sports media company.

Nope I got one , but had to turn it down.