Breakfast with Mel and no Bacon or Sausages!

[Day]

10 minutes ago, Abu Derby said:

It would have been nice if the invited members of the forum had bumped into Bucko and asked him for his thoughts on recent events. 

Before Christmas he gave an interview that inferred that we wouldn't implode this time round, citing that they were much stronger for the experience of last season and had a better back room team. 

Whats really happened that has now changed everything? Bucko's player perspective was insightful and suggested that everyone had bought into Clements methods and was on-side. 

I'm not interested in Buxton anymore, we can sell him for me. When you hear he got taken out by Kwame Thomas falling on him, I felt the same way as I did when told Santa wasn't real.

 

[IlsonDerby]

8 hours ago, RamNut said:

Um ok....just ploughed through all that lot.

a few observations.....

firstly how can DW be part of the selection process and be a candidate? That doesn't make any kind of sense.

secondly. Pc seems to demonised to a ridiculous degree. Whilst i was critical of numerous things, how on earth did we go from "PC won't be sacked period" in november / december and gushing praise in the season ticket renewal and the boxing day programme to this.

The only thing i've learned is that chris evans and pc didn't see eye to eye. Which i had guessed anyway based on chris evans resignation statement. Tbh this would seem seem fairly inevitable. Its to do with the clash of roles, and i would back the head coach/manager having ultimate control. Furthermore chris had made a balls up of a few things. Reading between the lines of comments or attitudes  attributed to schteve, i would say that the potential for conflict was nothing new.

As for entering the dressing room to "carpet everyone". Totally unacceptible. I would assume that the relationship with PC was pretty strained by this point and the sub-text was to tear a strip of PC in front of the players. I'd have liked to know why MM thought there was going to be a slanging match, and so what if there was? I'd also like to know if this intervention was before PCs post match interviews or after. It seems incredible that he cannot understand that this was totally out of order and seems almost to joke about it.

why when schteve committed to staying, why did we then sack him if his style of football was apparently the style of football we now say that we want.

why did we sign five players before the new coach had even met the squad?

which of the 12 signings were the 2 or 3 that PC specifically requested?

why sign Pearce and then sign Shackell three weeks later?

 If MM went on holiday with PC in place , what was it that suddenly prompted the sacking of PC and his unplanned return?

why was David Burke sacked?

what was PC relationship with the players like?

Are we seriously suggesting that the head coach wanted boring football and for us to not shoot at goal?

do we anticipate that if we get promoted, we might just have to play a controlling, passing game in order to try to survive?

 

 

Most of those have been answered by the posters that have met him... Make sure read the posts when 'ploughing through' 

[Abu Derby]

Just now, Daveo said:

I'm not interested in Buxton anymore, we can sell him for me. When you hear he got taken out by Kwame Thomas falling on him, I felt the same way as I did when told Santa wasn't real.

 

I do admit that the illusion has been shattered because of that. 

[MackworthRamIsGod]

I do wonder how long Into Clements reign did MM realise he wasn't the man for us?

Given the fact we went on an incredible run, all appeared well, but secretly did MM realise Clement wasn't the man for us, but how do you sack someone who gets us in the top 2.

Now I cannot imagine MM would have welcomed the poor run, but it appeared a good opportunity for him to get rid of the turd in the punch bowl (South Park reference).

I applaud MM for making such a difficult decision, but the right decision to sack Clement. The next 14 games are critical for how we shape up next season. I see it as 14 games for this current crop of players to convince everyone they are good enough to be here next season. 

I think the playoffs are a possibility, but I'm sensing from what has been said that promotion really isn't desirable with the way we are playing at the minute, too much surgery would be needed to stand a chance of stopping up.

So we can hope for an upturn in performances, players showing desire and then a new manager (maybe Pearson after his gardening leave expires) will take over in the summer and prepare us for a real promotion push.

Saturday at 5pm I was suicidal, I now feel excited and very much more patient.

[RoyMac5]

8 minutes ago, IlsonDerby said:

Most of those have been answered by the posters that have met him... Make sure read the posts when 'ploughing through' 

Perhaps not answered satisfactorily.

9 minutes ago, IlsonDerby said:

firstly how can DW be part of the selection process and be a candidate? That doesn't make any kind of sense.

 

9 minutes ago, IlsonDerby said:

why was David Burke sacked?

 

9 minutes ago, IlsonDerby said:

 If MM went on holiday with PC in place , what was it that suddenly prompted the sacking of PC and his unplanned return?

Can't remember reading the answer to those?

[toddy]

9 hours ago, Kernow said:

Mel the next time you host a breakfast morning I will accept your offer but on the condition that there are sausages.

Proper ones too. Like Tesco finest flavoured ones not those thin Richmond stuff.

Cheers

They are all lips and asseholes

[Srg]

2 minutes ago, MackworthRamIsGod said:

I do wonder how long Into Clements reign did MM realise he wasn't the man for us?

Given the fact we went on an incredible run, all appeared well, but secretly did MM realise Clement wasn't the man for us, but how do you sack someone who gets us in the top 2.

Now I cannot imagine MM would have welcomed the poor run, but it appeared a good opportunity for him to get rid of the turd in the punch bowl (South Park reference).

I applaud MM for making such a difficult decision, but the right decision to sack Clement. The next 14 games are critical for how we shape up next season. I see it as 14 games for this current crop of players to convince everyone they are good enough to be here next season. 

I think the playoffs are a possibility, but I'm sensing from what has been said that promotion really isn't desirable with the way we are playing at the minute, too much surgery would be needed to stand a chance of stopping up.

So we can hope for an upturn in performances, players showing desire and then a new manager (maybe Pearson after his gardening leave expires) will take over in the summer and prepare us for a real promotion push.

Saturday at 5pm I was suicidal, I now feel excited and very much more patient.

He had 2 or 3 meetings with him to "realign" with the vision, coinciding on the upturn in form, first of which was after pre-season... so my pure hunch would be his first doubts were as early as that!

[Mostyn6]

1 minute ago, RoyMac5 said:

 

11 minutes ago, IlsonDerby said:

Most of those have been answered by the posters that have met him... Make sure read the posts when 'ploughing through' 

Perhaps not answered satisfactorily.

11 minutes ago, IlsonDerby said:

firstly how can DW be part of the selection process and be a candidate? That doesn't make any kind of sense.

because he is still academy boss.

11 minutes ago, IlsonDerby said:

why was David Burke sacked?

not discussed.

11 minutes ago, IlsonDerby said:

 If MM went on holiday with PC in place , what was it that suddenly prompted the sacking of PC and his unplanned return?

not discussed when the decision was made, but that Mel came home to face media as it wasn't fair on Rush.

 

[toddy]

15 minutes ago, G STAR RAM said:

It is the responsibility of the recruitment team to put together a list of players that match the criteria that the head coach has asked for.

If I was the head coach I would definitely be going to watch these players to help me form an opinion on which was the best candidate.

I think one of the ideas of a recruitment 'team'is that it doesn't put the decisions in just one person's hands. I certainly don't see one person as being accountable for any bad buys we make.

As for worst performance, it was not even close in my opinion. It was pretty much on a par with what we have been watching for months, with the exception of Reading and Birmingham games which were much worse.

The recruitment side was explained in depth by Mel in the Sky interview  last Nov/Dec and it made perfect sense.

[MackworthRamIsGod]

It's easy for me to say this now, but after Bolton (first game of the season), I text my mate and said Clement would not work at Derby and wouldn't make it till Christmas. Obviously I didn't get it totally right.

I just realised after spending so much money in the summer we then bought Ryan Shotton on as a sub, I knew he hadn't done enough in the summer to realise who was and wasn't good enough. 

[StaffsRam]

3 minutes ago, Srg said:

He had 2 or 3 meetings with him to "realign" with the vision, coinciding on the upturn in form, first of which was after pre-season... so my pure hunch would be his first doubts were as early as that!

If only we'd have put him on a probationary period! 

[Srg]

Won't give you an exact answer on David Burke, but Mel did say Wassall has complete choice on who should stay on and who should leave along with Clement - he did say he advised him but Wassall was still free to do what he wished.

[bcnram]

41 minutes ago, G STAR RAM said:

PC went to the recruitment team and identified the sort of players, or in some instances gave them the names of players, he wanted.

The fact that PC only watched 2 of our opponents whilst here and didn't go to watch any of the players that we signed maybe tells a story...

 

Certainly tells a story when you compare it to Nigel Clough's recruitment policy where every member of the senior coaching staff went to see the player in question before a decision was made. I think I know which has been the most successful recruitment policy. Maybe, the extra investment made those responsible a little less focused on what was required for the team.

[RoyMac5]

7 minutes ago, Mostyn6 said:

20 minutes ago, IlsonDerby said:

firstly how can DW be part of the selection process and be a candidate? That doesn't make any kind of sense.

because he is still academy boss.

From an HR standpoint you can't, you obviously know nothing about HR.

[eddie]

1 hour ago, Gypsy Ram said:

So it's  all Clements fault. He never really bought into the Derby way. And we still don't know the actual truth behind our disastrous transfer policy. 

And we were duped into thinking that PC, one of the most sought after coaches in the game, is actually poo and we should have stuck with Steve. 

 

That's the trouble when your only source of information is tea leaves.

[Mostyn6]

7 hours ago, RoyMac5 said:

From an HR standpoint you can't, you obviously know nothing about HR.

OKay, I will rephrase it for anyone being deliberately awkward.

Wassall is currently "interim" manager of the first team, which at present is a temporary position. If you are talking warehouse/factory terms, he is being "made up", or "acting", but still holds his own contractual position.

In this instance, Darren Wassall is still employed as Academy Director, and his contract reflects that, however, within HR realms, he is effectively seconded (see - con - did) to another department for a short term project.

 

For the purposes of clarification, Wassall MAY be permanently promoted if it works out with the first team, Wassall MAY revert back to his contracted role (Academy director) if he is not permanently promoted to Head Coach. If he reverts back to Academy Director, he will be part of the process for appointing the next permanent Head Coach.

[RoyMac5]

3 minutes ago, Mostyn6 said:

...Wassall MAY revert back to his contracted role (Academy director) if he is not permanently promoted to Head Coach. If he reverts back to Academy Director, he will be part of the process for appointing the next permanent Head Coach.

That is different to what was being said. For Wassall to be part of the selection process he cannot be in place as Head Coach.

Oh and I hope you're not suggesting I'm being dumb.

[Mostyn6]

7 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

That is different to what was being said. For Wassall to be part of the selection process he cannot be in place as Head Coach.

Oh and I hope you're not suggesting I'm being dumb.

if you're purposely making everything be spelt out to the enth degree when things are pretty obvious, then you're being either deliberately difficult and awkward. I never wrote what was being quoted, but it is mentioned on here that Wassall will be part of selecting it if he doesn't get the job.

[SaintRam]

You said this was going out on Monday! Damn it.

Well I've read the first 5 pages which I think catches everyone's write ups and firstly I'd like to thank the lads who went for being thorough in both their questioning and their write-ups on here. 

Personally, my stance and opinion on the way the club is run remains unchanged (which I'm sure most of you are aware is a supportive one) but I did find a lot of the topics interesting. One that has particularly intrigued me is the suggestion Albentosa wasn't treated well by the Club. This seems really odd to me after the lengths we went to sign him (if I recall correctly, an article was created on the mini-saga it entailed).

My condolences to all for the lack of sausages. 

[Day]

On the subject of Wassall being on the selection process I saw it as this and I don't want to quote anything to back this up as I can't remember word for word what was said, was a long day...

1) Performances improve, we're fully on course with The Derby Way and go up, there will be no selection process, Wassall will get the job.

2) Performances improve and we don't go up, Wassall will still be in the frame and consulted, my feeling is he would get it.

3) Performances don't improve and we stay down, Wassall will be consulted.

4) Performances don't improve and we go up, this is the worst possible scenario for the club in terms of the manager/head coach position, you could understand why Wassall wouldn't be happy to return to the U21's with a promotion on his CV.

Others that were there may agree or disagree with that, just thought I would throw out what I came away feeling. I know with Mel's reply earlier in the thread to clear up misunderstandings that The Derby Way wasn't just the style of play but it's hard to believe that after 7 years with the club Wassall wouldn't be on board with what the bigger picture is already.